Lazar's Canyon viewpoints and Lazar's Cave

• Hiking
• Eastern Serbia
• One-day
• Spring 2024

Lazar's Canyon is a natural monument located in eastern Serbia and part of the catchment area of the Lazar's river and the Malinik mountain, in the eastern part of the Kucaj mountains. The most significant features of Malinik are the fascinating Lazar's canyon and Lazar's cave near the village of Zlot. It is one of the most impassable canyons in Serbia. It is characterized by a unique mix of limestone valleys of impressive dimensions, numerous and significant speleological objects, diverse flora and fauna, as well as the beauty of the landscape.

On this hiking tour, we will go along the Malinik ridge and visit the most attractive viewpoints on the spectacular Lazar's Canyon. We will also visit Lazar's Cave, which is the most famous landmark of the canyon, richly decorated with cave jewelry.

Additional notes:

• Equipment for the tour of Lazar's Canyon viewpoints: Deep hiking shoes, we recommend trekking poles, and adequate clothing according to the weather conditions. A backpack with the necessary mountaineering equipment for a one-day tour. Be sure to bring enough water (1.5 l), one meal, energy bars, fruit, a raincoat, a headlamp, a spare T-shirt, long pants, or a tracksuit.
• Information about a hiking trail:
  • • Length: 14 km
    • Total ascend/descend: around 400 m
    • Category: easy
    • Duration: about 6-7 hours with breaks
• For the realization of the tour, a minimum of 18 registered passengers is required.
• Price is for members of "Explore Serbia". You can find membership information here. For those who do not have a membership card, the price is 5200 dinars.
• Own transportation: in case you come with your own transport, the price of the tour is 2900 dinars (with Explore Serbia membership cards) or 3900 dinars (for those who do not have a membership card).
• Transportation from Novi Sad: the surcharge is 1200 dinars. Another option is to take the train to the Novi Beograd railway station, where you can wait for our transport. You can see the timetable here.
• Accident insurance: in order for this type of insurance to be active, you need to send us your personal number (JMBG) when registering.
• In case of insufficient number of registered passengers or unfavorable weather conditions, the deadline for notification of postponement or cancellation of the tour is 2 days before departure.

• Trip cancellations by passengers: 

  • In case of cancellation of the trip by the passenger, 5 or more days before the tour date, the Agency retains the amount of 20% of the reservation costs.
  • In case the traveler cancels the trip less than 5 days before the trip, the agency reserves the right to the entire amount. In case of replacement by another passenger who is found either by the passenger himself or by the Agency, 90% of the paid amount is returned to the passenger.
  • In case of illness of the passenger and cancellation up to 3 days before the tour, the paid money can be returned or the amount can be transferred for another tour organized by the Agency, and the traveler is obliged to send medical documentation about the illness in writing. In case of illness of the traveler and cancellation less than 3 days before the tour, in addition to sending medical documentation about the illness, the traveler is obliged to compensate the Agency for the incurred costs (transportation and travel organization costs), and part of the money can be refunded.

Nearby attractions

The Kucaj mountains, Lazar's Canyon and Lazar's Cave

The Kucaj mountains stretch between the rivers Resava, Zlotska river and Crni Timok. They belong to the group of Carpathian-Balkan mountains, they are mostly built of shale and limestone, so there are numerous karst forms of relief, such as caves, coves and pits.

The whole area of the Kucaj mountains is a real challenge for adventurers and lovers of caves and speleology. More than 70 speleological objects were discovered in the area of Lazar's canyon, and the most important ones are Lazar's Cave and Vernjikica. Lazar's canyon is located about ten kilometers from Bor. It is the deepest and longest canyon in eastern Serbia. Due to the steepness of its rocky cliffs, it has not been fully examined to this day.

It is up to 9 kilometers long and between 300 and 500 meters high. It is cut into the limestone massif of the mountain South Kucaj (Južni Kučaj), and the river of the same name flows through it. It is sheltered on all sides by rocky ridges: Malinik (1,087 m) rises from the south and southeast, Strnjak (720 m) and Kornjet (696 m) from the north, and Pogara (883 m) and Mikulja (1,022 m) from the west. The cliffs of the canyon are vertical and flat, and in the narrowest part the width of the canyon is less than 7 meters. It contains over 70 caves. Only some of them have been discovered and are available, known as the Zlotska Caves (Lazar's Cave, Vernjikica, Hajducica, Mandina Cave, Dubasnicka Pit, etc.).

Lazar's canyon, through which the river of the same name flows, was, during the Turks, one of the most important shelters for the Homolje hajduks. Entering this canyon meant salvation for the hajduks, because the Turks never dared to follow them. Legend says, after the battle of Marica in 1371, the cavalry of Prince Lazar came to this area, staying there for some time, whence the name of the river and canyon.

The canyon is one of the rare habitats of the Crimean pine in Serbia. Then, relict species of yew tree and Serbian ramondija. The canyon is inhabited by chamois and many other indigenous animal species such as the golden eagle, forest owls and the gray falcon. Its caves are home to a large number of endemic arthropods and bats. There are also numerous litters of poisonous snakes, most often hops.

Lazar's Cave is the most famous landmark of the canyon. It is a dry, closed cave, with spring water, richly decorated with cave pillars, draperies, bigar and calcite tubs, as well as jewelry made of stalactites and stalagmites up to several tens of meters high. Lazar's cave is also known as Zlotska. It is one of the first protected caves in Serbia. It is located near the village of Zlot.

The cave is arranged for visitors. It consists of two horizons of cave channels, 800 m is arranged for a tourist visit. It is rich in cave jewelry that adorns the beautiful halls: Preston, Concert Hall, Bat Hall and others. In the early Bronze Age, the cave was a hunting station, and in the Iron Age, a significant metallurgical center.

About two kilometers upstream from Lazar's cave, in Lazar's canyon, there is also a dry one Vernjikica Cave, which has the largest halls in Serbia. Vernjikica and Lazar's Cave are located within the boundaries of the Lazar's canyon Monument of Nature.

In the area of the village of Bogovina, on the southeastern edge of South Kucaj, there is another interesting one Bogovinska Cave. It is a typical floor cave, with channels in three clearly divided levels. Its deeper and higher parts abound in cave jewelry of rare and interesting shapes.

The organizer of the tour is the travel agency Explore Balkans doo. With this program is valid Rulebook on conducting tours by Explore Balkans doo.

According to Article 79 of the Law on Tourism, protection is not provided for one-day tours in terms of travel guarantees.