The take-off point is on the southern slope of Mount Lovćen, just below the summit of Štirovnik. From there, the view takes in the entire bay, the old town, the mountainous hinterland of Boka, and on a clear day, the Croatian coast in the distance. It is one of Montenegro’s most popular spots, and for good reason: few places allow you to soar so high above a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tandem paragliding: no experience required
This is the option for the vast majority of people. You don’t need to have flown before, you don’t need to be athletic, just the desire to give it a go.
The meeting point is usually near the iDEA supermarket in Kotor, or directly in the old town. From there, it’s about a 30-minute drive to the launch site on Lovćen. Once there, the pilot prepares the equipment, canopy, harness and helmet, and gives a safety briefing before take-off.
The flight itself lasts between 15 and 25 minutes, depending on the conditions on the day. The whole experience, from meeting up to landing, takes around 1½ hours. The landing takes place at Žanjev do, a natural airfield considered one of the most beautiful in the world for this type of flight, with the bay in the background.
Practical information: the maximum weight limit is 110 kg, and the minimum age is 7 years. The all-inclusive price is around €165, including transport and an HD video of the flight. For a personalised video on an SD card, add €10.
For experienced pilots
Qualified paragliders can fly solo from the same launch sites. To fly solo, a licence is required, which is usually obtained following training at a flight school, a theory test (around 60 questions on civil aviation) and between 50 and 70 flights supervised by an instructor.
There are also packages designed for experienced skydivers who want to discover tandem paragliding from a different perspective.
When to fly
The season generally runs from March to September, a period when temperatures are moderate and thermals are at their most reliable. Thermals are at their peak between May and September.
The morning offers lighter breezes, ideal for a gentle flight, particularly suited to beginners. In the afternoon, the thermals are stronger, allowing for longer and more dynamic flights, with more thrilling sensations.
In summer, it’s best to set off early to avoid the heat, as with many outdoor activities around Kotor. Paragliding is, however, possible all year round, with varying conditions: a bright spring with predictable thermals, a stable but warmer summer, a mild autumn ideal for gliding, and a quieter winter with occasional snow-capped peaks in the surrounding mountains.
Visibility from Lovćen is usually around 15 kilometres in good weather, which is more than enough to make out the entire outline of the bay from the air.
Other spots in Montenegro
Lovćen is by no means the only site in the country.
In Budva-Brajići (731 m), the winds blow from the south and the sea breezes are particularly well suited to beginners, with views of the Adriatic. In Bar-Vrsuta (1,133 m), the scenery blends an urban harbour, ancient ruins and a rugged coastline. Herceg Novi-Dizdarica (900 m) combines historic architecture with lush green landscapes.
For those who prefer more rugged mountains, Žabljak-Savin kuk (2,244 m) overlooks the Durmitor massif, with some of the strongest thermals in the country between May and September. And Plav-Visitor (1,589 m) offers a view of Lake Plav, considered one of the most remarkable in Montenegro.
Other areas exist around Bijelo Polje, Mojkovac, Berane, Pljevlja and Podgorica, for those extending their stay beyond the coast.
On the budget side
A tandem flight in Kotor costs around €165 all-inclusive, with an alternative option available for around €140 depending on the operator. By way of comparison, a standard tandem flight in Montenegro starts at around €60 excluding any special offers, but Lovćen remains one of the highest and most spectacular sites in the country, which justifies the price difference.
For those on a tighter budget, the tandem flight in Budva-Brajići (around €95) remains a solid option, with a take-off at 800 metres and an equally pleasant view of the coast, albeit less dizzying.
As a guide, this price is in the same range as a half-day boat trip to the Blue Grotto and Our Lady of the Rock. It’s a completely different way of seeing the bay, and one that clearly deserves a place on the list if you’re in the mood for an adrenaline rush.
Safety
For tandem flights, everything is supervised by a certified pilot. The pre-flight briefing covers the basics: how to position yourself, how to react on landing, and what to avoid touching. The equipment is checked before every flight.
For solo pilots, caution is still essential: handling the equipment and the rocky areas at take-off are the main points to watch out for. Paragliding remains an aerial sport, with the risks that this entails, but the statistics remain largely favourable when instructions are followed and the equipment is in good condition.
What to bring
As for equipment, a helmet is provided. For the rest: sturdy shoes, as the take-off terrain is stony and uneven, and an extra layer, as the summit of Lovćen is significantly cooler and windier than the bay below.
The instructor takes care of the rest. The flight begins in silence, suspended, with the bay stretching out below like a map that has been unfolded. The colours shift with the angle, shadows move across the mountains, and for about twenty minutes, the sky simply becomes the starting point for a different way of seeing Kotor.
