Twelve kilometres north of Osijek and a popular day-trip from the city, Kopački rit is an extensive area of meadow and woodland surrounding the oxbow lakes created by the meandering River Danube. The whole area is prone to seasonal flooding whenever the Danube fills up, creating a temporary wetland of sunken forest. Rich in insect life and fish, it is a popular feeding ground for both resident and migrating birds.

Exploring

Now a protected Nature Park, the area can be accessed via a wooden walkway that leads across marshland towards one if the oxbow lakes, Sakadaš. From here, dyke-top foot and cycle-paths lead along the sides of the lake, and there is the option of a boat trip on the lake itself. You stand a good chance of seeing cormorants, herons, and a variety of ducks and geese; deer and wild boar roam the surrounding forests.

Practical Info

By car: drive north from Osijek on the main road to Beli Manastir and turn right (follow the signs to Park prirode Kopački rit) in the village of Bilje

By public transport: there are no buses to the park itself although there are regular buses to the village of Bilje, from where the park entrance is a 40-minute walk

Open: November 1 - February 28/9: daily 08:00 -16:00; March 1 - October 31: daily 09:00 - 17:00

Tickets: €1.30 entrance only; €1 including boat trip

Kopački Rit Nature Park