Uvac Canyon
Uvac, a nature reservation like from a fairy tale, is one of the most beautiful places in Serbia. It is predominantly situated on the territory of Nova Varos, while one part belongs to Sjenica. With the building of 3 dams, the valley of the Uvac river was sunk 3 decades agoand 3 lakes were formed. Uvac lake is 27 km long, while it is 108 m deep. There is Molitva horizon on it, and the view overlooking the canyon is the most beautiful from there. Older local residents remember Uvac before the dam had been built. The canyon was more impressive and deeper then, but locals say that lakes have given the special beauty to it and that it is even prettier now. In clean waters of the lake there are 11 kinds of fish – carp, chub, trout, huchen, barbel...
The greatest attractions of the reservation are: griffon vultures, meanders and caves.
Meanders are curves which a river builts on its course. Penetrating during centuries, through limestones, Uvac has made such meanders to look as labirints. Some of them have meanders of 270 degrees. They are present along the whole flow up to Radoinjsko Lake, and they are significant at Uvac Lake.
Uvac cave system is 6185 m long – the longest one in Serbia. It comprises of Uvac and Ice cave and one pit. Both are rich in cave jewellery.
Griffon vulture is a symbol of Uvac – a special kind of an eagle which was near extinction at the end of the last century. In 1990 there were only 7 eagles . With founding the bird protection fond – ’’ Griffon Vulture’’ and a hatchery, the number has increased to 300, which makes this colony one of larger in Europe. Considering that they eat only food of dead animals, their significance in ecosystem is more than important since they stop infections. There is a plan to make colonies of 2 new kinds of vultures : one which eats bones and the other which eats animal skin. In this way the food chain would be completely closed.
The latest inhabitant of the reservation is a bird – a night heron, whose characteristic is to live in planes, but 2 pairs have appeared recently.
The best time to visit the reservation is after May 15th because the forests at the cliffs of the canyon become completely covered with leaves, and Uvac Lake is most beautiful then. The photographs were taken then.
If you visit the Lake on your own, you will see little of it. You can, with an advance arrangement, get organized tour of the caves and the most beautiful places of the canyon. Accommodaton is possible in private houses near Nova Varos. Camping is the other possibility.
