Lake Skadar Multi-activity holiday – short stays
“One of the joys of this trip is the chance to stay at Villa Miela…this is the sort of place that sparks new friendships…Ben and Emma have winkled out all the best spots during their decade living here…” – Helen Ochyra, The Times
2021 departures: selected dates for June, July, August and September – contact us!
Covid-19 has changed travel plans for many – so for selected dates across this summer, we are offering 2 and 3 night packages based at Villa Miela in Lake Skadar National Park! Your base for the week is our own beautifully renovated farmhouse, with a fixed itinerary of activities that you can read about by clicking the “itinerary” tab above. The 2-night “weekend” trip runs Friday-Sunday, but the 3-night variant can start on a day of your choosing. Get in touch to check out available dates!
These trips are suitable for families, groups of friends, couples and solo travellers. A reasonable level of physical fitness and adventurous spirit is required! Click here to read more about our activity levels.
Book to Give Back – every booking sparks a donation to our chosen local environmental and community causes!
Your Tour Leaders: English couple Ben and Emma have been living and working at Lake Skadar for 11 years and run Undiscovered Montenegro together from their lovingly restored guesthouse, Villa Miela. Being backpackers who grew up and had children, they are committed to providing top quality sustainable adventures based on their extensive local knowledge and global know-how. They both speak near fluent Montenegrin/Serbian as well as English.
Want to see more? Watch our video!
Sample Itinerary:
Day 1 – Arrival
Arrival at Villa Miela for a 3-course welcome dinner on the terrace around 7pm.
Day 2 – Explore & Discovery
An unforgettable car and hiking combination tour. We will drive past breathtaking views, hike to rock-pools for wild swimming, visit bat-inhabited caves before lunching at a former royal residence in historic Rijeka Crnojevića. We then jump back in the 4×4 for more stunning views, wild river swimming and then heading across a magnificent plain that would not look out of place in Africa. The breathtaking view from the ancient fort of Zabljak Crnojevića is our final stop before returning to Virpazar.
Day 3 – Kayaking to island prison
Our shortest trip is a return paddle from the lilypads and rushes of Virpazar to the old island prison of Grmožur and then secluded Pješačac beach. Bring your own lunch and your sense of adventure! More experienced paddlers can choose to extend the trip by 8km to the tiny lakeside settlement of Raduš, where a lunch of fresh lake fish can be prepared for an extra € 12pp (you pay the provider direct).
Our fleet of kayaks are Z-Pro Tango inflatables. They’re ideal for lake and river kayaking, are super stable and extremely comfortable with great back supports, impossible to capsize and impossible to roll and can carry much more than a rigid sit-on-top kayak. They’re also easy to get back into after all the swimming you’ll be doing in the lake and Grade 2 rapids tested for toughness.
Day 4 – Wine-tasting in Lake Skadar Valley (3 day trip only)
Lake Skadar is also Montenegro’s wine-country with upwards of 30 commercial producers on Villa Miela’s doorstep. The red vranac and white krstač wines are easily a match for more famous French rivals. Our wine tasting tour will take you to three boutique wineries, all medal winners, where you can sample from the barrels yourselves, view the vineyards and learn about the proud history of wine-making from the friendliest of owners. You can even take the option of having a private lunch or dinner at a winery, with the best organic produce, washed down with copious quantities of delicious wine!
Want to try something else?
Holidaying with kids? Take our family favourite wild-swimming boat tour instead of the wine tour!
Want to up the adrenalin levels? Ask us about our white-water pack-rafting trips instead of the kayak tour! [supplement payable]
Prices are in £ Sterling per person per week and include 2 or 3 nights’ self-catering accommodation at Villa Miela, a welcome dinner, 2 or 3 activities and complimentary use of mountain bikes. A daily farmhouse breakfast basket service is available at Villa Miela for €10 per basket (feeds two).
July / August – £195pp for 2 day trip, £275pp for 3 day trip
Please note that parties may share Villa Miela with other independent bookings.
The activities run by us include all transport, translation, equipment and packed lunches where offered. Please note that all third party providers of food/wine are to be paid direct by the guests as part of our “no commission” policy to support the local economy.
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 friends as you share the well stocked kitchen, gorgeous outdoor terrace, gas BBQ and swimming pool, or take over the whole complex if your group numbers 6 or more (a supplement may be charged).
At a glance
Sleeps 8-10 with 2 double rooms, 1 twin and one 4-bed dorm room, each with private bathroom
Modern kitchen with all amenities
Free WIFI
Open-plan living room with TV, DVD player and library of books and films
Large terrace with gas barbecue, loungers, hammocks, boules court, swimming pool; incredible views over lake, valley and mountains
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 kitchen comes equipped with washing-machine and dishwasher.