Welcome to the Montenegro Motorcycle Travel Guide. This detailed article from our Montenegro touring expert is packed with info and tips and lists three of the best biking routes throughout the country so you can get the most out of your adventure.
Contents
Motorcycle Travel Guide Montenegro
By Sergey Vikultsev
Founder of Montenegro based motorcycle touring company - Montenegro Ride
Why motorcycle travel in Montenegro?
Montenegro is one of Europe’s most underrated motorcycle destinations. Despite its small size, the country offers an incredible mix of Adriatic coastline, high mountain passes, deep canyons and quiet rural roads — all within just a few hours’ ride.
After years of riding and hosting international riders here, I can confidently say Montenegro is one of the rare places where you can ride from the sea to alpine landscapes in a single day. That variety is what makes it so special for motorcycle travel.
Every ride here feels different. In the morning you can follow the coastline with views of the Adriatic, and by afternoon you can be deep in the mountains riding empty roads through national parks. Montenegro may be compact, but the riding experience feels vast.
In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know to plan your own motorcycle trip through Montenegro.
Paperwork for motorcycle travellers in Montenegro
Montenegro is easy to visit and straightforward for motorcycle travellers. European nationals can enter visa-free for up to 90 days. The same applies to travellers from the USA, Canada and Australia.
There are no road tolls or vignettes. If you are travelling on your own motorcycle, you will need valid insurance covering Montenegro — typically a Green Card.
Getting in and out of Montenegro with a motorcycle
The two most common border crossings into Montenegro for motorcyclists are from Croatia and Albania as Montenegro is on the highway between central Europe and Greece. It’s also possible to enter Montenegro from Italy using a ferry which arrives into the city of Bar. We recommend checking online with directferries.co.uk as you can find up-to-date and current sailing times and availability.
If you’re flying into Montenegro for a motorcycle tour, then there are three main airports: Tivat, Podgorica and Dubrovnik (Croatia border). Dubrovnik is often a convenient option due to flight availability and its close proximity to the Montenegrin coast. We recommend using skyscanner.net to find the cheapest flights.
When to motorcycle travel in Montenegro
The best seasons to ride a motorcycle in Montenegro are spring (March-May) and Autumn (September-October). Both seasons are beautiful times to see the landscapes in Montenegro thanks to the extreme greenery in spring and orange and reds through Autumn.
It’s best to avoid the height of summer (July and August) as it gets extremely hot and busy with a lot of road traffic.
Accommodation in Montenegro
Hotels
There are plenty of hotel options across the country. The coastal and central areas are well developed for tourism in terms of hotels. In the north (mountains) you’ll mostly find guesthouses where you can experience living with the locals.
The coastal region is a bit more pricy and the mountains are more affordable. The prices vary from 50 to 500 Euros per night – dependent on the season and location.
Here’s a link to booking.com to give you an up-to-date idea of current hotel pricing and some of the best hotels in Montenegro around the Tivat area.
Camping
You can camp with your motorcycle in Montenegro in registered camp sites. You may also be able to wild camp if exploring TET roads in the north of the country. But remember, it is prohibited to camp in national parks.,
READ MORE: Motorcycle Camping Guides
Safety and police
Montenegro is generally a very safe country. Crime levels are low, especially in non-touristy places. It’d be extremely rare to have your things stolen. People are very friendly here, but as a tourist you should always pay attention like anywhere in the world.
Don’t exceed the speed limits by more than 10kph as speeding fines can be high. And the process of paying them is complicated too. Your driver’s licence will be retained while you travel to the nearest city to find a post office, pay the fine, then you’ll have to return to collect your licence or collect it the next day.
Motorcycle touring in Montenegro
Montenegro offers some of the best riding in the Balkans and has excellent roads connecting the entire country and the government is continuously improving it even further.
You can even reach remote regions via pristine asphalt roads. It’s only if you decide to explore the TET that you’ll find off-road tracks. But a road going motorcycle is fine for riding to all of Montenegro’s key destinations.
Motorcycle riding gear for Montenegro
It’s best to use spring and summer riding gear in Montenegro or mesh kit with layers.
Montenegro’s coast is warm all year round. Starting early spring, the north of Montenegro is also rideable. In spring and autumn, layering is recommended as temperatures in the mountains can be 5–7°C while the coast remains warm. In winter, mountain regions regularly drop below 0°C.
For your reference, you need three hours to cross the country from south to north. Spring, summer and autumn are all warm on the coast and the temperature fluctuates between 15-25C, while the north is 5-7 degrees lower during those seasons and 15 degrees lower in winter with an average temperature of -5 to -0C.
READ MORE: Motorcycle Riding Gear Guides
The 3 best motorcycle routes in Montenegro
Here are my top three routes and roads to ride a motorcycle in Montenegro. You’ll find a one-day, two-day and up to five-day tour here dependent on how much time you have. But do make sure you put a little extra time aside to relax and not just ride, it’s a beautiful country with so much to offer.
Lovcen National park and Kotor Cerpentine
This is one of the most popular routes in Montenegro for motorcyclists. The road is new, full of twisties and is an excellent route for a one-day ride. It’s also easily accessible from the most popular cities along the coast such as Kotor, Tivat, and Budva.
This route is excellent as it provides stunning views of Montenegro and Croatia all wrapped up into a single day’s ride. You can ride mountain curves and along straight panoramic roads, take amazing pictures and enjoy the local cuisine along the way.
Another great aspect of this road is that you can reach it from the cities mentioned above, ride a loop and circle back, so you can leave all your gear at the hotel or make a base.
The great thing about this road is that you can reach it from each of those cities mentioned above, make a circle and come back. This is a great brand-new road with twisties and will be your choice if you have just one day to ride in Montenegro.
Durmitor National Park – Tara Bridge – Biogradska Gora – Skadar Lake
This is one of the most beautiful places to ride a motorcycle in Montenegro. You have probably seen it before while researching Montenegro.
It’s a two-day ride and you can head clockwise or anticlockwise. In either case, you’ll be riding through beautiful scenery the entire way.
Pivsko Jezero is an artificial lake in the mountains filled with turquoise water and Durmitor national park has breath taking views right in the thick of nature (you won’t have mobile reception up here!). Next to the city of Zabljak, you can visit Crno Jezero, another beautiful lake surrounded by mountains – this is a must see and make sure you stop here for a cup of coffee.
Then you can ride to Tara Bridge and follow the old road through its tunnels down to Biogreadsko Jezero national park. From there, you can return the coast. On your way, you’ll pass Kolasin town with its great mountain resorts and the capital of Montenegro – Podgorica.
After Podgorica, ride through Shkodra Lake – a national park protected by UNESCO with its vibrant wildlife. This is a good two or three day riding tour if you don’t want to rush and want to explore all of Montenegro’s culture from the south to the north.
Durmitor National Park – Prokletje Natioanl park – Plav Lake
This is an extended loop from the route above. This one requires 3-5 days, depending on your pace and how much time you want to spend in each location. You will see all of the above – plus visit Prokletije national park and Plav Lake (a remote area in central Montenegro). On the way, you’ll ride beautiful twisty roads, through local villages and places where traditional tourism is almost non-existent.
If you have time to spend a few days on the road, this is the ultimate route that’ll allow you to see all of Montenegro on a motorcycle.
Motorcycle tours and rentals in Montenegro
Joining an organised motorcycle tour in Montenegro can be a good idea as it will help you save time on research, planning, finding the best roads and hidden gems and you won’t have to spend loads of time and motorway miles riding your own bike there. You’ll see all of the scenic routes and national parks while also learning more about the country and its culture with a professional who knows the country inside out.
The best scenario is to fly in and stay in the Boka Bay region in cities such as Tivat, Kotor or Lustica Bay. From these locations you can easily access all of the mountain roads with minimal traffic. The best airports to catch a flight to reach this region are Tivat or Dubrovnik airport.
My main addition to this is (in my experience) that most people think of Montenegro as an undeveloped region and they’re surprised when they come and see the country. Instead, think of it as an average developed country with good services and road connections. Most motorcycles and travellers will be fine here if you are riding your own bike.
If you’re looking to rent a motorcycle or join a tour, I run Montenegro Ride, please feel free to get in touch with us as we are happy to help give you the best adventure possible.
Web: montenegroride.com
Top tips
- Follow the speed limits and don’t exceed them
- Avoid the coastal roads in summer
- Choose a fun motorcycle to ride on the curvy mountain roads
- Plan for 2-5 days to fully explore the country (if you don’t want to go full on camping and on off-road trails)
- Take your time experiencing local culture and food
- Spend at least a day by the sea as the water is incredible
This guide was written by Sergey Vikultsev, owner of Montenegro Ride. As a local expert, Sergey shares his insight into motorcycle touring in Montenegro. If you’d like to join a tour or rent a motorcycle with Montenegro Ride, please contact him directly.
About the author
Sergey has been riding motorcycles since 2004 and is the founder of Montenegro Ride, a premium motorcycle touring company based in Montenegro. He hosts riders from around the world, showcasing the best of Montenegro and the wider Balkan region. To join one of his awesome tours, check out his website below.
Website: montenegroride.com
Facebook: montenegroride
Instagram: @montenegroride
YouTube: montenegroride
Read more on motorcycle travel in Montenegro and Europe
Thanks for checking out this Motorcycle Travel Guide: Montenegro. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycling in Montenegro and Europe that we recommend you read next.
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Great article and very informative. Thank you for taking the time to put this together team.
Charlie
Thank you Charlie
I’m planning a Montenegro tour with a few mates next year and this is exactly what I needed. Good to know there’s a solid company out there as well for when the time comes. Thanks mate
Sure! Feel free to reach out! Cheers.
How long would you say is realistically more than enough for a good tour of montenegro? To see all the main sights and best roads are we talking a long weekend or a good week?
Depends on your riding style and preferences in what exactly you want to see (what’s your interest), say 3-6 days will be enough for the first time.
Hi,
I have a U.S. plated motorcycle. I would like to maybe leave it for the off season (winter) in maybe Montenegro. I would fly back to the USA and return in 6-7 months. Is this possible to do without getting into trouble with the border agents?
I know I can leave it in Bulgaria, but it would be easier to leave it in Montenegro.
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks
Hi Tim,
Get in touch with us @stoppietravel to sort it out!
Cheers!
Sergey.
Coming from US. Where is best place to rent touring bikes end of September?
Hi Tom,
Please feel free to contact the author of this guide directly as he runs his own motorcycle touring company. His email is listed in the About the author section on this page.
Cheers,
Andy
Hi Tom,
Feel free to get in touch. We specialize in touring motorcycles in Montenegro and the Balkans.
You can find more information on our website: montenegroride.com
Thanks,
Sergey