MONT VITOROG

Twentieth highest peak in Bosnia and Herzegovina, at 1,906 m above sea level, Mount Vitorog (Vrh Vitoroga/Врх Виторога) dominates the entire region offering grandiose views as far as Mount Vranica (Central Bosnia), Mount Troglav (Herzegovina) and Mount Dinara (Croatia). It forms a natural border between the Bosnian Serb Republic in the north and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the south, at the boundary between the municipalities of Šipovo and Glamoč. Called the Great Vitorog (Veliki Vitorog), it is connected by a mountain range to the Little Vitorog (Mali Vitorog), located 2.5 km to the southeast and culminating at 1,747 m above sea level. Both are home to a rich fauna and flora, including wolves and bears. To reach the summit of Great Vitorog, follow the R415 to the Janj islets, then turn right. A small road passes through the hamlet of Popuže, then through a field of sinkholes (circular depressions), before climbing through the pine trees. A road with a carriage allows you to reach the summit by 4WD, mountain bike or on foot. At the top, surprise: a huge underground bunker is freely accessible. It is a former relay of transmissions of the Yugoslav army. In case of bad weather, this disused base is used as a shelter by the Šipovo mountaineering club, which can organize hikes up to here and in the surroundings. On the eastern slope of Mount Vitorog is the Vagan Cave (Vaganska Pećina), above the village of the same name. First explored in 1999, it is not open for tours.