Exploring canyons, rafting Neretva river or hiking the Bosnia mountains …there are so many thrilling things to do in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Get ready to travel to Bosnia, land of adventure.
With turquoise rivers cutting through dramatic rocky mountains that carpet most of the country, Bosnia and Herzegovina features finest outdoor pursuits Balkan peninsula has to offer. There are very few tourists who visit Bosnia each year, keeping the experience sweet and authentic for those who choose the path less taken. Hiking trails, gorges, and mountain villages are packed with opportunities for adventure and discovery.
I spent 10 amazing days in Bosnia, starting from Sarajevo, all the way to southernmost town of Trebije. My trip was filled with adrenaline and stunning views as I stayed most of my days up in the mountains. One morning, I was awaken by flock of sheep passing by under my window. It could have been nearly a hundred of them! Nowadays it isn’t easy to find such an unspoiled places in Europe. Untouched, pristine nature is the perfect reason why you should visit Bosnia.
People sometimes tend to associate Bosnia and Herzegovina with war and that took place back in the 1990s, but a lot has changed over the past two decades. I found the country easy to travel to, with the local people being warm, friendly and incredibly welcoming.
TRAVEL TO BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Most convenient way to travel to Bosnia is by air. There are low cost flights landing in Tuzla International Airport (from Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia), but it is a bit off. Landing in Sarajevo airport can safe plenty of time. Find best price with Kiwi.com.
If you are going visit Bosnia from other European destination, you can do it overland. There are two daily trains running from Sarajevo to Zagreb (10 hours) various long distance buses: to Belgrade, Kotor, Ljubjana and several cities in Croatia (Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Pula and and Dubrovnik).
Bosnia offers nearly endless opportunities for adventure travellers, longing to experience the nature and outdoors. During my trip, I got to experience some of the most adrenaline tours.
These are most adventurous things to do in Bosnia:
01 | Canyoning
If you love the adrenaline, accept the challenge of Bosnia’s longest and deepest canyon. Tour in Rakitnica canyon is 8 hours of climbing, sliding and water fun. This is really one of the highlights of my trip, although I really reached my own limit. The canyon is really spectacular!
It was the first time for me to use the hydrospeed – it’s a water sled that one can to support body. It saved my life as it helped me to avoid crashing into the major stones (some:). The water pressure in Rakytnica is quite high, with many rapids and waterfalls.
This tour from by Visit Konjic costs EUR 75 per person. Equipment, lunch package and transportation. Ask for Armin, he is really experienced.
02 | Rafting
Mastering the wild river in a large rubber boast is probably the most popular outdoor activity and a must do in Bosnia. Tara river should be the most challenging. I did more calm Neretva and really loved it. The river is emerald-green and carves through a deep rock valley. What a scenery!
The rafting trip takes the whole day (from 10 am to 7pm), but it is
more relaxed that canyoning. There were some rapids on the way, the rest was just about paddling and enjoying the landscape. And, the lunch is BBQ the blank of the river.
Thanks to Aldin and Anel from Visit Konjic for being a great guide and keeping us safe. The tour costs EUR 50 per person.
03 | Hiking
The nature and mountains are the real highlight of my travel to Bosnia. Speaking for myself, I loved Bjelasnica mountains the best, but there is a lot of hiking possibilities. This country is really perfect destination for hiking!
I tried these three:
Hike from Umoljani to Lukomir village
My first and favorite hike. The starting point is in Umoljani, about one hour drive from Sarajevo, at about 1900 meters above the sea level. After mastering several mountains and valleys (the views are just stunning), we finished the tour in Lukomir, highest mountain settlement in Bosnia at 1,469m. There is really lots of sheeps in this trip:)
Practical info: 4 hours hike, 8 kilometers to hike. I did it with Superb Adventures, the trip costs 0 including overnight in Lukomir and two meals. Thanks to our entertaining guide Faruk:)
Hike to Hajdučka vrata arch
This hiking trail is located Mt Čvrsnica, known as popular skiing spot during the winter. The hiking trail starts at 1458 meters above the sea level, going moderately up to 2003 metres. At the end, there is spectacular Hajdučka vrata, more than four meters wide natural stone arch from carts and limestone. From there we returned the same way, but there is more options.
Practical info: This is 9 kilometres hike. If you are interested for this trip, Visit Konjic has several options for this tour. The highest mountain house in Bosnia is also near there.
Along the border with Montenegro
South of Herzegovina has some great hiking, too. You can connect it with visiting charming town of Trebinje. Easy six kilometers hike connects several old Austo-Hungarioan military spots and also grave of the Austrian soldiers. Advanced hikers can climb Jastrebica peak at 1864 meters. The fun part is that you are actually at the Montenegro border, so you might just cross it and come back. Don’t forget your passportJ
Practical info: Hike to Jastrebica takes 3,5 hours. When arranging tours around Trebinje, contact Sinisa from Walk with me. He can take you around from EUR 10-20.
05 | Mountain biking
Mountain biking is another great way to have fun and do something for the health as well. No matter if you choose easy or difficult one, I can only give you one advice – take care and don’t break on the stones. Well, I did – and I can tell you that falling down wasn’t so great (mountain bike seems to be my enemy, I already fell in Austria). Luckily, my experienced guide rescued me and then I could continue the trip!
We cycled from Ruište-Boračko lake (only part of the train that normally leads to Konjic, 40 kilometers in total.
Practical info: This trip with Visit Konjic costs EUR 60 including the bike rental.
MORE THINGS TO DO IN BOSNIA
Still not enough? Here are other sports if you got enough time – and the power!
Kayaking (and rafting) at Una Valley: waterfalls, hundreds of kayaks and rafts following a three-day course from Kulen-Vakuf to Bosanska Krupa.
Skiing at Bjelašnica: skiing slope available just 30 minutes from Sarajevo airport. 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics were held here.
Jumping from Mostar bridge: bungee jumping without the rope. People jump from 20m straight into Nerevtva river. Please be aware, this is risky.
Clibming: beginners go rocks of Dreznica near Mostar with climbing centre. More advanced accept the challenge of Cvrsnica, 1300 meters high cliff on Cvrsnica.
Paragliding: There is lots of sports where to enjoy the scenery of Bosnia and Herzegovina from above. Find your spot on map here.
PRACTICAL TIPS
Although ican be rather uneasy to reach this corner of Europe (17 hours bus drive from Czech Republic), once you get there, it goes much smoother. These are the things to keep in mind:
Don’t go off the beaten path when hiking= be aware that due to the constant landmine threat. With an experienced guide who knows the area, you are much more safer. And have no rick of getting lost!
Choose reliable travel agency. When you do adrenaline travel sports, you should not just blindly with what is the cheapest thing available. You need good equipment and good service. There should be no compromises, when it comes to safety.
Be ready for the rain at all times – the weather changes quickly, especially in the mountains. There were two hikes with sunshine all day long, that eventually ended with rain shower. Don’t forget those when packing:
Waterproof jacket
Extra clothes in the plastic bags
Waterproof cover for the backpack
If you travel during Ramadan, it can get harder to get any alcohol at the restaurants. I had no success with claiming that small beer is no alcohol.
HAVE YOU BEEN TO BOSNIA? AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OUTDOOR ACTIVITY?
This spring I got a big Balkanized – before Bosnia I also travelled to Serbia (check my other post what to see in Belgrade), and Balkans for me is really like unexplored corner of Europe. I wonder whether you have been to Balkans, too?
Looking forward to read your comments! If you enjoyed the article, share it on Facebook. Thanks!
This trip was in partnership with Visit Konjic and Turisticki Klaster Hercegovina. It was totally the most 10 adenturous days for me this year.
Photo credit:
Canyoning pictures are by guides from Visit Konjic.
Rafting pictures are by Zana Jaganjac from World of a travelholic.
Picture of me during the cycling accident is by Anika from Miss Maps and Marvels.
The post Things to Do in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ultimate Adventure guide appeared first on Veronika's adventure.