Lika River is the largest underground river cheeks, 78 km long and rises at the foot of the Velebit Mountain. Unfortunately its natural flow was interrupted by the construction of the Kruščica damn back in 1971 g. The lake was named after the village that submerged.

Visiting the Lika River Canyon in a kayak

For years traveling to the south, I planned, combined and thought about visiting the Lika River Canyon in a kayak. But always something else came first. And so the years passed.

Last year visit

Specifically last autumn I finally accomplished my plan, my sensational visit of the Lika River Canyon in a kayak. It was mid-October, when the days were still long enough and warm. The autumn colors just started to show in the forests, so I packed my kayak and drove towards the Lika River.

Spectacular landscape

From when we exited the motorway we drove some 12km through Perušić to Kaluđerovac village, where we parked our van by the bridge. We prepped our kayaks and all necessary equipment and went into the water.

As the year was dry, water receded by 15-20 meters. Spectacular landscape arose. This part of the Lika River looks more like a lake, the coastline is covered with dirt and mud. The water on the surface is quite dark due to dark muddy bottom, and the rocky canyon that has now emerged from the dark water is also stricken with a dark color. A bit bleak, one would say. I felt as if I was paddling on another planet.

In places where the rocks are higher than the water level, beautiful bluish color covers them. That beauty comes out in the contrasting black-and-white background and after a while the canyon opens into a lake which is surrounded by forests dotted with autumn colors.

In a peaceful and tranquil environment these few hours passed by so quickly and I have successfully added another beautiful river to my list, with a note of mandatory return.