As part of the EU project “Discover transboundary aquatic biodiversity – EXChAngE”, a “water trail” has been established – a new tourist offer of the Hutovo Blato Nature Park.
With 61 occasional or permanent springs, the Krupa River and six lakes connected by canals and ravines, Hutovo Blato as part of the Neretva River Delta wetland complex is home to numerous rare, endangered and endemic species, the Hutovo Blato Nature Park representative said.
The waterway of this wetland complex begins in the Karaotok, by boarding boats on the plateau of the pier. Visitors with an expert guide sail from Karaotok through the Sun channel to the river Krupa, and then along the river to and across Deransko Lake where it passes through: Brankove vrbe – Škrkina jaruga – Toljevac – Đevojka – Risović – Galebica donja – Brzi Klanac – Struge – Deransko lake.
Through the Bjelinska and Deran rivers, through untouched nature, the road leads further to the lakes: Drijen and Orah, which are supplied with underground water of the Bregava river. After a rest and refreshment on a well-kept picnic area on the shore, in the hilly surroundings of Drijensko lake, visitors return to the Karaotok along the same waterway.
Svjetlana Stanić-Koštroman, who worked on the creation of the waterway, says the route was chosen in a way that provides visitors with a unique experience of the exceptional biological and landscape diversity of this sub-Mediterranean Ramsar area and nature park.
“The most important part of the trail consists of very diverse aquatic ecosystems, i.e., the Krupa river, and Deransko, Orah and Drijen lakes, which are the best-preserved part of the Neretva Delta wetland complex. Sailing surrounded by dense reeds, visitors have the opportunity to see a very diverse fauna of birds, which are a special natural treasure of Hutovo blato“, says Stanić-Koštroman.
Of the 163 bird species recorded in the area, almost all (160) are protected under international conventions and directives.
“Hutovo blato is also a significant fish hatchery in the Neretva river basin, among which 12 endemic species spawn in this area. Deransko lake is a habitat for as many as nine endemic fish species, and the ecosystems of Orah and Drijen lakes are a breeding ground for endangered endemic species, Neretva roaches“, adds Stanić-Koštroman.
The whole ride in both directions takes about three hours during which visitors can enjoy not only the natural beauty but also the unique local specialties and drinks.
The water trail is part of a new tourist product – blue pass which, along with Hutovo blato, will enable visits to project partners and their new thematic routes with improved infrastructure: Dubrovnik and Aquarium (University of Dubrovnik, Croatia), Kotor and Aquarium Boka (TZ Kotor and Institute of Marine Biology, Montenegro) and the waterway in Mostar and the Neretva River (HNŽ Tourist Board, Bosnia and Herzegovina), and will attract more tourists to this region.
Hutovo Blato Nature Park implements the project “EXChAngE” within the program “Interreg IPA cross-border cooperation of Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2014-2020” – a trilateral program dedicated to strengthening the social, economic and territorial development of the cross-border area.
The program covers 12 counties in Croatia, 109 municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Brčko District, and 11 municipalities in Montenegro.
By implementing joint projects, the Program contributes to better quality of services in the public health and social welfare sector, protects the environment and biodiversity of the region, promotes sustainable energy; nurtures cultural and natural heritage and provides a better business environment for the program area.
The goal of the program is to achieve a better-quality life for people living in border regions.
