Panorama Photo

Between Sarajevo and the upper Neretva valley there is a wide and relatively desert mountain area arising from the juxtaposition of three massifs: Bjelašnica, Visočica and Treskavica. In the middle flows the river Rakitnika, which digs a dramatic and nearly inaccessible gorge before joining the Neretva in a highly suggestive spot which is accessible by a pleasant footpath from the tiny villages near Glavatičevo.
The only populated area within these mountains lies at the very source of the Rakitnica, with the little villages Rakitnica, Umoljani, Sabici and Lukavac. Farther south there is Sinanovici and, isolated west, there is Lukomir, a very special place which is also a popular destination for a Sunday trip from Sarajevo. I probably will show Lukomir, high on the Rakitnica gorge, in a future panorama.
The easy access to the central area is from Sarajevo, via an asphalted road running also through the ski resort of Babin Do (see N.11339). The far-from-easy access is from the south side, with a dirt track starting from the little village of Odžaci, which is already well beyond the touristic business, based in Konjic, which puts together rafting on the upper Neretva and bathing-tanning on the shores the idyllic Boračko Jezero.
Along this track there is an incredible archaelogical highlight which I plan to describe in the future; however, to come here plan to be equipped with a strong 4WD or with a likewise strong mountain bike.
The panorama which I propose is strange in that it shows nothing of what one expects to see: both the Olympic mountains of Sarajevo, namely, Bjelašnica and Jahorina, are hidden by relatively minor stuff. To compensate for this, one has a very clear glimpse on Velez, the mountain of Mostar, and to the relatively far Maglić which, at the border of Montenegro, is at 2385 the highest peak in Bosnia. In the larger version (www.panoramio.com/photo/96039703) left of Maglić one also distinguishes the dolomitic mass of the Bobotov Kuk, highest summit of the wonderful Durmitor massif.
The right half of the image is wholly occupied by the Visočica massif, culminating in the 1965 m of the Džamija, meaning "mosque". This recalls to me the Toubkal massif, where the second highest summit is called "mosque" as well - Timesguida, in Berber.
The little summit where I am is an easy 30 minute walk from the nearby pass. I had been instructed not to abandon roads and paths in Bosnia, due to the danger of mines, but I saw local people collecting huckleberries with professional combs - not to speak of the many sheep grazing all around. And actually they (the locals, of course, not the sheep...) guaranteed to me that the whole Bjelašnica - Visočica is totally safe under this respect.

16 vertical shots, 25 mm (x1.5), 1/200 sec, f/11.