Tara National Park

Tara Mountain

Tara is a mountain located in western Serbia. That's for sure one of the most beautiful mountain in Serbia. It is a part of Stari Vlah, a historic and geographical region in Southwestern Serbia, and also of Dinaric Alps. Tara covers an area of 183 km2. Its length is 50 km, and it is 22 km wide, with average height of 1200 m above sea level. Its highest peak on Serbian side is Kozji rid (1591 m), situated on the western edge of the mountain, followed by Zborište (1544 m) in the south, but the highest peak of Tara is Veliki Stožac (1675m), placed on the territory of Bosnia and Hercegovina.

The mountain's slopes are clad in dense forests with numerous high-altitude clearings and meadows, steep cliffs, deep ravines carved by the nearby Drina River and many karst, or limestone caves. The mountain is a popular tourist center. Tara's national park encompasses a large part of the mountain.

The highest point is Kozji Rid -1591m and the lowest 291m is at the lake Perućac. Vrelo River is the strongest fountain in the national park, which runs into Drina River after 365 meters. Summers are fresh and winters are cold with lots of snow. Most rainfall is in May. Driest months are July and August. Autumn is sunny and warmer then spring.

Tara National Park

Tara's national park was established in 1981 and it encompasses Tara and Zvijezda mountains, in a large bend of the Drina River. The size of the park is about 220 square kilometers with altitudes varying from 250 to 1,500 meters above sea level. The park's management office is located in nearby Bajina Bašta.

The national park consists of a group of mountain peaks with deep picturesque gorges between them. The most striking of these gorges is the Drina Gorge, with its sheer drops from 1000-250 meters and extensive views of western Serbia and nearby Bosnia. The area is also characterised by karst caves, pits, springs, and breathtaking vista points.

Forests account for three quarters of this national park's area, some of them being the best preserved and well-kept in Europe. Tara also boasts a rare endemic Tertiary species, the Picea omorika, or Serbian Spruce, which is now protected in a small area of the park. Because of its rarity and scientific importance, it has been placed under national protection. Locally, Tara is home to many different species of wildlife, including brown bears, chamois, roe deer, lynxes, otters, wolves and others. More than 100 bird species also make their temporary or permanent homes on the slopes of the mountain: the golden eagle, the griffon vulture, the peregrine falcon, the Eurasian eagle owl, the black grouse, among many others.

The Tara National Park can be reached from Bajina Bašta directly (by the Bajina Bašta - Kaludjerske Bare road), from Perućac via Bajina Bašta (by the Perućac - Mitrovac road) and from Kremna (the Kremna - Kaludjerske Bare road). The Drina Gorge, which is an integral part of the park, can be toured by boat.

Tara National Park is home to Mitrovac, a children's recreational center and several hotel facilities, including Hotel Beli Bor, Hotel Omorika (a large hotel with many conference services), and Hotel Tara.

The location of Tara allows development of tourism and visits to variety of different tourist locations. Richness and variety of tourist attractions, preserved natural environment, mountain relief with height between 800-1500 m, winter sports facilities, richness and variety of plant and animal life, pleasant climate, river Drina and artificial lakes Perućac and Zaovine make this mountain one of the most beautiful in our country. Tara is situated in the vicinity of places such are town of Užice, Mokra Gora, town of Višegrad with numerous cultural and historical sights which can be easily visited by people who are staying on Tara. This gives them opportunity for more interesting vacations. Tara gives excellent opportunities for development of sustainable tourism with minimal impact on its environment and cultural heritage, which helps economical development of local community at the same time.

Flora & Fauna

NP Tara is 80% covered with forests. There are 34 forest and 19 meadow communities. 75% of forests are mixed spruce-fir, fir and beech. Besides Pančić's Omorika spruce significant plants are hazel, yew, holly, jeremičak, knapweed of derventa, peony, blechnum spicant
There are 53 species of mammals. The most interesting are bear (Ursus arctos), and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) which lives even on elevation of 291m. There are 135 species of birds. 43 of them are migrating species. The most interesting are endangered species such are golden eagle (Aquila chryssetos), peregrine falcon and others.
There are more than 251 species of mushrooms. Three of them are poisonous. Amanita phalloides is the most dangerous mushroom in Europe.
Fishing on rivers and lakes within the NP is a real pleasure. There are about 40 species of fish. (mladica (Hucho – hucho), lipljan (Thumallus thumallus), gull, carp, jez (Leuciscus idus)…

Mitrovac

Mitrovac is on the twenty fifth km from Bajina Bašta towards Zaovine.
Mitrovac is on 1080 m above the sea level. It has a very good climate with many days with lots of sunshine. There are hunting house and Belgrade children vacation and rehabilitation center.
From Mitrovac you may take field trips to all parts of Tara. The biggest atraction is visit to Banjska-Kozija stena, and Tepih livada (carpet meadow). Few km from Mitrovac there is artificial lake in Zaovine where you can swim and go fishing.


- Foot path Mitrovac - Krnja Jela - Zborište – Look at the pictures
- Kozija stena is 10 km from Mitrovac. From there you can see canyon of river Drina and Lake Perućac.
- Tepih livada is 1 km from Mitrovac The way to get there and conditions to approach it are stated on the signs made by NP "Tara"
- Lake in Zaovine is 10 km from Mitrovac. There you can swim and go fishing. On the dam is the place where Pančić saw Omorika for the first time.

ROAD FROM PERUCAC TO MITROVAC
Beauty of the canyon of Drina can be spotted 10 Km from Bajina Bašta, on lake Perućac made in 1967 at the foot of mount Tara. There is the highest dam in Serbia, 89 meters high and 461 long. Few km from Perućac towards Mitrovac you have beautiful view on canyon of Drina, lake, dam and town of Bajina Bašta.

HOW TO GET TO MITROVAC
B.Bašta - Mitrovac 25 km
Mitrovac - Kozja stena 10 km
Kaluđerske bare-Mitrovac 24km
Mitrovac-Zaovine(dam) 14km
Mitrovac - Krnja jela 3km
Mitrovac-Perućac 13km
Mitrovac - Zaovine
(dam Lazići)-10 km
Zaovine(dam Lazići) - Računići - 5 km
Buses:
-Bajina Bašta - Mitrovac
- -week days - 6 h, 13.30 and 20.30 h
Mitrovac - Bajina Bašta u 14.15 i 21.15 h
Transporter
Raketa AB - tel:+381 31 86 54 85

Predov Krst

Predov krst is on 1075 m above the sea. You can get there via Bajina Basta and Perućac, through the narrow canyon of small river Derventa, via Rastište. It is located in the farthest westernmost part of Tara. Lake Perucac and some hills make border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Due to its remoteness, animal and plant life in this area are well preserved. You can find untouched nature there.

Predov krst is border between reefs in the remotest part of Tara, surrounded by the curve of Lake Perucac on Drina, out of all roads in the last dominion of bears in our country. No one passes though this area except for the nature lovers who intentionally come to this oasis of foresters and border keepers (The border line between Serbia and Bosnia is only 2 km away). From Predov Krst you can get to Lake Zaovine and Mitrovac by an old 20 km long road. If the weather conditions allow, you should take this road and enjoy the beauty of the scenery.

Northwestern part of Tara is one of the best preserved areas in Serbia and Europe. There are three natural reserves: Zvezda Mountain, Brusnica and Karaula štula, which are among the last shelters of the rare tertiary plant and animal species.

Zaovine Lake

Zaovine is for sure one of the most beautiful and spectacular mountain lake in Serbia. It is located in western Serbia at the municipality of Bajina Bašta. Village Zaovine is made of 28 smaller villages on mountainous terrain covered with forest. There is lake Zaovine and canyon of the river Beli Rzav called Sklopovi.

It is in the southern part of Tara called the flat Tara. Geologically it is natural connection between Tara and Zlatibor and Mokra Gora valley. Its minimal elevation is 784 m and maximal is 1.412 m (peak Miloševac). It covers area of 5.593,61 ha.

Zaovine is famous as the place where in village Đurići in 1875. famous biologist Josif Pančić discovered new kind of tree which gets name Pančić spruce (Picea omorika). Zaovine is the only place on which Pančić spruce can be found on serpentines.

On location Kik – Sklopovi is its locus classicus
- Geological attraction in the valley of river White Rzav, in Luke: Grad, with ruins of medieval fortress. There is a legend about the ruler of this fortress and his unfaithful wife.
- Crkvine at the foot of Grad and remains of medieval church.
- Observation decks (Zmajevac, Bela Voda and Gavran);
Parts of cultural heritage of this area are the objects of ethnic architecture which witness architectural skills of people of this area: log cottages of stari vlah and other objects of a house hold; these objects were used by shepherds during summer;
Stock farming has long tradition in these parts – milk, cheese, meat and kajmak made here are the goods oh the best quality on domestic market.
Zaovine are ideal place for water sports, fishing, orientation, eating in nature…

Getting There

The shortest road to Serbian capital Belgrade is Tara-Bajina Bašta-Rogačica-Valjevo-Beograd. It is 180 km long. Also, there is 246 km from Tara to Novi Sad. The nearest train station is at Braneško polje on the railroad Beograd – Bar 15 km from Tara. Ponikve airport is 25 km away. It used to be military airport but will be rearranged for civil purposes. Very imaportant is the road conecting Tara vith Zlatibor via Kremna ( 38 km ) and further towards Uzice (43km) and the Adriatic sea.

The Tara National Park can be reached from Bajina Bašta directly (by the Bajina Bašta - Kaludjerske Bare road), from Perućac Lake via Bajina Bašta (by the Perućac - Mitrovac road) and from Kremna (the Kremna - Kaludjerske Bare road). The Drina Gorge, which is an integral part of the park, can be toured by boat.

Camping

Besides objects of the National park there are Hunters house, Alpinist house and couple of private houses which can be used by alpinists and nature lovers. There are many roads through the forests suitable for mountain cycling.

Routes Overview

Veliki Stolac 1675 m

Description
Lenght: 19,8 km
Ascent: 800 m
Lowest point: 1075 m
Highest point: 1675 m
Technical difficulties: 3/10

Predov krst – Bilješka stena – Smiljevac – Predov krst (13 km)

Description
Lenght: 13 km
Ascent: 600 m
Lowest point: 1074 m
Highest point: 1446 m
Technical difficulties: 3/10

Predov Krst-Biljeska Stena-Smiljevac-Predov Krst

Predov Krst – Bilješke stene – Drlije – Dolovi (14 km)

Description
Lenght: 14 km
Ascent: 400 m
Lowest point: 300 m
Highest point: 1324 m
Technical difficulties: 7/10

Omorika-Kaluđerske bare-Crnjeskovo-Borovo brdo-Jarevac-Omorika

Description
Lenght: 12 km
Ascent: 450 m
Lowest point: 922 m
Highest point: 1060 m
Technical difficulties: 2/10
Water springs: 2

Krnja Jela – Ljuto polje – Miloševac – vrh Zborišta – Gavran – Krnja Jela (19 km)

Description
Lenght: 19 km
Ascent: 605 m
Lowest point: 1048 m
Highest point: 1544 m
Technical difficulties: 2/10
Water springs: 2

Brusnički vidikovci: Gorica, Čolpin Bor, Galinik (14 km)

Description
Lenght: 14 km
Ascent: 720 m
Lowest point: 850 m
Highest point: 1305 m
Technical difficulties: 6/10
Water springs: 2

Zaovinsko jezero-Zborište

Description
Lenght: 17,5 km
Ascent: 850 m
Lowest point: 800 m
Highest point: 1544 m
Technical difficulties: 1/10

Galinik 1305 m

Description
Lenght: 8,1 km
Ascent: 500 m
Lowest point: 905 m
Highest point: 1305 m
Technical difficulties: 4/10

Hut Predov Krst – Galinik – Hut Predov Krst

TARA Kadinjača – vrh Velika Stijena – Solotnik – Kaluđerske Bare – Tarabići (26 km)

Description
Lenght: 13 km
Ascent: 600 m
Lowest point: 1074 m
Highest poing: 1446 m
Technical difficulties: 3/10

Brusnica Canyon

Description
Lenght: 8156m
Ascent: 55m
Highest point: 1080m
Lowest point: 336m
Technical difficulties: 6/10

Кaludjerske Bare-Zastranica-Solotnik

Description
Lenght: – 7.6 km (15.2 km in both sides)
Lowest point: 843 m
Highest point: 1053 m
Technical difficulties: 1/10


Biking route on Tara: Mitrovac – Zborište – Šargan – Mitrovac (58 km)

Route description
Lenght: 58 km
Ascent: 1100 m
Lowest point: 1000 m
Highest point: 1400 m
Technical difficulties: 6/10

Meteo Info

Meteo info for Tara National Park.

Maps

External links

http://www.stazeibogaze.info/tag/tara/

http://tara-planina.com/

http://www.planinatara.rs/

http://www.tara-zaovine.com/

Images

View Tara National Park Image Gallery - 13 Images