Montenegro - translated from Latin means "Country of the Black Mountains" and sometimes replaces the more familiar name of the Balkan state of Montenegro. Indeed, most of this picturesque country is occupied by mountains, overgrown with perennial forests, cutting through the firmament.
One of the famous attractions that Montenegro is famous for is the Tara River, flowing in the northwestern part of the country. The canyon formed in its valley, which belongs to the Durmitor National Reserve and is one of the deepest canyons in Europe, brought huge popularity to the river.
Description
Montenegrin Tara River has a source in the Komovi massif on the border of three settlements: Podgorica, Andrievitsa and Kolasin. She is formed the confluence of the two rivers Dangerous and Verusha descending from the peaks. Its designation comes from the name of the ancient settlement of the Illyrians autariates, for whom Montenegro was a native home in the IV-V centuries.
The Tara River spreads 144 km from the west to the north of the country and continues in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the total basin area is more than 1800 km2). There, the Tara River, combined with the Piva River, turns into Drina and flows into the Sava. All this water chain belongs to the Danube river basin and flows into the Black Sea. On its way, it is fed by the waters of medium-sized mountain rivers (Lyutitsa, Sushitsa, Draghi, Vashkovskaya) and the Baylovich Sige waterfall, descending from Butsevitsa cave from a 30-meter height.
Almost throughout the entire Tara, a powerful current prevails, under which there are many dangerous rapids, but there are also quiet bays formed by river bends. The largest part of Tara flows among the huge mountain slopes and inaccessible cliffs, where it is raging and noisy.Near the place of association with Beer, Tara calms down and slows down. Through clear diamond water, pebbles are visible at the bottom. Shades of water Tara shimmer from bright green to pearl foam.
The water in the river remains cool and does not exceed + 12 ° С even in the hottest summer days, and it never freezes in the frosty winter.
The ecological purity of water in the river allows you to quench your thirst without harm to health, for this reason Tara is called the “tear of Europe” and is the largest storehouse of purified drinking water.
Scenic area
In its middle course, the Tara River creates the largest European canyon, its gulf goes deep into 1300 m, and its length is more than 80 km. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The canyon is divided by the alpine ranges Zlatni Bor and Lubishnya from one direction, and Durmitor and Sinyaevina from the other.
The splendor of the canyon attracts the eyes of travelers and tourists for some reason. Along it opens a view of pebble and stone ledges, shrouded in the density of coniferous forests, high mountains, small backwaters and sandy beaches, as well as mountain lakes.
The ancient settlements that lived in the Tara Valley also left a piece of their history. Necropolises, burial places, monasteries, fortresses, old mills and other elements of architectural structures remained on the mountain plains.
On the hillsides of the river, there are about 80 different caves, many of which are not yet fully explored. Shkrk Cave, which is located near Black Lake, is the deepest in Europe. Its length goes 800 m deep into the rocks. And at an altitude of 2040 m near the peak of Obla Head is the Ice Cave.
Its depth is only 100 m, but it is known for maintaining a constant minus temperature in it, which forms ice stalactites and stalagmites, which delight everyone with its unusual beauty.
The diverse flora and fauna cannot be ignored, especially the most unique part of the canyon - the ancient forest of pines of Tsrna Poda. The black pines of this area are older than four hundred years, and they rise up to fifty meters up. Many rare deciduous trees have taken root on the mountain slopes, some of them are protected by the reserve. The fragrant forests in the Tara River Valley are home to a huge number of animals and birds, and the waters of Tara are filled with different species of fish.
Unique bridge
At an altitude of more than 100 m above the Tara River, a wonderful 5-arch bridge was erected, which became the visiting card of the region. It was built in 1940 in the town of Dzhurdzhevich according to the design of Miyat Troyanovich, designer Lazar Yaukovich. Bridge proudly rises above the waters of Tara and fits perfectly into the landscape.
During the Second World War, in order to block the enemy, engineer L. Yaukovich developed an optimal plan for undermining the bridge. It consisted in the explosion of the central arch of the bridge so that after the war was over, the bridge was not difficult to rebuild. As a result of the operation, the bridge was blown up and the enemy was stopped. For the organization of undermining the bridge engineer L. Yaukovich was shot.
After the war, in 1946, the Dzhurdzhevich bridge was completely restored, and a monument to the hero L. Yaukovich was erected at the place of his death.
In those days, the Dzhurdzhevich bridge was the only connection between the southern and northern parts of Montenegro. The total length of the bridge is about 360 m, and a height of 135 m is one of the largest arch bridges in Europe.
Currently, the bridge is difficult to drive freely due to the numerous groups of tourists.
Tourist significance of the canyon
The most common type of tourist vacation Montenegro is famous for is mountain river rafting. This type of tourism is an alloy by the rapids of Tara (there are more than 40 of them) on inflatable rafts. In early spring, Tara becomes full-flowing and more turbulent, which inflames the adrenaline thirst of extreme tourists. During this period, river rafting reaches 3-5 points on the complexity of the route.
Rafting must be accompanied by a professional instructor with the use of appropriate equipment.
The mountain peaks of Durmitor attract a huge number of groups of tourists and climbers. The area is popular for mountain biking on a variety of cycling routes. Hikers will also find many rocky trails, as well as camping spots. However, it is not recommended to carry out independent trips in a personal or rented car, since the routes are very complex, they contain many serpentines, tunnels, bottlenecks and dangerous turns.
Fans of fishing can also find something to do on the Tara River, where fishing tours are organized throughout the year.
For thrill-seekers there is an opportunity to go down from the Dzhurdzhevich bridge on a zip-line. Depending on the length of the route, the flight over Tara lasts from 40 to 80 seconds. At the moment of flying over Tara at incredible heights, incredible mountain landscapes, views of the canyon, river, forest open. The nature in the Tara Valley is incredible, amazing, able to leave in memory a lot of bright moments.
The northern part of Montenegro is a unique natural storehouse of incredible values. The peculiar climate, flora and fauna are definitely worth the attention of travelers. Located among the steep cliffs, the Tara River is a unique miraculous creation of nature. Picturesque places in its valley, preserving the virgin beauty, will be appreciated by all lovers of ecotourism and simply connoisseurs of relaxation and natural beauty.
Tara Canyon is one of the wonders of the world, which is definitely worth seeing!
Next, watch a video review of the Dzhurdzhevich bridge and the Tara River canyon.
