[wzslider]Krajina, as Bosnia’s northwest frontier is called, is well-known for its gorgeous waterways from the Una River to the Vrbas and Pliva rivers. They are adored by anglers and rafters alike. What is perhaps slightly overlooked, however, is the fact that two of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s three national parks are located in this corner pocket of Bosnia. What they may lack in infrastructure they certainly make up for in beauty. It may be one of the longer hauls from Sarajevo but it’s a great getaway weekend spot for hiking, walking, biking rafting or just having a pleasant BBQ in the great outdoors. So with no further ado, please let me introduce you to Una and Kozara National Parks – the creams of Krajina’s crops.
Una National Park
Until recently, Bosnia and Herzegovina was scraping the bottom of the barrel with regard to protecting natural resources. It had the smallest percentage of protected territory in Europe with a mere .6 percent of its area marked as environmentally important. The tables have started to turn, however, with a new addition to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national park system. A large swath of the Una River Valley – in the far northwest corner of the country – was declared a national park in 2008.
The park is obviously centered on the Una River. All area whitewater rafting adventures start within the park boundaries. The two settlements inside the park, Kulen Vakuf and Martin Brod, are where a large majority of the infrastructure lies. A handful of B&Bs, cafés, raft launches, and restaurants are the extent of the park’s human touches. The falls at Martin Brod and Štrbački Buk rank among the best of waterfalls in southeastern Europe. The color and purity of the Una River is breathtaking. This aquatic lifeline is completely engulfed in a deep-green forest of vegetation, including many rare and endemic species.
A new EU-funded tourism development project may help sort out some of the organizational kinks of the national park. Scenic viewpoints, wildlife-observation towers, mountain-bike rentals, information packages, lodge refurbishments, and trail-and-road markings have all been completed. There is now a plethora of B&B’s in and around the park as well as a wide range of guest services for fly-fishing, rafting, mountain biking, and even wildlife observation. Check out the website for more info: www.nationalpark-una.ba/eng/index.php
Kozara National Park
Kozara National Park is located north and east of the town Prijedor. The park sits between the area’s main highway – running between Banja Luka and Novi Grad – and the Croatian border. Here in a remote patch of green rolling hills, which ascend to Kozara Mountain, this protected area is part confluence of nature, part memorial, and part sculpture exhibit.
Kozara is perhaps the most modest of BiH’s national parks. Nothing in particular jumps off the page. It was designated as a park in 1967. It has an area of 35.2 square kilometers. There is an 800-meter-long ski run. The middle of the grounds is dominated by the Mrakovica Plateau, which reaches a height of 806 meters.
But when one digs just a bit below the surface, the park has a different story to tell. Kozara is a tight ecological web with a vast number of wildlife residents. For instance, the mammoth trees in this densely timbered park include oak, fir, spruce, ash, beech, maple, alder, linden, and dogwood. Dozens of medicinal herbs carpet the forest floor and spread out around the thick woods and in all directions.
A multitude of animals can be found lounging, hunting, and generally thriving within the park’s confines. Among the less cuddly, there are vipers, water snakes, and mountain lizards. Of the amphibian variety, frogs and salamanders congregate mostly around the springs, creeks, or near one of the four rivers that crisscross the national park: the Mlječanica, Moštanica, Starenica, and Crna. There, one can also find trout and crayfish. The birds and mammals, which call the area home, include woodpeckers, hawks, owls, boars, badgers, and foxes. But don’t be surprised if you are lucky enough to see a wolf or a bear.
Even with all this nature, hiking, and skiing, many visitors come to the national park just to pay their respects. The Kozara Mountain area was a battlefield during the Second World War. Today, in honor of the area’s 33,000 civilian victims, there is a museum and a more prominent, monolithic sculpture tower created by famed sculptor Dušan Džamonja in 1972. The memorial gives visitors a heavy dose of history to go with the pristine environs. The website is only the local language but helps navigate through the park and what accommodations and eateries are available: www.npkozara.com/
Photos from Don’t Miss – by Samir Arnautovic
