For aeons the powerful flow of the Tara River has hollowed out a soft limestone surface, creating the sculpted form of gorges and chasms that we see today. Age-old earth erosion has created the 82km-long canyon, the second largest in the world after the Colorado. At its deepest the canyon soars 1,300m. Along the river’s banks the vegetation is very dense: black pine, eastern hornbeam, black ash, elm and linden, and in higher areas can be seen cork oaks, more hornbeams, maples and beech. In the areas above the 1,000m mark there are fir and spruce forests. The black pine forests are of special interest. Crni pod, or the black floor, is home to unusually tall trees. Some reach as high as 50m and are over 400 years old. Aside from nature lovers and fishermen, the river also attracts a large number of adrenalin junkies. Rated at level 3–5, the river offers some of the most intense and challenging rafting in Europe. A ride on one of the ‘real’ rafts, wood logs tied together and guided by a massive wooden rudder, is a rare experience to have and one of the few places to do this in Europe. There are, of course, rafting outfits that provide sturdy and safe rubber rafts with all the necessary gear and beer one could wish for.