Origin and Gorges

The Drina originates between the slopes of the Maglic and Pivska planina mountains, between the villages of Šcepan Polje (in Montenegro) and Hum (Bosnia and Herzegovina). At its origin, it flows west, then makes a large curve to the northeast, around the Maluša mountains. Next, it flows through the villages of Kosman, Prijedjel, Duceli, Celikovo Polje, Kopilovi, Trbušce, Brod and the town of Foca. It receives the Sutjeska, Bjelava and Bistrica rivers from the left and the Cehotina at Foca from the right.
Here the Drina carved the longest one of the several gorges on its course, the 45 kilometer (28 mi)-long Suhi Dol-Biserovina gorge between the southernmost slopes of the Jahorina mountains from the north and the Kovac mountains from the south. The villages of Zlatari, Jošanica, Ustikolina, Cvilin, Zebina Šuma, Osanica, Kolovarice, Vranici, Mravinjac, Biljin, Vitkovici and Zupcici are located in the gorge, as well as the town of Goražde. The river receives the Kolunska rijeka and the Osanica as tributaries from the left.
The Drina continues to the northeast, flowing close to the villages of Žuželo, Odžak, Kopaci and Ustipraca, entering the 26 km (16 mi) long Mededa gorge carved between the Vucevica mountains from the south and the southern slopes of the Devetak mountains from the north. The narrowest part of the Mededa gorge is Tijesno, the 8 kilometer (5 mi)-long section of the gorge where the river is at its narrowest (only 12 meters (39 ft) wide), but also at its deepest (12 m). Here it receives the Praca river from the left and the Janjina and Lim rivers from the right. The villages of Trbosilje, Mededa and Orahovci are located in the gorge, which is for the most part flooded by the artificial Višegrad lake, created by the Višegrad hydro electric power plant.
At the town of Višegrad, the Drina receives the Rzav River from the right and turns northwest at the Suva Gora mountain into the Klotijevac gorge. The gorge is 38 kilometers (24 mi) long and up to 1 kilometer (3,200 ft) deep, carved between the mountains of Bokšanica (from the west) and Zvijezda (from the east). The villages of Sase, Resnik, Ðurevici and Gornje Štitarevo lie in the gorge and the Kukal river flows into the Drina from the right. At the Slap village, the Drina receives the Žepa river from the right and turns sharply to the west, becoming a border river between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia near the village of Jagoštica.

The Drina flows between the mountains of Zvijezda and Sušica and it is flooded by the artificial Lake Perucac on the northern slopes of the Tara mountain, created by the Bajina Bašta power plant. The villages of Prohici and Osatica (in Bosnia and Herzegovina) are located on the lake, as well as the ruins of the medieval town of Ðurdevac. The river is dammed at the village of Perucac, where a strong well springs out from the Tara mountain, flowing into the Drina as a waterfall. In addition, the waters of Drina are used for several fish ponds for the California trout spawning.
The river continues to the villages of Peci, Dobrak, Skelani (in Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Zaguline (in Serbia), reaching the town of Bajina Bašta. At the villages of Donja Crvica and Rogacica, the Drina makes a large turn, completely changing its direction from the northeast to the northwest. This distinct geographical feature forms the Osat and Ludmer regions of Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are separated by the river from the Azbukovica part of the Podrinje region of Serbia. 

Border River 

Flowing on the western slopes of the Bukovica mountain, the Drina passes next to the villages of Gvozdac, Okletac, Strmovo, Bacevci, Donje Košlje, Drlace, Vrhpolje, Donja Bukovica (in Serbia), Boljevici, Fakovici, Tegare, Sikirici and Voljevica (in Bosnia and Herzegovina), before it reaches the towns of Ljubovija in Serbia, the center of the Azbukovica (or Upper Podrinje) region, and Bratunac, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the center of the Ludmer region. Here the Drina receives the right tributary of Ljubovida and continues between the mountains of Jagodnja and Boranja (in Serbia), and Glogova (in Bosnia and Herzegovina). After the ruins of the medieval town of Mikuljak and the villages of Micici, Uzovnica, Crnca, Voljevci (in Serbia), Krasanovici, Dubravice, Polom and Zelinje (in Bosnia and Herzegovina), the Drina is flooded again, this time by the artificial Lake Zvornik, as a result of the Zvornik power plant. The villages of Amajic, Culine (in Serbia), Sopotnik, Drinjaca and Djevanje (in Bosnia and Herzegovina) are located on the lake. This is also where the Drinjaca river flows into the Drina (now the Zvornik lake) from the left, flowing from the Bosnian region of Gornji Birac.

Upper Podrinje 

After the dual town of Zvornik (Bosnia and Herzegovina)-Mali Zvornik (Serbia), the Drina flows between the Bosnian mountain of Majevica and the Serbian mountain of Gucevo, and enters the Lower Podrinje region. For the rest of its flow after the village of Kozluk, it has no major settlements on the Bosnian side (except for the town of Janja, which is several kilometers away from the river, and some smaller settlements, like Branjevo and Glavicice). On the Serbian side, the Drina passes next to the villages of Brasina and Recane, the ruins of the medieval town of Koviljkin grad, the spa and town of Banja Koviljaca, the industrial town and center of the Podrinje region, Loznica, and its largest suburb, Loznicko Polje. 

Lower Podrinje 

The Drina enters the lowest section of its course, the southern Pannonian plain, including the Serbian regions of Jadar (where it receives the Jadar river) and Iverak (where it receives the Lešnica). This is where the rivers spills in many arms and flows, creating the largest flood plain in former Yugoslavia, which the river divides in half. The east side, Macva, is in Serbia, and the west side, Semberija, in Bosnia and Herzegovina (where it receives the Janja river). The Drina spills over and meanders, forming shallows, islands and sandbars, before emptying into the Sava river between the Serbian village of Crna Bara and the Bosnian Bosanska Raca. The variability of the water flow and low altitude resulted in several course changes during history. The Drina previously flowed into the Sava river near Šabac, 30 kilometers (18 mi) to the east of the present mouth.

Lowest Section 

The Drina enters the lowest section of its course, the southern Pannonian plain, including the Serbian regions of Jadar (where it receives the Jadar river) and Iverak (where it receives the Lešnica). This is where the rivers spills in many arms and flows, creating the largest flood plain in former Yugoslavia, which the river divides in half. The east side, Mačva, is in Serbia, and the west side, Semberija, in Bosnia and Herzegovina (where it receives the Janja river). The Drina spills over and meanders, forming shallows, islands and sandbars, before emptying into the Sava river between the Serbian village of Crna Bara and the Bosnian Bosanska Rača. The variability of the water flow and low altitude resulted in several course changes during history. The Drina previously flowed into the Sava river near Šabac, 30 kilometers (18 mi) to the east of the present mouth.