Rivers and canyons
Tara is the longest river in Montenegro, 144 km long. It is formed below Komovi, from the Opasnica and Veruša rivers and melting snow and seasonal rains, and with Piva from Šćepan polje, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, it forms the Drina. Tara has cut one of the largest canyon gorges in the world, 78 km long, with vertically steep sides over 1300 meters high, which makes Tara Canyon the second deepest in the world (right after the Colorado Grand Canyon), but it is certainly the first in beauty. Due to its crystal clear water (you can drink it along the entire length of the path) and extremely rich plant and animal species, many of which are endemic, The Tara River is on the UNESCO list of protected areas. The Tara Canyon and River met three conditions (of which only one was sufficient) to become part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, namely a geological phenomenon, a hydrological phenomenon, and a biological phenomenon.
The Đurđevića Tara Bridge is the highest bridge in Europe. An exceptional work of contemporary architecture, a symbol of the Tara River canyon.
The large concrete arch bridge was designed by one of the greatest construction experts of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Eng. Mijat S. Trojanović. It was built in 1938/40. When completed, the Đurđevića Tara Bridge was the largest reinforced concrete road bridge in Europe and one of the few largest and most beautiful traffic structures of its kind in the world. With its strong five-arch structure, of which the main arch has a span of 116 meters, the magnificent Đurđevića Tara Bridge rises above a canyon over 150 meters deep. During World War II, in 1942, in order to prevent enemy units from crossing into Montenegro, the partisans demolished one arch of the Đurđevića Tara Bridge. The task was carried out by civil engineer Lazar Jauković, who participated in the construction of the bridge. At that time, the structure of the last small arch opening with a length of 44 meters was demolished, while the other parts of the bridge remained undamaged. Jauković was captured by the Italians and shot on the bridge. The people of the Durmitor region, in memory of his heroic deed, erected a monument to him near the bridge, where he was buried. After the liberation, the Đurđevića Tara Bridge was repaired and ceremonially opened to traffic in 1946.
In the hamlet of Luke, in Đurđevića Tara, about a kilometer downstream from the large bridge, there is the Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael from the 14th century. This monastery once housed a copying school, from which many Orthodox shrines were supplied with liturgical books. There is also the Monastery of Dovolja, from the 15th century, with the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Both monasteries have been restored and provide visitors to Durmitor and the Tara Canyon with interesting spiritual experiences.
The canyon is named after the Sušica River that flows through it. It is 15 kilometers long and up to 700 meters deep. At the end of the canyon, the river flows into the Tara River. This is one of the deepest points in Durmitor National Park, with a height of 512 meters. To create such a deep cut, it is necessary to combine tectonic forces, the force of water and the shaping of stone.
Between 1919 and 1939, rails were laid in the canyon, which were used to transport trees.
The trees were transported from this place to the Danube by rafts. Today, those rails cannot be seen, nor can the 11 mills that existed here. Almost all of them are gone. The remains of the stone walls of the mills can only be seen in some places.
On the plateaus on both sides of the canyon, there are two authentic villages: Nedajno and Mala Crna Gora, which "hang" on the edge of the abyss, so to speak. Interestingly, these two villages, one across from the other, have almost no communication. Although they "touch" each other visually, they are 16 km apart by road. People from Nedajno and Crna Gora practically do not know each other, they are too "distant" from each other...
Komarnica is a river in northern Montenegro known for its Nevidio canyon. It rises under Durmitor and flows through a canyon 40km long and 600m deep. Nevidio is also the last conquered canyon in Europe and represents a great tourist attraction and challenge for canyoning enthusiasts. It was conquered in 1965 by PD "Javorak" from Nikšić. Today, with safe equipment and trained guides, it is accessible to almost everyone with better fitness. The most inaccessible part of the canyon is 1.5km long and up to 500m deep. Low temperature, slippery, sharp rocks, narrow passages, darkness, landslides, labyrinths, waterfalls are just some of the obstacles encountered. One section is called "Kamikaze Gate", 500m deep, and in some places barely 20m wide. Once you enter the canyon, it is impossible to turn back. . The entrance is located at 935 m, and the exit at 810 m above sea level.
The area around the entrance is one of the most beautiful areas in the Durmitor area. The beauty of this region is the village of Pošćenje with two glacial lakes.
Draga River is the right tributary of Tara, 11.2 km long and originates from several sources below the peaks of Ljubišnja. It flows through a narrow and wild canyon 800 m deep. It is a sinkhole and has two waterfalls along its course. At the confluence of the Draga and Tara, there is a strong spring, Turka glava, and a little lower, the spring of Kućišta.
What makes the Draga particularly interesting is the fact that it is richer in water in its upper course than at the mouth. The lower part of the canyon of the Draga River is part of the Durmitor National Park. This canyon leads from Jelov Panj through attractive gorges to the Tara River and the famous Draške Virovi.
Canyoning through the Draga River is a paradise for those who are eager for an adrenaline adventure, this area is also a paradise for alpinists, speleologists and paragliding enthusiasts, and hunting and fishing tourism can also develop here... At the beginning of this canyon, an old river mill still resists time, which could also be one of the tourist attractions of this area. This canyon is a kind of natural attraction and a great eco-potential of the tourist offer in Pljevlja, with opportunities for an active vacation in nature.