Set in a mountain landscape beside the river and surrounded by greenery, Camp Veruša is a place for relaxation in nature, far from the bustle of the city. Budimir Zečević’s idea was to breathe new life into the family estate, while also introducing guests to the Veruša he has known since childhood – through nature, homemade food, socialising and the simple pleasure of staying in the mountains.
How did the idea of opening the camp come about, and who is behind the whole story?
Above all, my family is behind everything. The estate belonged to my grandfather and father, and interestingly, for a long time I did not even know that we owned it. I have been connected to Veruša my whole life. From the age of five, I spent time here, went to dances, stayed at the children’s holiday centre, played football and socialised. One day, my father mentioned that we had a property in Veruša, close to an untouched forest that reaches down to the river. As soon as I saw the place, the idea of a campsite came to me. I had noticed that motorcyclists, cyclists, hikers and campers were passing through the area, while Veruša had no such offer at the time. That is how it all began. We all took part in developing the property, so from the very beginning this has been a family story. The camp has existed for about five or six years, but we built everything gradually, according to what we could manage at the time. Over the last two years, the whole project has been taken to a somewhat higher level, and now we can truly say that the camp has come to life.
CM: What kind of stay and experience do you offer guests at Camp Veruša?
We have space for campers and vehicles, meadows where guests can pitch tents, three small bungalows with three beds each, and we have now also set up a glamping tent by the river that can accommodate four to five people. We also have an open-air bar where we prepare food and drinks. Our food offer is not extensive, and that is exactly how we want it to remain – simple and homemade. We serve several traditional dishes such as kačamak, homemade sausage, cheese and pie, as well as nettle and porcini mushroom soup. At weekends, we also organise live music with folk and mountain songs, which completes the whole experience.
CM: Who visits you most often – foreign or local guests?
Our priority is foreign tourists, especially motorcyclists and campers. It means a great deal to us that recommendations are passed from one guest to another. When we host someone well and they leave satisfied, they recommend us to their friends, and very often new guests arrive precisely that way. That is perhaps the best advertising we could ask for. Most often, our guests come from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia. They are usually people travelling by motorcycle or camper van and exploring Montenegro and the region. Of course, we also welcome domestic guests, weekend visitors and local residents, as well as people from Podgorica and Kolašin who come for coffee, with their children, or simply to spend a day in nature. We have a small playground, and people also like to spread a blanket on the meadow and spend a few hours here.
CM: What leaves the strongest impression on guests after their stay in Veruša?
First of all, the nature and everything they can visit nearby. Bukumirsko Lake is about twenty minutes from the camp, there are hiking routes, and there is also Skok Waterfall, not far from the Veruša holiday centre. It is a place that particularly delights our guests, and some even swim there. I think the people who come to us are looking for exactly those things: the river, the mountains, peace and places that have not yet lost their natural beauty. For me personally, Veruša is special above all because it is my village. My father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather all come from here, so it is a place to which I am deeply connected through my family. My second connection is my childhood – the holiday centre, dances, football and gatherings that are never forgotten. And today, there is also the camp. I opened it on my own property and, in a way, combined something beautiful with something useful. I love nature, Veruša, this river and the mountains around us, and that is precisely what I wanted to share with the people who come here.
CM: What challenges come with running a campsite in the mountains?
Today, we do not face any major challenges with the camp itself because we have gained experience over time, but the mountain environment brings certain difficulties. One of them is occasional power outages, which is why we plan to acquire a generator as backup. Veruša also generally has water supply problems in certain areas. Still, we deal with everything as it comes. When you are doing something you love and see that people return and recommend you to others, you know it is worth it.
CM: In what direction would you like to develop the camp in the coming period?
We plan to expand our accommodation capacity while preserving the very reason the camp was created in the first place. At the moment, we have three smaller bungalows, which are intended mainly for overnight stays, and we would like to build three more cabins offering greater comfort and suitable for families. We have also set up our first glamping tent by the river, with a terrace, where several people can stay overnight. We want to offer guests more options for their stay, while ensuring that everything remains connected to nature and the atmosphere of Veruša.
Tara – the Guardian of Camp Veruša
Budimir also introduced us to Tara, the four-legged guardian and something of a symbol of the camp. She arrived at Camp Veruša as a two-month-old puppy, at the very time when the camp story itself was just beginning. Since then, she has become an inseparable part of it – a guardian who announces every new guest with three barks, but also a favourite among visitors, especially children. As Budimir says, people, children and other animals all love her, and over the years Tara has become just as recognisable as the place she protects.
