Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park

Shebenik-Jabllanice covers about three hundred and forty square kilometres of mountain on the eastern border with North Macedonia, rising above 2,200 metres, with beech, pine and fir forest, alpine pasture, and a group of small glacial lakes on the higher ground known as the Rrajca and Shebenik lakes. The Rrajca beech forest within the park was added in 2017 to the UNESCO listing of ancient and primeval beech forests of Europe, as an undisturbed old-growth stand. The park is important for large carnivores, with bear, wolf and one of the few Balkan lynx populations, though sightings are extremely rare. Infrastructure is minimal: some marked routes, no huts, and rough access roads from Librazhd.

History

The national park was designated on 21 May 2008, and in January 2022 it was enlarged from about 339 to 345 square kilometres (Wikipedia, Shebenik National Park).

Highlights

• Rrajca old-growth beech - the UNESCO-listed undisturbed forest.
• Glacial lakes on the high ground - small tarns above the treeline.
• Balkan lynx habitat - one of the last areas holding the population.
• The border ridge - the park running along the eastern frontier.

When to go

June to September; snow closes the high ground the rest of the year. A day to several. A guide is advisable for anything beyond the marked routes. Access roads are rough.

Things to know

Infrastructure is minimal with no huts, few signs and no rescue. Access roads need a capable vehicle. Large carnivores are present and almost never seen. Illegal logging has affected parts of the park. Weather changes fast at altitude.

Nearby

Librazhd is west; the North Macedonian border runs along the ridge.

Key facts