INCREASINGLY RICH OFFERING FROM FOČA CAMPS AND GROWING NUMBER OF VISITORS

FOČA, JULY 10 /SRNA/ – Rafting camps on the Drina and Tara rivers are recording an excellent season this summer, with the number of tourists increasing by 15 to 20 percent compared to last year, thanks to favorable weather and the ever richer offers from camps in Foča.

In addition to rafting in inflatable boats, tourists can enjoy kayaking, mountain tours by quad or electric bicycle, canyoning, and numerous hiking trips. “Foča is expanding its offer of adventure excursions and is taking major steps towards becoming a regional leader in tourism, together with Plužine in Montenegro, a municipality with which it shares the Tara river,” said Milan Rudinac, owner of the “Wild River” camp. Apart from the usual rafting trips on the Tara and Drina, kayaking is increasingly in demand, especially among foreign tourists. “We are a relatively small camp focused on rafting, kayaking, and trips to Lake Trnovačko. On weekdays we mostly host foreigners, and they are particularly interested in kayaking trips. These are inflatable two-seater and single-seater kayaks, and we organise trips both on the Tara and Drina. On weekends we run standard excursions for domestic tourists from Serbia, Montenegro, and BiH. Halfway through the season, we can say we are satisfied with the turnout so far,” Rudinac explained. For kayaking trips, the same safety equipment and suits are used as in rafting, Rudinac added, but tourists are prepared differently in terms of maintaining balance and paddling techniques. “We use the same destinations and routes, but it is a bit more exciting for tourists. The perception is different – the view from a kayak is as if you are sitting directly on the water, unlike in a raft,” Rudinac said. Tourists come to the Tara and Drina rivers and the surrounding mountain beauties from all over Europe, and even other continents. This year, apart from Serbia which always leads, the majority of tourists in this camp have come from Poland and Hungary. In Foča’s riverside camps nestled in greenery that soothes both body and soul, accommodation is provided in bungalows, ranging from double to seven-bed units. The Drina-Tara Rafting Centre is one of the largest tourist camps in Foča, both in accommodation capacity and in the variety of services offered to guests. The camp’s manager, Vladimir Tešan, said that it was clear at the beginning of the season that it would surpass the previous one. “We have 15 to 20 percent more guests; we are satisfied, and the weather has been favourable so far. May was beautiful, and June as well,” Tešan said. The grand canyon of the Tara River, its heavenly colour, and the thrilling ride down foamy rapids are the main reasons tourists come, but the offer grows richer each year. A special attraction is a quad tour to the canyon rims of the Tara and the mountain areas and lakes of Zelengora. The camp also offers canyoning adventures on the Hrčavka River and in Montenegro through the Nevidio Canyon on the Komarnica River. Hiking trips to the Perućica primeval forest and numerous destinations within Sutjeska National Park remain highly popular. This year, electric bicycle excursions have been introduced as well. “This year we have a new package – the ‘E-bike Adventure’ on Tjentište, with very affordable prices, offering a lot – tours of the primeval forest, the Skakavac waterfall, the National Park, all on brand-new, fully functional electric bikes,” Tešan said. In addition to their cooperation with Sutjeska National Park, rafting camps also have strong ties with the “Zlatni bor” village cheese farm and the “Velenići” equestrian club, both located on the canyon rim of the Tara, right on the edge. Tourists coming for rafting gladly visit these two sites, enjoying the breathtaking views of Europe’s deepest canyon and the surrounding mountain massifs of Durmitor, Maglić, Ljubišnja, and Radovina.