Zasavica Nature Reserve

Zasavica protects a slow-moving lowland watercourse and its marshes, a remnant of the wetland that once covered this part of the Sava basin, with willow and alder along the banks and a long species list including otters and, since a reintroduction in 2004, European beavers whose dams and cut trees are easy to find. The reserve also keeps rare domestic breeds: Mangalitsa curly-haired pigs, Podolian cattle and Balkan donkeys, the last of which produce the milk for pule, a cheese sold at prices that have made it internationally famous as one of the most expensive cheeses anywhere. Electric boats run along the water, there are walking paths, and a visitor centre explains the conservation work. It is a modest, well-run place and a straightforward half-day from Belgrade or Novi Sad.

What you actually see

• Beaver signs - dams, lodges and gnawed trees along the water.
• Rare breeds - Mangalitsa pigs, Podolian cattle and Balkan donkeys.
• Electric boat trips - quiet passage along the slow channel.
• Wetland birds - herons, warblers and waterfowl in the marsh.

When to go

April to October; spring for birdsong and high water, autumn for colour. Beavers are crepuscular and rarely seen in daylight, though their work is visible at any time. Boat trips stop in winter.

Honest expectations

Beaver sightings are unlikely; you see the evidence rather than the animal. The reserve is small and flat, and the visit is a couple of hours. Pule cheese is famous but almost never actually available to buy. Facilities are simple and mostly Serbian-language.

Nearby

Sremska Mitrovica lies north; Obedska Bara is east.