Itinerary Details
MT Sobek: Balkans Best of the Via Dinarica Hiking
Day 1 Arrive In Sarajevo & See the Sights
30-minute private van transfer
2 hours/1.5 miles walking tour
Arrive in Sarajevo, the cultural heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the afternoon, after settling into your hotel, set out on a walking tour of Stari Grad (Old Town) for a glimpse into the city's turbulent past that spanned empires—from the Ottoman Turks to the Austro-Hungarians. More recently, the city was host to the 1984 Winter Olympics and then made the news in the 1990s during the siege by Serb forces. Tour the ancient Ottoman quarter called Bascarsija, with its stone-flagged alleys and red-roofed houses sitting amongst minarets, as well as major historical and cultural sites.
Accommodation: Hotel Europe
(D)
Day 2 Ride a Cable Car to Olympic History on Trebevic
1-hour private van transfer, 10-minute cable car ride
1-hour private van transfer, 10-minute cable car ride
From the bustle of the city center, ride up the Trebevic mountainside into the Dinaric Alps for cable-car views over the city, entire valley, and surrounding mountains. Hike to the concrete remains of the 1984 Olympic bobsled run, now an atmospheric canvas for local graffiti artists. Climb through pine and spruce forest to a mountain hut named for Olympic skier Jure Franko and a panorama of Sarajevo and the Dinaric Alps. Return to the valley for a sobering look at the Sarajevo Tunnel, a lifeline to the blockaded city during the Bosnian War siege. Return to the city and an afternoon exploring more of its Old Town.
Accommodation: Hotel Europe
(B, L, D)
Day 3 Hike to Lukomir Village on the Via Dinarica
2-hour private van transfer
6-7 hours/10.5 miles hiking with 2,720' elevation gain and loss
Travel to Bjelasnica, a strategic mountain that saw extensive combat during the Bosnian War and later Olympic downhill, alpine, and slalom competitions. From the village of Umoljani, nestled into the grassy hills, ascend to the summer shepherd settlement of Gradina and continue uphill to Obalj peak (6,220') on the Via Dinarica. From the summit, take in gorgeous views of Rakitnica Canyon and Lukomir, Bosnia's highest village (at 4,820'). Descending to Lukomir, enjoy a lunch homemade by a local family, explore its ancient medieval tombstones and traditional way of life. Loop back to Umoljani on a different route and transfer to Igman Mountain for the evening.
Accommodation: Hotel Monti
(B, L, D)
Day 4 Explore the Wild Visocica Massif
3-hour private van transfer
5-6 hours/7 miles hiking with 2,950' elevation gain and loss
With its pointed limestone and dolomite peaks and narrow valleys, bordered by rivers on all sides, the Visocica Massif invites exploration. Wind through Bjelasnica backroads, crossing the Rakitnica River towards the trailhead at Tusila village (3,937'). Hike up through open meadows and thick beech forest punctuated with rocky outcrops to the ridge, where the trail opens to a magnificent natural amphitheater. Push to the summit of Vito (6,430') and enjoy a lunch paired with panoramic views of Rakitnica Canyon and the neighboring peaks of Bjelasnica and Treskavica. Then, follow a narrow ridge to Drstva peak (5,932') for more mountain majesty and descend to meet the vehicle and transfer to Mostar. Enjoy dinner in the Old Town this evening.
Accommodation: Hotel Emporia
(B, L, D)
Day 5 Discover Historic Mostar & Herzegovina Wines
45-minute private van transfer
1.5 hours/1.5 miles walking tour
Start the day with an exploration of UNESCO-listed Mostar and its famed bridge spanning the emerald Neretva River, Stari Most. Stroll cobbled lanes lined with slate-roofed Turkish houses in this enchanting city steeped in Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian history. In Blagaj, find the unusual source of the Buna River, a powerful spring rising from a karst cave at the bottom of a dramatic 650-foot cliff, and the remarkable 16th century Sufi monastery at the spring's edge. Finish the day at a Herzegovina winery, savoring a winemaking tradition that dates to the Roman era as you sip reds and whites from this fertile yet undiscovered region.
Accommodation: Hotel Emporia
(B, L, D)
Day 6 Travel to Sutjeska National Park & Summit Kuk
4-hour private van transfer
4-hour private van transfer
Head for the nation's oldest national park and one of the highlights of the Via Dinarica, Sutjeska, and hike from the Papain Do hut through wide-angle landscapes to a picturesque glacial lake called Jagodino, then continue over open stark mountain terrain to the summit of Kuk (5,960'), right on the border with Montenegro. The peak affords panoramic views of Zelengora and the imposing rock wall of Volujak. Descend amid the slopes of Volujak and Lebrsnik, rejoining the trail. Stop for a picnic lunch before continuing to your hotel inside the park. Before dinner, take a quick stroll to see the angular WWII Partisan Memorial.
Accommodation: Villas Tjentiste
(B, L, D)
Day 7 Trek to the Top of Maglic in the Dinaric Alps
2.5-hour private van transfer
9 hours/9 miles hiking with 4,250' elevation gain and 4,210' elevation loss
Beginning at remote Lokva Derneciste, hike through old growth forests and open, mountainous terrain. Ascend above the tree line, where the landscape becomes rugged and cables secure part of the climb. Sweeping vistas encourage you to Maglic's summit (7,828')—the highest and mightiest peak in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 360-degree panorama of the Dinaric Alps plummeting into glacial valleys is breathtaking. Descend a steep gravely trail with more stunning scenery to the shores of emerald-green Trnovacko Lake (4,921'). A few more miles below a ring of rocky peaks and you reach Prijevor, and the end of today's adventure.
Accommodation: Villas Tjentiste
(B, L, D)
Day 8 Raft the Tara River & Drive to Montenegro
4-hour private van transfer
3-4 hours/10 miles rafting (Class II-III)
Rest your legs but get some thrills on today's rafting adventure through the deepest river canyon in Europe. After leaving the hotel, sit back and enjoy the beautiful views along the Drina River, reaching the place where the Piva and Tara Canyons join. There, put in for a rafting journey on the Tara, its translucent turquoise waters flowing along the base of an awe-inspiring 3,000-foot canyon with spellbinding wilderness all around. After enjoying an early dinner along the river, cross over the border into Montenegro and the town of Zabljak on the edge of spectacular Durmitor National Park.
Accommodation: Hotel Zabljak
(B, L, D)
Day 9 Climb Bobotov Kuk in Durmitor National Park
1-hour private van transfer
6-7 hours/7.5 miles hiking with 2,130' elevation gain and 3,035' elevation loss
Bobotov Kuk (8,277') is the crown jewel of UNESCO-listed Durmitor National Park and today you'll climb to the top! Starting relatively high at 6,230 feet, hike up the grassy slope of Surutka toward Zupci, a magnificent series of serrated peaks with 14 sharp, rocky "teeth." After circling the otherworldly massif, arrive at Zeleni Vir, a glacial lake and begin a steep, rocky ascent toward Bobotov Kuk, the views expanding with every step until the summit, where vistas stretch all the way to the Adriatic on a clear day. Enjoy lunch here, and then descend via a grassy basin, Mlijecni Do, to take a short ride back to Zabljak for a well-deserved rest.
Accommodation: Hotel Zabljak
(B, L, D)
Day 10 Journey to Storybook Theth Village in Albania
5-hour private van transfer (with breaks/border crossing)
1.5 hours/1.5 miles hiking
Get your last glimpses of Montenegro on the drive to the border, then cross into Albania's dreamy Theth Valley and the Alps of Albania National Park. One of the most isolated villages in the country, Theth is nestled into the southernmost region of the Dinaric Alps, the Albanian Alps. Explore this idyllic village where age-old traditions have prevailed over the centuries, following the Kanun (clan code). Visit its 1892 Roman Catholic church, watermill, and lock-in tower—used during blood feuds—then have dinner and overnight at a family-run guest house.
Accommodation: Niko Harusha
(B, L, D)
Day 11 Hike from Theth to Valbona in the Accursed Mountains
Hikers: 30-minute private van transfer Non-hikers: 5.5-hour van transfer and 2.5-hour ferry
7 hours/6 miles hiking with 3,750' elevation gain and 2,400' elevation loss
Today load the luggage into the vehicles and hike from Theth to Valbona along an old mule trail that is the only direct connection between the two valleys. This scenic but challenging route begins in the Valley of Theth (2,644') then climbs steeply upward through beech woods and grassy meadows towards Valbona Pass (5,890'). At the top, enjoy a picnic lunch and sensational views across the Alps of Albania National Park, including the Theth and Valbona Valleys and the "Accursed Mountains," better known as the Albanian Alps. Today's alternative is a full-day transfer that includes a ferry boat ride over the blue waters of Komani Lake, followed by a short walk around Valbona.
Accommodation: Villa Dini
(B, L, D)
Day 12 Take a Day Trip to Kosovo & Explore Tirana
6-hour private van transfer (with stops)
1.5 hours/2 miles city walking tour
Cross into Kosovo to visit Decani Monastery, a 14th century Serbian Orthodox building with over 1,000 beautifully preserved Byzantine frescoes and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy lunch in the historic Prizren neighborhood, where the architecture reflects early Roman and Ottoman influence. Returning to Albania, head to the capital, Tirana, for an afternoon immersed in fascinating history. From the the Ottoman-era Et'hem Bey Mosque to the 21st century Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral, you'll see an Enver Hoxha-era bunker and section of the infamous Berlin Wall and learn how this city has transformed over the ages, from Ottoman origins to an isolated communist capital to a dynamic, modern European city.
Accommodation: Hotel Oxford
(B, L, D)
Day 13 Depart from Tirana
50-minute private van transfer
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flights home or to your next destination, the natural splendor, cultural traditions, and phenomenal history of these nations reverberating in your head and heart.
Accommodation: Hotel Oxford
(B)
