We are embarking on a full-day adventure through Kalafat, a hilly and mountainous region that, although not geographically vast, is distinguished by numerous cultural and historical landmarks and protected natural beauties of exceptional significance. Some of its highlights are our goals for today.
Tour plan:
Departure in front of the hotel in Niš at 08:00 a.m. Accompanied by a local guide, we head north of the city towards the village of Kamenica and Čegar Hill, where we enter the hilly mountainous area known as Kalafat. On our panoramic tour, we will see Čegar Hill with its impressive monument dedicated to the Serbs who fell in the fight for Serbia’s liberation from the Turks, as well as old villages in the northern region of Niš. We will pass through Cerje, where nearby is one of the longest caves in the Balkans, also known as Provalija. In the village of Miljkovac, we will see the remains of the medieval town of Železnik, dating back to the second half of the 14th century.
We continue our journey towards the village of Kravlje. From the edge of the village, we will start a hiking tour through the valley of the Provalija River, which forms the Toponička River. On our way to the Kravljansko Spring, the exit part of the Cerje Cave, we will see the Church of St. Petka, a fountain from the late 19th century, and old water mills. The hiking tour lasts 2 hours.
The next adventure awaits us in Popšica, where we will embark on a trek to the cave of the same name. We will tour the entire cave. The cave is protected by the state as a speleological natural monument, classified in the III category. The Popšica Cave is one of the first explored caves in Serbia.
After enjoying our walk, we continue to our next destination – Kopajkošara village. This is also our last destination for today. In the village of Kopajkošara is one of the most famous speleological sites in Serbia, the Samar Cave. The cave is also known as Milutin’s Cave, as the famous Serbian speleologist Milutin Veljković spent 464 days there. This earned him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. The cave is also known for the discovery of paleontological remains of a prehistoric bear. Together with other caves in the area, it forms a unique cave system protected by the state as a category I site. During this adventure, we will see the entrance part of the Samar Cave as well as the entrance of the Jezava Cave. After visiting these sights, we will return to Niš via Gramada in the late afternoon. End of the program.
Details:
- Transportation
- Guiding service
- Caving equipment
- Travel organization expenses
- Food
- Personal expenses
Sneakers or climbing shoes, a few pairs of socks, T-shirts, a hooded waterproof parka, sweatshirt, spare pants, sunglasses, a cap, sunscreen. It’s also recommended to take candy bars, nibbles, refreshing beverages and water. Put everything into a small backpack. Do not forget: a swimsuit, a towel, a camera, back-up shoes and clothes, and, as always, a good mood!
A 50% advance payment of the total arrangement price is required at the time of booking. The remaining amount must be paid no later than 20 days before the start of the trip (with the option of installment payments). This program is based on a minimum of 8 registered participants. In case of changes in the monetary market (or the market of goods and services) or an insufficient number of registered participants, the tour organizer reserves the right to adjust prices, modify the program, or cancel the trip no later than 5 days before the scheduled departure.
According to the Serbian Law on Tourism (Article 79), for one-day excursions (trips shorter than 24 hours), protection is not provided in terms of travel guarantee.
The organizer of the trip is travel agency Nature Travel Office, licence number OTP 38/2025 issued by the Business Register Agency as of May 06, 2025. Nature Travel Office is insured by an insurance policy against responsibility for travel agencies in case of insolvency and liability in case of damage to the traveller, number 30000049351, by the insurer MILENIJUM OSIGURANJE ADO Belgrade. The policy is valid from April 01, 2025 to April 01, 2026. In this program, travel agency Nature Travel Office applies their general terms and conditions of traveling, which are included in signing up for the trip.
