Sutjeska National Park
The oldest national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, home to the Perućica primeval forest, the country's highest peak Maglić and the Valley of Heroes memorial. Tjentište serves as the base for accommodation.
Sutjeska National Park lies in southeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, within the Republika Srpska, close to the Montenegrin border. Established in 1962, it is the oldest and largest national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, covering about 175 km². The park centres on the Sutjeska River valley. To the south rises Maglić (2,386 m), the country's highest peak, and Perućica, one of Europe's most intact primeval forests. To the west are the Zelengora alpine meadows and glacial lakes. In 1943, Yugoslav partisans broke out of encirclement at Sutjeska; the battle left behind the famous Valley of Heroes memorial.
Accommodation is concentrated in the valley village of Tjentište, which has hotels, wooden cabins and the park's visitor centre. Main activities include visiting the memorial; taking a bus up Dragoš Sedlo pass to look over the forested valleys and Skakavac Waterfall, or walking into the primeval forest with a ranger; hiking up Maglić from Prijevor, where you can also see the heart-shaped Trnovačko Lake on the Montenegrin side; driving a four-wheel-drive up to Zelengora to see the mountain lakes; and rafting the Tara River from the Šćepan Polje border camp.
The M20 road crosses the park. It is about 2.5 hours from Sarajevo and about 3 hours from Dubrovnik. Public transport is limited, so driving is recommended. The best season is June to September. In winter, snow closes the mountain roads. Allow two to three days. Note that mountain roads are mostly gravel and become hard to drive after rain. Hike with companions, and never leave marked trails, as some border mountain areas still contain uncleared minefields.
Top sights
- Perućica Primeval Forest – One of Europe's best-preserved primeval forests, with ancient beech and fir trees towering overhead, and the 75-metre Skakavac Waterfall wi…
- Maglić – Bosnia and Herzegovina's highest peak, at 2,386 metres on the Bosnia and Herzegovina–Montenegro border; from the summit you can look down o…
- Battle of the Sutjeska Memorial Monument – Two massive concrete rock walls in the Valley of Heroes commemorate the 1943 Battle of Sutjeska and are a showcase of Yugoslav memorial arc…
- Skakavac Waterfall (Perućica) – A waterfall plunging from a cliff about 75 m high in the Perućica primeval forest, one of the tallest waterfalls in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Dragoš Sedlo Viewpoint – A lookout on the mountain road to Prijevor, overlooking the Perućica forest and Skakavac Waterfall, with Maglić peak in the background.
- Zelengora & Orlovačko Lake – High alpine meadows and glacial lakes in the western part of the park; Orlovačko Lake, at about 1440 m, suits hiking, camping and scenic dr…
- Tara River Rafting (Bosnian side) – Departing from camps near Šćepan Polje on the Montenegrin border, rafting the final stretch of the Tara River canyon is the most popular ou…
- Aladža Mosque, Foča – An Ottoman-era painted mosque built in 1550, destroyed in 1992 and faithfully rebuilt in 2019, with exquisite floral murals inside.
Where to eat
- Tentorium – A family restaurant and campsite inside the national park, serving home-style dishes made with wild mushrooms and wild…
- Restoran Komlen – A traditional restaurant run by the national park, near the Sutjeska Battle Monument. It is inexpensive, and you can ea…