Self-Launched Balkans Adventure: Zagreb to Dubrovnik
12 days · Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro)
G Adventures charges £2,450
No-markup version: ~£680 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 12-day self-launched version of G Adventures' Upgraded Balkans Adventure — Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes, Split, Mostar, Sarajevo, the Bay of Kotor and Dubrovnik — travelling by public bus, train and ferry and staying in hostels, guesthouses and small family-run pensions instead of tour hotels. All the headline experiences (Plitvice boardwalks, Diocletian's Palace, Stari Most, the Tunnel of Hope, Kotor's fortress climb, the Dubrovnik city walls) are self-bookable at a fraction of the group-tour price. Costs are rough backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Zagreb
Zagreb, Croatia
Fly or train into Zagreb and take bus 290 or the ZET shuttle from the airport to the main bus station (about £1.50), then tram 5 towards Prečko to Miramarska if your hostel is in that area. Settle into a hostel or guesthouse near the Lower Town, then wander Tkalčićeva Street for an evening drink and a cheap Ćevapi or štrukli dinner. Grab a SIM/eSIM and stock up on snacks for the next day.
🚌Airport bus/tram ~£2; walking
🛏Hostel in Zagreb Lower Town (dorm or private twin)
- →Lower Town and Tkalčićeva Street wander
- →Dolac Market area (if arriving early)
Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice Lakes
Take the morning bus from Zagreb bus station to Plitvice (roughly 2.5 hours, £10-13 one way; FlixBus or Arriva operate the route). Buy your Plitvice timed-entry ticket online in advance (about £33 in high season, less off-peak; includes the park shuttle and boat). Walk the classic lower-lakes boardwalk loop (Program A/B, 3-4 hours) among the turquoise pools and waterfalls. Stay overnight in a soba (private room) in the villages of Mukinje or Jezerce just outside Entrance 2. For dinner, try peka — order it at lunchtime since it needs hours over the embers.
🚌Public bus Zagreb–Plitvice ~£11
🛏Soba/guesthouse in Mukinje or Jezerce near Entrance 2
- →Plitvice Lakes boardwalk walk (self-guided, timed ticket)
- →Traditional peka dinner at a local konoba
Plitvice to Split + Diocletian's Palace at sunset
Split, Croatia
Bus south to Split (3.5-4.5 hours, £16-20, Arriva/FlixBus). Drop bags at a hostel in the Old Town or Bačvice area. Late afternoon, join a small-group Diocletian's Palace walking tour booked via GetYourGuide (about £15-20 for 1.5 hours) — or do a free-walking-tour version and tip £5. Stay in the palace cellars and Peristyle as the light fades for photos.
🚌Public bus Plitvice–Split ~£18
🛏Hostel in Split Old Town or Bačvice
- →Diocletian's Palace walking tour (GetYourGuide)
- →Peristyle and Riva sunset
Split free day — Marjan Hill or Trogir
Split, Croatia
Free day. Walk up Marjan Hill (free, 30-40 mins to the viewpoint) for sweeping city and harbour views, swim off Bene or Kašjuni beach, and graze the morning market by the Silver Gate for cheap cheese, pršut and fruit. Alternatives: a local bus to Trogir (about £3, 40 mins) to see the UNESCO old town, or the Archaeology Museum (free entry on certain days). Dinner at a konoba off the Riva for grilled fish or pašticada.
🚌Walking; optional local bus to Trogir ~£3
🛏Hostel in Split Old Town or Bačvice
- →Marjan Hill hike
- →Split market grazing
- →Optional Trogir day trip
Split to Mostar and Sarajevo
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Take an early bus from Split to Mostar (2.5 hours, £12-15). Spend 3-4 hours exploring the Ottoman bazaar and the Stari Most, and watch the divers if it's summer — remember to tip them a few marks. Continue by bus or train to Sarajevo (train is scenic, about £6, 2 hours; bus £8-12). Check into a hostel in Baščaršija. This is a long travel day — keep it simple with a burek and yoghurt dinner.
🚌Bus Split–Mostar ~£13; train Mostar–Sarajevo ~£6
🛏Hostel in Baščaršija, Sarajevo
- →Mostar old town and Stari Most
- →Scenic Mostar–Sarajevo train
Sarajevo: Siege, Tunnel of Hope and market lunch
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Book a small-group Siege of Sarajevo tour via GetYourGuide or Viator (roughly £25-35, 3-4 hours), which includes the Tunnel of Hope and War Tunnel Museum with a local guide who lived through the siege — the same experience as the tour's local expert talk. Afterwards, eat at the Markale or Baščaršija market area for a cheap lunch of ćevapi and somun.
🚌Tram and walking ~£2
🛏Hostel in Baščaršija, Sarajevo
- →Siege of Sarajevo tour with Tunnel of Hope
- →Baščaršija market lunch
Sarajevo free day
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Explore at your own pace: the Latin Bridge where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, the Old Orthodox Church, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and the Yellow Fortress viewpoint for a free sunset over the city. Coffee culture here is legendary — sit in a traditional ćehajnica for a bosanska kava. Optional: take a local bus/hitch to the abandoned bobsleigh track on Trebević, or join a day trip to Višegrad if you have energy.
🚌Tram/walking ~£2
🛏Hostel in Baščaršija, Sarajevo
- →Latin Bridge
- →Yellow Fortress sunset viewpoint
- →Bosnian coffee
Sarajevo to Kotor
Kotor, Montenegro
Bus from Sarajevo to Kotor (7-8 hours, £18-25, usually one or two departures a day — book the day before). The route crosses into Montenegro through stunning mountain scenery. Arrive in Kotor old town and check into a hostel inside or just outside the walls. Evening stroll along the bay and a cheap seafood dinner.
🚌Public bus Sarajevo–Kotor ~£21
🛏Hostel in Kotor old town
- →Bay of Kotor evening stroll
Kotor: fortress hike, Perast or sea kayaking
Kotor, Montenegro
Climb the old city walls up to Sveti Ivan fortress (entry about £3 at the trailhead, 1-1.5 hours up) for the classic bay panorama. Afternoon options: a local bus or boat to Perast (about £5) to see the Roman mosaics at Risan, or rent a kayak and paddle around the bay (about £20 for 2-3 hours). Herceg Novi beaches and mud therapy spa are another easy bus option if you'd rather relax.
🚌Local bus ~£5; kayak rental ~£20
🛏Hostel in Kotor old town
- →Sveti Ivan fortress hike
- →Perast visit
- →Optional sea kayaking
Kotor to Dubrovnik with a family-run agrotourism stop
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Bus Kotor–Dubrovnik (2.5-3.5 hours, £12-15, crosses the border at Karasovići). On the way, if you want the villa experience the tour includes, pre-book a farm-to-table lunch or baking workshop at a Konavle agrotourism estate (many take small groups or individual bookings, roughly £20-30) — the Konavle valley is the right stop before Dubrovnik. Arrive in Dubrovnik and stay in a guesthouse or hostel just outside the Old Town for cheaper rates. Evening: walk the Stradun and Old Town.
🚌Public bus Kotor–Dubrovnik ~£13
🛏Guesthouse/hostel near Dubrovnik Old Town
- →Konavle agrotourism lunch/demo (pre-booked)
- →Stradun evening walk
Dubrovnik Old Town and City Walls
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Walk the full Dubrovnik city walls loop (£30 entry in high season; start early to beat the crowds and heat) past Fort Minčeta, Fort Lawrence and St John's Fortress. Afternoon: kayak around Lokrum island (about £36 for a guided sea-kayak tour) or take the public ferry to Lokrum itself (about £12) for the botanical gardens. If the DEŠA women's centre is open to visitors (it sells handicrafts and runs heritage tours), visit to support the women's cooperative the original tour supports.
🚌Walking; Lokrum ferry ~£12
🛏Guesthouse/hostel near Dubrovnik Old Town
- →Dubrovnik City Walls walk
- →Guided sea kayaking or Lokrum Island
- →DEŠA women's centre shop
Depart Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Breakfast at a bakery, shop for last-minute gifts at the Gruž market, and take the Atlas airport shuttle (about £7) or a local bus to Dubrovnik Airport for your flight home — or carry on down the coast to Montenegro or Albania if you're extending.
🚌Airport shuttle bus ~£7
🛏None (checkout)
- →Gruž market
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£680 | £2,450 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,770 per person (72%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£680
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Balkans Adventure: Zagreb to Dubrovnik cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £680 per person for 12 days in Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £680 — a saving of roughly £1,770 (72%) per person.
How long is the Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro) trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a budget, culture, backpacker trip through Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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