Skadar Lake National Park: wildlife, rules and what to see

Skadar Lake National Park was declared in 1983 and protects the Montenegrin part of the largest lake in the Balkans – around 400 km² of open water, reed belts, flooded meadows, karst hills and villages. Since 1996 it has also been a Ramsar site, recognised as a wetland of international importance.

Why it is protected

Three things make this lake exceptional.

Birds. More than 280 species have been recorded here, making it one of the most important bird wetlands in Europe. It holds one of the continent's last breeding colonies of Dalmatian pelicans, the park's emblem, alongside pygmy cormorants, herons, egrets and glossy ibis. In winter tens of thousands of waterfowl arrive.

Fish and endemics. Around 40 fish species live in the lake, including endemic and regionally restricted ones. Carp and the small silver bleak (ukljeva) have supported the villages here for centuries, and the lake is a migration route for eels heading to and from the Atlantic.

Plants and habitat. Vast reed beds, and the white and yellow water lilies that cover whole bays in summer. The shallow, fluctuating water level creates a mosaic of habitats found almost nowhere else in the Mediterranean basin.

What to see

• Reed channels and lily fields in the northern bays, at their best from late June through August.
• Pelicans and cormorants on the open water and the remote shallows.
• Island monasteries – Beška, Starčevo, Moračnik – and the prison fortress island of Grmožur. See islands and monasteries.
• Hidden waterfalls on the shoreline, fed by karst springs and best in spring and early summer.
• Abandoned villages, their stone houses standing empty above the water.
• Viewpoints – above all Pavlova Strana.

Practical information

Entrance fee. The park charges a small national park fee, a few euros per person. When you take a boat tour, this is handled as part of the trip – you do not need to queue anywhere.

Opening. The park is open year-round; boat tours run April to October. Winter brings high water and rain.

Visitor centres. There are park information points at Virpazar and Vranjina with displays on the lake's birds, fish and history.

Getting there. Virpazar is the main entrance village: 35 minutes from Podgorica, 45 from Budva, 50 from Kotor, with a bus stop and a train station. See how to get to Skadar Lake and our free parking page.

Park rules worth knowing

• Keep your distance from birds, especially nesting colonies in spring – pelicans abandon nests easily.
• Do not enter or damage the reed beds.
• Take all rubbish away with you; there are no bins on the water.
• Fishing requires a permit; commercial nets are regulated.
• Do not pick water lilies, however tempting.
• Camping and fires are only allowed in designated places.

Our skippers know the colony areas and the seasonal restrictions and keep the boats where they belong.

The best way to experience it

Most of the park has no roads. The bays, channels, islands, waterfalls and bird grounds are reachable only by water, which is why a boat tour is the way people actually see this place rather than look at it from a viewpoint.

From Virpazar every tour includes snacks and drinks, at least one swim stop, free parking and a digital guidebook in 25 languages. Browse the boat tours, check the daily schedule or see live availability.

For the bigger picture, read the complete Skadar Lake guide; for Montenegro's other parks, Montenegro national parks.

Frequently asked questions

When was Skadar Lake National Park founded? In 1983; it became a Ramsar wetland in 1996.

Is there an entrance fee? Yes, a small per-person park fee – included in the boat tour arrangements.

What is the park famous for? Its birds, above all the Dalmatian pelican, plus island monasteries and water-lily fields.