Perućica Forest

Perućica is one of the last primeval forests in Europe and the greatest treasure of Sutjeska National Park in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Set in a valley between the mountains of Maglić, Volujak and Snježnica, it covers about 1,434 hectares and is a strict nature reserve, often called the lungs of Europe. This ancient forest is thought to be tens of thousands of years old, and in it grow trees more than three centuries old and over fifty metres tall.

In Perućica everything is left to nature: trees grow, age and fall, and from their remains new life springs, without any human interference. It is home to a wealth of life – from hundreds of plant species to bears, wolves, chamois and nine kinds of woodpecker. At its heart hides the Skakavac waterfall, which plunges from over seventy metres. Because of its fragility and value, Perućica can only be explored with a guide.