5 insider tips for Bosnia and Herzegovina that (almost) nobody knows

The biggest surprise for me on our Balkan road trip was Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here are my insider tips: waterfalls in Una National Park, hikes, a via ferrata, Mostar, and a dervish monastery.

1. Highlight: Waterfalls in Una National Park – Martha's Path

The coolest insider tip in Bosnia and Herzegovina : While tourists queue up at the waterfalls at Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, just 40 kilometers away, we barely encountered a soul in Una National Park in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The water is ice-blue and just as ice-cold. The mountains lead steeply and forested to the water. Along the river, we visited several impressive waterfalls, such as the mighty Štrbački Buk.

My tip: On the way to Štrbački buk there are many simple but beautifully situated campsites, such as Kamp Kestenovac, which also rents out bungalows.

Apart from the short access routes to the waterfalls, the region is little developed for tourism and hiking.

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From Martin Brod, the beautiful Martha's Path leads past the Great Waterfall to the old railway bridge. If you're interested, you can also book rafting tours here.

Insider tip 2: Another highlight is the hike to the Hajdučka Vrata rock window

Want an Instagram-worthy spot all to yourself? Then head to the Hajdučka Vrata rock window in the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina! In this blog post, you'll find all the information and GPS data for this amazing hike.

My tip: If you have more time, you can also do great multi-day hikes here.

While it was unbearably hot everywhere else in Bosnia and Herzegovina in August, here at over 1,000 meters it was still pleasant to hike even during the day.

Here you can find a detailed description of the hike.

Bosnia and Herzegovina insider tip

Click on the first image to start the photo gallery.

The Waterfalls of Martin Brod

Chilling above the ice-cold Una

Stari Grad Castle above Blagaj

Viewing point for the bridge jumpers in Mostar

Another highlight is the hike to Hajdučka Vrata rock window

The wild horses in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Insider tip 3: the rebuilt Old Bridge of Mostar.

It is the heart of the city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But the small alleys of the historic old town are also worth exploring.

My tip: From the beach bar down by the river you have the best view of the bridge jumpers.

Here you will find all the information for your visit.

Insider tip 4: Off to adventure – Vulin Potok via ferrata

Just 15 kilometers from Mostar, in the village of Blagaj, lies the most beautiful sport climbing area in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Vulin Poto k via ferrata leads adventurously through a narrow gorge. You can find a detailed description and GPS data here.

My tip: There are also many well-secured sport climbing routes in Blagaj.

On the way back you can visit the Stari Grad Blagaj Castle.

5. Highlight: The dervish monastery Tekke Blagaj

In the small village of Blagaj, right next to the Buna spring and beneath a 240-meter-high cliff, lies the Tekke Blagaj , a 16th-century dervish monastery. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For the dervishes, dancing and spinning in circles isn't about falling into ecstasy, but rather about spinning in harmony with nature, with the smallest cells and the stars in the sky. It's about getting close to God.

My tip: I found the atmosphere particularly beautiful in the evening. From the other side of the spring, you have a good view of the illuminated monastery.

Arrival:

From Frankfurt there are flights with a stopover to Mostar .

The journey time by car is approximately 14:30 hours.

Mostar can also be reached from Dubrovnik in Croatia. From there, it's a two-and-a-half-hour drive or a three-hour journey by public transport.

General information about Bosnia and Herzegovina can be found here .