TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Hike in the great limestone Dinaric Alps - undiscovered by tourists
• Ascend the highest peak of Croatia, Sinjal (1,831m)
• Visit traditional villages in Bosnia, where residents still live “the old way”
• Explore Mostar and Sarajevo, the crossroads of ancient civilizations

Day 1 Split Arrival

Arrival to Split airport and transfer to the small and pleasant town of Skradin, on the banks of river Krka. In the evening, while enjoying a drink at one of the town’s terraces, you can often feel the fresh breeze coming down from the mountains in the inner lands. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Dinner / Hotel Skradinski buk, Skradin, Croatia

Day 2 Hike at Canyon of Krupa River

Morning transfer to the area of river Krupa. Hiking from the village of Ravni Golubic into the canyon of this karstic river beauty, enjoying views of its emerald waters as well as the intense green banks of the river. We will also get a chance to admire the Kudin bridge (most), a 109m long bridge made in stone, connecting the 2 banks of the Krupa River.

The bridge was built at the end of the 18th century and presents a masterpiece of a stone building, as well as holds interesting legends around it – if you wish to hear more, come and hike the Via Dinarica with us!

We’ll have a picnic lunch and the possibility of a refreshing swim in the Krupa River. Hike back to Ravni Golubic by a different trail and transfer back to Skradin. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Easy to Moderate walk / 3-4hrs walk / 300Δh / 9km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Hotel Skradinski buk, Skradin, Croatia

Day 3 Hike to Badanj Peak (1,281m) and Brezovac mountain hut

Transfer to Guge village and Mirkovici plain, below Badanj peak. Start of our 2-day hiking adventure on Dinara. Dinara is the highest mountain in Croatia. Although it does not protrude with remarkable height – it does not exceed 2,000m, with its configuration and length represent one of the most impressive mountains in Croatia.

Today we ascend to a minor but equally interesting Badanj peak 1,281m, for some nice views of Dinara mountain and the valleys below. In the afternoon we arrive at Brezovac mountain hut, where we will spend the night enjoying the fresh air and silence of the mountain, accompanied by some local products which we will have for dinner. Overnight in multi-bed rooms, with shared toilets.

Medium to Challenging walk / 4-5hrs walk / 550Δh / 8Km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Mountain Hut Brezovac, Dinara Mountain, Croatia

Day 4 Ascent of Sinjal peak (1,831m), the highest peak of Croatia & transfer to Mostar

In the morning we start our ascent to the highest peak of Croatia - Sinjal Peak (or Dinara, 1,831m). The first part of the ascent follows an old military gravel road climbing up the mountain. We then move away from the road and start ascending towards the peak on a rocky and relatively steep path. At the top, we can enjoy some beautiful views of the Perucko lake basin, Troglav mountain on the border with Bosnia and the mountains of Sibenik and Knin region.

After the peak, we start our descent towards Glavas village on the eastern slopes of Dinara mountain. On the way down we pass grassy terrain combined with rock and very little shade, which gives open views to all sides. We enjoy passing over Levurdovac pasture and Podcrvkica plateau, further down to the huge amphitheatre of Pekasova Draga valley, passing an old fort that used to guard the eastern access to Dinara mountain, in the time of Ottoman conquests.
The hike ends in Glavas village, where we are picked up by our bus and transferred to Mostar, in Bosnia & Herzegovina, where we continue with the second part of our Via Dinarica Croatia and Bosnia program. Dinner and overnight in Mostar.

Challenging walk / 6-7hrs walk / 800Δh / 14Km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Hotel Almira, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Day 5 Diva Grabovica Valley & King's Old Hunting Trail Hike

After a morning in charming Mostar, we take a short drive (45mins) to Diva Grabovica, nestled in the Cvrsnica Mountains. The landscape here is dramatic with deep gullies formed by the tributaries of the Neretva River and today we'll follow the historic trails of King Karadjordjevic.

Today's walk starts in the valley of the Diva Grabovica and takes us through rich forests of beech to the Zljeb viewpoint. In this charming hamlet, we'll enjoy lunch as we look out over the most dramatic rock faces in the Balkan Peninsula. We're still in the area of the Neretva River which in areas has created wetlands areas that are under the Ramsar Convention.

In the afternoon we'll descend to the valley before transferring (2 hours) to our mountain accommodation in Umoljani. We are now in the Bjelasnica Mountains which are our base for two nights. Life here is simple and part of the overall incredible experience is we get to step back in time and slow down.

Moderate walk / 4-5hrs walk / 700Δh / 8km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Pension Umoljani, Umoljani village, Bjelasnica mountain, Bosnia

Day 6 Umoljani to Lukomir Highland Villages circular hike

Full-day walk on the Bjelašnica Massif (home of the 1984 Winter Olympics). We will visit Lukomir, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s highest village (1,469 m). After breakfast, we start walking directly from our guesthouse. From here we will start ascending toward Obalj ridge and slowly we will rise above Studeni Potok. The views will start to open in front of us. Mountains Treskavica and Visocica will offer us fantastic and breathtaking scenes. Once when we catch the ridge of Obalj we will slowly continue by the ridge which is very wide so no fear for anybody. From the peak, we'll see Lukomir village below us where we will descend from the top.

Lukomir is Bosnia’s highest village at 1,469 meters, with its ancient stećci (medieval tombstones) and where villagers stick to the “old way” of doing things. Traditional dress, the occasional turban, and fez are still worn and go hand in hand with the more contemporary rhythm of everyday life: electricity and running water. On the edge of the village, you will be treated to a rare view of Rakitnica, Obalj, and Visočica. You have arrived at the end of the world. After the visit and homemade lunch in Lukomir, on the way back, we hike along Obalj's side. All along, you will be treated by sweet and cool breezes coming off of Visocica and Treskavica. En route, we'll find quite a few sources where we can drink our fill.

Close to Umoljani, we will pass cascades of Studeni Potok, at certain times of the year, the stream falls 400 meters into the Rakitnica canyon below.

Winding our way through the field, we arrive at Gradina, a summer village just above Umoljani. Chances are we will see many villagers around collecting their summer harvest. From the village, we walk down to Umoljani where we stay for the second night at our friendly guesthouse.

Challenging walk / 6-7hrs walk / 550Δh / 16km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Pension Umoljani, Umoljani village, Bjelasnica mountain, Bosnia

Day 7 Hike to Vito (1,960m) summit & most elegant ridge in Central Dinaric Alps

Today is our final day in the mountains before we head to the capital. After a short 15-minute transfer, we will find ourselves in the heart of the Visocica Mountain which is home to the peak of Vito (1,960m) which is one of the highlights of Via Dinarica White Trail. The whole area is home to the beautiful stone of karst stone with water sources and underground rivers as high as 1,700m. During springtime, the area is dotted with lakes which dry out as summer approaches but reappear in the autumn!

After leaving the village we hike up through open meadows and lush beech forest until the summit of Vito (1,960m) where the views are spectacular. Romantic and incredibly beautiful we'll take time to enjoy lunch and the all-important summit photos. In the afternoon we descend to our vehicle and transfer (1 hour) to the capital of Sarajevo where we spend the night. Staying here ensures we see the city lit up at night and experience Sarajevo in the evening.

Challenging walk / 5-6hrs walk / 800Δh / 11km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Pension Kandilj, Sarajevo, Bosnia

Day 8 Sarajevo Departure, transfer to Sarajevo Airport

Depending on your departure time, you will have some last-minute shopping opportunities. After, you will be transferred to the Sarajevo International Airport.

Breakfast