Villa Activity Holiday, Lake Skadar, Montenegro | 7 days
2026 departure dates: Any Sunday late-March to end-Oct – last minute £200pp discount for w/c 5th and 12th April and 3rd May!
If you’re looking for an active holiday in Montenegro that doesn’t involve packing and unpacking every night, Lake Skadar National Park is hard to beat. It’s one of those places that feels made for slow adventure. A vast freshwater lake surrounded by mountains, with quiet channels full of water lilies, tiny fishing villages and teeming with birdlife.
From our base at Villa Miela, near Virpazar, you’ll step into a world of wild wonders – kayaking on the lake’s calm waters, hiking through forested hills, swimming in rivers and waterfalls, and occasionally pausing for a glass of local wine or long lunch at a family-run ‘konoba’.
The rhythm of the week is simple: four activity days exploring Lake Skadar National Park, balanced with two free days where you can enjoy the area at your own pace. Borrow a bike, take a day trip to the nearby Adriatic coast or spend the day relaxing by the pool with its panoramic lake/mountain views.
No two weeks are exactly the same and there’s no fixed itinerary. What we get up to depends on the weather and season, and you’ll get the chance to help shape the plan, deciding as a group each day on what we’d like to do.
Take a look at the itinerary tab for an idea of how a typical week might unfold.
This holiday is our original adventure, loved by everyone. It’s hard to imagine that when a young Ben and Emma moved to Montenegro in 2008, hardly anyone outside the Balkans had heard of Lake Skadar. Undeterred, they renovated, explored and launched a holiday – one that has since been recommended by The Times, The Guardian, Lonely Planet and even National Geographic.
Villa holiday highlights
- Kayaking on Lake Skadar, the Balkans’ largest lake and candidate UNESCO biosphere
- Dips and swims in natural pools, rivers and waterfalls
- Forest and hill walking along hidden trails rich with wildlife
- Caves, bridge-jumping and more adventures by 4×4
- Culture and nature experiences, from pelican spotting to visiting monasteries, winemakers and honey farmers
- Villa and pool accommodation with incredible views and wild tortoises in the garden
Is this week of adventures for you?
A reasonable level of physical fitness and adventurous spirit is required for our Lake Skadar activity holiday, but beyond that it’s suitable for families, groups of friends, couples and solo travellers alike. The minimum age is seven, but we can make exceptions for exceptional kids (talk to us). There is no maximum age.
Click here to read more about our activity levels.
Book to Give Back to Montenegro
We’re big on keeping destinations as beautiful as they were when we found them. So when you book with us, a percentage of the money you pay will be donated to our chosen local environmental or community causes for the year.
Learn more about our Book to Give Back scheme and other responsible tourism initiatives here.
Your Hosts:
Javi and Ale are an inspiring, fun and super-practical couple who live on-site at Villa Miela, keeping everything ship shape and working alongside our local activity guides and community partners. They’ll be the ones welcoming you and making sure you have an awesome holiday at Lake Skadar – a place they’ve adopted as home, just like our founders did many years ago. Read more about our story.
Read what our adventurers have to say
Want to see more? Watch our video!
An example week
Your villa stay includes four fun-packed activity days with an expert guide and two rest days to explore further or chill out as you please. While we don’t have any fixed plan that’s agreed before you arrive, here’s an example of how your week might unfold.
Day 1 – Arrival
Arrive at Villa Miela in the afternoon. Get to know your group as we get together on the terrace and discuss the exciting options for your week of lazy lake adventures.
Day 2 – Hiking & wild swimming at Lake Skadar National Park
Charge up your camera and jump aboard our trusty 4x4s for a day of breathtaking scenery and wild swimming.
The morning’s stops include rockpools for a dip, a hike to bat-inhabited caves before lunching at a local restaurant.
Hop back in the 4x4s for a safari-style off-road drive through a plain that wouldn’t look out of place in Africa, before stopping for more wild river swimming and to visit an ancient fortress with epic views across the wetlands.
Day 3 – Kayaking on Lake Skadar
Today we’ll head out on a beginner-friendly kayaking trip to explore Lake Skadar’s southern shores by Murići (also home to the lake’s best freshwater beach). It’s about as far from mass tourism as you can get. Feel like the lake is yours as you swim in crystal clear waters and visit the lake’s renowned 14th-century island monasteries, all the while taking in the awesome views, varied bird life and glorious solitude.
Day 4 – Rest Day
There’s so much to discover at Lake Skadar National Park! Take the complimentary bicycles out for a spin, try out some of the self-guided walking trails, head out to see the coast (only 30 minutes away) or chill out and simply relax by Villa Miela’s pool.
Day 5 – Wine tasting in Lake Skadar Valley
Lake Skadar is Montenegro’s main wine region, with more than 30 producers close to Villa Miela. The bold red vranac and crisp white krstač are local favourites, and easily hold their own against far better-known European wines.
You’ll visit two small, award-winning wineries, strolling through vineyards, peeking inside the cellars, and tasting wines straight from the barrels while hearing the owners’ stories. For a more indulgent experience, you can also decide to have a private lunch or dinner with organic local produce and plenty of excellent wine.
Travelling with kids? Swap this day for a private boat trip on Lake Skadar, with wild swimming and a good chance of spotting pelicans.
Day 6 – Forest hike and honey farm visit
One of our favourite hikes winds through shady woodland, over old Ottoman bridges, and along riverside paths once used by the caravanserai. Spring-fed pools offer the perfect spot to pause for a refreshing swim.
Our path continues to a hillside village where a local family of beekeepers are waiting to greet us. Enjoy a home-cooked lunch prepared by them (extra cost) made almost entirely of home-produced, organic goodies.
This peaceful valley is rich with wild figs, herbs and even wandering tortoises – and the best part is it how undiscovered it still feels.
Day 7 – Rest Day
A chance to kick back and relax at Villa Miela or head out for more self-guided exploring, armed with our expert tips.
Day 8 – Departure
It’s time to say goodbye to new-found friends and your hosts. Check out is from 10am.
Prices are in GBP per person per week and include 7 nights’ self-catering accommodation at Villa Miela, four guided activity days and complimentary use of mountain bikes. Flights and transfers are not included.
| ROOMS | April/October | May/June/September | July / August |
| En-suite double / twin / triple | £895pp | £945pp | £995pp |
| Double / Twin shared bathroom | £745pp | £795pp | £845pp |
| Single supplement | £150 | £200 | £250 |
Please note that all parties may share Villa Miela with other independent bookings. We can on occasion accept shorter stays pro-rata (eg, 3 nights, 2 activities for 50% of the normal price), but this is usually limited to late availability or special circumstances. We don’t offer accommodation-only stays – sorry!
The four activities include all equipment when needed, e.g. for kayaking, and either a packed lunch or the option to stop at a local restaurant or eaterie. Please note that all third party providers of food/wine are to be paid direct by you as part of our ‘no commission’ policy to support the local economy.
Last minute £200pp discount for w/c 5th and 12th April and 3rd May – use code UMLASTMINUTE200
Villa Miela
A beautifully renovated farmhouse with swimming pool, Villa Miela is the ideal base for guests on our Lake Skadar multi-activity holidays. With panoramic views and a prime location offering easy access to the lake’s southern and northern shores as well as Virpazar’s restaurants and shops, it’s the perfect place to stay for families, couples and groups of friends.
Make new travel buddies as you share the well stocked kitchen, gorgeous outdoor terrace, gas BBQ and swimming pool, or take over the whole complex if your group number is six or more (a supplement may be charged).
At a glance
- Sleeps up to 16 with 3 double rooms, 3 twin rooms and one 4-bed dorm room, some with private bathroom, some with shared bathroom
- Panoramic views over lake, valley and mountains
- Free WIFI
- Swimming pool
- A/C in the bedrooms as well as ceiling fans
- Two well-stocked kitchens for self-catering
- Open-plan living room with TV, DVD player and library of books and films
- Large terrace with gas barbecue, loungers, hammocks
- Table tennis room and boules court
- Extensive grounds with natural orchard and wild tortoises
- Two minutes from the lake shore, 30 minutes from the Adriatic coast
- Free use of mountain bikes
Exposed stone details and wooden ceilings and floors add to the charm, with locally produced, handmade bedspreads and bathroom soaps also handmade from olive oil. Stunning views are offered up by each bedroom and the open-plan living area.
The modern kitchens comes equipped with washing-machine and dishwasher.
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