Best time to go on a Montenegro family vacation

Take your kids on a trip that they’ll never forget, but before you go remember to read our best time to go to on a family vacation to Montenegro. Also, make sure you take a look at our recommended things to do in Montenegro for families alongside advice and tips from our experts and responsible travelers who’ve been there and had the best time ever.

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BEST TIME TO GO ON A MONTENEGRO FAMILY HOLIDAY

TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL

The best time to go on a Montenegro family vacation is during the summer break, especially if you’re heading into the mountainous north where conditions, higher up, are decidedly cooler than the crowded coast. Lake Skadar also offers comfortable temperatures in Jul-Aug with lake swims surrounded by mountains a wonderfully wild and refreshing experience. Whitsun and autumn half terms are fine for families looking for affordable options, although expect a few more rainy days. Finally, if you visit in Sep-early Oct then you're in for a real treat with harvest celebrations and horse riding or hiking under a canopy of fiery foliage.

Things to do on a Montenegro family vacation…

There is so much of Montenegro to appeal to outdoorsy families that you’ll be hard pushed not to have an adventure, especially if based in the mountains, forests and rivers of the north. White water rafting on the Tara River, horse riding to hilltop monasteries or woodland trails to glacial lakes; family activity vacations in Montenegro have got all the makings of an unforgettable adventure, for all the right reasons.

The higher up you get in northern Montenegro the more you begin to understand what makes this region tick. Fresh fruit and veg, ice cool spring water, scythe-cut stacks of hay, plum brandy; a stay in the mountains exudes simple pleasures. Here, there are ample opportunities for families to forget their worries and adapt to a way of life that sings of simplicity, without feeling the need for screens.

Although family vacations in Montenegro are a great way to experience adventures together there's much to be said for joining a couple of other families. Small group family tours always include plenty of free time to explore on your own or for kids to play together as well as including a tour leader and driver to help you discover Montenegro like a local and from a much more relaxed and sociable perspective.

Things not to do on a Montenegro family vacation…

Wearing a helmet for mountain biking and horse riding is not just an option, it’s peace of mind. The same can be said for white water rafting and kayaking, with buoyancy aids included. Don’t ignore safety instructions. Wear sensible shoes on a walk, cover up whilst snorkelling, keep hydrated on a hike or bike ride; whatever you do, don’t think that you, or your kids, are way too cool for safety school.

There are some really lovely beaches and hidden coves on Montenegro’s coast and there are also some resorts that have succumbed to tourism. Try not to stick solely to the coast. Montenegro’s fresh water lakes, such as Skadar and Biograd, are much more refreshing and less crowded with loads of activities to ensure your family never has to worry about sand in their sandwiches, ever again.

Although it can be tempting to hire a car in Montenegro, mainly because the country is so small, it’s much more fun to join an organised tour and let an experienced local driver navigate the pot holes and twisty turny mountain roads for you. Make yourself at home around Lake Skadar or at the eco lodges in Kolasin, close to Biogradska Forest, and leave the driving to someone else for a change.

Hello.
If you'd like to chat about family vacations in Montenegro or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.

01273 823 700

rosy@responsibletravel.com

MONTENEGRO FAMILY HOLIDAYS ADVICE

TIPS FROM OUR FRIENDS IN MONTENEGRO

Brett Smith, Director at our supplier Green World Vacations, shares advice and recommendations for families visiting Montenegro:

Pack for all eventualities

“Be prepared for anything! Weather in Montenegro, especially in the mountains, can change from one day to the next. Sun hats, neck protection, sun tan cream and shades are just as essential as stowaway waterproofs and sensible shoes. A reusable water bottle is definitely worth packing for each member of the family as is a small day sack. Also, don’t be shy if offered snacks and fruit for a horse ride or hiking trip; they’re vital for energy and it’s better to have them in your bag and not use them rather than leaving them back at base and getting hungry.”

Get ready for the roads

“Montenegro is way behind neighbouring countries, like Slovenia and Croatia, when it comes to well maintained road networks. Some transfer times might take longer than expected although never usually more than a couple of hours. Also, some activities will start after a ride in a 4x4 off road vehicle so be prepared for a few lumps and bumps if heading off into the mountains.”

North south divide

“The north of Montenegro is significantly less touristy than the coastal resorts of the south, and showcases a natural side to life in the mountains that few bucket and spade vacationmakers ever get to appreciate. Virgin forests, national parks, pristine lakes and opportunities to taste organic local produce always ring true with families looking for a really authentic adventure.”

Multiple choice

Emma Heywood founded Undiscovered Montenegro with her husband Ben, and with three young children. She shared her thoughts on family multi activity vacations: “Multi activity vacations are ideal for families, especially if there are other families in the group – instant new friends to share the day's adventure with. There's structure with a fun new activity almost every day, so no time to get bored – and, perhaps most importantly for the parents, they get a break as someone else is in charge of telling their kids what's up next. Families with little kids should look out for tailor made itineraries, because many outdoor activities included in group vacations, like kayaking and rafting, or hiking up mountains, aren't suitable for under sevens.”

How to stay safe

Emma Heywood, from Undiscovered Montenegro: “Families with younger children may notice that there is not as much of a health and safety culture in Montenegro as they are used to in their home countries, so they need to parent a little more actively to watch out for unprotected drops, potential falls, etc.. It can also be hard to find restaurants with high chairs, so bring a portable one from home.”

Sanja Janovic from our supplier Adventure Montenegro, shares her top safety advice: “We are very serious when it comes to safety and activities, especially when it comes to children. Wear cotton clothes in summer when it is hot, or only natural fibres. Because when you take acrylic clothes, it will be much hotter. In terms of safety and tides, we are in Kotor Bay, so it is very deep, but safe with no big tides, waves or currents. On the Tara River, however, there are strong currents, and so you must always go with a guide. We can’t take children under eight years old on river rafting trips”.

MONTENEGRO FAMILY HOLIDAYS ADVICE

TIPS FROM OUR TRAVELLERS

At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.

We have selected some of the most useful Montenegro family vacation tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.

“Our tour op was concerned that our trip might have been better if we'd come in the summer instead of the autumn, but he need not have worried. The golden fields, turquoise streams and variegated amber mountains were well worth the extra layers and occasional rain.” – Ruolin Wang

“The day trips were all amazing but when I asked my children boys aged 13 and 10 and girl 6 what their highlight was it was when we swam, hiked and ended up at a floating restaurant where they could jump into a deep river from a bridge (all very safe) followed by a drive across flood plains looking at birds which felt more like Africa than Europe.” – Steph Bowler

“We are always keen to hire a car when visiting new places so we did pick up a car from Podgorica. However, on reflection, we feel that a car is not essential at all for a multi-activity vacation especially since the road infrastructure and parking facilities in Montenegro are not that well placed for even a modest influx of tourists in peak season (July/August).” – Emma Sewell

“Bring sand shoes to wear when wild swimming – some of the river swims are very stony and it will make swimming much easier. And be prepared for anything – we were a party of 2 families and 2 couples with ages ranging from 59 - 14yrs – and the level of activities seemed to suit everyone.” – Annabelle Heap

“It can bit quite chilly during the Easter vacations! Take cash because typically restaurants etc don't take cards although you won't need too much because prices are very low compared to other European countries.” – Hazel Edwards

Photo credits: [Temperature chart: Undiscovered Montenegro] [North south divide: Green World Vacations] [Pack for all eventualities: Undiscovered Montenegro] [How to stay safe: Undiscovered Montenegro] [Review 1: Dmitry Kalinin] [Review 2: Undiscovered Montenegro]

Written by Chris Owen

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