The Tara River

Also called the “Tear of Europe”, renown for its clear water, the Tara river is one of the two forming the Drina. The Tara is formed by two small ones, the Opasnica and the Veruša, below Komova mountain in Montenegro. Near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Šćepan-polje, it makes a confluence with the Piva at the place called a ‘junction’ (stavesastavci) forming the Drina. Thus, the Drina, like the Piva and the Tara, has no spring.

The Tara canyon is at places up to 1,333m deep, which makes it the deepest canyon in Europe, and the second in the world, after the Colorado River Canyon. Greater part of the Tara river is listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Durmitor National Park.

LANGUAGE

The name Tara is interpreted in two ways. Some say that Tara is an ancient Indic, Sanskrit word, denoting speed and vigour, and others say that the name of the river comes from the name of an ancient people, Autariatae, who used to live in the region before the Slavs.

GEOGRAPHY

The Tara, as well as the lower Drina course, are ideal rivers for rafting and fishing. On a rafting scale from 3-5, the Tara ranks among the most attractive mountain rivers. Going down its white waters in rubber boats, led by experienced skippers, is an unforgettable adventure, each year drawing more and more visitors.