ZASAVICA

The Special Nature Reserve Zasavica is located in the rich Srem-Macva plains, only 80 km from Belgrade towards the west and 70 km from Novi Sad towards the south. Right at the highway exit near Sremska Mitrovica, there is a road sign directing to the Reserve. Further on, the billboards lead to the Visistor’s Centre via circular intersection and cargo bridge on the Sava River.
The Reserve Zasavica spreads in the North Macva and South Vojvodina and comprises territories of Sremska Mitrovica and Bogatic municipalities. The little river Zasavica is actually the old river bed of the Drina and Sava rivers with total length of 33.1 km, and the area of 1825 ha was put under protection in 1997 by the Decree of the Government of the Republic Serbia. Such preserved natural oasis characterized by a net of interconnected flooded forests, cane and open plains, sometimes overgrown with impenetrable vegetation. The greatest natural values of the Reserve are Aldrovanda, a plant that grows only in this habitat in Serbia, and Umbra, a fish for which Zasavica is one of the two remaining habitats in Serbia. The Reserve also has a variety of over 800 registered plants, 56 species of butterflies, 40 species of dragonflies, 23 species of fish, 27 species of reptiles, 190 species of birds and 61 species of mammals. Many of the registered plants and animals are very rare and endangered species of not just national but international significance. Besides Aldrovanda and Umbra, Zasavica is one of the two locations in Serbia where European beavers have return, reaching the population of one hundred since 2004 when the first 30 units were reintroduced. The real attraction are beaver dams built at a mouth of the Batar tributary and the Zasavica River, the largest one is 50 m long and made of 30 m3 of timber. Nongovernmental organization called the Nature Conservation Movement of Sremska Mitrovica is in charge of the Reserve.

Tourism is organized in part of the Reserve open for tourist activities, in the village of Zasavica II, from Valjevac to Zasavica I and the section of Šumareva ćuprija, 7 km long tour and total Visitor’s Centre area of 1 ha. Tourist offers of the Zasavica Reserve include the following individual and group visits: tourist ship Umbra with a seating capacity for 60 people sailing over the most beautiful part of the Zasavica River; individual boat tours; walking tours; photo safari; photo safari; bird-watching activities, etc. Target group the Reserve counts and focuses on is so-called school tourism (primary, secondary and higher educational institutions). Visits to the Reserve are organized through one-day or multi-day tours with previously defined and agreed program of activities.

Easy (3 km) and medium (6 km) walking tours along the Zasavica that include a side program of studying the Reserve’s flora and fauna are available for guests who prefer walking in nature. Long (medium) walking path starts at the location of Šumareva ćuprija in the village of Zasavica I, and then a dirt path leads to the asphalt road we take for around 100m. After that, we go on a dirt road along the Zasavica, through the wood and by bush meadows and fields, to the gate of the Valjevac pasture. We enter the pasture terrain and by one of the embankments we go along the Zasavica to the Visitor’s Centre. Large bilingual (Serbian-English) information boards are posted at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the route, while smaller, also bilingual, educational boards with information on species of plants, animals and types of habitat in that area are posted at certain spots along the path. Path direction markers are also posted every 100 m.

An option of photo safari is available for the guests who enjoy nature photographing. The plans for introduction of bird-watching activities are being developed in collaboration with tourist organizations.

The Zasavica Reserve’s auto camp is located 200 m from the Visitor’s Centre Valjevac in the village of Zasavica II, equipped with modern telecommunication systems (phone, fax and wireless internet), capacity of 40 camping units and each unit has a power and water supply connection. The camp has the following infrastructure: sanitary block, showers, dishwashing area, outdoor showers, foot washing and shoes cleaning space, while the nearby Reserve allows various recreational activities.

Zasavica is a real paradise for fishing lovers where they can try their luck catching high quality fish as a sport fisherman with a one-day fishing license, or they can rent a boat and sail towards calm waters of the Zasavica. Zasavica waters are rich with pike, tench, carp, crucian carp, Prussian carp and other species of fish.

All additional information on visiting the Reserve can be gathered by phone/fax 022/214-300. Interested individuals may get more details at the Reserve’s web page www. zasavica.org.rs.