The Ovčar Kablar Gorge

The Ovčar – Kablar Gorge is a unique combination of nature and cultural and historical heritage. A natural mosaic of a variety of flora and fauna, lakes with reflections of forested slopes of the surrounding mountains, was created between the impressive massifs of Mounts Ovčar and Kablar. The Zapadna Morava river is running between these mountains. The dominant colours are the green colour of marvelous landscape and the blue colour of the waters, that of the lakes and Zapadna Morava river. Unique harmony in nature is supplemented with structures of great historical and cultural importance, the monasteries of the Ovčar – Kablar Gorge, 9 of them are two holy places.

The Ovčar – Kablar gorge is situated in a recess between the impressive massifs of Mounts Ovčar and Kablar. It is 50 – 100 m in width. The gorge, about 20 km in length, connects the Čačak Valley with Požega Valley. It is a huge and the most picturesque gorge in Serbia. Its  features are steep, high lime slopes where entrances to a few caves can be seen. Another feature are meandres of the river Zapadna Morava and a variety of flora and fauna. The Morava river bed lies at an altitude of 270 m which means that the highest peak of Mount Ovčar lies at 710 m above the river – it is the deepest point at the gorge.

This area is an inexaustible source for study. This is a habitat of over a hundred kinds of birds and abundance of plants. The visitors here are not only the researchers of flora and fauna , but also true lovers of nature who come here to enjoy walking, mountain climbing, rafting, swimming and fishing. A many – hour  trek to  Mount Kablar is worthy of only one glance at the eye – catching meandres of the river Morava. This is a place to bring back your life energy and refresh yourself.

Those who enjoy recreation and sports, in other words an active and dynamic time during the holiday, have a chance to check how fit they are on the mountaineering tracks, in swimming pools and sports fields. The Kablar Mountaineering Society have arrangements to go hiking up the designated mountaineering paths or make trips to the monasteries, cultural and historical monuments and to go trekking to the mountain peaks.
Rock climbing, endurance horse riding, paragliding, competition in kayaking and canoing in the lakes of the river Zapadna Morava are icreasingly interesting to the lovers of these attractive sports.

The Ovčar – Kablar gorge is an area of oustanding natural beauty, well – known for its monasteries clustered together on such a small area of land. There are ten of them :  Vavedenje Monastery ( dedicated to the Virgin’ s entry to the church ) , Vaznesenje Monastery ( dedicated to the Ascention of the Lord ) , Preobraženje Monastery ( dedicated to Transfiguration of Christ ) , Sretenje Monastery ( dedicated to the Visitation of the Virgin ) , Sveta Trojica Monastery ( dedicated to the Holy Trinity ) situated on the Slopes of Mount Ovčar and Jovanje Monastery ( dedicated to St. John ) , Uspenje Monastery ( dedicated to the Holy Assumption ), Nikolje Monastery ( dedicated to St. Nicholas ) , Blagoveštenje Monastery ( dedicated to the Holy Annunciation ) and Ilinje Monastery ( dedicated to St. Elijah ) situated on the slopes of Mount Kablar.

Additionally, there are two more sacred places with chapels ( Savinje – dedicated to St. Sava and Kađenica ) .

There is a variety of events in Ovčar – Kablar gorge like sports, cultural and artistic which atract the visitors to this area.