The name of the weekend/holiday resort Jankovac, as well as Jankovac lakes, is connected with the name of earl Josip Janković, owner of the then numerous properties from Voćin to Virovitica towns. This nature lover comes in mid-19 century to his property, upon deciding to spend his mature years decorating one beautiful valley nearby peak of Papuk.

Over there, he builds the first hunter's castle, then decorated two stream lakes, for both growing lake trout, and water supply in the most unfavourable hydrological periods. The success of the earl’s attempts is witnessed by the thirty metres waterfall that is falling into canyon Kovačica. That is something really unthinkable for this area. Earl Josip Janković, according to his wish, was buried in a cave above the lake from were there is an extraordinary view on his valley and a hundred years old beech tree forest.

Jankovac, one of the most beautiful highland valleys is situated in the northern mountain-hills of Papuk on 475 m above see level. It is rich with cold springs and clean streams, and surrounded by the hundred year old beech tree forests. Full of freshness and romance, it has always been attractive to nature, mountain and peace lovers. Due to the exceptional scenery that cannot be found elsewhere in Slavonia, Jankovac was proclaimed protected park-forest in 1955.

Approaching roads to Jankovac are beautiful and pleasant, with vivacious streams and forest shadows. One can approach Jankovac from the road Velika-Jankovac, but also on foot via numerous mountain paths. Park-forest Jankovac is full of exceptional natural phenomenon, thanks to the carbonate basis. Lime-stones are creating carbonate board, 100 m thick, where one can clearly see rocky ground morphology. Most often one can find sink-holes of 10-40 m in diameter, typical rocky-ground springs, and for Jankovac characteristic are two smaller caves. Water saturated with bicarbonate, formed a barrier of 30 m, where the symbol of Jankovac pours over - Jankovački slap (waterfall). Due to the large amount of water, the waterfall shows an exceptional picture, unique in Slavonia area, especially during winters, when it freezes and forms attractive ice waterfall.

One of the important characteristics of Jankovac are its forests. Of a special value are oasis that consist of a primeval types, layer of ash and maple trees near the spring, individual old trees of beech and maple, which are over 1 m in diameter. Jankovac forest is surrounded from west and east with the mountain-ranges, from south closes the steep that occasionally transfers into vertical rock, and it is opened towards the north, where ends with a vertical rock high about 40 m, above which the stream Kovačica passes by. In the rock above the lake, in natural half-cave, there was a sarcophagus of earl Janković, with an inscription in Hungarian and Old Churc-Slavic languages. Above the grave is a narrow and dark, about 20 m long Maksim cave, named after former bandit Maksim Bojanić.

Central part of the park-forest, that is main area of gathering of all visitors and travellers, is a mountain house with a large meadow in front. First one was built in 1934 and expanded in 1940. Since during the World War II it was completely ruined, a new one was built in 1951. In 1987 this mountain house was destroyed in fire. The same year a new one was built. This one was damaged during the Patriotic War, and needs inner reconstruction. South from the mountain house there are two artificial lakes, one above the other, which occupy almost entire valley. Surrounding hundreds of years old trees reflect in the lake what creates the special atmosphere. By its position, and all characteristics that are of educational and tourist value, park-forest Jankovac is in any case, middle place in the Park of Nature Papuk, that no one should miss to see.