WILD CAMPING IN CROATIA & MONTENEGRO


Before we went on our road-trip to Croatia and Montenegro, we googled “wild camping” in those countries. We love to wild camp – no annoying tourists, no tiny spaces, no disgusting showers. We prefer to be on our own, bathing in a river or under our solar shower (or not at all, after spotting a snake in the river). We love to hear the sounds of nature and not the camping ground neighbours.

So we’re always on the search for good spots, to avoid official camp sites, if it’s possible. Sometimes it isn’t and when you google “wild camping in Croatia/Montenegro” you’ll find different answers. Officially it is forbidden in both countries – but some say don’t do it in Croatia (and we heard some stories of our friends, who got caught, which was expensive). Some say it’s ok to wild camp in Montenegro, if you’re not in a national park. We had so many different answers… so we thought we’ll just decide on site.

And here is our opinion: Just do it – if you find a nice place, not next to the tourist areas, a little bit hidden, just go for it. We checked google earth to see where those gravel roads are going and if there are houses on the end. Olive groves are also pretty nice, pull-in/picnic areas on passes always have stunning view. Ruins, old churches and castles are a good choice as well. Don’t stay the whole day, leave early and please do not leave your trash !!! and you’re good. 
 

If there’re locals around, ask them, if it would be ok to stay the night and in our case – they were super nice and ok with it, as long as you don’t make a fire. Sometime you get lucky (or more drunk, than lucky) and get invited to their homes and can stay the night on their property. Which is awesome, when you are in a national park and not so sure about wild camping or not.

EDIT: Since I get asked daily, where those spots are and I just don’t have the time to write everybody back, here are the nicest spots – Camp Veslo in Montenegro and up the river in Omis, Croatia! 😉 The other spots are just too difficult so explain. Also these spots are good for wild camping.


 

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88 thoughts on “WILD CAMPING IN CROATIA & MONTENEGRO”

  1. Hi,
    Sounds like you had a great holiday! Myself and my partner are two Aussie backpackers who have been hiking and camping our way through europe. We head to Montenegro tomorrow and would love some advice and good places for wild camping! Ps we are very eco friendly travelers 🙂

    1. Hey Meredith, ahhh that sounds amazing! Glad you found my blogpost about Montenegro! 🙂 I’ll write you an email, with some spots. Have so much fun! Sophia

      1. Hey Sophia,

        Me and my boyfriend will visit Montenegro this summer.
        Do you mind sending the email to me aswell 🙂

        Thanks in advance!

      2. Hello Sophia,
        what a nice blog!
        My boyfriend and I are driving to Montenegro as well in 2 weeks!!!
        After we watched your pictures – can you send us the name with the spots as well!

        Would be so great!
        Thanks so much, best regards from Munich
        Hannah

      3. Hi! Myself and a freind are doing something similar! Could you send me an email with some spots? We’re going all over Croatia. Thanks so much!

      4. Hey, Sophia! Me and my bf are traveling in a few weeks to Montenegro and I would love some tips and good spots to park! Thanks!

      5. Hi Sophia, it sound like an amazing vacation! Will you sent me some free camp spots in Croatia too, we are planing to do wild camping as well, but we are two girls, is it still safe? I will be looking forward to a email from you, thanks

        1. We are all of a couple of weeks behind you Siggi and heading to Croatia tomorrow west to east. Any tips/spots/help would be amazing

        2. Hey Sophia, loved reading about your adventure! I am also looking for some places to wild camp in Croatia. Could you please forward me the email as well:)

      6. Hey Sophia,

        Just found your blog and it’s touching exactly the questions we have regarding wild camping in Croatia, Monte, Albania and Greece 😀

        We’re leaving from London in 3hours time with first stop in Bled, Slovenia then Split and further south.

        If you could share the famous email with us as well that would be great! I promise that in return we can share the spots we’ve found and some nice images from our trip if you wish 🙂

        Thanks a lot!
        Seb & Kasia

      7. Hi Sophia and Meredith,

        My husband and I are travelling to Croatia/Montenegro in September and hiring a camper. Any suggestions on where to camp would be great. Also is it safe to wild camp without being fined?

        Thank you for all your help.

      8. Hi is it possible to send that email as well tot me? Currently in Croatia and we are going in two days to Montenegro! Greetz

  2. Hi,
    My name is David, and I am a scout from Hungary. I am looking for wild camp site as well, in the south-end of Croatia and at the Kotor bay somewhere.
    We are planning to do a quite big round trip starting from Hungary, through Bosnia, south Croatia, Kotor bay, Budva and finally the Durmitor national park. We are really excited, but sadly long trips usually also costs more, so we would like to find the cheapest apartments and most beautiful campsites. With the help of friends and foreign scouts we succeeded to find accommodations in most places, but still couldn’t find near Dubrovnik and Kotor. Dubrovnik is simply too expensive for us, but couldn’t miss it because of the historical old town. On the other hand we found some youth hostels in Kotor, but decided to let them go, and go for a better adventure, and sleep in the calm and exciting nature. Our big hope is to find a place on top of a mountain, from where we can see the the hole bay from our tents. Do you think that’s possible?
    We were looking around on Google Earth looking for possible locations, and also found some that might be good, but we aren’t really experienced in this kind of searching (we all tried wild camping before alone and together as well, but never ever in a foreign country, that we only know from the internet and stories). That’s why I would like to ask for your help! Could you suggest me some locations? Isn’t that a problem, that we would go with tents, and not with a caravan? Are you sure cooking on bonfire is impossible? I know that it might be dangerous in those dry mountains, but aren’t there planted fire rings (I don’t know how they call it in English 🙂 )?
    Thank you for your help, and sorry for my possible mistakes in English.
    I hope I can hear from you soon,
    Dávid Rozenberszki

      1. thank you for this great post!
        could you send me some mire tipps per mail, as we plan our camping road trip towards montenegro this year 😊🚐

        thousend thank you!!! ☀️

      2. Hi!
        I see that a year has passed since David’s post but can you please do me a favor and find&forward the email you sent to David? He just asked my questions!:)
        I hope it doesnt cost you much time of yours.
        Thanks in advance and for your time of the writing!

        Cheers,
        Mutlu

        1. Would be so Nice of you could also send me the mail with all your spots close Dubrovnik and in Montenegro:)

      3. Hi,
        Could you also send me the email. I’ve got the same questions/ ideas as the other people in this thread.
        Thank you so much in advance 🙂

    1. Hi Dávid,

      I have the exact same plan as yours, but alone. 🙂

      Hope you will enjoy your trip.
      Have fun! 🙂

      Cheers,
      Tamara from Hungary

    2. Hello Sophie and David,

      We are planning to tour around Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia. As we are travelling by train and bus and we are planning on camping wherever it is possible, we wanted to ask if you have any advice on finding camping spots in these countries, especially in Dubrovnik and Kotor? Is it manageable to find a suitable location that can be reached by foot from these towns? How did you deal with fire hazard while cooking in plain nature? Did you ask locals when you were sleeping in a tent so that you could stay over the day, or did you pack every morning anew? I hope these questions are not to repetitive, I am looking forward to hearing from you,
      Thanks,
      Jacques

  3. Hi Sophia!

    I really love your blog! Me and my boyfriend will go with the bus from Austria to Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania and maybe Greece (if time lets us 😉 Do you have some spots for me where we could set up camp without noisy tourists around?
    That would be awesome 🙂

  4. Hi Sophia,

    My boyfriend and I are heading to Montenegro this summer for a road trip involving a lot of hiking/camping. We are used to wild camp all year around stunning Scotland since it is allowed. We’re responsible campers and bring bring our trash :)! It would be nice to have some advise on lovely and remote spots where we could camp.

    Cheers!

  5. Hi Sophia!
    We had a little taste of Croatia last year and have to say we loved the landscape. However, we feel there’s more to see beneath all the well branded tourism shell. Your post proves we are right. 😉
    So this year, we’re taking a Dacia Logan and a tent on the road and plan to go as far as possible from the beaten track.
    We’d love to get some advice on where to wild camp or where to find fresh sea food to cook ourselves, if you have the time to share.
    We love nature and always put it above our comfort, so we always make sure to leave the place as we found it.

  6. Hello, Sofia!
    I will be really pleased if you send me locations of some good places in Montenegro to sleeping in tents.
    Thanks!

  7. Hey Sofia,

    I’m travelling around the balkans for 2 weeks with my Bivvy bag and was hoping to get some tips on where to wild camp. I have no firm plans!

    Very best wishes,

    Lizzie

  8. Hi Sophia!
    Thanks for your helpful blog! We are two people going camping with tents in montengro this summer for around 2-3 weeks with a car and are scouting the internet right for the best way to wild camp, what to watch out for and the best places to go. We would be very happy with some tips and advice if you have any.
    Best regards,
    Rutger from the netherlands

  9. Hi Sophia!
    we are a couple of enthusiastic travellers from the Czech Republic and are planning a trip to Montenegro for the next two weeks. We also prefer to wildcamp in some lovely-nature spots instead of dirty camping sites with dozens of people. Could you please send me an email with some of the nice and calm spots for wildcamping? Preferably close to Durmitor area, Biogradska Gora, Kotor or Skadar lake. Thank You.
    Kind regards,
    Daniel

  10. Hi Sophia

    Me and my girlfriend are driving along the coast from Montenegro to Zagreb and would love some tips on wild camping spots if possible.
    Thanks

    Peter

  11. Hey sophia

    Like a lot of réponses on your blog we are a scout couple that would like to rediscover the pleasure of wild camping. Could you also send us your good spots ? Also i saw you had a Nice car. Did you rend it on the spot?

    Thanks for your expérience and hoping hearing from you 🙂

    Cédric

  12. Awesome, we plan to do this as well, so good to see all the enthusiastic people, hope we all have luck amd a good time.
    All hail to the nature!

  13. Hi Sophia! What a great post!
    I am now with my girlfriend in Albania and about to cross in Montenegro.
    Could you recommend us some locations between Petrovac and Kotor, also Shkadar Lake?

    thanks in advance

  14. We have been trying to wild camp for a week now in Montenegro, with some luck, and now we’re looking for some good places around Budva/Kotor – would appreciate any advice!

  15. Hey I’m eric from germany.
    Me and a friend arrive in dubrovnik on sunda (28.8.16) . We rent a car and want to do wild camping somewhere between bar or budva and shkadar lake(or somewhere else).
    If somebody got an experience arround this area please text me:)
    Also if somebody need a ride at about 10am on sunday or want to do a trip together we would be happy to meet some new guys:)

    @sophia : nice post:)

  16. Hi Sophia,

    Like anyone else on this blog, I’ve planned the same tour around Montenegro in September! 🙂 Won’t bother you with our long story, but would also love to ask if you have some wild-camping tips! As your story and pictures look very beautiful!
    Thanks for sharing Sophia!

    Best,

    Astrid

  17. Hey!
    Please let me know where did u find good wild camping spots in Montenergo. We would like to spend 1-2 weeks there. We are interested in beaches (if its possible sand for the so many many shells:) ) lakes and forests and….everything away from the people. And dont worry, we never leave garbage 🙂

    Iam waiting for your answer!

    Thanks,
    Orsi
    🙂

  18. Hey Sophia,
    sounds great! We start our nature roadtrip to Croatia and Montenegro this weekend. Could u please send me a mail with the nicest spots as well? Would be awsome! 😉
    Greets
    Dominik

  19. Hey Sophia,
    your trip sounds great! We are about to head in the same direction and are looking for some good spots to wild camp. Could you possibly name us a view good locations in Croatia and Montenegro?
    Thanks in advance,
    Greeting Dominik

  20. If you’re interested in a different wild camping experience in Montenegro, just Google “Camp Full Monte”. It’s a small, off-grid, eco-campsite close to Herceg Novi and the Kotor Bay area. Firstly, it’s a licensed wild camping site – which sounds a bit of a contradiction but it’s the way the Ministry of Tourism works in Montenegro and means it’s legal! It’s also clothing optional for part of the summer season.

  21. Hey guys, hello Sophia,

    Sounds like you guys had last year an awesome trip.

    I don’t want to play “Police” over here, but please guys be aware of land mines! In Croatia, especially in “backyard” of Dubrovnik, boarder to Hungary, near Split and Zadar! Also in Bosnia & Montenegro it is dangerous to leave official marked roads.

    Please make sure you won’t step into one of those areas! 😉

    1. Hey Michael,

      it was an amazing trip – but you are right, there are still a lot of land mines.
      We saw signs and already aware of this. It’s no joke! Thanks for pointing it out!

      Thanks again! Sophia

  22. Hi Sofia just read your blog. My husband and I are also planning a road trip to montenegro with our dog. But no idea where to start planning. Any tips please?
    P

  23. Please could you help me too! I’m planning to go to Croatia and Montenegro with my wife and kids in a vw campervan next week. In exchange I could give you some fantastic tips on wild camping in Albania!

  24. Great advice thanks!! We are a young family of 5 traveling through South Eastern Europe for 3months (in a campervan). Could you pls forward the email with more detailed info? Thanks!!!

  25. Hi,

    as the many people as I see, we also are planning a trip around the Europe. And we want to stay in Montenegro for 2 nights – wild. We are going from Budva to the south. Maybe you can send me some spots too? It will help us a lot!
    Best wishes,
    Emilija

  26. Hi, sorry to be a pain, but, could anyone forward on ‘the’ email with the Wild camping travel ideas for Croatia / Montenegro?

    We’re off on a last min camper van trip for 6 days and haven’t planned a route etc as yet, so any help / advice much appreciated!

    Thank you.

    1. He Rebecca, if you are still online and someone send you the mail, please forward to me. We are stuck on a camping site in Petrova, dogs not allowed on the beach, and we’d love to change site. Cheers and enjoy your trip

  27. Hi and thanks for your inspiring article. With our 9 y.o. son we are planning a road trip through Montenegro and Croatia, with a small caravan, and we’d love to be able to camp freely under the stars. We would really appreciate if you could send us more info about the places you’ve discovered. Thanks a lot and to many beautiful travels!

    Andra

  28. Hey Sophia,

    thanks for your post, I also plan to travel Croatia, I would be very happy if you can send me the spots by email 🙂

    cheers

  29. hey sophia,

    me and my sister are right now on our way to montenegro wit our minicamper. so if you know a few more spots… it would be nice hearing from you! thanks 🙂

    desi

  30. Hi Sophia, we go to a 10 day trip to Montenegro, possibly also Croatia, car+ tent+ 2 two small kids. Could you also send me more info on your wild spots??? Would be grateful, thanks a lot, dasa

  31. Hi sophia,

    Me and my brother are right now on our way to montenegro wit our Suzuki. So if you know a few more spots… Near Kotor, Bar, Budva, Cetinje, Ulcinj, it would be nice hearing from you! Thanks

    Evelien

  32. Me and my girlfriend are planning to do a 3 weeks long roadtrip around the Balkans. We were planning to take Lowriders Rental as it seems they can deliver the van at the Pula airport where we will land, and we can drop it off wherever we want, we are still waiting for the fees. Does anybody have any experience with this company? Do you have any spots to recommend in continental part of Croatia?

  33. Would you mind sharing “the” e-mail with wild camping locations in Montenegro to me as well? Planning to drive there soon from the Netherlands. Thanks!!

  34. Hi Sophia,

    Like the rest of the comments I would like the list of your wild camp sites since my girlfriend and I arr going to Balkan this summer 🙂

    Best regards

  35. Hello!
    I plan on going on a 1 week holiday along with my boyfriend and our dog. We wanted to wild camp wherever we can, in order to enjoy the wilderness.
    Could you please send me an email with all the possible locations? We have a tent and a primus, so no fire needed.
    As I can see from the comments above, you already sent some e-mails to other persons (one I can name is David), so could you please, forward me any emails with any information regarding wild camping spots?
    Thank you!

  36. Hi there,

    Your trip sounds awesome. My partner and I are looking to do a road trip with wild camping “off the beaten track”. Please could you send me ‘the’ email too?

    Thank you!!! Xxx

  37. Thank you very much for sharing your experience. With my boyfriend, we think about going to Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro with a rented minivan on next July-August. But we are worried about the necessity of going to paying campsites, which would increase our budget, demand booking in advance due to the time of the year and reduce your freedom that we want to have with the van. Therefore, this trip by van is an option to us provided that we can do free and wild camping, at least part of the time. As a consequence, do you confirm that it is possible and could you send us by mail the good spots that you know? Thank you so much!

  38. Hi,

    I’ll be travelling in September to Croatia w/ my backpack & tent. I’m like you, don’t like the busy full of toerist camp sites.
    I’ll be hiking in Paklenica National Park and Plitvice Lakes National Park.

    Have you been wild camping there? If yes, where, and did you had any problem?
    If not, do you advice it to me or not? are there guards in the park?

    I’m just wondering 🙂

    Thanks in advance!
    Kind regards

  39. Montenegro is a small country rich in natural leagues with few in Europe and is cheaper, so it is good to hire a car in an rent-a-car agency like https://cars4rent.me/ to get it all right and see it all.

  40. Hey Sophia I’m an Aussie travelling with my boyfriend through Eastern Europe if you could send your spots that would be great 🙂 many thanks and awesome blog post !

  41. Hi! I’m Peter . Me and my gf are going to ride across the dalmatian coast . Do you have any tips or places that we can put our tent or sleeping bags ? Thank you !!

  42. Hi, I seem to have the same request as many other readers! My wife and I are taking our VW up the coast next week, wondering if you have location tips for any of these places in Montenegro or Croatia? Thanks in advance! We have been traveling Asia for a while, now looking forward to seeing Europe!

  43. Hi Sophia, I’ll be travelling in a VW from Slovenia to Piva Lake Montenegro, passing Croatia and south of Bosnia, with 3 more friends. I was wondering if you have any tips for wild camping or free parking sites near lakes/beach? Thank you in advance!

  44. Hi Sophia!we are from Argentina and we are travelling with my boyfriend for the balkans.we want to go todo Croatia forma free camp but we don’t find information.if you can send a e mail please 😁

  45. Hey Sophia!
    Im just in Switzerland and going to Croatia and Montenegro very soon, it would be so nice if you could send me the email too! I’m very happy hearing from you!
    Best wishes,
    Kathi

  46. Hi Sophia, I’m in Kotor Montenegro at the moment with my girlfriend. Do you know a nice wildcamp site in this area? It would be very nice if you could e-mail me 😇

    Thnx!
    Joas

  47. Hi Sophia,
    my girlfriend and me plan a trip to Montenegro this October. We already rent a little VW Van from a local guy in Podgorica to explore the country. It would be great if you could send me an email with some wild camping spots you find on your trip.

  48. Hi,

    My girlfriend and I are going camping through Croatia and Montenegro. I would love to know at which spots you camped?

    Best regards

  49. Thanks so much for sharing! I’m going with my boyfriend in June and we’re looking for spots to stop in The van too. Would love it if you could share!

  50. Hi there,
    we are heading to croatia with out vw bus in summer. maybe you have some wildcamping spots for us as well. we are going to the south (:
    nice blog!!
    greeets

  51. Hi!
    I love your blog 🙂 Me and my boyfriend are thinking about going wild camping to Croatia and maybe Montenegro too this summer. Could you please send me an email with the camping spots you have been to? These pictures are absolutelly stunning. Thank you so much 🙂

  52. Hello! Thanks for the encouragement to wild camp. We were initially hesitant about it in these countries but we just did some wild camping in albania and heading to montnegro and bosnia. Using a tent and would love some recommendations for those countries if you could send us as I cant find much online.

  53. Hey, my boyfriend and I are heading down the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, then heading to Montenegro and Greece. We have our backpacks, a tent and our sleeping bags and would love to find places to wild camps from Zadar downward.
    I was lucky to find your post but would love some more information. If you have any advice please share! Thank you :):):)

  54. Hi Sophia, have just found your blog after 3 weeks campsite camping (wild camping, we were told is illegal) through Croatia heading for Montenegro and Albania and would love your recommendations on wild camping in these two countries.
    Many thanks, Andrea and Keith

  55. Hey! If you want to send the spots on an email to me as well, it would be lovely! Me and my husband just arrived Croatia, and will also go to Montenegro. We have been driving from Norway the last couple of weeks. We have been to Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, if you want me to send some spots to you too 🙂

    Thanks in advance

  56. Hello Sophia,

    we plan to go there at the end of July, your experience sounds really good, thank you for sharing it 😀

    Could you please also share this e-mail to me? 🙂

    Thank you in advance!

  57. Hello Sophia,

    My partner and I are going to road trip on Croatia this summer.
    If you are ok to share your biutiful experience with us also, we would be so gratefull 😀

    Thank you so much in advance for your response 🙂

    See you happy travellers !
    Alix&Xavier

    Thank you in advance!

  58. Hi Sophia, like so many others here me and my girlfriend are going through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania to Greece.. We are already 5 days on the road, we hitchhike and sleep in our tent.. We are currently on island Brac in Croatia and it’s getting harder to find nice spots near populated areas or touristic locations.. Can you please share your email with us 😀

    Best regards 🙂

  59. Hey this all looks great. I am in Bosnia and would like to go and wild camp in this region, beginning in Montenegro. I travel without a vehicle and would really value any tips and guidance you could give me about where to go!

  60. wow! WHAT AMAZING PICTURES! We are also planning to go to Montenegro and have something similiar in mind as you guys did.
    In case you have the time, could you send us some advises for some spots? That would be just fantastic, we would totally appreciate it it.

    We will share our spots with you, once our trip has ended! Hope to have some amazing new spots for you 🙂

    Cheers
    Lisa

  61. Your trip sounds awesome. I’m planning on cycling round the balkans for 3 months next year and want to do some wild camping so if that famous email is still going around could you forward it?
    Thanks!
    Louise

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