Nature Park Stara Planina
Nature Park Stara Planina
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Very beautiful mountains, little rivers with several waterfalls, great nature, some hotel accomodations like Falkensteiner Stara Planina. The Nature Park of Stara Planina belongs to the best of nature Serbia has to show to tourists.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
5.0
41 reviews
Excellent
34
Very good
6
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Maja Vlaisavljevic - tour guide
Belgrade, Serbia23 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
We are tour and hiking guide couple and we enjoy to share our nice memories, but also we like to inspire other people to hike with us - especially around Serbia. 👣
We live in Belgrade suburb at the moment, but travel around whenever possible. 🌍
Stara Mt. is one of our favorites 🫶
We live in Belgrade suburb at the moment, but travel around whenever possible. 🌍
Stara Mt. is one of our favorites 🫶
Written October 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roy vd Heijden
7 contributions
Jan 2021 • Friends
Cheap ski pass which is great but there is 0 Organisation at all. Roads are full of snow, no parking area when snowing, no petrol station or supermarket nearby, no apres ski bars or good restaurants nearby... Very small ski area. Nice for one day with small kids but definitely go to another place like Kopaonik or Zlatibor. On a day that ski lift is closed, also mini market is closed, spa is closed... Nothing to do.
Written January 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zirafa
Belgrade, Serbia1,161 contributions
Oct 2011 • Friends
i went to Stara Planina for mountaineering. at 2169m Midzor is the highest peak of Serbia (without Kosovo) but it is not the highest peak of Stara Planina as well.
i stayed in ethno village Inovo (accommodation costs around 10eur per night per person), in the foot of the mountain. it is 30km away from Babin Zub - Stara Planina's peak at 1758m where are located one hotel and mountaineering house (it is in renovation phase now).
Usually, u can go by car or bus to that point.
the road is bad and it is not recommended to take walk tour up to Babin Zub on foots.
from Babin Zub to Midzor u have approximately 600m height difference but around 4 hours walking.
the path is nice, not too tough, but, in october, mountain isn't predictable. we were in a serious problem when we missed the path because of the heavy fog up there.
also, after 3.5 hrs walking we came to the peak where visibility was around 5%.
real shame when u up there and u can see the landscapes!
it took us 2 hours to get down to the hotel where we had nice rest with hot chocolate.
don't forget that it is very cold up there!
and, enjoy the silence - its like the freedom for all ur senses!
i stayed in ethno village Inovo (accommodation costs around 10eur per night per person), in the foot of the mountain. it is 30km away from Babin Zub - Stara Planina's peak at 1758m where are located one hotel and mountaineering house (it is in renovation phase now).
Usually, u can go by car or bus to that point.
the road is bad and it is not recommended to take walk tour up to Babin Zub on foots.
from Babin Zub to Midzor u have approximately 600m height difference but around 4 hours walking.
the path is nice, not too tough, but, in october, mountain isn't predictable. we were in a serious problem when we missed the path because of the heavy fog up there.
also, after 3.5 hrs walking we came to the peak where visibility was around 5%.
real shame when u up there and u can see the landscapes!
it took us 2 hours to get down to the hotel where we had nice rest with hot chocolate.
don't forget that it is very cold up there!
and, enjoy the silence - its like the freedom for all ur senses!
Written October 25, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AleksiJ
Helsinki176 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
There is little information about Nature Park Stara Planina in internet and no further information is really provided on site. We wanted to see lake Velika Lukanja and also to do some easy hikings in the park. We booked a room from hotel Stara Planina, which is located in the middle of the park. It takes approximately one hour to drive there from Nis-Pirot road. Here is short summary what we managed to do in Nature Park Stara Planina.
You can quite easily reach lake Velika Lukanja by car from Pirot. The lake itself is deep (60m) and beautiful. There is no tourist infrastructure at all near the lake. Local people go camping to the lake and have their own cool bags etc. for a picnic. We saw one B&B sign there, but I wouldn't count on that, if you want sleep overnight at the area.
Hotel Stara Planina is a starting point for some easy hikes. In wintertime the area is a ski-centre with ski-lifts, but in summertime you are able to reach the top Babin Zub in 45 minutes. There are beautiful views over the mountains. Other quite easy hike from the hotel is Orlova Stena. It takes approximately 30 minutes to walk there. The hiking path goes through a private property, so you shouldn't get confused there. From Orlova Stena you can see magnificent views over the hills. You are able to rent mountain bikes from the hotel (5 €/day).
You need a jeep (or similar) to drive in the roads (not paved) in nature park, if you want to explore the park alone. The mobile phone reception is poor and there is no way to drive outside the paved roads with typical car. We managed to reserve a private jeep tour to visit waterfall Piljski and lake Velika Lukanja from the hotel Stara Planina. Other possibility was to take a tour to Midzor (highest point in Serbia). Tours can be reserved from hotel staff. Waterfall Piljski was founded officially in 2002. There is a road to waterfalls (still need a jeep) and it is app. 17 km away from the hotel. You have to hike 1,5 km uphill to reach Piljski. I can say that it was worth it.
After Piljski we took a smaller road to reach Velika Lukanja from the back of the big dam. The road was not well marked and we had to cross a river to drive this 4 km route.
We heard there was even bigger waterfall, but it would have taken 3 hours (one way) to reach it, so maybe next time. :)
Accommodation options are quite limited in nature park. Hotel Stara Planina is a four star all-inclusive modern hotel with a spa and outside swimming pool. We stayed there for four nights and really liked it. Close to ski-center there are some "sobe"-signs and at least one official (and cheaper) etno village.
Summa summarum, the nature park has a huge potential, but there is no visitor infrastructure yet. Therefore it is excellent place to visit now before whole Europe is there. :)
You can quite easily reach lake Velika Lukanja by car from Pirot. The lake itself is deep (60m) and beautiful. There is no tourist infrastructure at all near the lake. Local people go camping to the lake and have their own cool bags etc. for a picnic. We saw one B&B sign there, but I wouldn't count on that, if you want sleep overnight at the area.
Hotel Stara Planina is a starting point for some easy hikes. In wintertime the area is a ski-centre with ski-lifts, but in summertime you are able to reach the top Babin Zub in 45 minutes. There are beautiful views over the mountains. Other quite easy hike from the hotel is Orlova Stena. It takes approximately 30 minutes to walk there. The hiking path goes through a private property, so you shouldn't get confused there. From Orlova Stena you can see magnificent views over the hills. You are able to rent mountain bikes from the hotel (5 €/day).
You need a jeep (or similar) to drive in the roads (not paved) in nature park, if you want to explore the park alone. The mobile phone reception is poor and there is no way to drive outside the paved roads with typical car. We managed to reserve a private jeep tour to visit waterfall Piljski and lake Velika Lukanja from the hotel Stara Planina. Other possibility was to take a tour to Midzor (highest point in Serbia). Tours can be reserved from hotel staff. Waterfall Piljski was founded officially in 2002. There is a road to waterfalls (still need a jeep) and it is app. 17 km away from the hotel. You have to hike 1,5 km uphill to reach Piljski. I can say that it was worth it.
After Piljski we took a smaller road to reach Velika Lukanja from the back of the big dam. The road was not well marked and we had to cross a river to drive this 4 km route.
We heard there was even bigger waterfall, but it would have taken 3 hours (one way) to reach it, so maybe next time. :)
Accommodation options are quite limited in nature park. Hotel Stara Planina is a four star all-inclusive modern hotel with a spa and outside swimming pool. We stayed there for four nights and really liked it. Close to ski-center there are some "sobe"-signs and at least one official (and cheaper) etno village.
Summa summarum, the nature park has a huge potential, but there is no visitor infrastructure yet. Therefore it is excellent place to visit now before whole Europe is there. :)
Written June 22, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CJMANUK
Manchester, United Kingdom245 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
What is amazing is how somewhere so stunning can receive relatively few visitors. We did a fabulous private tour organised by Bane Simovic at www.mondorama.rs which took in many stunning places. Above Pirot is the beautiful resort of Basarski Kamen in the mountains. Hotel Stara there is a great place to take a coffee there before embarking on a hiking trail (directly behind the hotel) - well-marked - to Basarski Kamen peak. The view from there makes the 1.5 hour (fairly moderate) climb well worth it! Vrelo is a small place in the heart of Stara Planina where several rivers meet and it is very pretty. Close by, the Tupavica Vodopad (waterfall) is stunning and well worth the drive down a difficult non-Tarmac-ed road. At Rsovac, the famous Rosomacko Grlo natural phenomenon is located - a beautiful canyon with crystal clear water that you can drink from the stream. This place is truly a marvel of nature and should not be missed! The whole area is stunning, so go and explore yourself, or better still - seek out a local who can help point you in the right direction of what best to see.
Written August 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DanaTaborossy
Zrenjanin, Serbia58 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
We had a great time. We stayed with locals in a small restaurant/hostel on Zavoj lake.
Must see: Zavoj lake, Rosomacki lonci, Tupavica waterfall, Temstica canyon and Bigar waterfall. There is a wonderful village Gostusa where houses are made out of rocks.
Must eat: Pirot cheese made by Mlekarska skola and croissants in local bakeries.
If you are a photographer early autumn is a wonderful time to be there.
Must see: Zavoj lake, Rosomacki lonci, Tupavica waterfall, Temstica canyon and Bigar waterfall. There is a wonderful village Gostusa where houses are made out of rocks.
Must eat: Pirot cheese made by Mlekarska skola and croissants in local bakeries.
If you are a photographer early autumn is a wonderful time to be there.
Written October 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Skilkiz
Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria2 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
Very beautiful nature as well as the only lake. Totally untouched nature. It's worth going out and visiting but staying in town
Written March 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pdebruijne
Brandwijk32 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
Stara planina was recommended by a Serbian colleague. It is easily accessible by car. Trails are well marked in some of the more popular areas such as the Midzor. In other parts the marks are not that clear. The fact that there is only a 1:50.000 scale map of the area doesn't help. The landscape is beautiful though and well worth a visit.
Written October 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jasmina1010
Oosterbeek, The Netherlands118 contributions
Oct 2013 • Family
The Stara Planina Nature Park is in the east of Serbia on the border with Bulgary. It was proclaimed Nature Park in 1997 as an area extraordinarily valuable from the diversity of fauna, flora and communities. It stretches administratively on the territories of 4 municipalities: Pirot, Knjaževac, Dimitrovgrad and Zaječar. The Park is criss-crossed with numerous streams, gullies and mountains. Very beautiful are the Bigar Stream Valley, the gooseneck meanders of the Temṧtica, the Midžor and Babin Zub (“Teeth of Grandmother”) peaks. Maybe the most beautiful spot in the Stara Planina (Old Mountains) is around Arbinje. Also the little village of Topli Do(l) has a great atmosphere with the red colours of the ground and the rocks.
If you are looking for a rich combination of nature, hospitality and the culture of some orthodox churches and monasteries, the region is very lovely. The Stara Planina are not crowded. You can really find some peace and enjoy walking, wandering around and after this enjoy the food and drinks. The small villages have sometimes bazars which are interesting to visit.
For a long time there weren’t many good accommodations present in the region. Now there are several hotels and you can ask at the Tourist Organizations of Pirot and Knaževac which accommodations are available. Or look at TripAdvisor and find several options. The biggest and most luxurious hotel in the region is the Falkensteiner Stara Planina Hotel. But there are several smaller accommodations like Hotel StarA or Tigar Hotel Planinarski Dom halfway between Pirot and Vrelo.
If you are looking for a rich combination of nature, hospitality and the culture of some orthodox churches and monasteries, the region is very lovely. The Stara Planina are not crowded. You can really find some peace and enjoy walking, wandering around and after this enjoy the food and drinks. The small villages have sometimes bazars which are interesting to visit.
For a long time there weren’t many good accommodations present in the region. Now there are several hotels and you can ask at the Tourist Organizations of Pirot and Knaževac which accommodations are available. Or look at TripAdvisor and find several options. The biggest and most luxurious hotel in the region is the Falkensteiner Stara Planina Hotel. But there are several smaller accommodations like Hotel StarA or Tigar Hotel Planinarski Dom halfway between Pirot and Vrelo.
Written March 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suki Milenkovic
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • Family
Excellent nature, hotel and bars where you can enjoy! Gondola is new and is not expensive at all! Recommend for everyone and for kids is fun also beacuse there is a ski school.
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Claim your listingNature Park Stara Planina - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Nature Park Stara Planina
- Hotels near Nature Park Stara Planina:
- (0.10 mi) Kod Pirocanca De Luxe Apartmens
- (0.10 mi) Hotel Ana Lux Spa
- (0.08 mi) Nisavska Dolina
- (0.26 mi) Hotel Gali
- (0.36 mi) Zavojsko Jezero Pirot - Suncana Plaza, Mala Lukanja - Kamp Buljarice
- Restaurants near Nature Park Stara Planina:
- (0.10 mi) Restoran Kod Pirocanca Pirot
- (0.05 mi) Rekord
- (0.07 mi) Picerija Fresh
- (0.12 mi) Pirgos Gyros
- (0.11 mi) Kafepicerija Roma
- Attractions near Nature Park Stara Planina:
- (0.08 mi) Kutak Caffe&Wine Bar
- (0.29 mi) Pirotski Kej
- (0.33 mi) Pirot Fortress
- (0.45 mi) Museum of Ponišavlje (Muzej Ponisavlje Pirot)
- (0.77 mi) Pirot's Quay
Nature Park Stara Planina Information
Excellent Reviews | 34 |
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Very Good Reviews | 6 |
Nature Park Stara Planina Photos | 241 |