Visit National park Sutjeska

The national park Sutjeska is the oldest and the biggest national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This National park gained so much popularity over the years that it is listed as one of our Top 50 Instagram locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It’s also home to Perucica – one of the last primeval forests in Europe.

Read on and find out everything you need to know about this amazing national park, including how to get to Sutjeska, and what to do there.

How to get to NP Sutjeska?

By car

From the direction of Sarajevo – take the road Sarajevo-Trnovo in the direction of Foca. Then turn south to the road to Trebinje-Dubrovnik. You will see a long sinuous path to Tjentiste, the central part of the park located below the main road.

By bus

The bus from Sarajevo departs regularly every day, and it usually takes around 2 hours and 20 minutes to get to Tjentiste. If you want to book tickets in advance, you can get them here.

Entrance and prices

The main entrance of the NP Sutjeska is located in the northern part of the park, near the village of Tjentiste, where the park administration is located.

You can check the price list, as well as additional information on the official website.

Things to to at NP Sutjeska

Hiking

People mostly visit Sutjeska because they want to experience the beautiful nature this park offers. There are numerous marked paths for hikers so they can fully explore the park.

• A total of nine hiking trails, of which the longest and the hardest is 22 kilometers long and it is usually passed in 8 hours using a moderate tempo of walking and without resting.
• Longer trails demand caution, physical fitness, and appropriate footwear so if you are not up to them try shorter ones.
• Although one of the shortest (only 2 km), trail VI Prijevor – Maglić is categorized as hard because it is an alpine trail. To climb up, you should have appropriate technical equipment, a helmet, harness, crampons, and an ice ax.

Cycling

For those who like to explore on a bike, there is one trail just for cyclists. The trail starts at Tjentiste (by the Information Centre) where you have the option of renting bicycles if you don’t have your own.

The trail is 48 km long and it ends at Lake Orlovac where the hunting lodge and camp are located.

Rafting

Adrenaline addicts can experience rafting on the Tara River in the Sutjeska Canyon. Tourists who decide to ‘ride’ the Tara River will get the following rafting equipment: neoprene suit and boots, life jacket, helmet and paddle, and in case of rain, a raincoat.

They train with a professional skipper, who controls the boat. Rafting on Tara is also possible in the neighboring NP Durmitor, only 2 2-hour drive from Sutjeska.

Events

If you by any chance are planning to visit Sutjeska during these particular dates, don’t miss them and join others in celebration.

• 25th of May – EUROPARC day: Since the National Park Sutjeska is a member of the European federation of Natural Heritage, every year the NPS has a special theme dedicated to nature-preserving
• June – Parkovijada: Parkovijada is a very significant manifestation. It is known as workers’ sports games and it gathers a great number of workers working in national parks of the region. Many sports competitions are organized, meetings with cultural and entertainment events, excursions, etc.
• August – Lakes of Zelengora: This manifestation is probably one of the most interesting for hikers and mountaineers. It lasts four days and during this time, hikers and nature lovers visit 8 lakes and 8 peaks of this wonderful mountain

The National Park Sutjeska offers several professional guides, depending on which part of the park you wish to visit: mountain tourism, canyoning, scientific and educational tourism, cultural and historical tourism, and ecotourism.

Where to sleep?

Inside the park area, you have several options for an overnight stay, including a hotel, camp, and bungalows:

• Hotel Mladost – located in Tjentište; free Wi-Fi
• Youth Camp – 2-minute walking distance from Hotel Mladost. To have access to the camp, you first need to check in at the hotel and get its approval. NOTE: It is forbidden to park vehicles inside the camp.
• Mountain huts at Dobre Vode, Donje Bare and Lake Orlovac
• The bungalow within the youth camp; has 4 rooms with two beds

If none of these options work for you, you can camp in the nearby Sutjeska River Valley or Tjentiste Valley. Both are suitable for pitching tents (if the good weather permits it).

Contact

If you’re looking for more information about NP Sutjeska, here’s a list of official contact numbers and e-mails.

• Address: 73311 Tjentište, Serbian Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Phone: +387(0)58/233-130
  E-mail: npsutjeska@yahoo.com
• Hotel Mladost
  Phone: +387(0)58/233-118
  E-mail: npsutjeska@yahoo.com