The source of the Kupa – a realm of fairies and wizards

Visiting the source of the Kupa, one of the jewels of Gorski kotar, was like a dream – a completely unreal, almost spiritual experience. And I was not the only one who felt it. Every member of the group said the same thing. It was as if we had wandered into enchanted woods, full of magic and mystery.

The unreal experience of this trip will stay with us forever as one of the best of our lives!

Our experience was probably shaped by the fact that there was not a soul in the whole area, while a mysterious haze drifted over the river the entire time. The haze above the spring blurred the boundary between water and land, so that the water seemed to be floating.

The stones in the river, the fallen trees, the forest, the strange shapes – all of it felt wild and untamed, as if we were hundreds of kilometres from civilisation, and yet the trail we were walking was well marked and well maintained. That feeling of complete wilderness is something I rarely experience. Tourist destinations, especially in Europe, always leave the impression that civilisation and safety are close at hand. The only other place where I have felt that sense of true wilderness was at a few locations in Iceland, far from the roads and the tourist bustle. But even Iceland, incredible, spectacular and dramatic as it is, did not have the magic we found here. The only thing comparable to the source of the Kupa is the astonishing Kamačnik.

With destinations of this kind the season certainly plays a major role. May had made the vegetation lush and green, which undoubtedly added to the atmosphere. Even though it was one of our best trips ever, I keep putting off a repeat visit, in case I am disappointed and the magic we experienced does not return.

The source of the Kupa is, incidentally, one of the deepest springs in Croatia. Its beautiful turquoise colour conceals a depth measured so far at 154 metres. Exciting new discoveries surely await future explorers.

The spring is part of Risnjak National Park and can be reached from several directions. One trail comes from Razloge, a couple of others drop down from the Razloge – Hrvatsko road, and the spring can also be reached from the direction of Hrib. We chose the latter and drove down to the family farm in Kupari. The road is one of the worst we have ever driven and is not for everyone, especially if you have a low car with rear-wheel drive. It is narrow and badly damaged. Mud mixed with leaves certainly does nothing for traction, and the holes and channels gouged out by torrents threaten to leave you stranded. The remains of the old asphalt in places are more of a hindrance than a help, because they stand high above the muddy holes, so on the way up you have to approach them slowly, risking leaving your drive wheels trapped in the mud. An interesting experience, in any case. For those who are not fond of such experiences, the recommendation is to leave the car at the bridge where the Čabranka flows into the Kupa (45.52517210140566, 14.699374732039415). From there it is about a 40-minute walk to Kupari, where you continue towards the spring. You can return to the bridge at the mouth of the Čabranka along the other bank, which turns the walk into a loop. The trail is undemanding and, besides forest, also passes through meadows and over bridges. It is ideal for a half-day outing, but with good company and plenty of food I see no reason not to spend the whole day there.