Biogradska Gora National Park is one of the last remaining relic forests in Europe. Not without pride, Montenegro guides say that Biogradska Gora was declared a protected area, that is became the second world`s national park after the Yellowstone Park in USA, in 1878.
Partially, it is true. Indeed, in 1878 the prince Nicholas, the governor of Montenegro, ordered to guard the flora and fauna of the Biogradska Gora, but the status of national park is was given only in 1952.
There remained almost no relic forests similar to those of the Biogradska Gora in Europe. The most famous relic forest is the biosphere reserve Belovezhskaya Pushcha located on the territory of Belarus and Poland. Partially, the «virgin forests of Komi», located in the Russian Urals also fall under this category. They are much bigger than Belovezhskaya Pushcha and Biogradska Gora and were also given the status of natural site by UNESCO, although they have quite different structure.
In spite of significant restrictions, some part of the Biogradska Gora National Park is open for tourists. It offers wonderful opportunities for eco tourism. If you haven’t got a permission to visit the relic zones of the park (or backpack tours), the simplest way to visit the Biogradska Gora National Park would be to visit the Lake Biograd. It is located no far from a highway and you can drive in there in a motor-car. There is a camping near the Lake Biograd (the only one in the park).
A path of 3 kilometers runs round the Lake Biograd. And having had a walk on this path you can understand what a relic forest is. It has huge boulders dating back to the Ice Age. All the boulders and roots of giant trees are covered with moss. Water of the Lake Biograd has an emerald green color even in a gloomy weather. It is wonderfully transparent and clean.
You can have a walk along a marked path from the Lake Biograd to the Belacica mountain range. From this walk you may have even a greater impression of the park flora and fauna. After Biogradska Gora you may drop in at the Morača Monastery, which is only several kilometers from the entrance of the park.
