The descent of a group of foreign tourists down the canyon of the Tara River, from Šljivanski above Đurđeviću to the camp in Bastasi near Foča, officially marked the beginning of this year’s rafting season on the rivers Tara and Drina.
“Already next weekend we have a group of 60 Slovenians who will enjoy on the Drina River from Šćepan Polje to Foča. According to reservations, in the next two months we can expect one of the most successful seasons in the past 15 years,” stated the President of the Association of Rafters “Adem Pendek” from Foča Fikret Pendek. This association cherishes the tradition of riding on a raft, the oldest vessel known to human race.
For the Tara River, the largest number of applications comes from Germany, Slovenia, Croatia and Austria, while domestic tourists, probably because of favorable prices, prefer rafting on Drina, where a real influx of guests is expected after Ramadan.
The departing station Splavište, Penked explained, is located three kilometers upstream from the famous bridge on Đurševića Tari which has been perpetuated in the film “Bridge” by Hajrudin Šiba Krvavac. From this spot, people can see the bridge and the waterfall Ljutice, and not far away are caves Bojana and Trojana, for which the legend says that certain Radovan fell in love with two sisters and could not decide which one to marry. Since they would not let him marry both of them, the girls jumped into the Tara River. The unfortunate young man terminated his life immediately after them, leaving the Radovan’s rock behind, on the other side of the river.
“Tara River is made somewhere around Mojkovac, from the rivers Opasnica and Veruša. It is 144 kilometers long and it is navigable in the length of 78 kilometers, exclusively through the canyon. It is an unbelievable beauty that can be seen and experienced, but that is very difficult to describe. That is why there is so much interest in its beauties. As some gigantic furrow, it made its way among the mountain peaks of Bjelašnica, Sinjajevina, Ljubišnja and Durmitor, flowing, foaming and roaring through the abyss over which the canyon rises, with centuries old pines, parallel with the cliffs from where they grow. The largest reserve of the black pine is in Crni Podi, where they reach the height of 50 meters and age of 400 years,” said Fikret Pendek, the last real BiH rafts man.
Although you can see only the incredible cliffs of the canyon and a piece of sky from the raft on the river, traveling on Tara is something unforgettable. Waterfalls, rapids, slow currents, and then all over again, for hours and for days. It seems like Tara hides its beauty from people’s eyes, as it seeks someone innocent and pure, someone like her, who knows how to enjoy her charm and beauty. It is fascinating that smaller or bigger rivers flow into her along her flow (Ljutica, Sušica, Vaskovačka River, Draga, Šipčanica, Urca, Ljutnica…), as well as dozens of stunning waterfalls and springs, sometimes as white as snow and as clean as a tear, and sometimes as blue as the ocean.
A true adrenalin rush for rafters is on the less than 20 kilometers long section of the river from the Bosnian camp on Brštenovica to Šćepan Polje. Hundreds of rafters from all around the world enjoy here almost every day of the summer. This is generally the most frequent and the most often visited section of Tara. As soon as you launch from Brštenovica, you face with one waterfall after another, more and more serious. At the end of the way, there is another series of large waterfalls before you end your descend and Tara meets Piva to create the longest and, for many people, the dearest BiH river – Drina.
(Source: klix.ba/photo: fantasiatravel.hr)
