Mountain Hopping in Serbia
Crossing into Serbia was ‘New Country Day’, always exciting, filled with the inevitable butterflies of anticipation when crossing new frontiers for the first time. Quick and easy border checks, entering Serbia meant we were through in about ten minutes. Border Officers checked vehicle documents, our passports, and the rabies vaccination date in the guys’ pet passports.
We arrived in Serbia without a hint of a plan. We had researched Bosnia & Herzegovina since it had been on our must-visit list for a while. However, exploring Serbia was a last-minute decision, so we were clueless. We knew hot weather was coming, and there were mountains in southern Serbia offering cooler temperatures. So, we turned right towards Divčibare Ski Resort.
Wolf enjoying the views from Divčibare
Located in south-west Serbia, the mountain resort of Divčibare lies on the Maljen Mountain. The area is evidently in the process of being developed as vast amounts of construction work are taking place. It is easy to see why it is a great place for hiking and boasting fabulous views in the summer. In the winter, there’s skiing and snowboarding. We spent about a week exploring different areas of the resort.
When we came down from the mountain for supplies, we stopped at the Kadinjača Memorial Complex, 14km NW of Užice. The monument commemorates Partisan fighters and The Workers Battalion who died fighting the Germans at the Battle of Kadinjača on November 29, 1941. President Josip Broz Tito opened the Memorial on 23rd September 1979.
The futuristic, one-of-a-kind monument is part of a 15ha memorial complex, which includes a museum.
Kadinjača Memorial Complex
After visiting the monument, we stayed at an abandoned campsite in the small village of Mala Reka, on the edge of the Tara National Park. Despite being a weekend in Flaming June, it was tranquil, except for a few walkers and runners.
An abandoned campsite to ourselves
Throughout our time in Serbia, we followed a pattern. To escape the heat and keep the guys comfortable, we would spend several days in the mountains until it was time to head back to civilisation to stock up on food and water before retreating to higher elevations.
Keeping cool in the mountains and forests
During one excursion, we drove to Bajina Basta on the banks of the River Drina, separating Serbia from Bosnia & Herzegovina. The town is passionate about its location on a small plain, nestled alongside the river and surrounded by hills and mountains. It’s also home to the ‘House on the Rocks,’ or the ‘Drina River House.’
The cabin-like house perched on a rock was the idea of a group of swimmers who, in 1968, sought refuge from the river’s relentless waves. They were able to reach the rocks and recover by sunbathing. That’s when they hatched a plan to build a wooden chalet. More than 50 years later, the untameable River Drina has washed away six chalets, and a sturdier version replacing each one.
Fun fact: There is a saying in Serbian, ‘Krivu Drinu niko ne može ispraviti’ or ‘Ko će ispraviti krivu Drinu’, which translates roughly to ‘Nobody can set the crooked Drina straight’, in other words, you can’t fix everything.
‘House on the Rocks’, also known as the ‘Drina River House’
That brings us to the end of our first taste of mountain hopping in Serbia. This beautiful country has delivered breathtaking landscapes, colourful towns, and friendly, chatty people. Next week brings stunning national parks and spectacular vistas.
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