One of the most memorable hidden places in Sarajevo surrounding in winter is Skakavac Waterfall. Skakavac is the Bosnian word for ‘grasshopper’ and the beautiful waterfall it denotes is a staggering 98 metres high, making it the largest continually flowing chute in the country. As such it is listed as a Monument of Nature and afforded special protections. Besides being very attractive in the summer, though, it takes on a new personality during winter months when it is almost completely frozen.
Meeting place for the tour is behind tram station at Pigeon square (Bascarsija) at 9am. Behind tram station there is a small white fountain and next to it is a taxi stand, where our vehicle with Green Visions sign will wait for you.
Tour available from mid December until end of April (if snow conditions are good).
We start our hike from the village of Nahorevo, just at the edge of the city of Sarajevo, and climb the slopes of Bukovik mountain. And, as we climb the mountain, with every step the gorgeous views on the mountains on the south get better and better, while we go on all the way to the top of Skakavac waterfall.
The Skakavac waterfall is one of the greatest and most attractive continual flowing waterfalls in Bosnia and Herzegovina and it stands for a real tourist attraction. The waterfall is 98 metres high and placed in the landscape of exceptional beauty. The surroundings are one of the most heterogenic areas in that region dominated by spruce and fir and beech and fir forests with spruce on more pronounced slopes. On shallow carbon grounds in the vicinity of the waterfall, there are termofil forests and underbrushes of eastern hornbeam and autumn locust as well as eastern hornbeam and manna ash. The rocks surrounding the waterfall have a very interesting vegetation dominated by endemic and relic types. The waterfall at Skakavac is for more than one reason, one of the most attractive tourist sites in the vicinity of Sarajevo. The name ‘Skakavac’ means grasshopper.
A soothing break and some tea or coffee awaits us here before we head down through thick forest to the base of the waterfall. Here awaits us a fantastic view of water, mist and forest – turned into fabulous frozen waterfall – an impressive wall of ice touching the skies high above.
On the way home we'll stop to warm up in a tiny hut owned by Dragan. A lively character and impeccable host, who makes best rakija (plum brandy).
From here we find our way back through the forest down to Nahorevo, where we parked our car, filled with impressions of the day.