The boat trip
Among reeds and lilies.
Ma▀▄Ga — CC BY 3.0 · CV1958 (Colin Viney) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · CV1958 (Colin Viney) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ma▀▄Ga — CC BY 3.0 · Ziegler175 — CC BY-SA 3.0
Hutovo Blato is a nature and bird reserve in southwest Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 30 km from Mostar. Its marshes and lakes cover about 7,411 hectares, among the richest wetlands in Europe, and offer a calm quite different from the mountain towns of Herzegovina. The area has been protected since 1995 as Hutovo Blato Nature Park, having been known before that for hunting. It has been a Ramsar site since 2001 and is on the list of Important Bird Areas. An underground water system linked to the Krupa River feeds it, through five lakes including Deransko and Škrka. The main activity is the boat «photo safari» among reeds and water lilies to see the birds. More than 240 migratory species live in or pass through it, with tens of thousands of birds in the migration season, especially in winter. On the banks are a timber educational walkway, walking and cycling trails and a motel, and the Orlov Kuk lookout on a nearby hill looks over the lakes. It is 31 km in a straight line from Mostar and suits a day trip with Radimlja, 14 km away. Contact the visitor centre ahead to arrange a boat, as the price can vary with group size. Bring insect repellent, especially in summer. Spring, autumn and winter are best for birds, and the hours before sunset are loveliest.
Among reeds and lilies.
Views over the lakes.
Tens of thousands of birds.
Southwest Bosnia, near the Croatian border
In migration season and winter, when the reserve shelters big numbers.
Yes, contact the visitor centre, as prices vary with the group.