Montenegro Day Trip from Dubrovnik with Optional Boat Trip

Montenegro is absolutely beautiful with some fantastic locations visited during the day. That said, border crossings can be incredibly long during the summer months, likely in excess of at least 1 hour. Also traffic in Montenegro is heavy with long queues although our driver took a number of short cuts to reduce queuing time. Our day still lasted 14 hours from pick up to drop off so bear this in mind.

We recently took the Dubrovnik to Montenegro day tour with Viator and, unfortunately, came away feeling quite disappointed with the overall experience. Our biggest concern was the condition of the vehicle. Throughout the entire journey, both to and from Montenegro, the brakes made a constant grinding noise, suggesting the brake pads were badly worn. At the end of the tour we mentioned this to our escort, who acknowledged that he was aware there were brake issues. Knowing that the company was already aware of a potential mechanical problem was quite concerning and left us feeling uneasy about the safety of the trip. We also found the tour escort’s English difficult to understand at times, and communication between the escort and passengers was often challenging. While we understand that he was not a licensed tour guide, we expected at least some general commentary about the towns, scenery, history, or places we were passing through. Instead, there was virtually no information provided throughout the day, making the experience feel more like a transport service than a tour. At Perast, we were simply dropped off beside a ticket seller and told to buy tickets for the boat to Our Lady of the Rocks. We had no real alternative, as otherwise we would have been left waiting alone for the allocated time. Viator’s website stated the boat trip would cost €15 per person, yet we were charged €20 each with no negotiation. This was disappointing. We were also not informed that reaching the boat required walking down more than 250 steps and then climbing them all again afterwards. We appreciate that steep streets and steps are part of the landscape in this region, but this should be clearly communicated beforehand so guests can decide whether the excursion is suitable for their mobility and fitness level. Later, we were dropped off approximately a 20-minute walk from Kotor Old Town due to traffic, which we completely understand. However, once again we were simply told to walk down the road and turn left, with no map, commentary, historical information, or suggestions about what to see. Kotor itself was absolutely beautiful, but we felt we missed the opportunity to learn about the destination because no information was provided. Overall, the tour did not represent good value for money. We paid approximately AUD $100 (approx €60) per person (for three people), yet spoke with other passengers on the same bus who had booked the identical tour for around €30 per person. While we understand prices can vary depending on where and how a tour is booked, the significant difference added to our disappointment. We chose Viator expecting a well-organised day tour with informative commentary, clear communication, and a safe, comfortable journey. Instead, we experienced concerns about vehicle safety, poor communication, unexpected additional costs, and very little guidance throughout the day. As this is only the beginning of our four-week European holiday and we already have three more tours booked through Viator, we sincerely hope those experiences are of a much higher standard than the one we received today. We hope Viator takes this feedback seriously and uses it to improve the experience for future guests.

Exceptional experience! Had plenty of time in Kotor and for other attractions. I would book next visit to Montenegro with them. Best regards to Milko.

We had a wonderful trip going to Montenegro and our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful and told us a lot about the history of the region

We had an amazing day trip to Montenegro! Niko was a fantastic tour leader. Funny and knowledgable and friendly! He made the day interesting and personable and was an absolute delight! I would highly recommend this tour. The bus was great and tour was super organised and informative. Would happily spend another day with Niko as my tour leader he is a wonderful person! Be prepared if you are going in peak season the border can take some time to cross! Bethy

We had a wonderful experience visitng Montenegro! The tour was absolutely spectacular, a day trip definitely worth visiting, with some of the most stunning scenery! Nikolas was a wonderful guide, very passionate and engaging. He made sure the experience was historical, relatable and organised! A lovely presence to a great journey! Truly making the day even greater! Would definitely recommend to anyone interested! A experience totally worth it for the food, drink, nature and scenery! Kaia

An amazing expense led by the fantastic Nikolas. Relaxed, informative, helpful and very funny. Not rushed and made to feel very welcome.

Nikolas was fantastic, best guide ever! Very informative and everything went very smoothly and on time. Be aware that going to Montenegro there can be long lines at the immigration border (took us 2.5 hours to get through on the way back) but Nikolas did everything to keep us updated which was fantastic.

Beautiful views, amazing tour and our guide Niko was great xx

Awesome tour with Nikolas who was a fantastic tour guide :)