Bosnia and Herzegovina · Herzegovina

Svitavsko jezero

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Svitava

Svitavsko Lake is a semi-artificial lake in Bosnia and Herzegovina, between the village of Svitava and the Neretva river. It is part of the Hutovo Blato complex of marshes, lakes, underground karst springs and rivers that forms the Hutovo Blato Nature Park near Čapljina, and a neighbour of Deransko Lake.

How it formed

A limestone massif, Ostrvo, separates Svitavsko from Deransko jezero. Svitavsko is the lower basin of the Čapljina pumped-storage plant, which opened in 1979 with an underground powerhouse near Svitava, and its water flows through the Krupa to the Neretva.

History

Before it became a nature park in 1995, Hutovo Blato was known mainly for hunting and fishing; since 2001 it has been a Ramsar wetland of international importance, forming one site with the Neretva delta across the border. In 2008 archaeologists found an Illyrian trading post at Desilo in the park, with a harbour, a settlement and sunken boats carrying amphorae of the 1st century BC.

Nature

Hutovo Blato lies on the migration route from northern and central Europe to Asia and Africa, and it is one of Europe’s largest wintering grounds for birds, with tens of thousands gathering in winter. Pygmy cormorants, squacco, purple and night herons, ferruginous ducks, whiskered terns and white storks are among the birds to look for, and a trout, Salmo dentex, lives in the marshes and the Krupa.

Gallery

2 photos

Photo: d.graso · CC BY 3.0

Photo: MaGa · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Visit

Getting there

Nearest settlement: Svitava

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

Svitavsko is one of the two largest lakes of Hutovo Blato Nature Park, and the wetland is best seen from the water: boat safaris are reported to run daily from April to November, booked through the visitor centre at Karaotok. March to May and September to October are the best months for birds, and sport fishing is offered in the park. See the Hutovo Blato pages for more.

From Sarajevo or Mostar, take a train or bus to Čapljina and a taxi to the park, or drive: it is signposted from the M-17 road. The park rents boats, canoes and bicycles and offers guided tours in English, and narrow, easy trails and at least one bird hide let you explore on foot. Bring binoculars; a telescope helps.