meet the team

About EST Adventure

Our story spans across 25 years of one man’s passion and pursuit to overcome personal challenges and create a place for people to reconnect with nature.

EST Adventure is one man’s dream come true. No achievement in life, no peak climbed and no journey to the remotest part of the world can be fully appreciated if there is no friend with you to share the joy. It is for this very reason that EST Adventure was established – to share with you the wide experience gained by a small group of people in expeditions, explorations and adventures over the past fifteen years.

We believe that deep down in every one of us lies a little explorer, who, if given proper support, could climb even the highest peaks of the world. It only takes a little persistence to regain lost confidence and everything is possible. The people who have joined us and achieved their dreams, the dreams they could not even say loudly before are undeniable proof. Under our guidance over 1000 mountaineers have successfully climbed peaks over 5000 m high, 400 successfully climbed peaks over 6000 m high, and over 50 of them have had the opportunity to view the world from summits over 8000 m high. The youngest of them was 18 years of age when he reached the top of Aconcagua (6962 m), while the oldest celebrated his 70th birthday on the same peak.

We shall not forget to mention those to whom objectives and major achievements do not represent the essence of their efforts, but it is the path they follow and the vastness they explore that they cherish. With them, we have traveled around areas seen by only a very few, met people whose simplicity of life and purity of soul changed our views of the world.

Our basic principle is unus pro omnibus et omnes pro uno – one for all and all for one because we believe that good team spirit creates an atmosphere where everyone can express their value. We can thank this approach for the fact that our expeditions, treks, and adventures represent true schools, where we all learn something new.

Climbing to the top of a mountain is not just about testing your abilities; the experience that slowly penetrates your mind during the expedition, continuous questioning of yourself, insight into and discovering of your own inner self. It is a permanent process of self-knowledge in communication with Nature, and with other people in extreme conditions of life. It is also the communication with the people you meet there that will make you reconsider some of your own beliefs and prejudices. The encounter with another culture and way of life helps us gain a better perception of ourselves when we return home. What is important is not whether their or our views are right, but the broader viewing angle we gain by considering their points of view, either inward or outward.

In everyday life we are witnessing a great alienation between people, flourishing of individualism and ego-centrism, fear of straightforward and honest communication, loss of confidence, which are all occurring before our own eyes… To travel together with like-minded people and share an experience can mark the beginning of a new chapter in your life. So, I am inviting you to join us on our adventures, to change together and go back home feeling completely renewed after each trip, with a secretive smile at the corners of your mouth, the meaning of which will remain unknown to all but a few. Life is wonderful.

Meet our EST Team

From professional trekking guides, canyoning experts, kayak or climbing instructors, we all share the same love for nature and desire to show it all to the good people around the world.

DRAGAN Jaćimović

EST Adventure founder.
On May 26, 2000, Dragan became the first man from Serbia to climb the highest peak in the world, Mt. Everest (8848m). During the 1998. post-monsoon season, he climbed Cho-Oyu (8201m), and during the 1999. winter season, he climbed Ama Dablam (6854m). During his long and fruitful career as a top-level guide, he climbed the highest peak in South America, Aconcagua (6962m) - 7 times.

As an expedition leader, he set several records in 100% successful ascents. At the end of July 2004, 34mountaineers under Dragan's leadership successfully conquered Mt. Elbrus(5642m). After that, in February 2008, he took all 22 expedition members to the peak of Aconcagua (6962m). In his career so far, he has led successful expeditions to Mt. Everest
(8848m), Manaslu (8163m), Cho Oyu (8201m), Ama Dablam (6854m), Lobuche East (6119m), Island Peak (6189m), Aconcagua (6962m), Kilimanjaro (5895m), and Elbrus (5642m).

Under his guidance, over 250mountaineers from the Balkan region climbed the highest peaks around the world. Notable being, the first woman from Serbia, the first mountaineer from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the first Macedonian who successfully ascended Mt. Everest (8848m). Dragan's greatest quality is the fact that all his expedition members returned home safe and well. He participated in several humanitarian actions to help children without parental care, and he’s especially proud of helping the Sherpa community, by helping renovate the primary school in village of Namche Bazar (Khumbu, Nepal).

petar pećanac

Petar is a mountain guide and a professional photographer. His long-time dream of climbing Mt. Everest came true on May 20th 2007, when he became the first person from Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach the roof of the world. Before that, he successfully climbed Aconcagua (6962m), Cho-Oyu (8201m), Denali (6194m), Lobuche East (6119m), Kilimanjaro (5895m), Mt. Elbrus (5642m), Mont Blanc (4807m) and many other peaks in Alps and Balkan peninsula.

He is a passionate photographer which he combines with his undying love of nature and mountains. His wish is to dedicate his life to leading expeditions, as well as to sail around the world one day with other members of EST.

He is a member of Mountain guide association of Serbia.

aleksandar rašin

Alek is our calmest guide, and also the expedition photographer and cameraman. In 2008 he climbed Aconcagua (6962m) and Manaslu (8163m). He has led groups several times to Manaslu (8163m), Aconcagua (6962m), Denali (6194m), Damavand (5671m), Mt. Elbrus (5642m), Mont Blanc (4810m) as well as Mt. Everest (8848m).

During 2015 he led the first all women expedition in Himalaya.

He is a member of Mountain guide association of Serbia.

radomir mikić

Radomir was born on July 11th 1991 in Belgrade, where he currently lives. In 2005 he went on his first mountaineering trip, and that was the moment when the outdoor seed started sprouting. This led to other interests, hobbies and expeditions in the areas of speleology, sport climbing, alpinism, skiing, orienteering, sky running, mountain biking, diving.

Years went by and Radomir achieved significant results. In 2013 he joined Mountain Rescue Service Serbia, and in 2017. he became a licensed guide of Serbian Mountaineering Association. He climbed numerous peaks and only the ones higher than 5000m are highlighted:

- Lenin Peak (7314m) – Pamir, Kyrgyzstan – Tajikistan border
- Island Peak (6189m) – Himalayas, Nepal - Lobuche East (6119m) – Himalayas, Nepal - Elbrus West (5642m) – Caucasus Mountains, Russia - Kazbek (5033m) – Caucasus Mountains, Georgia

During his mountaineering career he assisted ascends on expeditions to Island Peak, Lenin Peak, Ljuboten, Triglav, Grossglockner, Elbrus, Musala, etc. As a member of Mountain Rescue Service, he is continuously improving his knowledge and skills by participating in different educational projects in Serbia and abroad. As a result of his efforts and accomplishments, he joined the Instructor Team and the Commision for general mountain conditions in the Mountain Rescue Service. Since 2016. he has been recognized as one of the top sportsmen in the Republic of Serbia.

goran ferlan

Goran Ferlan began his career in sports as a marathon runner, participating in over 50 marathon races all around the world.

Following that, in 1996, he began his career as an alpinist. Climbing four peaks over 8000 meters in height, Goran has additionally participated as a guide in the following expeditions: Kala Patthar (5545m), Aconcagua (6956m), Mont Blanc (4807m), Cho Oyu (8201m), Ama Dablam (6812m), Mount Everest (8848m), Mount Ararat (5112m), Kilimanjaro(5895m), Baruntse (7129m), Shishapangma (8013m) and Gasherbrum II (8035m).

A mountain guide with a great deal of experience, he is also a licensed mountain guide and a member of Mountain guide association of Serbia.

bojan marić

Intern Alpinist since 2001 (hardest grade: 8- UIAA, longest route: 650m)

Noticeable ascends: Half-Dome (Yosemite NP, USA) in 2009, Matterhorn (Alps, Switzerland) in 2010, Boreal Mountain (Gates of Arctic NP, USA) in 2011, Maltatal (Alps, Austria) ice climbing in 2012, Bobotov Kuk (Durmitor, Montenegro) winter ascend in 2012, Grossglockner (Alps, Switzerland) in 2013, Fansipan (Vietnam) in 2014, Mount Kinabalu (Malaysia) in 2014, Mount Oberlin (Glacier NP, USA) in 2014, Balkan mountains (Prokletije, Durmitor, Triglav, Olympus…) throughout last 10 years.

Mountain Rescue Squad member since 2012, and member of technical team since 2014. Worked as instructor for last two basic courses. Regular as a ski patrol and basic technical rescuer. Advanced winter rescue course successfully finished in Romania in 2016.

More than 25 years of skiing experience (including several ski mountaineering and ski touring ascends in France, Montenegro, Romania, Slovakia, Albania).More than 10 years of mountain biking (including several trails in USA, Thailand, Austria).

tomislav topalović

Toma has almost 20 years of experience in the outdoor sports, and he’s an active alpinist for more than 15 years. He already has a few hundred routes climbed under his belt, with more than 50 first accents. His main passion is climbing and exploring the hidden gems in the Balkan region, where he climbed everything, from frozen waterfalls to big, middle century walls. He is a member of Alpine club Belgrade, for over 10 years as an instructor, where he focuses on teaching new climbers their first steps in the world of climbing. He’s a back-country skier too.

He successfully climbed numerous peaks above two thousand meters.

He is a licensed mountain guide according to UIAA standards.

For the last 7 years Toma found his new passion. Kayaking on calm and white waters, taking him from sea costs all the way up to mountain rivers.

He’s also a certified scuba diver and is licensed as a rescue diver (PADI).

Building on that diving experience, he started exploring and spending time in canyons all over Balkan.

He’s a passionate MTB rider and explorer of hidden paths and mountain secrets.

For the last 5 years he’s a licensed mountain and kayak guide. He successfully guided people from easy kayak rides, to high mountain peaks. More the 500 people was under his tour leadership for the past few years. A true Balkan expert, Toma always has something new to teach you or show you of the beaten path.

nikola ajduković

Nikola was born in Belgrade in 1979. and he lives there since.

Spending holidays in the mountains of Serbia and Croatia, early, he realized that real adventure was in nature, so Nikola’s main interests and passions became within mountaineering disciplines such as hiking, trekking, alpinism and sport climbing. More than 100 summits, in which majority are the summits above 2000m, with a very high degree of success, gives him a great deal of experience. Mountains that require endurance and technique are the epithet which he wants to build his name. He personally guided or assisted over 500 climbers to reach their peak or goal. He’s an avid alpine climber, climbing over 200 alpine and sport routes all around Europe, with a lot of first accents, thus focusing on his technical skills as a climber. He always says that he acts like an athlete and thinks like an engineer, which gives Nikola a sort of calm stability and high focus when the situation requires.

Member of Belgrade alpine club where he still participates and helps in training of new alpine climbers.

He’s a licensed mountain guide according to UIAA standards.

Other interests are running - half marathon, 5K and 10K races, cycling, skiing, scuba diving. He works and lives in Belgrade with his wife and son.

biljana medenica

Biljana Medenica was born on December 31st, 1980. in Kolasin. Beside mountaineering, sports climbing and orienteering she is into speleology. She is particularly fun of winter sports (she drives snow board and Nordic skies). She climbed on multiple peaks around 2000 m in Montenegro and in region of the Balkans. Peaks on higher elevation on which she climbed are: Lenin peak 7134m, Island Peak 6198m, and Tharpu Chuli 5663m, Elbrus 5642m, Ararat 5137m, Mont Blanc 4808m, and Grand Paradiso 4061m.

She completed summer and winter alpine courses organized by Mountain Rescue Service of Montenegro. She is an instructor for establishment and marking of mountain and bicycle trails. She has recognized national license for guide of E category (guide for difficult mountain tours), which includes all lower categories (guide for easy winter tours, difficult and easy summer tours).

She completed guiding course for hiking during spring, summer and autumn organized by Austrian Montenegrin Development Agency. She completed guiding course for snowshoeing organized by Austrian Montenegrin Development Agency. She is a licensed Master Educator Course for Leave No Trace (ethical behavior in nature with as little possible influence on the environment). Won a gold medal and participated at National championships in orienteering.

She is a winner of plaque for top results and special contribution to development of mountaineering in Montenegro which was awarded to her by Mountaineering association of Montenegro. With the ascent on Lenin peak she became the first woman from Montenegro that climbed on the peak above 7000 m.

igor milošev

An active mountaineer and climber trainee in the last 7 years, Igor is also an mountain guide, cyclist, skier and member of the Mountain Rescue Service. His significant climbs are: Elbrus 5642 m, Mon Blan 4810 m, Gran Paradiso 4061m, Grossglockner 3798 and many other peaks in the Alps, with a narrow specialty in mountain ranges on the territory of Bosnia & Herzegovina and the whole Dinaric mountain range, where we can safely say that he climbed pretty much all peaks on them.

For his achievements and work, he has received many awards and recognitions such as: Special recognition for the promotion of the sport of the Municipality of Gradiška, recognition by the Mountaineering Union of the Republic of Srpska for the rise and lead to Elbrus.

He also completed the PSRS Guides School, Summer and Winter Alpinism course in AOB, attended the Mountain Rescue Training and licensed the "trail scout" of the "Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe" marking and equipping of pedestrian roads under the auspices of the European walking organization ERA-EWV-FERP.

Associations