Paddling with full wings! Discover the beautiful Danube, the second largest river in Europe. You will enjoy the beautiful landscapes and islands with a variety of birds during the tour.
  • Travelling time: 8 hours
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Why we love it: From Backa Palanka to Novi Sad is a part of the Danube with swamp characteristics which is rich in birds and waterfowl. Parts of the swamp forests is rich in fish population. In this area there are two-tailed eagle nests which are among the biggest European eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla).
  • Length: 45 km
  • Total Elevation Gain: 0 m
  • Way to travel: canoe or kayak
  • Cost: 35-55€
  • Our Advice: The tour operator provides canoe and kayak rental service which is accompanied by a Catamaran boat. Paddling sport wears is necessary. Do not miss too taste the delicious sour futog cabbage the best one quality cabbage. We recommend you to visit in Backa Palanka. This small town is famous for its Jazz and Blues Festival, which takes place every June. The town also celebrates Danube Day in June.
Map of the paddling tour Backa Palanka-Novi Sad
Map of the paddling tour Backa Palanka-Novi Sad

The Danube has a long history as an important international waterway. For a long time it formed the northeastern boundary of the Roman Empire. Today it flows through or forms the border of : Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. The Danube originates as the Breg and Brigach rivers which rise in the Black Forest mountains, flowing into the Black Sea in Romania. With a course it is the second-longest European river (after the 3692 km-long Volga), and the 27th largest in the world, the 32nd largest counting its basin. The Danube forms a delta 5,500 km2 in area where it flows into the Black Sea, with three major distributaries.

Paddling near Nestiva islands
Paddling near Nestiva island

Of course through Serbia, the Danube extends from the meeting of the Serbian, Hungarian and Croatian borders to its confluence with the Timok where the borders of Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania meet. It passes through the picturesque Vojvodina flatlands and the national parks of the Fruška Gora and Đerdap. Besides its natural wealth, there are many sites of cultural and historical value spread out along its banks. Its in Serbia are the rivers Tisa, Sava, Tamiš, Morava, Nera and Timok. The Danube is the most popular river in the world for sport rivers, and is a major asset of Serbia’s tourism. 

Danube River close to the Bridge of Novi Sad
Danube River close to the Bridge of Novi Sad

All day paddling tour

is organized transportation from Novi Sad to Backa Palanka "Tikvara" on the Danube. After a short training in paddling, we canoe down the river accompanied by the "Floating Island" catamaran. We sail under the Backa Palanka bridge - Ilok, enter the Neštinski Danube Branch, and then enter the Susečki Danube. Paddling through the Susečki Danube we come to Šašić Ada, where the "Floating Island" waits for us, on which lunch and a short break are organised. After lunch, paddling continues to Futoški Danube branch, the "Love island", Beočinska Ada. We canoe through Rakovačka Branch, "Novi Sad's gate" and come to Strand.

Departures:

·      Departure from Novi Sad with organized transport at 7.30h

·      Start of downhill in canoes 9.00h

·      Lunch 12.00 - 13.00

·      Back till 18.30 

Paddling tour near Futog village
Paddling tour near Futog village

 

for 12 people ................... price per person / per day 35 €

for 10 people ................... price per person / per day € 45

for 8 persons ................... price per person / per day € 55

The prices includes:

Transportation from Novi Sad to Backa Palanka Logistics of the ship - catamaran "Floating island" Paddling training on a canoe or a kayak Canoe and kayak rental with equipment Lunch on board (from the pot fish soup or gulash - as arranged by the group)

Sour futog cabbage, dish called "sarma" with vegetables and meat
Sour futog cabbage, dish called "sarma" with vegetables and meat

Futog cabbage (called Futoški kupus in Serbian) is named for the town in which it grows, in the province of Vojvodina in northern Serbia. Centuries of cabbage cultivation in the area have created a variety that differs from other cabbages grown in the region, and one that is considered of extremely high quality. Over time, it came to be requested by inhabitants of Novi Sad, the capital of the province. Futog’s geographic location, climate and alluvial soil all influence the characteristics of the Futog cabbage. The cabbages are usually larger than other varieties, making them well suited for preparing food for large groups. The cabbages can be found for sale in Serbia, but a lack of promotion and lack of knowledge of its qualities compared to more common varieties means that many people, especially out of the immediate production area, instead purchase lower quality cabbages grown elsewhere.

Paddling at Nestina island
Paddling at Nestina island

Backa Palanka (Bačka Palanka) is just beyond Backi Petrovac on the Danube. The town’s museum features a paleontology exhibit, which displays skeletons of animals formerly native to Vojvodina. The museum’s prize exhibit is the skeleton remains of a mammoth dating back 25,000 years.

Nature-Backa Palanka
Nature-Backa Palanka

At the end of the tour you can enjoy a nice dinner on the great view of the Danube river.

Dinner with a view on the Danube river
Dinner with a view on the Danube river

After that to go for a walk and enjoy the beautiful colors of the twilight...

Twilight view
Twilight view 

 

For more information on the tour please contact: Aleksandar Ćirić +381/ 62 961 0 339 Sanja Nikolić +381/ 63 82 519 82 (for English and German language) www.dunavskirafting.org