Sutjeska National Park – Primeval Forest

Sutjeska National Park is the best adventure destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina for hikers, backpackers and travellers of the world.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is exceptionally rich in greenery. Sutjeska National Park is its top-notch presenter. This national park covers an area of about 17.250 hectares. 66% of which is forest. You will also find many spacious mountain pastures, valleys, lakes, rivers which form deep canyons and crystal clean and cold springs. Once a very difficult area to access, today is one of the best adventure destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina for hikers, backpackers, travellers of the world, but also historians. If you find yourself in any of these categories Sutjeska National Park should definitely find it within your European destinations!

Sutjeska National Park is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the entity of Republic Srpska on the border with Montenegro. It is settled on the areas of three municipalities: Foca, Kalinovik and Gacko. It is surrounded by the Mountain Pivska on the east, Zelengora Mountain on the west and on the southeast Maglic, Volujak and Bioc mountains.

Sutjeska was established as a National Park in 1962 which makes it the oldest National Park in Bosnia.  As well for its natural beauties, it is also very much known for the Partisan victory over Germans during the WW II and there are huge stone monuments that commemorate it.

Stone monuments that commemorate the Partisan victory in the WW II

Perucica Primeval Forest

Park covers the wider area of Sutjeska river basin, including Perucica primeval forest, which is a site recognized by UNESCO. This is a strictly protected forest reserve. Some of the trees are over 300 years old, while the primeval forest origin is considered to date back even 20,000 years. The viewpoint Dragos Sedlo provides divine views onto Perucica together with the waterfall Skakavac, which is 70 m high and located in the centre of the primeval forest. Does it sound like a good adventure destination so far?

Waterfall Skakavac in the Perucica Primeval Forest

Gorske oci – The Eyes of the Mountain

The Zelengora Mountain has got 9 glacial lakes which are called Gorske oci, or in English “The Eyes of the Mountain”. The lakes are scattered around and being surrounded by true untouched nature and they provide a view which is exceptionally difficult to find for true lovers of nature nowadays. The nine lakes are: Orlovacko, Gornje Bare, Donje Bare, Crno, Bijelo, Stirinsko, Kotlanicko, Borilovacko, and Kladopoljsko.

Donje Bare Lake, Zelengora

Events in the Sutjeska National Park

OK Festival – The Camp of Friendship

There are quite a many, but for younger travellers and backpackers surely one of the best known is OK Festival which is part of The Camp of Friendship. It is held every first weekend in July on Tjentiste. The idea of the camp is to educate, enable the exchange of ideas among young people from the region and help the promotion of generic skills. The festival provides a rich musical programme with many domestic and regional rock bands. People who started this festival say they chose this name because all the people in the world know its meaning and that they will do everything to make you feel OK there, too!

24^th May – The Day of Europarc

Sutjeska National Park is a member of the Europarc Federation and every 24^th May is celebrated in the surroundings of friends and associates to promote healthy relation of human beings towards nature and its surroundings.

Hiking Activity – The Lakes of Zelengora

In the beginning of August the Mountaineering Association of Zelengora – Foca, organizes probably the most beautiful mountaineering activity in this region called “The Lakes of Zelengora”.  During the four-day hike hikers, climbers and backpackers make a tour of this national park’s pearl Zelengora and its eight lakes and peaks.

Things to do in the Sutjeska National Park

The park’s employees are all great and certificated experts and will surely do their best to offer their help in any of the following activities.

Hiking

The skilled staff will surely give you some good advice and suggestions for your hiking routes. With this activity you surely cannot miss because on 17250 hectares of pure nature whichever path you take will definitely make the hike of your life!

Rafting

If still not convinced that this is a good adventure destination for you, here is more! The staff of the Sutjeska National Park can help you with the organization of rafting adventure on the river Tara, for which many people who have already done it say that is not naive at all, but then again, what is that for a true adventurer!

Cycling

If your thing is cycling you can always choose one path to go up, or down, take a ride, take a break and have a swim in any of the marvellous, crystal clean lakes, or just lay down on the green pastures and breathe in the unspoilt mountain air.

I could go like this for ages on, but one thing is sure, there are no words to describe the beauty of the Sutjeska National Park. One picture says a thousand words, right?

Well, you have surely seen a few of them, but only the eye can catch what a lens cannot. So the only choice you actually have is to come and let your eye and souls catch it all!