Bosnia & Beyond: Self-Launched Balkans Adventure

Fly into Dubrovnik Airport and make your own way to Trebinje in Bosnia & Herzegovina — just over an hour away. The easiest option is a shared taxi or a pre-booked private transfer (~£15–20pp), or hop on a local bus from Dubrovnik's main bus station (line runs several times daily, ~£5). Trebinje is a beautifully relaxed introduction to Herzegovina: stroll the old town, cross the 18th-century Arslanagić Bridge, and settle into the evening beside the Trebišnjica River. Grab dinner at a local konoba — try the local wine and grilled meats for under £10.

🚌Local bus from Dubrovnik to Trebinje (~£5) or shared taxi (~£15–20pp)

🛏Hostel Platani or Villa Stari Grad guesthouse, Trebinje (~£20–28/night)

• →Explore Trebinje old town and Arslanagić Bridge on foot (free)
• →Evening stroll along the Trebišnjica River
• →Dinner at a local konoba (£8–12)

Take a morning bus or shared taxi from Trebinje to Kotor (~2 hrs, £8–12). Kotor's UNESCO-listed Old Town is free to wander — lose yourself in its medieval lanes, Venetian palaces and Byzantine churches. In the afternoon, catch a local bus or taxi to Perast (25 mins, ~£3–5) and take one of the small local boat taxis across to the island of Our Lady of the Rocks (~£5 return). The views of the Bay of Kotor from the water are extraordinary. Book a self-guided Kotor Old Town walking audio tour via GetYourGuide (~£5) for extra context.

🚌Bus or shared taxi Trebinje → Kotor (~£8–12); local bus/taxi to Perast (~£3–5)

🛏Old Town Hostel Kotor or Guesthouse Marija (~£22–30/night)

• →Self-guided walk through Kotor Old Town (entry to city walls ~£8)
• →Bus or taxi to Perast (~£3–5)
• →Boat taxi to Our Lady of the Rocks island (~£5 return)
• →Lunch overlooking the bay in Perast (~£10–14)

This is a big travel day — hire a local taxi or join a shared day tour from Kotor to take in Cetinje (Montenegro's historic royal capital) and the jaw-dropping Ostrog Monastery, carved into a sheer cliff face. Several tour operators in Kotor run day excursions covering both stops (~£25–35pp via GetYourGuide or local agencies). Alternatively, rent a car for the day (~£35–45 split between travellers) for maximum flexibility. After Ostrog, continue north to Žabljak (3 hrs), gateway to Durmitor National Park. Check in and grab dinner in town.

🚌Day tour minibus from Kotor including Cetinje & Ostrog (~£25–35pp), then local bus or taxi to Žabljak (~£10–15)

🛏Eco Village Soa or Hotel Žabljak (~£20–30/night)

• →Tour of Cetinje — museums and royal heritage sites (entry fees ~£5–8 total)
• →Visit Ostrog Monastery (free entry, donations welcome)
• →Scenic drive through Durmitor mountain passes
• →Arrive Žabljak and explore the town

Buy a Durmitor National Park day pass (~£4) and spend the morning hiking around Black Lake (Crno Jezero) — an easy 3.5 km loop with stunning reflections of the surrounding peaks. After lunch, take a local taxi or walk to the Podgora ecovillage area and seek out one of the viewpoints over the UNESCO-listed Tara Canyon, the deepest in Europe. Several local guesthouses and restaurants in the Žabljak area serve traditional Montenegrin mountain food (lamb, cheese, kajmak) — ask your host for a recommendation for a home-cooked lunch (~£8–12). Afternoon free to swim in the lake or relax.

🚌On foot and local taxis within Žabljak area (~£5–8)

🛏Eco Village Soa or Hotel Žabljak (~£20–30/night)

• →Hiking around Black Lake, Durmitor NP (~£4 park entry)
• →Viewpoint over Tara Canyon (free)
• →Traditional Montenegrin lunch at a local guesthouse (~£8–12)
• →Optional: rent a bike to explore the plateau (~£8–12)

Today's journey crosses into Bosnia — a dramatic drive through Durmitor's interior and along the Drina River valley. There's no direct public bus from Žabljak to Sarajevo, so the best independent option is to take a local bus or taxi to Foča or Šćepan Polje (~£10–15), then connect to a bus towards Sarajevo (~£12–18, 3–4 hrs). Alternatively, a shared private transfer can be arranged through local Žabljak guesthouses (often £20–30pp for groups). Stop for lunch at a riverside restaurant en route. Arrive Sarajevo in the evening — check into your hostel in the Baščaršija quarter and explore the famous Ottoman bazaar.

🚌Local bus/taxi Žabljak → Foča (~£10–15) + bus to Sarajevo (~£12–18)

🛏Hostel Franz Ferdinand or Hostel Balkan Han, Sarajevo (~£15–22/night)

• →Scenic drive through Durmitor and the Drina River valley
• →Lunch stop at riverside restaurant en route (~£8–12)
• →Evening wander through Baščaršija bazaar, Sarajevo (free)

Sarajevo rewards slow exploration. Start with a self-guided walk through Baščaršija and the Latin Bridge (site of Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination in 1914). Join a free walking tour (tip-based, ~£5–10) or book a 3-hour guided city tour via GetYourGuide (~£15–20pp) covering the Ottoman quarter, Austro-Hungarian architecture and war-era sites. In the afternoon, take tram line 3 or a taxi (~£4–6) to the Sarajevo Tunnel Museum — entry is ~£5 and the exhibits are genuinely moving. End the day with a meal in the old town — try ćevapi at Željo, the city's most famous spot (under £6 for a full meal).

🚌Tram and walking within Sarajevo (~£2–5); taxi to Tunnel Museum (~£4–6 return)

🛏Hostel Franz Ferdinand or Hostel Balkan Han, Sarajevo (~£15–22/night)

• →Self-guided walk through Baščaršija and Latin Bridge (free)
• →Tip-based free walking tour or GetYourGuide city tour (~£5–20pp)
• →Sarajevo Tunnel Museum (~£5 entry)
• →Dinner at Aščinica Željo — famous local ćevapi (~£5–8)

Lukomir is Bosnia's highest permanently inhabited village and one of the country's most rewarding day trips. The easiest independent option is to book a guided day excursion from Sarajevo via GetYourGuide or a local agency such as Green Visions (~£30–40pp, including transport and a traditional village lunch). This excursion covers the drive to the Bjelašnica plateau, the walk to Lukomir and a hike along the rim of Rakitnica Canyon. If you prefer total independence, rent a car (~£35–45/day) and drive up — the road is passable in summer. Lunch with a local family can be arranged in advance through the village (~£8–12). Return to Sarajevo by early evening.

🚌Guided day tour including transport from Sarajevo (~£30–40pp)

🛏Hostel Franz Ferdinand or Hostel Balkan Han, Sarajevo (~£15–22/night)

• →Day trip to Lukomir village (transport + guide ~£30–40pp via Green Visions / GetYourGuide)
• →Hike along Rakitnica Canyon rim (included in tour)
• →Traditional home-cooked lunch in Lukomir (~£8–12, often included)

Buses from Sarajevo to Mostar run regularly throughout the day (2.5–3 hrs, ~£8–12 — book at the main bus station or via flixbus.com). Arrive in Mostar late morning and spend the rest of the day exploring at your own pace. The iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge) is the obvious centrepiece — wander the cobbled Ottoman bazaar of Kujundžiluk, peek into the mosques and admire the restored architecture. If you're lucky, you'll catch the famous bridge divers in action. Mostar is very walkable and rewards aimless exploration. Book a self-guided audio tour via GetYourGuide (~£5) for historical context.

🚌Bus Sarajevo → Mostar (~£8–12, ~2.5–3 hrs)

🛏Hostel Majdas or Pansion Aldi, Mostar (~£15–22/night)

• →Walk Stari Most (Old Bridge) and Kujundžiluk bazaar (free)
• →Visit Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque with bridge views (~£3)
• →Watch bridge divers (free to watch, tips welcome)
• →Self-guided audio tour of Mostar via GetYourGuide (~£5)

This day trip covers three of Herzegovina's most photogenic spots. The most convenient independent option is to book a shared day tour from Mostar via GetYourGuide or a local agency (~£20–30pp, covering Počitelj, Kravica and Blagaj). Alternatively, rent a car for the day (~£30–40) and drive yourself — all three stops are within 30–45 minutes of Mostar. Počitelj is a UNESCO-listed hilltop Ottoman settlement with a dramatic kula (fortress tower) — free to explore. Kravica Waterfall is a gorgeous swimming spot (entry ~£3–5). Blagaj's Dervish monastery is built into a cliff above the Buna spring — entry ~£2. Grab lunch in Blagaj before returning to Mostar.

🚌Shared day tour from Mostar (~£20–30pp) or rental car (~£30–40/day)

🛏Hostel Majdas or Pansion Aldi, Mostar (~£15–22/night)

• →Počitelj Ottoman village and Kula fortress (free entry)
• →Kravica Waterfall — swimming and picnic (~£3–5 entry)
• →Blagaj Tekija Dervish monastery (~£2 entry)
• →Lunch in Blagaj (~£8–12)

Catch a morning bus from Mostar to Trebinje (via Stolac, ~2.5–3 hrs, ~£8–10) or take a direct shared taxi. In Trebinje, visit the walled old town and seek out a family-owned winery — Vukoje and Anđelić are both well-regarded local wineries that welcome walk-in visitors or can be booked for tastings (~£10–15). From Trebinje, it's a straightforward bus or taxi ride to Dubrovnik (~1 hr, ~£5–8). Check into your Dubrovnik accommodation and spend the evening exploring the illuminated old town or swimming off the rocks below the city walls.

🚌Bus Mostar → Trebinje (~£8–10); bus/taxi Trebinje → Dubrovnik (~£5–8)

🛏Hostel Angelina Old Town or Fresh Sheets Hostel, Dubrovnik (~£28–40/night)

• →Trebinje old town walk and Arslanagić Bridge (free)
• →Wine tasting at Vukoje or Anđelić winery (~£10–15)
• →Evening walk along Dubrovnik city walls (~£30 entry, or save for Day 11)

Enjoy a final breakfast before checkout. If you haven't yet walked Dubrovnik's famous city walls, this morning is ideal before the crowds arrive — buy tickets at the gate (~£30). The cable car up Mount Srđ offers panoramic views over the Adriatic and the terracotta rooftops (~£14 return). Dubrovnik's Old Town is beautiful to wander even without an agenda — the Stradun promenade, Rector's Palace and Dominican Monastery are all worth a look. Head to the airport when ready, or extend your stay along the Dalmatian Coast.

🚌Bus or taxi to Dubrovnik Airport (~£5–10)

🛏Check out — no accommodation needed

• →Dubrovnik city walls walk (~£30 entry)
• →Mount Srđ cable car (~£14 return)
• →Final stroll along the Stradun promenade (free)