Veliki Vitao
2,397 m
Montenegro
Also known as Велики ВитаоAlso known as
Велики Витао
- Elevation
- 2,397 m
- Prominence
- 1,211 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jun–Sep
- Routes
- 1
AdvisoryReported 1 Nov 2024
A park ranger was mauled by a brown bear near Stabna in November 2024 (month only reported); bears are reported to have become a problem in the area in recent years.
summitpost.org
Routes
1The classic southern approach, entirely within Montenegro: from the chapel at Stabna above Plužine past the two Stabna lakes and the Zemunica spring into the Smrekovac cirque, then up grassy and rocky terraces through the Klisura valley to the Ćuprija pass and a short grassy slope to the summit. Over 9 km and 1,350–1,500 m of ascent one way; 5½–6½ hours up.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 9.8 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,644 m
- −156 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 2,399 m
- Time Up
- 7h 01m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 5h 02m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Drive from Plužine to the hamlet of Stabna and park near the chapel (about 1,050 m). An old shepherds' path (a forest road also runs to the lower lake) climbs steeply north-west through forest beside the Stabanska stream to Malo Stabansko jezero (about 1,194 m), then north through woodland to Veliko Stabansko jezero (1,325 m), about 1½ hours. The route then heads east along ravines to the Zemunica spring (1,598 m, about 1½ hours more), the most reliable water on the route. From Zemunica the path climbs north over boulders and grassy karst hollows to the dried-up Ubline pond in the Smrekovac cirque, follows a livestock trail north to the foot of Krvava brda, then climbs steep grassy and rocky terraces, briefly through dwarf pine, north-east into the rocky Klisura valley and up to the Ćuprija pass (2,193 m), where several trails meet. From the pass the summit is about 30 minutes up its easy grassy southern side; the north face of the Vitlovi ridge drops in sheer cliffs, so keep back from the edge in cloud. Descend the same way (about 4 hours). Waymarking varies: a longer variant via Ljubota and the Smrekovac valley was freshly waymarked by 2025, while the red blazes on the Zemunica variant are old and pale; an unmarked eastern variant passes above Stabanski katun. The area is dry; carry plenty of water or camp near Zemunica to make it a two-day trip.
Start
Stabna911 m
- None to Stabna; train or bus from Podgorica to Nikšić and bus to Plužine, then taxi
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stabna → Veliki Vitao | 9.8 | 1,644 | 156 | 7h 01m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Stabna911 m
Some parking by the chapel
- Feature: Malo Stabansko jezero1,193 m
- Feature: Veliko Stabansko jezero1,322 m
- Waypoint: Zemunica1,588 m
Spring; last reliable water
- Col: Ćuprija2,193 m
Pass with a trail junction just south of the summit
- Summit: Veliki Vitao2,397 m
Key Passages
- Steep grassy and rocky terraces below the Klisura valley
- Ćuprija pass
- Cliff edge on the north side of the summit
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 60%Overview
At 2,397 m the highest summit of the Bioč–Maglić–Volujak mountains on Montenegro's border with Bosnia and Herzegovina: a sharp limestone peak above a large glacial cirque, reached by long, dry, rarely busy trails from Stabna above Plužine or from Trnovačko jezero.
Veliki Vitao rises in the heart of the Bioč massif, in Montenegro's Piva region, a few kilometres south of the Bosnian border and of Maglić, Bosnia's highest peak. Its sharp silhouette is recognisable from afar. To the north it falls in sheer cliffs into a large post-glacial amphitheatre, the corrie of Vitlovi, bounded by Pločnik (2,385 m) to the west and the spur of Bubreg (2,339 m) to the north; Veliki Bioč (2,321 m) closes the cirque 2.5 km away. The southern side, by contrast, is a steep but easy grassy slope above the Ćuprija pass.
This is remote, dry karst country with few people and no huts on the Montenegrin side. Day ascents from Stabna involve more than 9 km and about 1,500 m of ascent each way; the approach from Trnovačko jezero, the glacial lake on the border below Maglić, and from the Volujak hut at Papin Do in Bosnia are shorter but involve crossing the border or a long access walk. The summit view takes in Volujak, Maglić and Trnovački Durmitor nearby and the Durmitor range with Bobotov Kuk about 20 km to the east.
The mountain lies within the Piva Nature Park. Brown bears are common and have become a concern in recent years.
Climbing Notes
Technically an easy mountain walk (estimated T3) but a long one: be fit for a 9–10 hour day with about 1,500 m of ascent, or plan two days and camp near the Zemunica spring. Water is the main logistical problem; the karst is dry above the springs. Navigation can be tricky: waymarks on some variants are old and faded, so carry a GPS track.
The easiest access within Montenegro is by car from Plužine to Stabna (via Nikšić from Podgorica). The northern approach from Trnovačko jezero is usually reached on foot from Prijevor in Bosnia's Sutjeska National Park, and the route from Papin Do crosses the Bosnia–Montenegro border, which away from official checkpoints is likely illegal without a permit arranged in advance. Best from June to September; summer can be hot, and in winter crampons and an ice axe are needed. In an emergency call 112.
History
No record of a first ascent was found; the slopes have long been grazed from summer shepherd settlements such as Stabanski katun and Rudinske kolibe.
Season
Best Jun–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Possible
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Deep snow; remote winter mountaineering only
- Feb
- Deep snow
- Mar
- Winter conditions
- Apr
- Snow; avalanche risk on steep slopes
- May
- Snowfields linger in the cirques
- Jun
- Good conditions; springs still running
- Jul
- Best season; can be hot and dry
- Aug
- Best season; carry plenty of water
- Sep
- Stable weather, cooler
- Oct
- Short days; first snow possible
- Nov
- Early winter
- Dec
- Winter
Access & Permits
- Permits
- Bosnia and Herzegovina–Montenegro border-crossing permitOptional
Not needed for routes starting in Montenegro (Stabna). Approaches from Prijevor (Sutjeska National Park) or from the Volujak hut at Papin Do cross the border away from official checkpoints; arrange permission in advance and carry a passport. Montenegrin authorities often register visitors at a hut by Trnovačko jezero.
- Hut Booking
- No hut on the Montenegrin side. Camping is possible at Trnovačko jezero, near the Stabna lakes and at the Vrbnica campsite 3.5 km east of Stabna; guesthouses in Stabna and Plužine.
- Fees
- A small Piva Nature Park entry fee may be charged at Trnovačko jezero and a few other points
- Rules
- Piva Nature Park: campfires only at designated places
- Brown bears are present; store food carefully when camping
- Getting There
Plužine
Podgorica Airport (TGD)
- By car: Podgorica – Nikšić – Plužine – Stabna (shortest approach)
- By car to the north side: Plužine – Mratinje towards Trnovačko jezero, or from Bosnia via Foča and Tjentište to Prijevor, then on foot to the lake
- Public transport: train or bus Podgorica – Nikšić and bus to Plužine; taxi from there
Hazards
- Remoteness
- Weather
- Exposure
- Avalanche