10 Days in Bosnia: Adding the North

Ten days is what it takes to see Bosnia as more than Sarajevo and Mostar. This route suits travellers who want nature alongside the cities, whether that means the waterfalls and rafting of Una National Park in the northwest or the old growth forest and high peaks of Sutjeska in the southeast. It also suits anyone arriving overland from Zagreb, since a route through the north uses that entry point naturally instead of adding a detour.

This is an extension of the 7 day classic route, with three extra days added at the start for the north. If ten days is more than you need, drop back to the 7 day version and treat this page as the template for adding days later.

1. Days 1 to 2

   Banja Luka and Una National Park

   Arrive via Zagreb and start in Banja Luka, the largest city in the north, on the Vrbas river, or continue further to base yourself near Una National Park around Bihac. Spend a day on the Una's waterfalls and smaller channels, with rafting an option if the water level and season suit it.

2. Day 3

   Jajce

   Travel south toward central Bosnia, stopping in Jajce, a fortress town where the Pliva river drops into the Vrbas in a waterfall at the centre of town. It is a small, walkable stop, good for a few hours before continuing toward Sarajevo.

3. Days 4 to 6

   Sarajevo

   Three nights for the capital: Bascarsija and the Austro-Hungarian centre on day one, the Tunnel of Hope museum and Trebevic cable car on day two, and a half day trip into the Bjelasnica mountains or to Konjic on day three.

4. Day 7

   South to Mostar

   Drive or take the bus to Mostar, about two hours, with a stop at a Neretva canyon viewpoint on the way. Spend the evening around the Old Bridge once the day trip groups have left.

5. Day 8

   Blagaj, Pocitelj and Kravice

   A full day covering Blagaj's dervish house, the hillside village of Pocitelj, and Kravice waterfalls, all within about 40 minutes of Mostar.

6. Days 9 to 10

   Trebinje, or Sutjeska instead of the north

   Finish in Trebinje, close to Dubrovnik, or swap the northern leg of this itinerary for a detour east to Sutjeska National Park before Sarajevo if forest and mountains matter more to you than rivers and waterfalls. Sutjeska sits southeast of Sarajevo toward Montenegro, so it fits before the Mostar leg rather than after it.

• A car is close to essential for this version of the trip. Banja Luka, Una, Jajce, Sarajevo, Mostar and Trebinje are connected by bus, but the northern leg in particular takes far longer and requires more transfers without one.
• Zagreb to Banja Luka or Bihac: a few hours by car or bus, and the standard overland entry point for this route.
• Jajce to Sarajevo: about two and a half hours by car on mountain roads.
• If you choose Sutjeska instead of the north, it sits roughly three hours southeast of Sarajevo, best reached by car since public transport is limited.

• Banja Luka or Bihac (1 to 2 nights): Banja Luka's centre near the Vrbas, or a smaller guesthouse close to Una National Park if rivers are the priority.
• Jajce: usually a stop rather than an overnight, though a night here suits a slower pace.
• Sarajevo (3 nights): Bascarsija or the Austro-Hungarian centre.
• Mostar (2 nights): the old town or a short walk from it.
• Trebinje or Sutjeska (1 to 2 nights): the old town square in Trebinje, or a guesthouse near the park entrance if you take the Sutjeska option.

See Banja Luka, Una National Park, Jajce and Sutjeska National Park for destination level detail.

To bring this back to a week, drop the northern leg entirely and use the 7 day itinerary instead. To shorten just the northern section, spend one night near Una rather than two and skip Jajce as anything more than a driving stop. To extend beyond ten days, add a second national park rather than more time in the cities, since Una and Sutjeska sit at opposite ends of the country and combining both properly needs closer to two weeks.