Sar Mountain in Balkans – Serbia

The Balkan Sar Mountains are well loved by tourists due to the numerous peaks. Whether you are an experienced climber or not, the mountains are bound to impress.

Location

The mountain range is located in the Balkans. It commences from southern Kosovo and goes into the northwest of the Macedonian Republic. It also extends into the northeast of Albania.

What to See

The part of the mountain in Kosovo is inside a national park. It spans 380 km2 (147 sq mi) by the mountains north slopes. The park covers an area of 39,000 ha. There are plans to add more areas in the park. The white-bark pine and the Macedonian Pine are found in this reserve.

The alpine rose is also here. This portion of the Balkan Sar Mountains also has several types of wildlife. Some of the species are wild boar, roe deer, wolf and chamois. Lynxes and bears are also sometimes seen here.

There are also several bird species. To the northeast of the mountain is Brezovica, a ski resort. It has an elevation of 900 m (2,953 ft) to 2,524 m (8,281 ft). To the northwest is the Dukagjini Valley.

History

The borders of the mountain go from Prizren and follows the Lepenac and Prizren Lumbardhi rivers. On the east side it goes through the Kacanik town and into the Valley of Polog. The total area of the mountain is 1600 km.

About 56% of it is in Macedonia, 0.63% in Albania and 43.12% in Kosovo. There are three plains: Rudoka, Vraca and Sirinic. The system is 10–20 km (6–12 mi) wide and 80 km (50 mi)
long.

The mountain was formed sometime in the Tertiary Period. The upper portions are now packed with snow and is frozen. There is however, vegetation in the mountains until 3,281 ft ft (1,000 m). There are also forests reaching up to 5,577 ft (1,700 m).

Cost

Guided group tours of Serbia will cost 300 to 400 USD (this rate is for three people). A single tour will cost around 80 to 100 USD.

Other Info

The park has over 700 chamois, while the Gora and Opoja has over 800. There are also several glacial mountain and alpine lakes around it. This is particularly true at the Dragas village at the south. There are also lakes near Vraca and the Shutman area.

The Balkan Sar Mountains at Kosov is separated into three areas. Brezovica and Ljuboten, Prizren and the Gora and Opoja zone.