Bushcraft in Montenegro – Survival in the Wild Beauty

In an ideal world, Darko, Kristijan, and the rest of their team would live 300 days of the year in the wild lands of Montenegro. They choose nature over man-made concrete jungles. Room and board to them means living in handmade shelters and foraging, fishing and trapping their food. The winters are survivable living in the wild they warn laughingly, “but they are really tough.” Skipping a couple months of the harshest weather would make the rest of the year a dream for them as they practice and teach bushcraft in Montenegro.

These two guys along with three other friends have been exploring the old ways of surviving in the wild beauty of Montenegro since 2006. They began teaching others in 2012 when they registered their non-profit organization. Since that time they have been helping people find the beauty and wonder of nature.

Key bushcraft skills they teach include:

• Building shelter
• Making fire
• Finding and purifying water
• Foraging for edible as well as medicinal plants
• Tying a range of knots
• Using an axe and a saw properly
• Tracking and trapping animals
• Making items from natural materials
• Orienteering in the wild

Their original vision was to teach locals the ways of their ancestors. Now they are open to having outsiders from the Balkans and beyond come and learn bushcraft in the diversity of the Montenegrin ecosystem. Their trainings rotate around four different sites. They retreat to nature in the lowlands that are brimming with flora and fauna at Lake Skadar; the legend-laden Mount Komovi near the Albanian border; Mount Vrmac overlooking the famous Bay of Kotor, and the rocky, diverse terrain of Mount Bjelasica.

Darko, Kristijan and their team make bushcraft training in Montenegro available through four courses. Their Scout, Woodlore, Trapper, and Bushcraft courses each build on the previous instruction. So, plan a time to go and show up with the basics. You’ll need a sleeping bag, pocket knife, fork, spoon, and plate. Of course you’ll also want to bring your sense of adventure as you head out with these gracious guides to enjoy and survive the wild beauty of Montenegro.

(Thanks to the Bushcraft Montenegro team for the pics. All pics were edited.)