undiscovered montenegro lake skadar adventure tours

We were a group of four friends (3 guys and a girl) all 26 which perhaps might not have fitted the usual family bill. This did not faze Emma, who was leading our trip, in the slightest. The trek had the right amount of walking interspersed with swimming, jumping into pools and history of the region. I would definitely recommend it to younger groups looking to do something active and a bit different. A great day and a highlight of our two week trip. Thanks Emma and Ben.

We went on holiday with another family we know well and filled the beautiful villa Miela. Four adults and six children for a week. Yet, there always seemed to be space. We had one of our best family holidays ever.It’s difficult to add something new to all the other excellent reviews, which are hugely deserved, except to say, I don’t know how Ben and Emma managed to tailor activities so beautifully for an age range from six to teenage to 50 something! We all participated and no one was left out – whether it was hurling ourselves into exquisitely cold mountain rivers, hiking through glorious forest or kayaking. I have only one piece of advice, apart from enjoy it to the full! If you know you’re going to the bat cave, and you want to journey further than its cathedral like opening, into the dark, and find the source of the river, take a head torch! It’s quite a scramble in the pitch black. I watched my six year old scamper over the boulders like a little Gollum creature [he was the youngest to have made that far]. I slightly struggled with a hand held torch. It’s worth it, though, and the closest thing you can get to Frodo’s journey into the Mines of Moria. Enjoy!Thank you Ben and Emma

We ended out trip in Montegro with 2 nights in Virpazar and did a kayak tour to discover monasteries on the different islands. The accomodation is in perfect condition with good rooms, good beds and a beautiful bathroom. There are four rooms in total and you share the house with other people. We had 2 great evenings with other guests, enjoyed a BBQ on the magnificent terrace with stunning views and had some good wine! The house has everything you need. Ben guided us on our kayaktrip and that is the best way to discover the lake and surroundings. We had a wonderfull day with great views, good visits to the monasteries (with a warm welcome at the ladies one), tasty lunch and a perfect cold beer to end a perfect day!

Spent a week with Ben and Emma in Virpazar and thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. 2 teenage girls had a great time and ranks up there with our top holidays taken. Undiscovered is the key word here but add in superb local and personal knowledge from Ben and Emma and what you get is a special view of an amazing area that nobody else seems to have noticed yet! We'll be back.

During our extensive tour through Montenegro, we decided to take a day with 'Undiscovered Montenegro' or a change. This turned out to be a great idea. The Walnut Valley Hiking Tour was a great forest hike, mainly because of Ben's guidance. He's clear upfront what you can expect and how to prepare and he creates an atmosphere so everybody can enjoy the full day to a maximum. We walked, we ate at Tanya's (best food we had in Montenegro, by far), we swam in natural pools, we had 6 loyal doggies following us, we enjoyed views and dark forest spots, had several memorable picture moments, met turtles, birds, snakes, spiders and people and we just had a lot of fun all together.

The hike through Walnut Valley was the most memorable part of our holiday. The views were absolutely breath taking and the hike through the forest was really something special - the hiking trail is a bit of a secret so it was really of the beaten track - the road less travelled, so to speak. Swimming in the natural pools is an exhilarating experience, and we were just in awe of our beautiful surroundings. What a huge bonus that the surroundings do not include any other tourists!Tips to other travellers:Study the activity brochure well so that you know exactly which activities you want to do. Try to always include the "local lunch" option, where available - especially the lunch at Tanya's - this is not to be missed. In your free day, go down to Kotor Bay, but go early to avoid the crowds. Make sure that you are fit and healthy otherwise you might battle with the activities.Finally, It was an amazing holiday. Highly recommended. For us, the natural beauty, local organic food, non-commercialized, exclusive activities really made this trip super special. We needed visas and Ben was incredibly helpful in sending us the details that we required.

We stumbled on Undiscovered Montenegro by chance but what a gem. Our holiday with Ben and Emma was a delightful blend of adventure, culture, exploration, good food and wine, exercise, relaxation and good company. Highlights were kayaking to remote and beautiful island monasteries, swimming in mountain streams and lake Skadar, testing but not exhausting walks,stunning views and very friendly locals. All made possible by Ben and Emma's tireless patience and helpfulness, detailed local knowledge, network of local experts and command of the language. Villa Miela is beautiful. Clean, comfortable and with a stunning view out over the valley and towards lake Skadar. In the secluded gardens there are sun loungers and hammock (my favourite). You will share the garden with wild tortoises and a variety of birds including woodpeckers. If you need to keep occupied on holiday and still have time to chill and read, this is for you. Sharing the villa with a small number other like minded strangers (a la ski chalet) enhanced our stay.

Overall, this was an amazing experience. As novice Kayakers, the trips were challenging, but very enjoyable. Lead by Vuk and Ben, the trips seemed well designed with an opportunity to visit local monastery and convent islands, private beaches and the chance to jump overboard and swim! A meal was provided on each of the trips (either a packed lunch or a meal provided by local people). My only criticism is that we weren't always given enough information (e.g. having a specific landmark to head for saves unnecessary paddling!), but generally, when we asked, this information was provided. The villa is great and was well equipped, although a little snug for the nine of us sharing. We managed without a car. Bikes are supplied and are perfectly adequate for getting to and from the village and venturing a little further afield (although all needed a bit of TLC - be prepared to do some basic bike maintenance if you want to use them!). We swapped one of our kayaking days for a wonderful hike to Walnut Valley featuring wild swimming and the most amazing home cooked/produced food at a local farm. Ben and Emma's local knowledge and connections really give you an opportunity to see more of the area than most people would be able to manage alone. The ability to pick from a range of available activities means you can tailor make this holiday to make it perfect for you!

You know you have had a few when your hosts take you to a sloping church that failed to crumble in a landslide and the world seems topsy turvey. Emma and Ben are dedicated to ensuring their guests have an authentic and alcoholic experience. From the bucolic Buk winery to the one with the spring water pool, you will experience deep love for grapes you've never heard of, Montenegrian salami and chese fresh from the farm and the warmth of your genial Montegrian hosts. You may also experience deep envy of the life of Ben and Emma, escaped from the London rat race to pursue their love of the unknown in a country with everything to offer. We hesitate to share. Don't ruin it by going there. Sarah, Betsy, Emma.

We were picked up in front of our hotel at 09.00 am and we drove for about 45min. In between we stopped at some beautiful sites to take pictures. We parked the car somewhere and then our hike started. We hiked through the woods for a while. Our first stop was an enormous bat cave. It was a bit of a climb into the cave, but definitely very achieveable. The next stop was a natural swimming place. The water was freezing cold, but very refreshing after the walk in the hot weather. After that we walked back from where we came from and had ourselves a lunch at a place the guide chose. The lunch is included in the price, which is really nice and the lunch was very good. Then we hopped back in the car to walk at another spot. After a while we stopped at a natural swimming place again and then we walked back to the car en were dropped back off in front of our hotel at 5 pm.Our guide Emma was amazing. She is really nice and motivated. She will show you amazing spots in the woods and the lake that you would absolutely never find for yourselves. The guide took great care of us.We loved the trip, it was an amazing experience!

Hopped on a bus from Budva to go on the kayaking trip. Having never been kayaking before Vuk gave us a quick beginners explanation and we were into it. Really is a brilliant experience, beautiful surroundings, so peaceful. We kayaked around an island prison then to a secluded beach where we had lunch and went for a swim. Vuk was a top guide and was on hand to give us information about the lake, the wildlife, the island and any other questions we had. Would thoroughly recommend this and would definitely visit again when we are back in Montenegro.

A relaxing albeit busy week spent in an absolutely charming part of the world. From the welcome dinner (cooked by one of our hosts) to the final trip back to the airport, everything ran like clockwork with adventures every day. The highlights were: the wine tasting at two local vineyards - be prepared to drink and eat plenty but the bonus is the wine is so pure there was no hangover to contend with; the wild swimming in the streams and waterfalls during the hikes; the amazing two trips on Lake Skadar kayaking to the monasteries (juice and cake with the nuns) and round the island housing the Montenegran version of Alcatraz (very sinister); the abundance of wildlife - snakes, legless lizards, birds and beautiful butterflies; the company of the people who we shared the adventures with and of course our brilliant hosts Ben and Emma who provided experiences to savour and a villa with superb views to get our breaths back at the end of our very satisfying days.

We did a kayaking tour with Ben on Lake Skadar. Before going on the water, he gave us a professional 'how-to-paddle' explanation (without getting into unnecessary technicalities). Once on the lake, he explained to us the history of the region and told us about the islands, After a nice lunch, we visited one of the island Monasteries, where we were very well received by the nuns. The latter was truly one of our best experiences in Montenegro. We would recommend Ben's tours to everyone who enjoys active holidays.

We've been driving around Montenegro for ten days, arranging our own transport and activities, but decided to see if we could get on an organised hike around Lake Skadar.Ben replied straight away and the whole thing was super easy. We tagged along with guests staying in Ben and Emma's stunning villa and went on the Discover and Explore day. Apart from the great company (both Ben and his guests, including a very companionable and relaxed 3 month old) the walk was really interesting and varied, and Ben is very knowledgable and friendly. Despite him clearly having done this walk hundreds of times in the past, it didn't feel like he was at all bored of the amazing flora, fauna and landscape of the area.Highly recommended and we'd definitely look at going back to Lake Skadar to do more with them.

We booked a 3-Daytrip for a Birdwatching tour at Lake Skadar. It was worth it a 100%. We had a guide from that area who was an expert on birdlife and nature in general and told us nice stories about the lake. We spent 2 days at lake Skadar which we explored by boat. We were able to see a big variety of birds (all kinds of herons, Dalmatian pelican, Ibis, Pygmy Cormoran, different eagles and owls etc.). The lake provides a variety with more than 260 different species. The nature seems untouched and wild.On our third day we drove to the salines and the Delta of the Bojana river. Tis is a great place for watching waders. Especially during the bird migration in the spring and autumn, you will see a big variety of shoal and water birds.The tour was well organised by Emma and Ben. They are really nice people and they have good connections in this area.If you are interested in birding or just want to see undiscoveerd nature it is the right place to visit and with Undiscovered Montenegro a great agency.Lars