Prokoško lake: a paradise hidden in the heart of Vranica!

Natural beauty can be found everywhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whether you drive on the most ordinary road in the lowlands or venture to a slightly higher altitude. One such natural beauty is located on the Vranica mountain, only 2 hours from Sarajevo or about 20 kilometers from Fojnica, and it is Prokoška Lake.

Prokoško Lake, Photo: The photonaut, CC BY-SA 4.0

Vranica, the most famous mining mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is home to pastures, springs of Vrbas, Kozička rika and Sikirski stream, waterfalls such as Ždrimački and Kozički, and various caves. Still, its biggest attraction is Prokoško Lake, which in itself is a kind of paradise on earth that is considered one of the most beautiful lakes. Or at least it used to be…

Prokoško lake, Photo: rejflinger from Vienna, Austria, CC BY 2.0

Located at an altitude of 1636 meters above sea level, Prokoško Lake is a glacial lake about 300 meters long and about 200 meters wide. Due to its exceptional value for bio-diversity, together with its surroundings, it has been declared a natural monument, which covers as much as 22,250,000 square meters.

Many plant and animal species live in the lake and the protected area, some of which are very rare, endangered, and endemic. The most famous amphibian is the Rajzer’s newt.

Prokoško lake, Photo: rejflinger from Vienna, Austria, CC BY 2.0

Around the lake itself, which was once a small shepherd’s village, a real complex of illegal cottages has developed, which today serve tourists who are eagerly looking for a place to rest in the mountains. Although at first, it sounded like a great idea that would attract a few visitors here and there, mostly mountaineers who would not greatly endanger nature with their presence, the whole ecosystem changed.

Thus, due to overcrowding, fecal waters are released into the lake, plastic is thrown, and fish, which is the number one enemy of newts, are released into the lake itself, causing them to completely disappear from the lake.

Prokoško Lake is one of those lakes that is really worth visiting, at least once in your life, but of course with compliance with the rules to protect it. If you do decide to visit it, we ask you to leave behind nothing but footprints, and we hope that the authorities will soon make a little more effort to preserve it.

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