For less than 14 euros, nature lovers can buy an annual ticket and visit all five national parks in Montenegro an unlimited number of times throughout the year. The price of the ticket, which can recently be purchased online, includes the use of educational, hiking and mountain trails, visits to visitor centers.
In the case of NP Skadar Lake, one cruise is included in the price, but the National Parks (NPCG) told "Vijesta" that the cruise is organized by local entrepreneurs.
"That means the entrance fee itself, and NP Skadarsko jezero does not organize the cruise, but local entrepreneurs do it," said the Public Enterprise.
At the end of March, the Government of Montenegro passed a decision according to which the daily tickets for all national parks increased by up to two euros, while at the same time the price of the annual ticket was reduced from 27 to 13,5 euros.
The entrance fee to Skadar lake NP was adjusted from four to five euros, Durmitor from three to five, Biogradska gora from three to four, Lovćen from two to three, and Prokletije from one to three euros.
Guide for 40 to 80 euros
According to the price list, the guide service is not included in the actual purchase of the ticket to any of the five Montenegrin national parks, but is a fee that visitors can request as an additional fee, with the possibility of time commitment from 16 to 20 p.m., depending on interests. Guide services are 40 euros for four hours, and 80 euros for eight hours.
NPCG said that from the beginning of the year to July 1, national parks recorded 201.149 visits, which, they say, is 68,57 percent more compared to the same period last year.
"The increasing interest of domestic and foreign visitors in national parks also obliges the company, whose primary role is the protection of these areas, to carefully plan future activities related to sustainable tourism, but also to control the pressure that these areas may be subject to due to pressure on certain localities", they told "Vijesta".
As all visitors explain, maps with marked hiking and hiking trails can be found in the visitor centers, where they can get information about all types of active vacations in the parks.
They are mostly lost to strangers
Several times in the past years, the media reported on the loss of visitors in some of the national parks. The NPCG said that, in case of missing visitors, the security services are on the ground 24 hours a day, in order to provide tourists with all the necessary directions, but also to protect the park areas.
From the company that manages these valuable protected areas, they said that, when it comes to reports of disappearance, in most cases it is about foreign citizens who go on a tour of the parks unprepared and most often uninformed about the terrain itself.
"The NPCG and the Mountaineering Association of Montenegro have repeatedly appealed to visitors that the uninformed should not start conquering the peaks, that they can get all the necessary information at checkpoints or visitor centers, and that for some localities it is best to use the services of a guide," they told "Vijesti".
They introduce a system for easier locating
In order to avoid unwanted situations, especially during hiking and staying in the parks, NPCG plans to introduce a system for easier locating of visitors, especially hikers, in order to improve safety and security in the parks.
They said that special attention will be focused on information about hiking and mountain trails, to ensure that visitors have all the necessary and necessary information before going out into nature.
NPCG "Vijesti" was told that they are actively working on creating new services and content in the parks "in order to protect and promote the most valuable areas of the country". In this, as they said, the experiences of other protected areas from the region and Europe helped them.
"NPCG bases its activities on programs and management plans, so it continuously works on activities with the aim of enriching the offer of national parks, especially focusing on sustainable tourism and active recreation in the parks. In this regard, in the coming period, work will be done on new educational, cycling and pedestrian paths. Also, the plan is to create an offer that will be available to different categories of visitors in order to enable everyone to enjoy the national parks", said the company.
Playgrounds for children, more modern visitor centers
The NP said that they plan to renovate and modernize the visitor center, as well as build a playground for children.
"Renovation of the existing signs and signposts is underway, so that all visitors can get information on the ground about parks, active recreation, flora and fauna, and cultural and historical heritage. Since last Sunday, visitors to the parks can buy annual and daily tickets for the parks online, and in this way we have made the purchase process faster and easier and reduced queues at the toll booths," NPCG said.
By the end of the year, as they pointed out, more significant activities await them, as well as the realization of several projects with foreign partners aimed at improving and improving infrastructure and material and technical resources.
Who and when does not pay the entrance fee
Entry to Montenegrin national parks is free for Earth Day, Independence Day, International Biodiversity Day, European Parks Day, Skadar Lake Day, Statehood Day, Prokletije National Park Diaspora Day, Durmitor National Park Day, as well as on the second Sunday of June.
Also, children up to the age of 15 and persons with disabilities, organized groups of students of the Faculty of Science and Mathematics of Montenegro (PMF) and the Faculty of Philosophy, as well as researchers, experts of the diplomatic corps and journalists, do not pay the entrance fee, visit to visitor centers and educational trails.
Prices in the region vary
Annual ticket prices in national parks in the region are different, and in some, such as the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, the price depends on the time of year and the day.
Thus, in the height of the season, from June 1 to September 30, the price of a ticket to visit the Plitvice Lakes until 15 p.m. is 40 euros, and from 15 p.m. 26,50 euros.
Prices are significantly lower in the winter months - from November 1 to December 31, and from January 1 to March 31, an adult ticket costs ten euros. In October, and from April 1 to May 31, the ticket costs 23,5 euros. In those months, the ticket price does not depend on the time of day.
The whole arrangement includes a ride in a panoramic vehicle, a boat, a long-distance walk, as well as insurance.
For an annual ticket in the amount of 11 euros on Fruška Gora, with the services of a guide, visitors can see all the natural beauties of that national park in Vojvodina. Taking into account the fact that it occupies an area of over 27.000 hectares, one of the main activities is the Irški venac and Vrdnik walking tours, at a price of 2,24 euros (263 dinars) per person, for groups of 20 visitors. The choice of specific paths depends on the interests of the visitors.
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