Jegrička Nature Park
Weekends mean only one thing—escaping the city and discovering a new, fascinating destination. This time, we’re heading north to explore another incredible nature park.
Vojvodina is home to some exceptional natural areas, unique to this part of Europe, and one of them is Jegrička Nature Park. We’re setting out to see if the stories about this extraordinary park are true.
Features of Jegrička Nature Park
Known locally as Jegrička bara, this protected area is located in southern Bačka. It encompasses the course of the Jegrička River, stretching from the Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal near Despotovo in the west to its confluence with the Tisa River near Žabalj in the east. The largest section of Jegrička Marsh belongs to the municipality of Žabalj.
Jegrička was formed during the regulation of the middle and upper course of the Jegrička River, a right tributary of the Tisa, between 1957 and 1958. Despite being the largest and longest watercourse in southern Bačka, spanning 65 kilometers, Jegrička is essentially a series of marshes connected by wider or narrower channels. Today, it is actively maintained as a fishpond, making it a paradise for anglers, with specially designated areas for fishing.
The park consists of three sections and is rich in wildlife, featuring 76 plant species, including three strictly protected species: white water lily, marsh fern, and wild oats. Additionally, there are 22 fish species, 9 amphibian species, and 3 reptile species. The birdlife is particularly diverse, with 198 recorded species, 167 of which are strictly protected. The mammal population includes classic marshland inhabitants such as otters, voles, striped field mice, weasels, martens, and badgers.
To highlight the natural and cultural values of the area, an Information Center was opened in 2010.
What to do in Jegrička Park?
We set our sights on the Information Center, planning to learn all about what Jegrička offers throughout the year. Since it was winter during our visit and there were no other visitors, the center’s staff, busy with maintenance, kindly allowed us to park there before we continued on foot.
Truth be told, at times, we found ourselves ankle-deep in mud, but curiosity kept us going. Eventually, we reached the beginning of the educational trail, with wooden bridges and platforms that allow you to get up close to this marshland paradise.
During the warmer months, visitors can enjoy a one-hour catamaran ride from the Information Center near Temerin to an observation point close to Žabalj, where birdwatching is offered under the guidance of an expert.
We plan to return to Jegrička in spring and summer to explore more, but it’s worth a visit any time you find yourself in this area.
How to Get There
Jegrička Nature Park is situated between Zrenjanin and Novi Sad, about 100 km from Belgrade. There are several ways to reach Jegrička, but the two most accessible routes are:
- Via the Belgrade–Novi Sad Highway, exiting at the Kovilj toll station.
- Via Zrenjanin, taking the old Zrenjanin road—a slightly longer and slower route.
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