Mostarska Bijela
Description
Mostarska Bijela is one of the most secluded and unusual natural attractions in Herzegovina - a canyon cave of the Bijela River, which flows along the western slopes of Prenj toward the Neretva. In its final kilometer, the river passes through a narrow, high crack in the rock: an almost 100-meter-long canyon cave with a partially open ceiling that lets in beams of light.
The exploration takes place by wading through icy water, ankle-deep and sometimes deeper, and at the very end of the cave the reward is a waterfall falling from about ten meters through a small crack in the ceiling, lit by the midday sun and revealing an emerald pool below. Access is via a hiking trail of about 9 km and 2.5 to 3 hours' walk from the M17 main road, along the Bijela River. Along the trail you can see Kravlje pećine and the remains of the Lojpur family estate from the early 20th century. In dry years the river can run dry, and the best time to visit is in May or June.
Cave experience
What makes Mostarska Bijela completely different from all other caves in Bosnia and Herzegovina is its magical lighting. The cave passage is not closed - it opens in several places, and through these cracks narrow beams of light penetrate and fall straight into the icy water below. The entire stretch of about one hundred meters is crossed by wading: the water cuts at your legs with cold, the passages are so narrow that both walls can be touched with outstretched arms, and then you reach the end where, through a small crack in the ceiling, a waterfall pours down, lit by the midday sun. Beneath it - an emerald pool. It is best seen at midday, when the light penetrates deepest.
Practical information and access
Warning: snakes and wild animals may be on the trail; caution is required!
