The warm days ahead are a real opportunity to refresh yourself in the coldest river in the world – the Neretva River. In addition to great beaches and places to swim, the green river – as described in poems – also has its wild, or adventurous side – adrenaline rafting with unforgettable scenes of untouched nature.
The rafting trail on the Neretva stretches for 23 kilometers, of which 16 kilometers are completely hidden from civilization. This canyon, with narrow walls about a hundred meters high, offers a spectacular experience, unique in comparison to other rivers.
Thanks to the Neretva, the city of Konjic has long become synonymous with exciting adventures. For lovers of adrenaline, both the city and the river offer an unforgettable experience. And the good news is that the rafting season is open. You need a protective vest, comfortable clothes, a helmet and a good skipper to handle the “rudder”. Fun is guaranteed. And those who can’t live without a barbecue should inform the skipper and he will stop the boat at the locations provided for this type of entertainment.
Season Opened
– This year, we opened the season a little earlier than usual, taking into account the good weather and high temperatures. We are ready to welcome guests. All skippers who manage a boat must have a license, and in order to get one, the skipper goes through two phases of training – practical on the water that lasts three to five days and the theoretical part that is passed in the captain’s office – skipper Kerim Mešukić told Visit BiH Magazine.
Although the skippers have undergone all the necessary preparations and have experience, Mešukić still points out that safety and caution on the water are never to be underestimated.
– Especially when you have a certain number of people with you. In addition to the safety equipment that you as a skipper and tourists as guests must have, caution is always present. Every time on the water there is a new situation which you haven’t processed until that moment. The guests who come to us are mostly people who love nature, who are adventurers, so they already carry a certain amount of knowledge with them. Basically, the message to our guests is to “bring” a good mood, and the rest is our concern – says Mešukić.
Rafting on the Neretva is experiencing expansion every year, and the number of tourists is increasing.
-We are improving every year by educating and training new skippers around the world, purchasing equipment, and increasing capacity in order to be ready to receive a larger number of interested guests – concludes Mešukić.
And it is not only the Neretva River that attracts rafters from all over the world to BiH. In the world, the most attractive and interesting rivers for rafting are BiH rivers: Vrbas, Rakintnica, Drina, Una, Tara and Neretva, and more recently Krivaja and Trebižat, and the combination of wilderness and nature, adrenaline and challenges, traditional cuisine and family welcome guarantees an unforgettable time. We bring you some of the most attractive rafting tours that will complete your summer vacation.
Una – a true oasis
Rafting on the Una has become an unavoidable event, and the proof of this is the numerous business groups and families who return to this river again and again. The upper course of the Una is drinkable, and has been declared a national park, which is proof of the exceptionality and purity of the river and the main reason why the Una is considered a true oasis for true lovers of nature and natural beauty. Rafting on the Una most often starts from Kulen-Vakuf, a settlement on an artificial river island, below the prehistoric fortress of Ostrovica, and then through Ripač, Bihać to Bosanska Krupa.
The Una Regatta is an international traditional tourist-sports-cultural event. Regatta is the central event for the tourist promotion of the potential of the Una River and its natural environment. The regatta takes place in three stages and lasts four days. In addition to rafting, this event also features other activities, such as jumps from the City Bridge in Bihać and Bosanska Krupa…
Drina and Tara
On its 145-kilometer journey from Komovi, the Tara has created a canyon almost a hundred kilometers long with many rapids, the most famous of which are Brštanovački, Borovi, Ćelije, Crvene Stijene… The Tara Canyon is the second deepest in the world, after the Colorado Grand Canyon. The crystal-clear water that can be drunk the entire way is the habitat of numerous plant and animal species, many of which are endemic.
In addition to rafting in the area, there are also a large number of opportunities for organizing various excursion tours through the Sutjeska National Park, the Perućica Rainforest, Mount Zelengora, sand pyramids and many other natural beauties.
Rakitnica Canyon
The Rakitnica River is one of the largest tributaries of the Neretva River. It has created a 26-kilometer-long, inaccessible and beautiful canyon that stretches between the Bjelašnica and Visočica mountains, southeast of Sarajevo. Rakitnica Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in Europe and along the entire canyon there are endemic specimens of flora and fauna. Crystal clear mountain water is drinkable along the entire length of the canyon. The entrance to this “Wild and Untouched Nature Reserve” is located 30 kilometers from the center of Sarajevo, and 20 kilometers from the airport. The entrance to the Rakitnica River Canyon offers attractive visits to the riverbed and tours of the canyon sides, characterized by spectacular views of the canyon and its tributaries, which flow into this river of crystal-clear water in cascading waterfalls.
Vrbas
Fans of extreme sports can enjoy this Krajina beauty on 5-, 11-, 14- and 21-kilometer-long trails. Vrbas is a fast mountain river with several sparkling and wild sections and rapid falls, and it belongs to several of the most attractive rivers of difficulty level 3-4 in Europe.
Vrbas cuts through two canyons – Tijesno and Podmilačje. The international classification of watercourse difficulty is level 3-4, and on some routes 1-2, which gives opportunities for both wild adventure and adrenaline rush, as well as for quieter family enjoyment of all activities.
Trebižat in the heart of Herzegovina
The Trebižat River is located in the very heart of Herzegovina in the municipality of Ljubuški and stretches 50 kilometers from its source in Posušje to the mouth of the Neretva in Struge. Due to the abundance of water, biological diversity, and unique travertine barriers, the Trebižat River offers great opportunities for rafters and those who love the river and nature. It is also important to mention that the Trebižat River is drinkable throughout its course and that the water temperature rarely drops below ten degrees Celsius in the winter.
True lovers of this form of recreation and sport use the Peć Mlini – Kravica waterfall section, which is 25 kilometers long and strives for the highest possible water level so that the descent turns into an extreme sport. For people in good shape, the section from the village of Veljaci to the bathing area of Čeveljuša is recommended, with a length of 11 kilometers, while for those with more modest knowledge and fitness, the section from Otunj – Čeveljuša, with a length of six kilometers.
