MALJEN – DIVCIBARE (Crni vrh 1096 m, Velika pleca 1050 m, Kraljev sto 1104 m)

Divcibare is a famous touristic place which is located about 30 km from the city of Valjevo. Divcibare is part of mountain Maljen. Actually, Divcibare is a plateau which is located at 980 meters a.s.l.

Distance between Belgrade and Divcibare is about 125 km. You must drive by the Ibar highway and then turn toward Valjevo. From the main road which leads to Valjevo, turn left toward Mionica. Then follow the signs to Divcibare, which is 20 km away from Mionica.

Trail to the top Crni vrh starts at the center of Divcibare. A ski track exists at Crni vrh. There are some signs from the center to Crni vrh, but they are quite vague. The best way is to drive by car to the villa “Vila”. Park your car near villa and begin to climb. When you are driving from the direction of Mionica, drive through the center of Divcibare and after 200 meters turn left onto an asphalt road, in the direction of “Markov konak” and villa “Vila”. From villa “Vila”, walk for another 100 m and then turn right. Shortly before the turn, you will see the sign in the woods which points to the ski track. The only serious landmark at the intersection towards Crni vrh is, unfortunately, the large container (on the left side of the photo). So, when you see this container, turn right uphill:

After 50 m, asphalt road becomes a gravel road, and leads into the forest. At the beginning of the path for Crni vrh, you will see the sign for peak Velika pleca. The trail to Velika pleca leads left and downhill, the path to Crni vrh leads right and uphill. Both paths are marked very well! From this junction, it takes about 1 km of walk to Crni vrh. It is, approximately, 20 minutes of easy hike through the pine forest.

From the top Crni vrh (1096 m) you can clearly see mountains Suvobor, Ovcar, Kablar and Subjel (on the left and straight, ie., east and south), while on the right (west) you can see mountains Povlen, Magles, Jablanik and Medvednik. The view is fantastic! You will experience an incredible sense of freedom and space! At this point, you will inbreathe all the beauty of Divcibare!

Mountain Subjel in the distance

Crni vrh

From Crni vrh, a marked path leads to the left (east), toward peak Velika pleca (1050 m). From the ski track, you will see lake Divcibare.

 Divcibare lake

Very soon, you will see Velika pleca peak. Distance between Crni vrh and Velika pleca is less than a half hour of walk.

A view at Velika pleca

A view from Velika pleca is also quite impressive! Mountains that are visible from Crni vrh, can also be seen from Velika pleca. On the left side of Velika pleca (if you are looking towards the horizon) is the canyon of the river Crna Kamenica.

Velika pleca

On the way back from Velika pleca, on the halfway between Velika pleca and Crni vrh, a gravel path separates downhill and leads straight to the center of Divcibare. Another path, a marked forest path, separates from this gravel path and leads downhill, into the woods. By this trail, after 10 minutes of walk, you will reach the canyon of the river Crna Kamenica, which is definitely worth of seeing.

 Crna Kamenica canyon

When you cross the river, a marked trail leads uphill. Path leads you to a monticule and continues through the woods. You will walk through meadows and forests and, after half an hour, reach the highest peak of Maljen and Divcibare, Kraljev sto (1104 m). Before Kraljev sto, you will pass the church. This church is built on a site where two young and brave lieutenants of the Yugoslav Army were killed during the NATO bombing in 1999.

A view at Crni vrh

It is possible to make a circular climbing tour of all Divcibare peaks. This tour could last 4 to 5 hours of walk. Circular tour could start with climbing of peak Golubac (1056 m), because this top is most difficult to reach (because of poor markings). From Golubac, you could come down to the center of Divcibare and then climb the peaks Crni vrh and Velika pleca. Then, across the river Crna Kamenica, you will come to Kraljev sto. From Kraljev sto, asphalt road leads right to the top Strazara (1061 m) and then to the peak Ljuti krs (962 m). This could be a nice hiking tour, with climbing of six peaks and visiting one canyon. I do not know at which mountain you can climb six peaks in one day! Divcibare is the real thing for mountaineers-beginners, but the beauty of Maljen will not leave indifferent even more experienced hikers.

April 2016.