Kotor: Tara River White Water Rafting & Canyon Tour

Tara River Rafting from Kotor: 20+ Rapids & Europe's Deepest Canyon

You get picked up from your Kotor hotel at 7am and driven three hours to the Tara River Canyon, where you raft through 20+ rapids for three hours with breakfast and lunch included, plus all safety gear and a licensed guide. Swimming stops and an optional waterfall visit break up the rapids, and you're back in the Old Town by 7:30pm.

Is this one for you?Right for travelers staying in Kotor who want to see Europe's deepest canyon and run serious rapids without arranging transport or gear—the full day out is what makes the three-hour drive and the three-hour raft both feel worth it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Tara River rafting and scenic drive

• Start from Kotor at 07:00 am
• Photo stop at Perast
• Photo stop above Risan Bay
• Arrive at Plužine, photo stop
• Photo stop at dam Mratinje
• Arrive at Blue River Rafting Camp, breakfast and outfitting
• Depart to rafting starting point
• Start rafting on Tara River
• Stop for swimming and optional cliff jumping
• Visit waterfall Skakavica
• Return to camp, change and lunch break
• Scenic drive back to Kotor
• Finish in Old Town of Kotor at 07:30 pm

The Experience

"The water is cold, but your body forgets that after the third rapid," our guide said as we loaded into the van at 7am, and he wasn't wrong. The drive from Kotor takes about three hours—you stop at Perast for photos, then climb higher toward Plužine and the Mratinje dam, watching the landscape shift from coastal towns to limestone cliffs. By 10:45am you're at the Blue River Rafting Camp, eating breakfast and getting fitted into a wetsuit, helmet, and life jacket that actually fit, which matters more than you'd think when you're about to spend three hours in a canyon.

The Tara River Canyon is 1,333 meters deep—the deepest in Europe, second only to the Grand Canyon—and the water itself is this shocking emerald green that looks almost unreal until you're in it. The rafting starts around noon and runs for three hours depending on the current, taking you through over 20 rapids with names like "Brothels" and "Washing Machine" that the guides say with a kind of grim humor. You stop to swim in pools between sections, there's an optional cliff jump if you're feeling it, and you pass a waterfall called Skakavica where the mist hits you sideways. The canyon walls rise up on both sides, and the river itself is clean enough to drink—locals call it the "Tear of Europe"—which somehow makes the whole thing feel less like a theme park and more like you're actually moving through something real and old.

By 3pm you're back at the camp, changing out of wet gear and eating lunch while your legs remember they exist. The drive back to Kotor takes another couple of hours, and you roll into the Old Town around 7:30pm. It's a full day—you leave early and finish late—but that's the only way to fit the canyon, the rapids, the stops and the drive all into one trip without feeling rushed through any of it. Bring your ID, sunscreen, and a camera that can handle spray; the swimsuit and towel are obvious, but sunscreen is the one thing people forget and regret.

Top questions

How long is the drive from Kotor to the rafting start?

About three hours each way, with photo stops at Perast, Risan Bay, Plužine and the Mratinje dam.

What's included in the tour?

Hotel pickup, breakfast, lunch, all rafting equipment (wetsuit, helmet, life jacket, footwear), a licensed guide, and the drive back to Kotor.

How many rapids are there?

Over 20 rapids during the three-hour rafting section, with varying difficulty depending on river speed.

Can I jump off the waterfall?

Cliff jumping at Skakavica waterfall is optional—your guide will point it out, but it's your choice.

What time does the tour finish?

You're back in Kotor's Old Town around 7:30pm after a full day that starts at 7am.

Is it safe to drink the river water?

Yes—the Tara River is clean enough to drink throughout its course, which is why it's called the "Tear of Europe."

Who shouldn't do this tour?

It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health, though it suits all other fitness levels.

What should I bring?

ID card, sunscreen, swimsuit, towel, and a camera. The outfitter provides all safety gear and clothing.

What’s included

Hotel pickup from Kotor at 7am and return by 7:30pm. Breakfast at the rafting camp, lunch after the river section, and all transport between Kotor and the canyon. Full rafting equipment including wetsuit, helmet, life jacket, footwear and safety gear. A licensed guide and skipper for the entire day.