Walking the Balkans- Bosnia, Serbia & Montenegro

Our walking tour of the Balkans starts today in Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nestled among forested mountains, Sarajevo captivates visitors with its blend of Ottoman charm and Austro-Hungarian elegance, where lively bazaars, coffeehouses and poignant historic sites create a city of unforgettable contrasts. If you would like an airport transfer today you'll need to arrive in to Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ) which is about a 30 minute drive from the hotel. Our tour leader will meet us for a welcome meeting in the hotel lobby this evening at 7pm, giving us time to get to the hotel and put our bags down after the flight.

This morning, we'll set out at 9am and drive to Lukomir Village where our hike begins. The drive will take us through the scenic Bjelasnica mountain range all the way up to Lukomir which is highest and most remote village in Bosnia, sitting at 1,495 metres/4,904 feet above sea level. You'll notice that life here has changed very little over the centuries - it's a real insight into the true Bosnia. From Lukomir, we hike up to the Obalj summit, which offers sweeping views of the Rakitnica canyon and its surrounding peaks. At the end of our walk, we'll drive back to Sarajevo where we'll arrive at around 6pm. The evening is then free for you to explore the city solo. Today's 8 kilometre/5 mile hike is expected to take around 3-4 hours with a total ascent and descent of 410 metres/1,377 feet. The terrain is mainly Alpine meadows, low bushes and vegetation.

We'll set off at 9am this morning, driving up Mount Trebevic (the site of the 1984 Winter Olympics) to the top of the cable car station where today's walk begins. Our circular trail will give us beautiful views right over Sarajevo and across the Dinaric Alps. At the end of our walk, we'll head back down in the cable car and walk back to our hotel. This afternoon, we'll drive to our next stop - Mitrovac in Serbia's beautiful Tara National Park - crossing the Vardiste/Kotroman border along the way. We aim to arrive at our hotel at around 6pm. Today's 4.5 kilometre/ 2.8 mile hike is expected to take around 2 hours with a total ascent and descent of 250 metres/ 820 feet.

This morning, we'll meet at 9am and drive to today's starting point in the Tara National Park. The park is home to some of the most astounding viewpoints in the Balkans and we'll tick off its crowning jewel, Banjska Stena. This incredible viewpoint looks out over the lapis lazuli waters and the park's sprawling forested peaks. Our hike is short but rewarding, leading us to a dramatic cliff above the Drina canyon, with views of Bosnia on the other side. We'll hike through dense evergreen and beech forest, partly on a single-track trail and partly along an unpaved forest road. In the afternoon, we'll drive into Sjenica town on the Pester Plateau - one of the largest plateaus in this part of the world. Today's 6 kilometre/ 3.7 mile hike is expected to take around 2 hours with a total ascent of 20 metres/ 66 feet and descent of 90 metres/295 feet

This morning, we'll drive to the Uvac Nature Reserve to hike one of Serbia's most stunning natural reserves. The reserve is famous for its dramatic waterways and also as a sanctuary for the endangered griffon vulture. After a short transfer, we'll hike to Molitva, a viewpoint perched above the river canyon where we'll get post-card perfect views of an incredible network of meanders enclosed by a mountainous landscape. We'll be walking along karst terrain with low vegetation and along the side of the canyon with a view of the river. After our walk, we'll drive over to Montenegro stopping at the Circovika watermill near Pljevlja - the journey will take around two-and-a-half hours. We'll then continue to Zabljak, which will take around another hour. Today's 5.5 kilometre/3.4 mile hike is expected to take 2 hours with an ascent of 130 metres/426 feet and a descent of 280 metres/918 feet.

Our hike today starts from our hotel. We'll walk through the town to the entrance of the Durmitor National Park where we'll begin our hike up to Lake Jablan, the highest lake in the national park at 1,791 metres/5,875 feet. The hike takes us through a dense evergreen forest and through alpine meadows. The hike today is longer, so we'll take it at our own pace and have plenty of opportunities to stop along the way and soak up the beautiful nature surrounding us. We'll walk all the way back to the hotel to finish the day at around 5pm. Today's 14 kilometre/ 8.7 mile hike is expected to take 5 hours with an ascent and descent of 490 metres/1608 feet

Our hike today starts from our hotel as we head to see some of the most iconic glacial lakes in the Durmitor National Park; Crno, Zminje and Barno. Surrounded by pine woods and mountain silence, these lakes offer a peaceful walking experience in pristine nature. The hike today is longer, so we'll take it at our own pace and have plenty of opportunities to stop along the way and admire our surroundings. In the afternoon, we'll drive towards Monastery Ostrog where we'll spend a night in a guesthouse near the monastery. Today's 14 kilometre/8.7 mile hike is expected to take 4 hours with an ascent and descent of 200 metres/656 feet.

On the final full day of our tour, we'll set out at 9am with a five-minute transfer to the Lower Ostrog Monastery. From the Lower Monastery, we begin a peaceful walk to the Upper Monastery. The trail winds through forest and follows the path traditionally taken by pilgrims. At the top, we'll visit the Upper Monastery, carved directly into the rock and offering panoramic views over the Bjelopavlici plain. It's a place of deep spiritual significance for Orthodox Christians as well as visitors of all backgrounds. At the end of our walk, we'll transfer back to the lower Ostrog Monastery and continue our journey to Trebinje, our stop for the night. We aim to arrive around 5pm. Today's 2.5 kilometre/1.5 mile hike is expected to take 90 minutes with an ascent and descent of 250 metres/820 feet.

There are no planned activities today. Departing Trebinje, we'll drive to Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) (a one-hour journey) where our trip ends. We aim to arrive at the airport at around 9am. The earliest your flight can depart is 11am.