Bosnia & Herzegovina Self-Launched: Wild Horses, Old Bridges & River Rafting

Arrive into Trebinje (most people fly into Dubrovnik, Croatia and take a local bus or shared taxi across the border, ~£10-15, roughly 1 hour plus border formalities). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in the old town. In the late afternoon, do your own orientation loop: follow the Trebišnjica river past the 16th-century Arslanagić Bridge, wander the walled Old Town (Stari Grad) with its stone lanes and the Plane Tree square, and climb to the hilltop Hercegovačka Gračanica church for sunset views over the valley. Grab dinner of ćevapi or grilled trout at a konoba by the river.

🚌Local bus or shared taxi from Dubrovnik Airport/old town to Trebinje (~£10-15). Walking in town.

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Trebinje old town, dorm or private twin (approx. £15-20)

• →Riverside orientation walk along the Trebišnjica
• →Old Town (Stari Grad) and Arslanagić Bridge
• →Sunset at Hercegovačka Gračanica

This is a big day, so start early. Take the morning bus toward Čapljina/Stolac (~£4-6) and stop at Počitelj — the Ottoman-era fortress village clinging to a cliff above the Neretva, now home to an art colony. Continue by local bus or taxi (~£5) to Kravica Waterfalls, the wide amphitheatre of falls near Ljubuški; swim, picnic and take your time before heading north. Take an afternoon bus to Livno via Mostar (~£8-12, allow 3-4 hrs total). In Livno, book a locally-run sunset jeep safari to the wild horse plains of Mount Cincar directly through your guesthouse or a local operator (~£25-35) — horses are best seen at golden hour. Back at the guesthouse, join a home-cooked dinner and a firepit evening if your host offers it.

🚌Local buses Trebinje–Čapljina/Počitelj–Ljubuški–Mostar–Livno (~£15-20 total) plus a local taxi hop

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Livno (approx. £18-22; ranch-style guesthouses often include breakfast and dinner extras)

• →Počitelj Ottoman fortress and art colony
• →Swim at Kravica Waterfalls
• →Sunset wild horse jeep safari on Mount Cincar

Morning bus from Livno south to Mostar (~£8-10, around 2-2.5 hrs), then a local bus or cheap taxi to Blagaj (~£2-3, 15 mins). Visit the Blagaj Tekke — the white Dervish monastery perched at the mouth of the Buna River spring, one of the most photographed spots in the country (small entry fee ~£2-3). Have lunch at one of the riverside restaurants (trout and Bosnian coffee). Return to Mostar and check in; in the late afternoon either join a budget Old Town walking tour (many tip-based free walking tours run from the Old Bridge area, ~£5 tip) or self-guide around the Old Bazaar, the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque and the Stari Most itself. Evening is free for dinner by the Neretva and watching divers on the bridge.

🚌Local bus Livno–Mostar (~£8-10) plus local bus/taxi to Blagaj (~£3)

🛏Hostel in Mostar Old Town, dorm bed (approx. £15-20)

• →Blagaj Tekke Dervish Monastery and Buna spring
• →Riverside lunch in Blagaj
• →Mostar Old Bridge and Old Bazaar (self-guided or tip-based walking tour)

Take the morning train from Mostar to Konjic — one of the most scenic rail routes in Europe, winding along the turquoise Neretva through gorge after gorge (~£3-4, under an hour). Drop bags at a riverside lodge or hostel in Konjic and head out on an afternoon white-water rafting trip on the Neretva, bookable direct with local operators in Konjic (half-day ~£30-40, includes gear and guides; lunch usually included or ~£8 extra for a riverside BBQ). In the late afternoon, visit Tito's Bunker (AR K Museum, ~£10-12 entry) — the vast secret Cold War command centre built into a hillside — or simply relax by the river. Dinner at a local ćevabdžinica.

🚌Train Mostar–Konjic (~£4); rafting operator transfer included; walking around town

🛏Riverside hostel or lodge in Konjic (approx. £18-22)

• →Scenic train along the Neretva gorge
• →White-water rafting the Neretva River
• →Tito's Bunker (ARK D-0) optional visit

Another stunning train ride from Konjic to Sarajevo (~£4-5, about 1.5 hrs, passing the Jablanica lake and Neretva canyon). Check into a hostel near Baščaršija. In the afternoon, join a budget local food tour in Sarajevo (many operate via GetYourGuide and are run by small local guides, ~£25-35, 3 hrs) covering ćevapi, burek, Bosnian coffee, sweets and the markets away from the main tourist strip. Alternatively do a DIY food crawl: ćevabdžinica, buregdžinica, a coffee house for Bosnian coffee in a džezva, and rakija at a bar in the old town. Spend the evening wandering Baščaršija and the Sebilj fountain square.

🚌Train Konjic–Sarajevo (~£5); walking/trams in Sarajevo

🛏Hostel near Baščaršija, Sarajevo, dorm bed (approx. £18-22)

• →Scenic Konjic–Sarajevo train
• →Sarajevo local food tour (small-group, bookable via GetYourGuide)
• →Baščaršija bazaar evening wander

Free day to explore Sarajevo's heavy but absorbing history and easy café culture. Options: the Tunnel of Hope (War Tunnel Museum) and the Times of Misfortune tour, the Gallery 11/07/95, the History Museum of BiH, the National Museum, or the Sarajevo City Hall. Ride the funicular up to the abandoned 1984 Olympic bobsled track on Trebević for the views and the street-art-covered concrete. For the energetic, there's hiking in the Rakitnica canyon area or a short trek up Trebević. In the evening, do a self-launched 'big night out' — craft beer at a local brewery taproom, rakija bars in the old town and a late-night Ćevapi stop.

🚌Walking, trams (~£1 per ride) and taxis for the Tunnel Museum (~£6-8 each way)

🛏Hostel near Baščaršija, dorm bed (approx. £18-22)

• →Tunnel of Hope / War Tunnel Museum
• →Trebević funicular and Olympic bobsled track
• →Gallery 11/07/95 and History Museum
• →Craft beer and rakija night in the old town

Squeeze in a final Bosnian coffee and pastry in Baščaršija, pick up souvenirs at the old bazaar (copperware, coffee sets, sweets), and if time allows climb the Yellow Fortress for a last panorama over the city. Then head to Sarajevo Airport (tram/trolleybus to Ilidža then bus, ~£2; taxi ~£10-12) or take a bus onward to Mostar, Dubrovnik or Belgrade if you're continuing your trip.

🚌Public transport or taxi to Sarajevo Airport (~£2-12)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Baščaršija souvenir shopping
• →Yellow Fortress viewpoint