Serbia’s landscape is a paradise for nature lovers, with winding rivers carving dramatic canyons and gorges across the countryside. If you love long drives, a road trip is the perfect way to explore these limestone cliffs, forested valleys, and quiet river bends. Renting a car in Serbia makes the journey much easier. Many of the most beautiful canyons and gorges are far from city centers and hard to reach by bus or train. With your vehicle, you can stop at viewpoints, follow scenic backroads, and visit hidden villages. Our guide covers some of Serbia’s must-visit canyons and gorges.
The best places to rent a car in Serbia are in Belgrade and Nis. Most car rental companies operate these cities' airports. Plus, picking up your car at the airport is convenient if you plan to start your road trip to Serbia gorges right after landing.
You’ll need a valid driver’s license to rent a car. You must bring an International Driving Permit if your license is not in Latin script (for example, Cyrillic or Arabic). Most rental agencies require you to be at least 21 years old and to have held your license for at least a year. You’ll also need a passport and credit card for the security deposit. Make sure to ask about cross-border travel rules if you plan to visit nearby countries. Insurance is typically included, but double-check the terms for rural or off-road use, especially for canyon areas.
When driving gorges and canyons, a compact or mid-size sedan is enough for routes like Ovčar-Kablar or Sićevo Gorge. A crossover or SUV is a better choice for more remote spots such as Lazarev Canyon or Jelovarnik. These areas may include gravel roads or steep climbs. If you’re visiting in winter, especially around Tara or Kopaonik, ensure the car has winter tires and snow chains.
Drive time from Belgrade: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Uvac Canyon is famed for its dramatic meandering river loops and thriving colony of griffon vultures. Over millennia, the Uvac River cut a deep canyon up to 300 meters in places, sculpting a series of tight S-shaped bends in the limestone bedrock. The result is a striking vista of emerald-green water snaking through steep white cliffs – some meander bends have 100-meter-high walls towering above the river.
This canyon lies within the Uvac Special Nature Reserve, a protected area established in 1971 to conserve its unique ecosystem. Most notably, Uvac is a sanctuary for the griffon vulture, a scavenger with up to a 3-meter wingspan. To experience Uvac up close, boat tours operate through its winding lakes and even stop at caves like the Ice Cave.
Drive time from Belgrade: 6 hours
Tara Canyon refers to the deep Drina River gorge along the slopes of Tara National Park in western Serbia. Here, the Drina winds between towering forested cliffs that form one of Europe’s deepest river canyons. The canyon walls are blanketed in dense pine and beech woods. One of the best places to appreciate this scenery is the famous Banjska Stena viewpoint, perched ~1,065 meters above sea level on Tara Mountain.
From this lookout, you will be rewarded with sweeping panoramas of the Drina Canyon and Lake Perućac. It's no surprise that Tara ranks among the must-see canyons in Serbia. Tara National Park protects this area’s rich biodiversity, including brown bears, chamois, and rare Serbian spruce trees on the clifftops. But it’s the vistas that draw most travelers. Hiking trails lead through fragrant conifer forests to Banjska Stena and other lookouts.
Drive time from Nis: 38 minutes
Sićevo Gorge in southeastern Serbia is a 17 km-long canyon carved by the Nišava River between the Suva Planina and Svrljig mountains. This gorge is known for its tight, almost vertical limestone cliffs that tower 300 to 400 meters above the river. The Nišava’s fast-flowing waters have sliced through the rock, creating a rugged chasm with numerous caves and a wild, untamed character. Sićevo’s cliffs are so sheer in places that the area remained largely untouched. It was declared a protected Nature Park spanning 7,746 ha to preserve its geology and rare flora.
Sićevo Gorge has become a playground for adventure seekers, especially rock climbers and alpinists. The towering walls offer climbing routes up to 200 meters high. Climbers can test their skills on the limestone faces. The gorge’s winds also make it a popular paragliding spot. It’s considered one of the best flying sites in Europe. In addition, the Nišava provides opportunities for rafting and kayaking in spring, when water levels swell and create exciting rapids. For those less adrenaline-inclined, hiking or driving through Sićevo is also rewarding. The road offers spectacular views of the cliffs streaked with caves and the river winding far below. The area even has cultural sites, such as 17th-century monasteries at the gorge’s edge.
Drive time from Belgrade: 2 hours
Ovčar-Kablar Gorge, in central Serbia near Čačak, is renowned for its stunning landscape and spiritual heritage. The West Morava River here has cut a 15 km gorge between two mountains, Ovčar (985 m) and Kablar (889 m). This results in a valley of striking meanders and forested cliffs. As the river winds and doubles back on itself, it forms three prominent “pinched” meanders embraced by the rocky slopes. These loops of water are viewed from the Kablar summit or other lookouts. Hiking to Kablar’s peak rewards you with a panoramic view of the West Morava’s curves carving through green mountains.
Beyond natural beauty, Ovčar-Kablar is famous for its cluster of historic Orthodox monasteries tucked into the gorge’s folds. Since the 14th century, over 30 monasteries and churches have been built here, earning it the nickname “Serbian Mount Athos” or Holy Mountain. Today, around ten monasteries are active. Some are perched on riverbanks, and others are hidden in forest glades. Visit centuries-old sanctuaries such as Blagoveštenje or Sretenje Monastery for a cultural experience amid the wilderness.
Drive time from Nis: 2 hours and 50 minutes
Đerdap Gorge, also known as the Iron Gate, is a monumental river gorge along the Danube. Often included in canyons for its sheer scale, the Iron Gate is a series of gorges nearly 100 km long where the Danube River cuts through the Carpathian Mountains. It is Europe’s longest and most dramatic river gorge. In the Great Kazan stretch, the river is pinched so narrow and deep up to 90 meters that towering limestone cliffs of around 300 meters rise directly above the water. Further downstream, near the Iron Gate dam, cliffs soar up to 500 meters.
Glide through Đerdap National Park to witness why it’s one of Europe’s natural wonders. Today, cruising or driving along the Danube here reveals sights like the ancient Tabula Traiana plaque and the colossal rock carving of Decebalus. You can also stop at viewpoints such as Veliki Štrbac peak to gaze down at the panoramic canyon or take a boat tour.
Drive time from Nis: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Rosomačka Canyon is a hidden gem in eastern Serbia near Slavinja, Pirot. Unlike larger canyons, Rosomačka is a short and narrow gorge about 500 meters long. However, it has unusual rock formations. Over ages, the Rosomača River has sculpted the soft sandstone and limestone into a corridor of smooth, layered walls pockmarked by circular hollows and pools. These rounded hollows resemble giant cooking pots, hence the local name “lonci” meaning “pots”. The canyon’s walls reach up to 70 meters high. As you wander along the rim or step carefully into the gorge, you'll see small waterfalls and emerald pools formed in the rock cauldrons.
Rosomačka Canyon sits on the slopes of Stara Planina (the Balkan Mountains). Getting there requires a 1.5 kilometer hike from the road, through meadows and light forest. The best time to visit is summer or early autumn when water levels are safe and the greenery highlights the golden rock strata.
Drive time from Belgrade: 3 hours
Lazarev Canyon near Bor in eastern Serbia is a remote wilderness famous for its steep cliffs, hidden caves, and challenging trails. This limestone canyon is the deepest and longest canyon in Eastern Serbia. It stretches roughly 9 km in length, and its sheer walls soar between 300 and 500 meters high. Lazarev Canyon squeezes to less than 7 meters wide at its tightest point, barely letting the river and brave hikers pass through. As you walk deeper, you'll notice how the towering cliffs create a sense of isolation.
The gorge is home to around 70 caves, including two of Serbia’s most renowned: Lazareva Pećina and Vernjikica Cave. Lazareva Cave, near the canyon’s entrance, is the longest cave system in Serbia, filled with striking stalactites and prehistoric artifacts. Vernjikica has huge chambers of colorful dripstone formations. These caves and many unexplored caverns make the area a spelunker’s dream. The entire canyon is protected for its unique karst beauty and rich biodiversity. Rare bats sleep inside the caves, while the clean forests above are home to eagles, wolves, and other wild animals.
Drive time from Nis: 2 hours and 10 minutes
Jelovarnik Canyon is a lush wooded gorge on Kopaonik Mountain that harbors one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country. Hidden in a thick forest of beech, maple, and spruce trees at 1,100 meters, Jelovarnik Waterfall flows through a small canyon in three drops, reaching a total height of 71 meters. That makes it Serbia’s second-highest waterfall. Reaching the falls is half the adventure. You must walk or drive to a trailhead near the Mramor Pass and then follow a forest path along a brook. The final part of the route goes through the narrow canyon using wooden bridges and steps. It’s a moderate hike that most people can handle. This hidden gorge is one of the most peaceful canyons in Serbia for travelers who enjoy quiet nature walks.
As you get closer to Jelovarnik, the air feels cooler and wetter from the waterfall’s spray. Then the forest clears, and you see it – water rushing down a mossy cliff in three strong drops. The waterfall is even more powerful after big rains or when the snow melts in spring. Locals call it a breathtaking sight. In winter, it can turn into a frozen pillar.
Drive time from Belgrade: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Trešnjica Gorge is a remote canyon in western Serbia, known as a safe place for griffon vultures and other wild animals. The Trešnjica River flows into the Drina and has shaped a 6-kilometer-long gorge through limestone hills near Ljubovija. It’s about 150 meters at most, but the cliffs are steep, and the river below twists through tight spaces. Since no main roads are nearby, it’s one of the gorges in Serbia that has stayed wild and untouched. Many even call it “almost impossible to enter.” If you like hiking, you can follow narrow footpaths into the gorge. You may have to wade through the river or climb over rocks to get deeper. Rock climbers also enjoy the cliffs, which are smaller than Uvac’s but still exciting.
Trešnjica is a protected nature reserve created mainly to help the griffon vulture. This is the another vulture nesting site in Serbia, after Uvac, and it’s the farthest north they are found in the country. Seeing them fly above your head or rest on a high rock is a moment you won’t forget. Since Trešnjica Gorge is far from the main roads, contact a local guide or the reserve team before visiting. They can help you plan a route or suggest a safe way in.
Drive time from Belgrade: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Gradac River Gorge is located near the town of Valjevo in western Serbia. It is one of the cleanest rivers in Serbia, with clear emerald-green water flowing through a canyon about 22 kilometers long. On both sides, you’ll see green hills and rocky cliffs. The cliffs are not as tall as the ones in Uvac or Lazarev Canyon, but are still beautiful beside the river’s gentle rapids and pools. In summer, you can swim in the clean water or relax on the grass beside the river.
What makes Gradac Gorge special is how well it has been protected. The river is full of fish like trout, barbel, and chub. You might even see otters, which are rare. The riverbanks have many green plants, and many birds and animals live here because the area is clean and undeveloped. There are more than 70 caves in the hills around the river, including Degurić Cave, the longest in the area. Walking trails go across the region. The popular path starts at the Ćelije Monastery from the 13th century. As you follow the river, you might cross wooden bridges, step over stones, and grab onto tree roots to keep your balance. Gradac Gorge is easy to reach and perfect for a day of hiking.
A road trip to Serbia's canyons offers winding roads, mountain scenery, and access to some of the country’s most stunning gorges. These locations are perfect for hiking, photography, and enjoying nature. To travel between them comfortably and on your schedule, rent a car with Final Rentals. We provide competitive rates, pick up locations in Belgrade and Nis, and provide a range of vehicles suited for city roads and rugged terrain.
