Journey
Family Adventure Serbia: Tara, the Drina & the Šargan Eight
Six private days for families in western Serbia: an easy paddle on the Drina, forest walks and viewpoints in Tara National Park, a mountain lake, the Šargan Eight railway and a bike ride in Mokra Gora
- No payment now
- Private, on your dates
- Planned by our own team
- Length
- 6 days · 5 nights
- Travel style
- Private
- Pace
- Classic
- Stays
- Classic
- Starts and ends
- Belgrade
- Guiding
- EnglishAll languages on request
- Group
- 2–12 guests
- Price
- On requestWritten offer first, no payment now
What you’ll see
Highlights along the way
Route & days
Day by day
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Day 1 Belgrade to the Drina
Leave Belgrade in the morning and drive west through Valjevo to Bajina Bašta on the Drina, the river that forms the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. After settling in, walk along the riverbank to see the little house on a rock in the middle of the river, first built in 1968 and rebuilt several times after floods.
- Belgrade
- Bajina Bašta
- The house on the rock in the Drina
Included: Private transfer from Belgrade; riverside walk; dinner.
Planning time for a minibus. Flat riverside paths.
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Day 2 A paddle on the Drina
With a local instructor, life jackets and stable kayaks (doubles for younger children), paddle a calm stretch of the Drina below the Perućac dam. Picnic by the river, then a look at Vrelo, a spring-fed stream only about 365 metres long that drops into the Drina as a small waterfall. Free late afternoon.
- Bajina Bašta
- Perućac Lake
Included: Guided kayak or float trip with equipment (subject to water level and weather); picnic lunch; dinner.
Short transfers to the put-in and back. Short walk at Vrelo.
Easier or optional: Swimming in a quiet bay (cold water, supervised by parents).
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Day 3 Up to Tara: Banjska stena
Drive up through the forest to Mitrovac on the Tara plateau. With a local guide, walk the easy forest track to the Banjska stena viewpoint (1,065 m) above Lake Perućac and the Drina canyon, then on to Kaluđerske Bare for the night.
- Bajina Bašta
- Banjska stena viewpoint
- Kaluđerske Bare
- Tara National Park
Included: Private transfers; walk with a licensed nature guide; picnic lunch; national park fees; dinner.
Planning time for a minibus. About 2 hours on flat forest tracks; railings at the viewpoint.
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Day 4 Zaovine Lake and the Pančić spruce
A drive across the plateau to Zaovine Lake, high in the mountains, for an easy walk with your guide among the Serbian spruce, which Josif Pančić found near here in 1875, and a picnic by the water. Back on Tara in the afternoon, with time to rest or play.
- Kaluđerske Bare
- Zaovine Lake
- Tara National Park
Included: Private transfers; guided walk; picnic lunch; dinner.
Planning time for a minibus. About 5 km on easy paths, little climbing.
Easier or optional: A short evening walk in the forest with your guide.
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Day 5 The Šargan Eight and a bike ride in Mokra Gora
Drive to Mokra Gora for a ride on the Šargan Eight, the narrow-gauge railway that climbs the mountainside in a figure of eight through tunnels and over bridges. Walk up to Drvengrad, the wooden village above the valley, then join a local guide for a bike ride on quiet roads and tracks in the Mokra Gora valley, with bikes in children's sizes and child seats where needed. Night in Mokra Gora.
- Kaluđerske Bare
- Šargan Eight heritage railway, Mokra Gora
- Drvengrad (Küstendorf)
Included: Private transfer; Šargan Eight tickets (subject to timetable); Drvengrad entrance; guided bike ride with bikes and helmets; lunch; dinner.
Planning time for a minibus. Short climb to Drvengrad; bike ride of about 10–20 km at an easy pace.
Easier or optional: A longer ride for older children and parents.
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Day 6 Back to Belgrade
A slow breakfast, then the drive back to Belgrade by Užice and the motorway, arriving in the afternoon.
- Drvengrad (Küstendorf)
- Belgrade
Included: Private transfer to Belgrade or Belgrade airport.
Planning time for a minibus.
Driving times are approximate and don’t include stops. Every day can be adjusted: tell us what you’d change when you enquire.
What’s included
Included and not included
Included
- 5 nights in family rooms in guesthouses and small hotels (Drina 2, Tara 2, Mokra Gora 1), breakfast daily
- 4 lunches (picnic or local restaurant) and 5 dinners
- Qualified local instructor for the paddle, a licensed nature guide on Tara and a local guide for the bike ride
- Private car or minivan with driver throughout, with child seats on request
- Kayak or float trip with equipment, Šargan Eight, Drvengrad and national park fees (subject to operation)
- Travel2Serbia support throughout
Guiding in all languages available on request, subject to availability.
Not included
- Flights
- Travel insurance (must cover outdoor activities)
- Drinks and snacks
- Tourist taxes paid locally
- Tips
Why this journey
Why you’ll love it
- An easy guided paddle on the green water of the Drina below Perućac
- The little house on a rock in the middle of the Drina at Bajina Bašta
- A forest walk to the Banjska stena viewpoint, high above the Drina canyon
- Zaovine Lake, near the village where Josif Pančić found the Serbian spruce in 1875
- The Šargan Eight heritage railway and the wooden village of Drvengrad
- A bike ride on quiet roads in the Mokra Gora valley
Signature moments
Paddling on cold, clear water
Below the Perućac dam the Drina runs green and cold, slow enough for a first family paddle with an instructor.
The edge of the plateau
At Banjska stena the forest ends at a cliff, with the lake and the river almost 800 metres below.
A tree with a story
In 1875 the botanist Josif Pančić found a new spruce near Zaovine; it still grows almost only in these mountains.
What you’ll do
What you’ll do
Everything is arranged privately for your group. Hosts, guides and routes are confirmed in your offer.
Hosted experience · Day 2
Drina river float from Perućac
A gentle rafting float down the Drina below Perućac, between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Raft trip with appropriate safety arrangements and equipment once your float is confirmed. Final operating details depend on the selected local operator and conditions.
Where you’ll stay
Your stays · 5 nights
5 nights in family rooms in guesthouses and small hotels (Drina 2, Tara 2, Mokra Gora 1), breakfast daily
Nights 1–2
Classic comfort, chosen for your dates
- Classic comfort
Upgrade: Guesthouse or small hotel near the Drina
Nights 3–4
Classic comfort, chosen for your dates
- Classic comfort
Upgrade: Mountain hotel on Tara with family rooms
Night 5
Classic comfort, chosen for your dates
- Classic comfort
Upgrade: Guesthouse or wooden cabins in Mokra Gora
We name each stay, with its photos, in your written offer once availability is confirmed.
Before you choose
Is this journey for you?
A good fit if
Families with children of about 6 and over who like being outdoors, parents who want activities with qualified local guides, and grandparents who prefer short walks and long lunches.
Maybe not if
Families looking for a resort with a pool and a kids' club, teenagers who want white-water rafting (ask us for a separate rafting day), and anyone who dislikes mountain roads.
Pace and effort
Classic, at a family pace. One activity of 2–4 hours most days, with free afternoons. Two travel days of about 4–4½ hours from and to Belgrade; on the other days drives are up to about 2 hours. Children under about 10 paddle in a double kayak with an adult.
Tailor-made
Make it your own
Extend to seven days with one more night: on Tara, or in the Zlatibor area with Sirogojno on the way home · A rafting day on the Tara for older children (licensed operator and its minimum age; border crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro) · A morning on a working farm near Bajina Bašta (on request, when a suitable farm is confirmed).
Customise this journeyHow booking and payment work
From enquiry to voucher
We never ask for card details by email or on this website. Bank details are only sent in your personal offer or invoice.
- 1 You send an enquiry Free, with no obligation.
- 2 We send a written offer Availability and your final price, confirmed.
- 3 You accept the offer
- 4 You pay securely Card payment link (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro) or bank transfer.
- 5 We confirm your payment
- 6 You receive your confirmation and voucher
Booking terms for this journey: Price on request. This is a private programme, arranged on request for your dates; there are no fixed departures. The final offer, price and availability depend on confirmation of the services (accommodation, guides, transport and activities) after your enquiry. Nothing is booked and no payment is taken until you accept the written offer.
Family Adventure Serbia: Tara, the Drina & the Šargan Eight
Tell us when you’d like to come
We’ll check availability for your dates with our local partners and guides, then send you a written offer with the confirmed price. Asking is free.
- WhatsApp us
- office@love2travel.rs
- +381 60 40 80 510
- We send your first proposal within 2 working days.
Request a quote
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Continue the story
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Short break
Tara & Drina Active Weekend
A forest walk to Serbia's best viewpoint, a lake in the hills and a gentle float down the Drina
-
Short break
Zlatibor, Mokra Gora & the Šargan Eight
The figure-of-eight railway, a timber film village and Sirogojno's log farmsteads, without the 12-hour day trip
Individual services
Need something else?
For travellers who don’t need the complete journey, Travel2Serbia can also arrange individual services.
Tell us what you need- Airport & private transfers
- Hotels & accommodation
- Private guides
- Day trips & excursions
- Chauffeur / car with driver
- Activities & experiences