Walking in Bosnia & Herzegovina

Fly to Dubrovik Airport, where we will be met by our leader. We then transfer
(about 1 hour) by road to Trebinje in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Our trip begins
with a welcome dinner in a beautiful setting of a local winery set up in the
hills above the town.

* Hotel Leotar or similar*

Day 2

In the morning we transfer to our hotel in Sutjeska National Park, before
continuing to the tranquil lake of Donje Bare. After lunch, we walk through a
beech forest and open mountainous terrain to the summit of Ugljesin Peak
(1858m), for one of the best panoramic views of the Zelengora peaks and the
rock face wall of Volujak. We continue on the stunning circuit back to Gornje
Bare lake via the Tovamica Ridge (1.5 hours) with Bosnia's highest peaks a
constant companion on the horizon. We then transfer back to the hotel in the
Tjentiste Valley for a well deserved dinner. 

*Hotel Mladost or similar*

Day 3

We transfer to Lokva Derneciste (approx. 1 hour) and head for Bosnia’s
highest peak, Maglic Mountain (2,386m), through dense forest and open
mountainous terrain. The ascent itself will take approximately 3-4 hours over
fairly well-maintained mountain trails with steep cliffs, and is by far the
most demanding part of today’s trek. Please note. this walk is not suitable
for anyone suffering from vertigo. Each step takes us further above the
surrounding peaks until we reach the summit. Here we have lunch and enjoy
wonderful views over Montenegro and of our next stop, the emerald green
waters of Trnovacko Lake. After descending to the lake in the afternoon, we
head for Prijevor where we meet our transfer to the hotel in Tjentiste.

*Hotel Mladost or similar*

Day 4

We transfer to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo which is at the heart of the
Balkan Peninsula. On arrival, we take a tour of the major historic cultural
and war sites in the city that will help us to piece together its complex and
intriguing history. The afternoon is then free to explore this varied and
beautiful capital city. 

*Hotel Hecco or similar*

Day 5

Within half an hour's drive to Crepoljsko is a very well known local picnic
place where we will start today's hike toward Bukovik peak (1,534m), the
highest point north from Sarajevo. This is a peak that offers some of the
best views of mountains to the south. After leaving our start point, a
pleasant hike takes us through meadows and coniferous forests up to Bukovik
hut, with wider and wider views of mountains in the distance and the city in
the valley right below us. After a short break at Bukovik hut, we ascend the
nearby Bukovik peak and continue from there through a beautiful pine forest
to the Skakavac waterfall.

This waterfall is the largest continual flowing waterfall in Bosnia and
Herzegovina and is 98m high. A soothing lunch break and some tea or coffee
welcomes us here before we head down through thick forest to the base of the
waterfall. Once we reach the base, a fantastic view of water, mist and forest
awaits us. From here we wind through the forest to the small lodge, where we
end our hike with an ice cold drink.

*Hotel Hecco or similar*

Day 6

Today we have a full daywalk in the Bjelasnica Mountains, home of the 1984
Winter Olympics, ascending Obalj peak (1,896m) and visiting Lukomir, Bosnia
and Herzegovina's highest village (1,469m).
From the traditional style Bosnian Mosque in the village of Umoljani, we walk
to the Gradina, a village which locals of this area used for centuries as
their base for summer pastures. From here we will start ascending toward
Obalj ridge and slowly we will rise above Studeni potok (Studeni stream). The
views will start to open in front of us. With the mountains to the south,
Treskavica and Visocica will offer us fantastic and breathtaking scenes. Once
we reach the slopes of Obalj, we will slowly continue and progress to the
summit itself. From the peak, we'll see Lukomir village below us where we
will descend from the top.
Lukomir is Bosnia's highest village at 1,469m, with its ancient stecci
(mediaeval tombstones) where villagers still follow a traditional shepherd
way of life. On the edge of the village, there is a fabulous view of
Rakitnica canyon, Obalj and Visocica. After a simple but tasty homemade late
lunch we transfer back to the hotel in Sarajevo.

*Hotel Hecco or similar*

Day 7

Today we have the option to go rafting deep into the Neretva Canyon or walk a
beautiful ridge overlooking the Neretva and Rakitnica Canyon.
The Neretva River is the emerald of Herzegovina, flowing over 200 kilometres
from its source into the Adriatic Sea. In the upper canyon is some of the
most beautiful rafting in Europe. The water is usually calm from Spring to
Autumn, and the trip provides ample opportunity to enjoy the canyon and its
unique flora and fauna. Depending on the season, there will be class 2-4
rapids. The trip lasts for 3-4 hours and costs approximately EUR 45 per
person (paid locally).
For those who prefer to keep on trekking, we continue on to the isolated
hills around Kasici village for a magical canyon walk above the Neretva
River. After crossing a suspension bridge we descend to meet the spectacular
river itself where the rapids rush into the mouth of the relatively
unexplored Rakitnica Canyon. The scenery here is truly breathtaking. After
crossing another bridge at the mouth of the canyon we can rest either in one
of the caves or on the numerous beaches.

We return via Konjic to meet up with those who opted for the rafting. At the
end of the day, we continue our journey to Mostar.

*Hotel Kapetanovina or similar*

Day 8

We spend the morning exploring Mostar, the former oriental trading centre of
Herzegovina, situated on the Neretva River. This city was regularly in the
news when it was split during the conflict in the early 1990s. We will still
see the scars of war, but these days Mostar is once again a warm and bustling
place, with a fascinating history and architecture.

We leave Mostar in the afternoon and head for Dubrovnik, arriving at
approximately 5pm. On arrival, we have free time to explore. Dubrovnik is our
final destination and a great way to end our week trekking. This magnificent
walled town lies at the southernmost tip of Croatia. Formerly a prosperous
trading centre, Dubrovnik is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its
perfectly preserved Old Town and rich cultural life draw many visitors each
year.

*Hotel Zagreb or similar*

Day 9

Transfer to Dubrovnik Airport; fly to London. Should you wish to spend more
time in this beautiful Croatian town please ask our sales team about post
tour nights.