Trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Highlights of the trip
- Explore Sarajevo’s historic center and landmarks.
- Visit Travnik, including medieval tombstones and Ivo Andric’s home.
- Tour Mostar, the Sarajevo Tunnel, and Blagaj village.
- Enjoy day trips to Pocitelj, Kravice waterfalls, and Medugorje.
- Rafting on the Neretva River and discovering Trebinje’s culture.
Duration
8 days /
7 nights
Difficulty
Easy
Car
Day 1 to day 8
Travel Diary
Essential info
Familiy trip in the Balkans
Arrival at Sarajevo airport.
Reach the city center of the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on the Miljacka River and surrounded by the Dinaric Alps.
Dinner and overnight in Sarajevo
Go towards Travnik.
You will visit the fortress, its Maculja tombstones typical of the medieval period.
You will also visit the home of famous Nobel Prize winner, writer Ivo Andric, where you can discover his collection of books and art.
Explore the famous Sarajevo Tunnel, a tunnel dug under Sarajevo Airport during the siege of the city during the 1990 war. It represents the symbol of the city's salvation.
After lunch, continue your drive to Mostar.
On arrival, you will settle in your hotel for 3 nights. Free time
Start a panoramic tour of Mostar.
Visit the old town, the Kujundziluk bazaar, the inevitable twisted bridge "Kriva Cuprija" - symbol of the city rebuilt in the 16th century in Stari Most. Free time to explore the city.
You will then head towards the village of Blagaj where the Buna river takes its source. The natural and architectural ensemble of the village is inscribed on the list of national monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Start a day trip to the most beautiful corners of Herzegovina.
First, head towards Pocitelj, the town of stones as the writer Ivo Andric called it.
This village, a former strategic point during the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century, is also inscribed on the list of national monuments of the country.
You will notably discover the fortress built in 1444, the Sisman Ibrahim Pasha mosque and the clock tower.
You will then head to the Kravice waterfalls. A fantastic natural phenomenon that strongly resembles a small Niagara. You will end your day with a visit to Medugorje. This city stood out in 1981 when a group of young people saw Marie de Nazareth appear. Since then, Medugorje has been an internationally famous place of pilgrimage.
Go on a rafting day on the Neretva River.
You will have the chance to discover the mountainous landscapes of Bosnia on your way through Lake Boracko. You will go rafting with your guides for a 5-hour descent to the village of Spiljani.
Leave for Trebinje and start a guided city tour.
Discover the Herzegovinian monastery of Gracanica, where the poet Dusan Ducic was buried. Also visit the stone bridge of Arlagicadu dating from the 16th century and the church of Gracanica which has a gallery of gold-plated icons.
You will visit Etno House in the Herzegovina Museum, the old town surrounded by defensive walls and cannons in an oriental architectural style, gardens and squares, and the 18th century Osman Pasha Mosque.
Breakfast and free time until your transfer to the airport for your return flight.
More details about the trip
Day 1
Day 1 : Pristina airport > Pristina
Meet our local agent at Pristina airport then depart for the city center and drop off your luggage at your hotel.
Overnight in Pristina.
Airport transfer
Overnight
Day 2
Pristina > Mirusha waterfall > Peja
After breakfast, start a sightseeing tour of Pristina, the newest and smallest capital of the Balkans. It already has everything of a large metropolis with a lively city center with its many cafes and restaurants.
Join the Mirusha waterfalls one of the most visited landscape place in Kosovo. You will admire a nature effect of the water which over ages, created canyons and caves, and are now famous all over the country. The river carved a 10 kilometres canyon and created 13 lakes with waterfalls between them.
Join Peja, the largest city in western Kosovo located at the foot of the mountains and the Rugova gorges.
Drop off your luggage in your hotel with indoor pool and jacuzzi.
Overnight in Peja.
Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Overnight
Day 3
Peja
After breakfast, visit the Patriarchal Monastery of Peja, one of the strongholds of the Orthodox religion in the region. Admire its many well-preserved frescoes as well as the calm and serene atmosphere present in this place.
Visit the Ethnological Museum of Peja where you will immerse yourself in the traditional life of the kosovars of the 20th century.
You will then join the Rugova Valley, to discover one of Europe longest canyon.
Possibility to hike in the Rugova Valley to Kuqishte Lake (3 hours way and return).
Possibility to sleep at local guest house in the mountain.
Overnight in Peja.
Day 4 - Day 4 : Peja > Decani > Gjakova > Prizren
After breakfast, collect your rental car and reach the Drin Blanc waterfall, stroll to the top where you will reach the « Sleeping Beauty » caves for an interior visit of the galleries sculpted for centuries by the force of water.
Head towards the Monastery of Visoki Decani. A monument dating from the 14th century and listed as a UNESCO heritage site, you can admire these frescoes which constitute one of the peaks of Serbian art, powerfully inspired by Byzantine art, in particular by the Church of Saint-Sauveur in Constantinople. .
Take the road to Gjakova, a charming town in Kosovo with its authentic old center and its many craft stalls. Visit Gjakova old mosque.
Join then Prizren, cultural capital of Kosovo.
Possibility to sleep at local house in the small village of Velika Hoca with wine tasting.
Overnight in Prizren.
Breakfast
Overnight
Day 5 - Prizren
After breakfast, visit the cultural and historical capital of Kosovo. Surrounded by mountainous landscapes, discover the old Ottoman center of the city where the Lumbardhi River passes.
Its cobbled streets and teahouses in the old bazaar, give Prizren a unique Ottoman charm with its three religious enclosures nearby: the Sinan Pasha Mosque, the Saint George Orthodox Cathedral and the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief.
Visit the Albanian League of Prizren, the first league for the defense of Albanian rights established at the end of the 19th century.
Free time to drive to Prizren Fortress for stunning views of the city.
Possibility to visit of fabric of bio cheese outside Prizren.
Overnight in Prizren.
Breakfast
Overnight
Day 6 - Prizren > Skopje
After breakfast, then take the road through the Sharr Mountains towards North Macedonia with its Capital city, Skopje.
Start the visit of an earthquake-ravaged city in 1963 that has completely rebuilt itself and offers a unique experience.
You will enjoy a separate city between two cultures and two different lifestyles between Albanian Macedonian and Macedonian.
Stroll through its new city centre to discover its famous fortress “Tvrdina Kale” and its stone bridge “Kameni Most” that separates the city into two parts with the old Ottoman bazaar “Čaršija”.
Overnight in Skopje.
Day 7 - Skopje > Matka Canyon > Skopje
After breakfast, join the Matka Canyon, a must-see place in Macedonia.
Embark on a boat to discover the Vrelo Caves, which are considered among the deepest underwater caves in the world.
Go back to Skopje in the afternoon and free time.
Overnight in Ohrid.
Breakfast
Overnight
Day 8 - Skopje > Tetovo > Mavrovo > Ohrid
After breakfast leave for the Mavrovo National Park.
On the way to Ohrid you will make a stop at Tetovo to discover its 15th century painted Mosque of Sarena Dzamija. Painted both indoors and outdoors, it is one of the most beautiful mosques in Macedonia.
Arrival in the Mavrovo National Park and enjoy sumptuous landscapes through, the Mavroro Lake and the Radika Canyon.
You will stop at the Monastery of Saint Jovan Bigorski, located on the heights of the canyon, which represents one of the most beautiful monasteries in Macedonia.
You will make a stop in the small village of Janche, in which a resident of the village has invested in the construction of houses using the materials of the time, you will have lunch in his restaurant.
Then take the road towards Ohrid, the Heart of Orthodoxy.
Overnight in Ohrid.
Day 9 - Ohrid
After breakfast, explore the wonders of Lake Ohrid.
Short photo stop at “Bay of bones“, an authentic reconstruction of part of a settlement, dating from 1200 to 700 BC. J.-C.
Visit the Saint Naum Monastery. Amidst lush greenery and built in the 10th century, the monastery is a haven of tranquility on the border between Albania and Macedonia.
Go back to Ohrid, the cradle of Orthodoxy. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and sublime lakeside city which for many represents the culmination of the Macedonian experience, a Kingdom of light and water as well as a reference to the ancient ruins of traditional kingdom of Macedonia.
Discover its well-preserved historical heritage such as the church of St Jovan or the ancient theater dating from the Roman Empire.
Overnight in Ohrid.
Day 10 - Ohrid
After breakfast, free day in Ohrid to enjoy the city’s beaches and stroll through the old town. Opportunity to visit Ohrid.
- OPTION: DIVING (€60.00/pax)
Meet your scuba instructor and set out to explore the oldest and deepest lake in Europe which contains around 200 different species. Discover the underwater fauna and flora of Lake Ohrid, also famous internationally for the discovery of remains dating from the Bronze Age.
- OPTION: Kayaking (€45.00/pax)
Departure for the day of kayaking, during which you will be accompanied by a professional guide who will take you to the most sumptuous natural spaces of Lake Ohrid.
- OPTION: VEVCHANI
Join the village of Vevtchani located at the foot of the mountain of Jablanica. Join the heights of the village for a short walk through its picturesque water sources.
Overnight in Ohrid.
Day 11 - Ohrid > Stenje > Bitola
After breakfast, possivility to leave for a half day of hiking in the splendid Galichitsa National Park.
Reach the starting point of the hike and start an ascent to Magaro Peak, the highest point in Galichitsa, which rises to 2,255 meters above sea level.
From 2,000 meters above sea level you can enjoy a superb view of the two lakes in southern North Macedonia, Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa, also known as the “eyes of Galichitsa”.
Depart for Stenje and possibilty to embark on a boat on Lake Prespa, the second lake in southern Macedonia, which shares the borders between Macedonia, Albania and Greece.
You will discover Golem Grad, “Pelican Island” which has an important wildlife of turtles, great cormorants, snakes and pelicans. Ruins, birds, and otherworldly beauty make this a must-see place to explore
Depart for Bitola, the second largest city in Northern Macedonia. Sighseeing tour of the city of the consuls. You will discover a city with a Mediterranean feel with its churches, mosques, old Ottoman bazaar and beautiful neoclassical houses.
Overnight in Bitola.
Day 12 - Bitola > Popova Kula
After the breakfast, visit the archaeological site of “Heraclea Lyncestis” and discover the vestiges of this ancient city of the Kingdom of Macedonia whose foundations date back to the 4th century BC.
Take the road to Popova Kula vineyard.
You will discover the wine culture of a small Macedonian vineyard located on the heights of a hill and offering a magnificent panoramic view of the region.
Visit the vineyard and discover the traditional Macedonian wine production.
Free time during the afternoon in the beautiful scenery or explore the city of Demir Kapija.
Overnight in Demir Kapjia.
Day 13 - Popova Kula > Stobi > Gracanica
After the breakfast, join Stobi, the largest archaeological site in North Macedonia.
Discover the ruins of an ancient city established in the 4th century BC. AD and learn more about the history of the Romans present in the ancient territory of Macedonia.
Take the road again to Kosovo, you will then reach Gračanica, a Serbian village located 10 minutes from Pristina.
Drop your luggages at the hotel and free time in a beautiful natural setting.
Overnight in Gracanica.
Day 14 - Gračanica
After breakfast, visit the UNESCO Gračanica Monastery.
You will drive to the Bear Sanctuary, where many captive bears in private restaurants in Kosovo and Albania were released.
Go to Novo Brdo Castle, located on the heights of a plateau offering a splendid panoramic view of the region.
Return to your hotel in Gračanica at the end of the day.
Day 15 - Flight back
After breakfast, depart for Pristina airport for your return flight.
Breakfast
In the price included
- Car rental from day 1 to day 8
- Nights in 3*, 4*, 5* hotels and Guesthouses with breakfasts (local standards subject to availability)
- Telephone assistance throughout the circuit
- The travel diary with essential travel information (addresses, contacts, restaurants)
In the price not included
- Full board (lunch and dinner)
- All additional expenses not mentioned in the program
- Tips
- Insurance
- The return flight
- All the activities mentioned in the program & entrances to the monuments
