Durmitor is a large mountain area in northwestern Montenegro. It is part of the Dinaric Alps. The highest point, Bobotov Kuk, is 2,523 meters (8,278 feet) high.

The area is bordered by the Tara River Canyon to the north, the Piva River Canyon to the west, and the Komarnica River Canyon to the south. East of the area is a high flat area called Jezerska površ (Plateau of Lakes), which is about 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) high. Mount Sinjavina is located to the east of this plateau. Most of the area is in the Žabljak municipality.

The area is named after the Durmitor National Park, which was established in 1952. It became a World Heritage Site in 1980.

Peaks

The massif has 48 peaks above 2,000 meters (6,562 ft). The highest peaks include:

• Bobotov kuk 2,523 m (8,278 ft)
• Bezimeni vrh (Nameless Peak) 2,487 m (8,159 ft)
• Šljeme 2,455 m (8,054 ft)
• Istočni vrh Šljemena (East Peak of Sljeme) 2,445 m (8,022 ft)
• Soa / Đevojka 2,440 m (8,005 ft)
• Milošev tok 2,426 m (7,959 ft)
• Bandijerna 2,409 m (7,904 ft)
• Rbatina 2,401 m (7,877 ft)
• Lučin vrh 2,396 m (7,861 ft)
• Prutaš 2,393 m (7,851 ft)
• Minin bogaz 2,387 m (7,831 ft)
• Planinica 2,330 m (7,644 ft)
• Kobilja glava 2,321 m (7,615 ft)
• Savin Kuk 2,313 m (7,589 ft)
• Šupljika 2,310 m (7,579 ft)

Lakes

Durmitor has 18 glacial lakes spread across a mountain area and the Jezerska Površ plateau. These lakes greatly enhance the mountain's beauty and are known as Gorske Oči, which means "mountain eyes" in Serbian.

Name

The name Durmitor may come from the Romanian language, which means "sleeping place" (similar to the English word "dormitory"). This name might have been given by Romanian settlers during the Middle Ages. Other mountains in the former Yugoslavia region have similar names, such as Visitor (related to the Romanian word "visător," meaning "dreamer") and Cipitor (related to "ațipitor," meaning "sleeper").

Another theory suggests that the name Durmitor comes from the Celts, an ancient group of people. The meaning could be something like "water from the mountain" or "ridged mountain." The ancient Celts lived in this area for a long time, and the Tara River nearby is named after Tara, a Celtic goddess. Because of this, it is possible that Durmitor has a name of similar Celtic origin. The Zeta River also has a name with Celtic roots, meaning "Loved one."

National park

Durmitor National Park was established in 1952. It includes the Durmitor mountain range, the canyons of the Tara, Sušica, and Draga rivers, and the higher part of the Komarnica canyon plateau. The park covers an area of 390 square kilometers (150 square miles). It is the largest protected area in Montenegro and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1980.

The Tara River Canyon, located within Durmitor National Park, is 80 kilometers (50 miles) long and 1,300 meters (4,300 feet) deep. It is the deepest gorge in Europe.

Tourism

Durmitor Mountain is the center of mountain tourism in Montenegro. Tourist services are located near the town of Žabljak. In winter, the main activities on Durmitor include skiing and snowboarding. In summer, these activities change to hiking, climbing mountains, and leisure tourism. Water sports are also enjoyed in the area. Some of the most famous places on Durmitor Mountain are 18 glacial lakes, with the Black Lake being the most well-known. Another notable feature is the mountain peak called Stožina.