Prokoško Lake and Vranica: shepherds' huts at 1,636 metres
Kojeza
There are places in Bosnia that look as if someone drew them for a postcard, and Prokoško Lake is first among them. At 1,636 metres, in a wide basin on the mountain of Vranica, lies a lake of glacial origin surrounded by hundreds of wooden katuni — steep-roofed shepherds' huts scattered across the green slopes. Sheep and horses graze right down to the water, and above it all rise the grassy ridges of Vranica, the highest mountain in central Bosnia.
The lake and the huts
Prokoško Lake is about 400 metres long and has been declared a natural monument — among other things because of the alpine newt that lives here, after which the locals called it "the lake with little dragons". The huts around the lake belong to herders from the Fojnica area who drove their livestock up here in summer for centuries; today many double as weekend cabins, but the place has kept its pastoral character. In summer a few places serve home-cooked food — lamb baked under a sač, pies, kajmak and cheese.
Getting there
The starting point is Fojnica, an hour and a half's drive from Sarajevo. From Fojnica a gravel road of about 20 km leads to the lake, passable for most cars with care and slow driving, and in summer 4x4 transport is organised from the town. Hikers can also walk: the marked trail from the valley to the lake takes 4 to 5 hours and fits nicely into a weekend with an overnight stay.
Hikes from the lake
The lake is just the start; above it lies the whole of Vranica:
- The walk around the lake — half an hour of easy path, for all ages. Most beautiful at dawn, before the huts wake up.
- Nadkrstac (2,110 m) — the highest peak of Vranica, 2.5 to 3 hours of climbing from the lake across broad grassy ridges. No technical sections, K2/T1. From the top you see Bjelašnica, Visočica, Vlašić and Raduša.
- Krstac and Ločika — shorter ridge summits for the afternoon.
- The Vranica ridge — for those with two days: a traverse towards Rosinj and Gornji Vakuf.
Photo: rejflinger, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
When to go — and how to avoid the crowds
Prokoško has become one of the most visited places in the country and can be packed on summer weekends. A few tips:
- Best time: June and September. July and August are the hottest and busiest.
- Come on a weekday or stay the night: the crowds leave on Sunday afternoon, and a morning by the lake with mist and sheep bells is the reason to come.
- Sleeping: camping by the lake and huts for rent. Book a hut in advance; in summer they fill up.
- Warm clothes even in August: nights at 1,600 metres are cold and the weather turns within an hour.
Look after the lake
Prokoško is a protected area under heavy visitor pressure. The lake is shallow and fragile, and the newt we are protecting does not tolerate pollution. So: carry all rubbish back to the valley, do not wash dishes in the lake, do not drive onto the pastures and do not light fires outside designated spots. If we all do that, Prokoško stays a postcard.
For Prokoško and Vranica the easiest way is an organised tour — 4x4 transport, a night in a hut and a guide for Nadkrstac are already arranged. Browse tours on Kojeza.
