River Adventures · Rafting
FOCAFLYSPIN · TARA CANYON · BOSNIA

Rafting the Tara.
What to expect.

The deepest canyon in Europe, second in the world after the Grand Canyon, and UNESCO protected. This page is the practical version — when to come, which section, what is provided and what is not. We do not sell seats; we point you at the right operator.

SEND AN INQUIRY → WHEN TO COME
THE RIVER

A river that
does not wait.

The Tara canyon runs roughly 80 kilometres and drops to around 1,300 metres — the deepest in Europe. The Montenegrin part sits inside the Durmitor UNESCO World Heritage area. The final stretch, the one most people raft, runs along the border and finishes in Bosnia at Scepan Polje.

FOCAFLYSPIN does not run rafting trips. We have no boats and no camp. What we do is match you to a licensed operator that fits your group, your date and the water level that day — then you deal with them directly, at their price. Nothing is added on top for you.

April — mid-OctoberSeason
2.5 – 4.5 hoursTime on the water
AlwaysLicensed skipper in the boat
A raft running whitewater in the Tara canyon
DOWN THE CANYON

Brstanovica
to the confluence.

Seventeen points in order downstream — the rapids you paddle and the places where the boat stops. Tap any of them.

01Brstanovica rapidsRAPID · START · LONGEST ON THE TARA+

Upper and lower. This is where the run begins — and the longest single rapid on the whole river. Also the moment you find out the water is eight degrees.

02PeriloRAPID · BREATHER+

A short quiet stretch after the first hit. The river settles just long enough for you to catch your breath and look up at the walls.

03PecineRAPID · VERTICAL WALL+

You pass under a sheer cliff pocked with caves. One of the most photographed points on the run.

04BoroviRAPID · OVER 500 M+

More than half a kilometre of continuous water. Named after the pines it runs through.

05Taranina postaRAPID · A STORY+

Named after the timber-rafters’ postman, from the days when logs were floated down the Tara. People left messages here.

06Varda and CelijeRAPID · BACK TO BACK+

Two rapids with no pause between them. This is where you find out whether the crew learned the commands.

07Mladicki viroviRAPID · TROUT POOLS+

Deep pools full of trout. Anglers in the boat tend to stop paddling and stare into the water here.

08VjernovicaRAPID · BIGGEST DROP+

Upper and lower. The biggest drop on the section and the largest waves. If there is one moment everybody remembers, this is it.

09Grab and ZelenacRAPID · AFTER THE CALM+

They come after a flat stretch. By now you know what you are doing and run them without thinking.

10Manita vrelaSTOP · WATERFALL · 20 METRES+

Water drops around twenty metres straight into the Tara from the right wall. Skippers bring the boat close enough that the crew almost passes underneath. The name comes from spring, when the springs run wild — that is when they are at their best.

11Bajlovica sigeSTOP · WATERFALL+

A waterfall fed by a cave lake, falling over moss-covered rock. A separate stop from Manita vrela, further down.

12UzlupSTOP · AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN DAM+

Remains of an artificial dam built during Austro-Hungarian rule to move timber. The only trace of human hands on this part of the river.

13ZanjRAPID · NARROWS+

A curving rapid in the narrows just past the dam. This is where the skipper asks for a faster stroke.

14Lijecevina, Krsmanov and Kadijin kamenRAPID · LAST SERIES+

A rapid below an old mill, then two named rocks. Each carries a story from when people still lived in the canyon.

15SipcanicaSTOP · BREAK · COLDEST TRIBUTARY+

A small river entering from the right in a series of little waterfalls with natural pools beneath them. The standard stop — a short walk, a swim and photographs. The water is cold enough to numb your hand in seconds.

16Papratista and CegrloRAPID · THE LAST TWO+

The final rapids before Scepan Polje. Cegrlo also goes by Vucje grlo, wolf’s throat.

17SastavciSTOP · END OF THE RUN+

Scepan Polje, where the Tara and the Piva meet and become the Drina. Locally it is called Sastavci, the confluence. You climb out of the boat here.

PROGRAMMES

Pick your
run.

The exact programme and price depend on the operator, group size and time of year. Send an inquiry with your date and numbers and you will get concrete offers back — we do not set the prices and we do not add anything on top.

ONE DAY

The canyon run

The standard day: transfer upstream, full gear, licensed skipper, lunch at the camp afterwards with most operators.

ON REQUESTSET BY THE OPERATOR
SEASON

When to come.

The season runs from April to mid-October, but every month is a different river. Spring means high, cold, fast water and a shorter, harder run. By midsummer the river has settled and warmed, and the day on the water gets longer because the boat stops more. Same kilometres, completely different trip.

April
High water · IV

Season opens. Snowmelt water, cold and powerful. The fastest run of the year — sometimes under three hours. A wetsuit is not optional. Better for people who want the intensity than for a first family trip.

May
High water · IV

Similar to April but with longer days and warmer air on the bank. The rapids are at full strength and the photographs are at their most dramatic, with water breaking over everything.

June
Transition · III–IV

The level starts dropping but the river is still serious. A good middle ground — quick enough to be exciting, forgiving enough for a first run. The water is still cold.

July
Peak season · III–IV

The most requested month. Warmer water, strong sun, and a longer day on the river because the boat stops more often for swimming. Camps fill up — book earlier than you would for other months.

August
Peak season · III–IV

The warmest water of the year and the longest run, up to four and a half hours with stops. The best month for families and for anyone getting into a raft for the first time.

September
Calmer water · III

The crowds thin out, the water is still pleasant and the canyon turns. A gentler run than spring but the river is far from asleep. A lot of people call this the best month.

October
Season ends · III

Operations wind down around mid-month. Cold on and off the water, but the canyon is empty and quiet. Check availability before planning — not everyone still runs.

Winter
Closed

Nothing runs from November to March. Levels are unpredictable, the water is freezing and most camps are shut. If you want Foca in winter, it is the mountains and the national park instead.

The level decides. Grade and duration depend on how much water is coming down that day, not only on the month. After a few days of rain even an August Tara can come up. The operator makes the final call on the section and on who gets in the boat.
SECTIONS

Which stretch
you run.

The Tara is navigable for around a hundred kilometres, but almost all rafting happens on the last part of the canyon, where the rapids are densest. These are the three programmes normally on offer.

Brstanovica —
Scepan Polje

18 km · 2.5–4 h · the usual one

The classic day run and what most people mean by rafting the Tara. The densest stretch of rapids on the river — around twenty of them in eighteen kilometres.

  • Transfer upstream by 4x4 to the put-in
  • Full gear and a licensed skipper
  • Finishes at Sastavci, where the Tara and Piva become the Drina
  • Lunch at the camp afterwards with most operators

Scepan Polje —
Bastasi

Drina · calmer · add-on

The continuation down the Drina, considerably gentler than the Tara. Rarely run on its own — usually added to the main day, or offered as the easier option for groups with small children or older guests.

  • Mild rapids, more time in the water
  • Suits people who do not want the full adrenaline version
  • Often part of a two-day stay

The full canyon
(multi-day)

Splaviste → Scepan Polje · 2–3 days

An expedition from the upper river down to the confluence, sleeping on the water. Passes Bajlovica sige, the Tepca rapids and the suspension bridge. Needs more planning and agreement in advance.

  • More than fifty rapids in total
  • Accommodation and food included
  • Book well ahead; works better with a larger group
PREPARATION

What is provided,
what you bring.

The operator provides

  • Buoyancy aid — mandatory for everyone, no exceptions
  • Helmet — worn for the whole run
  • Wetsuit — required in spring, optional in high summer
  • Neoprene boots — at most camps
  • Splash jacket — depending on conditions
  • Paddle and raft
  • A licensed skipper in every boat
  • A dry bag at most operators

You bring

  • Swimwear — put it on under your clothes before you arrive
  • Shoes that can get wet — trainers or sandals with a heel strap, not flip-flops
  • Dry clothes for afterwards — you will get wet whatever the month
  • A towel
  • Sunscreen — the water reflects everything back at you
  • A strap for glasses if you wear them, or they stay in the river
  • ID or passport — the run touches the Montenegrin border
Phones and cameras. A dry bag in the boat is not a guarantee — boats flip and bags open. If your phone matters to you, leave it at the camp. Most operators have their own photographer and you can buy the pictures afterwards.
SAFETY

What you
should know.

Rafting on the Tara is a run with licensed skippers, but it remains a whitewater sport. Nothing removes the risk entirely — there are procedures that reduce it and people who know them.

You get a briefing before you start. Short, on the bank: how to hold the paddle, what the commands mean, where your feet go under the straps, what happens if someone goes over the side. Do not talk through it — that is the only information you get before you are on the water.

The buoyancy aid stays on. Not just in the rapids, not off when it gets hot. It provides flotation and helps keep you at the surface, though it does not remove the risk of moving water. Whether swimming ability is required depends on the operator and the programme — ask when you book.

Going over the side is not an emergency. It happens, it is planned for, and the skipper knows the procedure. The rule is feet downstream, on your back at the surface, do not try to stand up. The skipper or a neighbouring boat brings you in.

No alcohol before the run. Operators can refuse anyone who has been drinking, and they use that right.

Whether the trip runs that day, on which section, and who gets in the boat is decided by the operator based on the water level and the makeup of the group. That decision is not negotiable.

III–IVInternational grade, higher at spring levels
MandatoryBuoyancy aid and helmet, whole run
Ask firstSwimming requirements vary by operator
LicensedSkipper in every boat
LOGISTICS

Getting there.

Foca is in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Cehotina joins the Drina. The rafting camps are upstream, towards Scepan Polje and Bastasi. Most operators run the transfer from the camp to the put-in — getting to the camp is on you.

From SarajevoAbout 70 km, an hour and a half by road. The easiest option if you are flying in.
From BelgradeAbout 300 km. Allow five to six hours with stops, depending on the border.
From PodgoricaAround 150 km via Scepan Polje. The border crossing is right at the run — bring documents.
Documents. On this stretch the Tara forms the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Bring your passport or ID even if you are not planning to cross — operators ask for it.
COMMON QUESTIONS

Before you
get in touch.

Do I need experience?

No. You get gear and a short briefing from the skipper before you go in — the commands, and what to do if someone ends up in the water. There is a licensed skipper in every boat.

What do grades III–IV mean?

It is the international scale of whitewater difficulty, running from I to VI. This stretch of the Tara sits around three to four depending on the water level, rising higher in spring. Serious, but run daily by first-timers with a licensed skipper.

What should I bring?

Swimwear, shoes that can get wet and dry clothes for afterwards. The water gear — wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet — comes from the operator.

How much does it cost?

It depends on the operator, the length of the programme, the date, the number of people and what is included. We do not set prices. Send us your dates and group size and we will come back with actual offers rather than a guess.

How long does it take?

Between two and a half and four and a half hours on the Brstanovica – Scepan Polje section. Shorter in April and May because the water moves faster, longer in July and August because the boat stops more often.

From what age can a child raft?

It depends on the operator, the section, the water level and the time of year. Family programmes can have different rules from the standard run, and in high water the age limits go up. Send us the ages of the children with your inquiry and we will find something that genuinely fits.

Does my child need to swim?

Buoyancy aids are mandatory for everyone. Whether swimming ability is required varies between operators and programmes — tell us who is coming and we will check the rules that apply to your date.

What if I fall out?

It happens and there is a procedure for it. Feet downstream, stay on your back at the surface, do not try to stand. The skipper or a neighbouring boat picks you up. You are briefed on this before the run.

Do I need a passport?

Bring your passport or national ID. The Tara forms the border with Montenegro along this stretch and operators ask for documents even when no crossing is involved.

Which month is best?

Depends what you want. April and May give the fastest, hardest run in cold water. July and August are warmest and best for families or a first raft. September is the compromise — fewer people, comfortable water, autumn colour in the canyon.

Can I combine it with something else?

Yes, and most people do. Rafting pairs easily with Sutjeska National Park, the walk up to Trnovacko Lake, or a day fishing the Drina with us. Say what interests you in the inquiry and we will lay out the days.

What if it rains?

The run goes ahead — you are getting wet anyway. It is only cancelled if the water level goes past what is safe, and that call is made by the operator on the day.

Are there family programmes?

With some operators, yes — a calmer section combined with something else on the same day or stay, such as the sand pyramids at Miljevina. Send an inquiry with the makeup of your group and we will tell you what is available.

FOCAFLYSPIN · RIVER ADVENTURES

One day is rarely enough.

People who raft the Tara usually end up doing something else while they are here — fishing the Drina, walking up to Trnovacko Lake, or a day in Sutjeska National Park. Tell us how long you have and we will put the days together.

SEE EVERYTHING →FISHING IN FOCA →