Wild rivers of Herzegovina – the blue heart of Europe

As journalist Arthur Nelsen said, “More is known about rivers in the Amazon than Europe’s last wild waterways in the Balkans.” The wealth of freshwater biodiversity, and the unique intactness of the region’s rivers, earns it the nickname of being the “blue heart of Europe.”

The Blue Heart of Europe is Jablanicka Bijela river and it is a hidden jewell in the heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The beauty of the canyon of the river Jablanicka Bijela is almost surreal. The Blue Heart of Europe – Jablanicka Bijela is one of the three rivers with the name Bijela (White), which descend from the majestic mountain Prenj as a gift from the sky.
Our hiking and “free style canyoning” in this canyon is a real return to the roots. Awaken the wild side of your nature and immerse yourself into absolute origins with us!!!

After Mostarska Bijela, Jablanicka Bijela is the second river we take you to, one of the three to have the attribute Bijela in their names, and that receives water from the Herzegovinian giant, the Prenj mountain.
But this is not the only thing that makes this river special, its uniqueness is reflected in the incredible beauty of the canyon through which it flows happily and restlessly, creating the shape of stone pools like nowhere else in Herzegovina.
The color of its water is out of this world, sometimes turquoise blue, sometimes blue-green, and then yet again completely transparent, white, depending on the position in this deep canyon, as well as the vegetation that surrounds it.

Furthermore, the forests and different species of plants around it are impressive: from deciduous, beech, and ash, a beautiful shrubs full of yellow flowers of golden rain, all the way to endemic specimens of white Bosnian pine called Munika, a beautiful pine always found on the steepest cliffs and peaks of pointed rocks, as if loving the most beautiful views and solitude defying gravity.
Speaking of Munika, it is officially the oldest dated tree in Europe and that specimen was recently found in one of the national parks of southern Italy. The age of this specimen is estimated around almost 1,5 millennia. The ancestral home of this impressive tree is Bosnia and Herzegovina, from where it spread over time to almost the entire southern Balkans and southern Italy. In Herzegovina and around Jablanica we find it in abundance. 

The Blue Heart of Europe adventure, one of our editions of Wild Rivers of Herzegovina, is also special as canyon of Jablanicka Bijela is the northernmost canyon from Mostar, where we take you in search of summer invigoration. In this canyon, the influence of the Mediterranean climate is weaker, and we can say that this is where the invisible border is present, where the continental climate is beginning to prevail. However, as everywhere in the wider vicinity of Mostar, the collision of two climates is inevitable and the natural beauties we find on these borders are truly unique. That is why the canyon of Jablanicka Bijela is unique and it will be our pleasure to present it to you.

The small town of Jablanica is nestled in the Neretva canyon between Prenj and Cvrsnica, and according to many mountaineers – the two most beautiful mountains in Herzegovina. This area is not part of the hottest areas during the summer – such as Saharan heat in southern coastal Herzegovina, so the refreshing in the canyon of Jablanicka Bijela is the most beautiful and intense, all due to the dense forest and fresh mountain air that surrounds it. While in some places of southern Herzegovina, during the vast summer heat, the river dries up almost completely, the amount of water in Jablanicka Bijela is always abundant. Hiking through the forests of this canyon is almost as refreshing as canyoning through the water and swimming in the river. The shade of dense forest and vegetation is all around us and the water temperature is ideal for refreshing. 

The Blue Heart of Europe hiking and canyoning 

After a little less than an hour of pleasant driving from Mostar through the always enchanting canyon of the river Neretva, we come to the starting point of our adventure. We leave the vehicle along the bank of the river Jablanicka Bijela and immediately, for the first time today, we cross the beauty of Prenj. The first stage of this adventure is a pleasant hiking through a dense forest, on marked trail that goes along the very edge of the canyon and which offers unforgettable views of the peaks around us. Along the trail, from the depths of the canyon below us, we hear the sound of the river all the time, which we will encounter a little later and enjoy all its charms.

The trail leads us to a rest area with a bench in the immediate vicinity of the river, which is easily crossed at that point.
There we will take a break and replenish our water supplies with crystal clear water directly from the river.
Now we are already deep in untouched nature and the water is beautiful. We are slowly returning the same way, enjoying the scenes and scents of nature around us, already warmed up and ready for the second stage of our adventure: direct contact with the river and our “free style canyoning”.
The breath of the Mediterranean is predominant with all its unique features. The scent of aromatic herbs is everywhere.

We enter the river through natural pools surrounded by rocks and small beaches of fine sand and pebbles.
We move slowly upstream, enjoying every moment and approaching the narrowest and most hidden parts of the deep canyon, while the bathing places we discover one after the other seem to be just a piece of paradise on earth.

The surprises are endless; there are whirlpools and stone pools, small waterfalls and rapids that complete this unforgettable experience with their impeccable beauty.
And then, when we think that nothing more beautiful can happen than we have already experienced, a real miracle of nature appears before us – a heart in stone with green-blue water, as a gift, as a reward and as a symbol of our existence.
A heart-shaped stone in a heart-shaped country in the heart of Europe: The Blue Heart of Europe.

These are truly the last wild rivers of Europe and every visit and genuine truth about them is your personal contribution to our struggle to preserve and protect this priceless treasure. Thank you for that!!!

The total length of both stages of the tour in both directions is 4 kilometers and the total stay in the canyon is around 5 hours.
This tour, like most of our tours of this type, is rated as moderately difficult and does not require any special physical fitness or special equipment. It is important that you live an active lifestyle, that you are fit and without major health problems, and that you have an adventurous spirit.
As on every tour of this kind, which we have named – “free style canyoning”, pioneering this kind of responsible outdoor adventures, you will be provided with basic protective equipment, which includes a helmet and waterproof backpack.

Shoes for walking through water and on rocks are mandatory (if you don’t have shoes for walking in water and on slippery rocks, it’s best to use your everyday walking or running shoes that have a good, unworn sole)!

Endemic species

• Munika (Bosnian pine)

  A Bosnian pine tree growing in southern Italy is 1,230 years old, making it the oldest tree in Europe that has been scientifically dated.
  It was found on a steep, rocky slope high in the mountains of Pollino National Park
  Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii Christ) is a conifer species from the family of pine trees and a tertiary relic and subendemic of the Balkan peninsula species. Its most frequent settlements are steep, rocky terrain where it forms Bosnian pine woods and mixed forests with other conifers and hardwoods. The older representatives have a specific bark that looks like the tree has a bullet proof vest, because the tree bark is cracked so that it builds many polygonal tiles that have the appearance of skin. The tree can reach a height of 30 m and a thickness of 1 m in diameter while the bottom of the tree is often saber folded. The Bosnian pine (Heldreich`s pine) was named after the famous German botanist Heldreich.
  In the Balkan Peninsula the Bosnian pine is recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania, in the south to northern Greece. In the Italian Peninsula, thiese species occur in the southern Apennines.

• Pinus heldreichii or Bosnian pine

  Pinus heldreichii (synonym P. leucodermis; family Pinaceae), or Bosnian pine, is a species of pine native to mountainous areas of the Balkans and southern Italy. It can be found in the mountains of Bosnia, southwestern Bulgaria, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, northern Greece (south to Mount Olympus), and locally in southern Italy (it is the symbol of the Pollino National Park), growing at 900–2,500 metres (3,000–8,200 ft) altitude. It often reaches the alpine tree line in this area. It is an evergreen tree is up to 25–35 metres (82–115 ft) height, and 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) trunk diameter

The Blue Heart of Europe adventure, like all the others we organize, includes various aspects of the tourist offer. These are always all-in-one tours, in which we expertly touch on almost everything important related to the area we are in: culture, history, tradition, geography, biology or gastronomy, everything that might interest you to get a deeper understanding of this unique country.
We are here to help you, with our many years of experience and qualifications, in the best possible way.
And of course, there are always first-hand personal stories, on any topic related to the turbulent life in this area, there are no taboos.

As always, after each of our outdoor activities, we leave enough time to visit the interesting sights of each zone where we find the time to indulge in gastronomic and hedonistic pleasures. In this case, the tame and charming town of Jablanica offers truly unique attractions. Here you can find the best restaurants that offer one of the most popular specialties of Herzegovina: free range completely organic lamb from the nearby mountains, prepared in traditional way, on a spit and a charcoal fire. We guarantee we will show you the place where the best young lamb in the Balkans is eaten.
For history buffs, there is Museum of the Second World War and the famous railway bridge on the Neretva River, which was demolished twice. The first time – in World War II during one of the fiercest offensives of the Nazis and their helpers against domestic partisans and resistance forces, and the second time – for the needs of a spectacular war film called The Battle of the Neretva, starring some of the greatest movie stars of the time such as Orson Welles, Yul Brynner, Franco Nero, Sylva Koscina and others.
One of the movie posters of the American version was made by the famous Pablo Picasso. The poster was printed in limited numbers and each copy of the poster was signed by Picasso on the back. Bernard Hermann was hired to compose music for the American version of the film.

Do not miss this opportunity to learn many interesting things about one of the most distinctive and hidden corners of Europe.

The Blue Heart of Europe tour is available from June to October
Grade of Difficulty: Medium moderate (suitable for children over 12 yrs of age)
Total Walking Hours: 4 – 5 hours

TOUR PRICE:
2-3 persons – 65 eur/person
4-8 persons – 50 eur/person

PLEASE NOTE: Our tours are private tours for independent visitors and for pre-formed groups.We pick you up from your accommodation at any time, and the tour is fully flexible and customizable. The difference with our private tours is that you will get a unique experience and you will feel like a local. Our private tours take the unique concept one notch further by tailoring your touring experience to each and every one of your particular needs and desires. Your needs and comfort are paramount to our success, so rest assured there is no compromise on quality. If you have any questions or concerns about joining one of our trips as a solo traveler please Contact us. A personal touch​ is our trademark: we tailor each tour to your ​specific interests​. Just let us know!

Departure Place: Mostar (or from any other location if requested)
Duration: Full – Day tour ( 8 hours)
What to Bring: Loose and light hiking wear; ensure you have some layers of clothing, sports shoes, non-slip closed shoes adapted to walking in the water ( if you don’t have shoes for walking in water and on slippery rocks, it’s best to use your everyday walking or running shoes that have a good, unworn sole), hat, sun block, swim gear, towel, water bottle, hiking food.

What is Included:
• Pick up and comfortable drive in a fully equipped air con vehicle to the starting point and return to your place
• A fully guided hiking tour (English speaking certified mountain guide offering a comprehensive account of an amazing variety of endemic flora and fauna through the magnificent wild canyon)
• All precautionary measures in regard to weather conditions and first aid equipment
•We provide basic protective equipment, hiking helmets, waterproof backpacks or cases for your cameras, cell phones, etc.
• Please contact us beforehand if you need any additional equipment.