Stara mountain for the weekend: Midjor, waterfalls and stone
The highest peak in Serbia, a waterfall that falls 15 meters and a stone village — all in two days, if you know in which order.
At 2169 meters, on Midžor, the phone catches the Bulgarian network before the Serbian one, and the wind blows strongly even in July. It is the highest point in Serbia and the best reason not to see Stara planina as a ski resort that sleeps in the summer, but as a weekend that has its own rhythm: stone, water, silence and a road that climbs more slowly than you would like.
The weekend here does not tolerate improvisation. The sections are short in kilometers, but long in time — you are slowed down by asphalt that is crumbling in places and cows that do not recognize the right of way. That's why the plan follows the logic of the height, not the logic of the map.
Day one: ascent, rock and water
The entrance is via Pirot, then along the river Temštica to the villageTemska, where the monastery of St. George from the 14th century stands — a good first break because there is no coffee until the top. From there the road leads toGuests, a village built almost entirely of stone and mud, without plaster, which is under protection as an architectural monument. The stone slab roofs look like they grew out of the hills.
Serpentine kaJabučki Ravnište(about 1100 m) require discipline — braking with the engine instead of the pedal, as we wrote in the guidehow it climbs and descends properly. There is a gondola to the topGrandma's Tooth, a rocky peak that looks exactly like the name.
It's afternoon for water.Stupidnear the village of Dojkinci, it falls about 15 meters and is the easiest to reach — a 20-minute walk from the macadam parking lot. For stronger legs,Pilje waterfalland the systemKoprenthey are looking for half a day and good shoes.
The sections are short in kilometers, but long in time — you are slowed down by asphalt that is crumbling in places and cows that do not recognize the right of way.
Day two: Midjor and descent
Going out onMajorstarts from Jabučki Ravnište — the path is marked, the ascent takes 3 to 4 hours in one direction and is not technically demanding, but it is exposed to wind and sun. Leave before 8 am; in the afternoon the cloud descends and the view disappears.
For the descent, choose the other side — across Zavojsko jezera near Pirot, created in 1963 when a landslide blocked the river. The water is emerald, the shore is empty, and it's the place for a last coffee before heading back. If Stara planina is just one stop of a wider escape from the heat, fit it into the larger story from the textTara, Zlatibor and Stara planina when the city boils at +38.
Where to sleep
Large accommodation is around Jabučko Ravnište — a hotel complex and apartments at 1100 m, where the temperature at night is below 15 °C in the middle of summer. Cheaper and warmer than the soul: rural households in Temska, Dojkinci and Rsovac, where for breakfast you get cream cut with a knife and eggs from the hen you saw that morning. Book in advance — capacity is limited, and they fill up on weekends.
Questions & answers
short and to the point- How high is Midjor and how long does it take to climb?
- Midžor is 2169 m, the highest peak in Serbia. The ascent from Jabučki Ravnište takes 3-4 hours in one direction along a marked path, without technical climbing.
- Where to stay on Stara Planina for the weekend?
- Hotel complex and apartments on Jabučki Ravnište (about 1100 m) or cheaper rural households in Temska, Dojkinci and Rsovci. Book in advance, capacity is limited.
- Is it possible to get to Baba's Tooth by car?
- You can reach Jabučki Ravnište by car, and there is a gondola ride to Baba's Tooth itself. You can climb to the top on foot along a short but rocky path.
