Rafting in the Tara Canyon

The Tara has carved the deepest canyon in Europe — walls rising some 1,300 metres above the water, second in the world only to the Grand Canyon — and the three-day descent is the only way to see its heart, because no road reaches the inner gorge.

You raft through Durmitor's UNESCO landscape on clear, cold, emerald water, running lively grade III–IV rapids between stretches where the canyon narrows to a slot of rock and forest and the river does all the work.

Nights are spent camping or in simple riverside eco-lodges, cut off from everything above the rim.

The combination — genuine whitewater, water clean enough to drink, and a gorge so deep it seals you off from the outside world for days — makes it one of the great river journeys in the Balkans, and far less known than it deserves to be.

Three days on the river through a gorge up to 1,300 metres deep, running grade III–IV whitewater with a guide at the oars or alongside. Wetsuits are supplied and the water is cold and clear whatever the season.

The rapids are lively rather than terrifying — no expert paddling needed — but the multi-day, road-less nature of the inner canyon means you're committed once you start, camping or staying in simple riverside lodges with no way out but downstream.

Expect big scenery, swims in side pools, and long calm stretches between the drops. Spring brings the highest, pushiest flows.

Book a guided multi-day trip with a Tara rafting operator — the standard run is three days through the deepest section, with all gear, wetsuits, camping and meals included.

The season runs April to October; May and June deliver the biggest water from snowmelt, while later summer is gentler and warmer. Base around Žabljak in Montenegro or cross from the Bosnian side; operators arrange transfers to the put-in.

No paddling experience is required, and children from around twelve can usually join the calmer itineraries. Bring quick-dry clothes, river shoes and sun protection, and be ready to be off-grid for the duration.