TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Five days adventurous snowshoeing on Via Dinarica Trails

• Discover diverse & captivating Sarajevo
• Visit and snowshoe at Olympic mountains, hosts of 1984 Olympic Games

​​​​​Day 1:

Arrive in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Your trip leader will meet you outside of the customs and immigration area at the airport. He or she will answer questions, brief you on the immediate arrangements, and escort you to our hotel in the old oriental trading quarter of Sarajevo.

In the afternoon there will be an organized tour of the major historical, cultural and war sites in the city that will help you to piece together it's complex and fascinating history. In the evening we will enjoy a ‘welcome’ dinner and trip briefing. Our hotel tonight is in the old Ottoman trading quarter of Sarajevo.

Dinner / Hotel Kandilj, Sarajevo

Day 2:

This morning we take an hour drive to Umoljani and Tusila villages on the Olympic mountain of Bjelasnica, which will be our “base” for three nights. Today we will have an easy snowshoeing practice hike in and around the village. 

From the traditional style Bosnian mosque in the village of Umoljani, we'll trek to the watermills and beautiful sources used for centuries as energy to grind wheat into flour. We hug the ridge until Rakitnica Canyon opens up before us. After 45 minutes of uphill through thick snow, we reach the Cascades of Studeni Potok. Here, at certain times of the year, the stream falls in numerous cascades into Rakitnica River, more than 300 meters below. Following the stream up we hit Studeno Polje (Field) and the serpentine formations of Studeni Potok (Stream). Here we'll have a super view of Obalj and the long flat valley of Studeno Polje (Fields). The shepherd’s summer village of Gradina is just up the road and from here we will slowly continue toward Crveni klanac pass where we will take our lunch break. From here we will return through the “backdoor” to Umoljani Village for a well-deserved rest and welcoming homemade dinner.

Easy walk / 3-4hrs walk / 150Δh / 5km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Pension Umoljani, Umoljani village

Day 3: 

The canyon of Rakitnica is one of the highlights of this area and today we will take a hike to one of its best viewpoints, the summit of Drstva (1.808m) at Visocica mountain. After the short transfer to Bobovica village, we will start our hike through the beech forest for two hours or so, depending on snow conditions. At the edge of the forest, we will get a magnificent view of the canyon straight below us. Above us is our final goal for today, the summit of Drstva, where we take a break. From the top, beside the canyon, we have a view of the entire mountain ridge of Visocica toward Vito peak and villages in the valley below us. As the sun goes down, we will too, return to our starting point, and finally the village of Umoljani for another joyful evening at our mountain chalet.

Moderate walk / 4-5hrs walk / 500Δh / 7km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Pension Umoljani, Umoljani village

Day 4:

Winding through Bjelasnica's back roads we'll reach the Rakitnica River and cross over towards Visocica Mountain. Tucked in the hills just above the steep ridges of this mountain sits Sinanovici Village (1,250m). Today’s snowshoeing hike will take us through beech forest and then open rocky terrain up to the summit of Crveni Kuk Peak (1,733m). You will be rewarded with far-reaching views of the highest mountains in Bosnia & Herzegovina, as well as those in neighbouring Montenegro. This will be our final overnight in Tusila village. 

Moderate walk / 5-6hrs walk / 500Δh / 10km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Pension Umoljani, Umoljani village

Day 5:

Beautiful spruce and fir forest trail take us towards a wonderful mountain hut, hidden deep in the thick forests of Igman Mountain. After 45 minutes of transfer, our walk starts at Veliko polje (Big field), the place where cross-country skiing took place in 1984. After approximately 1 hour, we reach the mountain hut of Javornik, making a short break. The snowshoeing trail takes us further toward Karamustafini cairi viewpoint (1.700m), where we make a well-deserved lunch break. After a pleasant break and views on the valley below us, we go back down, following our footpath in the snow. In the end, the short 30-minute transfer will take us to our accommodation in the Sarajevo Old Town. 

Moderate walk / 5-6hrs walk / 500Δh / 10km
Breakfast, Lunch / Hotel Kandilj, Sarajevo

Day 6:

Today we snowshoe on Trebevic Olympic Mountain, a popular route that provides some of the best views over Sarajevo on a clear day.

We take the back road to Jahorina via Vraca to Brus, where we park our vehicle and start our 500-meter ascent to the peak of Trebevic (1,629 meters). Our walk takes us along a long and winding mountain trail. During the ascent we will be hiking most of the way through pine and spruce-covered forests, however, you will be treated occasionally to beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. From the summit, there are wonderful views of the surrounding towns and villages, as well as the mountains of Romanija, Maglić, Volujak, Zelengora, Lelija, Treskavica, Visočica, Prenj, Čvrsnica, including our previous two destinations Olympic Mountains Bjelašnica & Igman. We descend via an alternative shorter trail to the mountain hut where we take a break for some hot tea, cocoa or even a cold beer before we finally end the hike close to the main road.

Before the short transfer back to Sarajevo, we will also visit once a proud feature of Sarajevo’s 1984 Winter Olympic games, the bobsleigh track. Heavily damaged during the siege of the city, the track still stands as a favourite spot for local graffiti artists who have decorated whole swaths of the curving lane. The Sarajevo Bobsleigh Track is literally a concrete reminder of a more prosperous time. It is currently under reconstruction for future bobsleigh competitions.

Moderate walk / 5-6hrs walk / 550Δh / 9km
Breakfast, Lunch / Hotel Kandilj, Sarajevo

Day 7:

Transfer to Sarajevo International Airport, depending on your departure time.

Breakfast