PROGRAM
Day 1 – Sunday (arrival day)
Arrival Sunday afternoon, pick-up at the Airport or your accommodation in Sarajevo and transfer to equestrian ranch, 30 min drive.
Enjoy the afternoon settling into your accommodation, taking a walk through the surrounding forest, exploring the vineyard located within our equestrian ranch, or watching the riding lessons taking place in our riding arenas. In the evening, you will join the group and your trail guide for dinner, followed by an introduction to the week ahead and a detailed riding and safety briefing.
Overnight at ranch house.
Accommodation (equestrian ranch house)
3 double bedrooms (one with private bathroom)
One 4 bed room (shared bathroom)
Kitchen, terrace
Day 2 – Monday (2 hours riding)
After breakfast we will have an introduction of the horses and an evaluation of the riding skills of the group. We will then saddle up for an easy morning ride of approximately 2 hours.
The aim of this introductory ride is to get used to the horse with whom you will hopefully spend an unforgettable riding week. Lunch at the ranch, followed by a trip to Sarajevo for a guided 2-hour walking tour, learning all about the history of this beautiful city. Dinner at a local restaurant in Sarajevo old town.
Overnight at ranch house.
Accommodation (equestrian ranch house)
3 double bedrooms (one with private bathroom)
One 4 bed room (shared bathroom)
Kitchen, terrace
Day 3 – Tuesday (5-6 hours riding)
After breakfast, we will set off on horseback, heading northwest through the beautiful mountain landscape. With well-rested horses and gentle, open stretches of trail, there will be opportunities to enjoy a relaxed trot or canter.
We will then descend towards the Lepenica River, where we will ride through the shallow water and admire its small waterfalls. Over the next 2 hours, the route follows peaceful forest trails, with mostly walking and trotting through woodland and occasional clearings. Along the way, enjoy the scenery and the soothing sound of the Crna Rijeka (Black River) flowing through the mountains.
For lunch, we will stop beside the river and enjoy freshly grilled trout. The sound of the water and the shade of the surrounding trees create the perfect setting for a short rest in the hammocks, while the more adventurous take a refreshing swim in the clear, cool mountain river.
In the late afternoon, we will arrive at our first overnight stop, Mountain Lodge Lopata.
Hidden deep within a dense mountain forest, Mountain Lodge Lopata offers complete peace and seclusion, far from the sounds and lights of civilization. With no mobile network coverage and nothing but silence, fresh air and the surrounding wilderness, it is the perfect place to disconnect and experience true solitude.
Here, we will relax, share impressions from the day and enjoy a welcoming dinner featuring delicious local specialties. We will also meet the lodge’s wonderful hosts, whose warm hospitality has welcomed hikers for many years as they have lovingly cared for this remote mountain retreat.
Accomodation (mountain lodge Lopata)
2 double bed rooms (private bathroom)
One 6 bed room, one 4 bed room, two 2 bed rooms (shared bathroom),
Kitchen, terrace
Mountain lodges are open for hikers only on weekends, in most cases we are the only guests.
Day 4 – Wednesday (5 hours riding)
After a hearty breakfast and strong Bosnian coffee, we will prepare the horses and set off on the next stage of our adventure. The trail gradually climbs through peaceful forests and open mountain glades towards the high plateau of Bitovnja, reaching an altitude of over 1,700 meters.
After we cross the tree line, the magnificent landscape of the Bitovnja mountain plateau unfolds before us. Its vast mountain pastures offer wonderful opportunities for canter and gallop. The panoramic views are truly breathtaking, often creating the impression that you can see from one end of Bosnia to the other.
Along this section, we will follow traces of a centuries-old, stone-paved caravan road that once connected Bosnia’s rich mining regions with Dubrovnik and the Adriatic coast. Over the centuries, caravans transported the region’s mineral wealth—including gold, silver and, in later periods, barite—along these mountain paths. The route also bears witness to a darker chapter of medieval history, when enslaved women from Bosnia were taken towards Dubrovnik and sold onwards across the Mediterranean and beyond. But we’ll save the rest of the story for the saddle—some tales are simply better told on horseback.
After approximately two to three hours of rewarding mountain riding, our trail support team will be waiting to welcome us to a well-earned picnic on the high plains of Bitovnja. Surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery, we will enjoy a warming traditional Bosnian bean stew.
After lunch, we will continue riding across the vast open pastures. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and memorable sections of the Via Dinarica adventure. Following several more hours in the saddle, we will leave Bitovnja behind and begin our descent towards our next overnight destination, Mountain Lodge Pogorelica.
After a well-deserved dinner, we can relax, share our impressions of the day and look forward to the next stage of our journey.
Accomodation (Mountain Lodge Pogorelica)
4 double bed rooms (shared bathroom)
One 3 bed room, one 4 bed rooms (shared bathroom)
Kitchen, terrace
Day 5 – Thursday (5-6 hours riding)
With both horses and riders well rested, we will set out on a demanding ride. The day begins with a steady two-hour climb towards Mount Zec, passing through vast mountain pastures where shepherds graze thousands of sheep during the summer. Further down in the valley, you will see their traditional huts, grazing grounds and sheep shelters.
The surrounding slopes of Mount Zec are covered with natural plantations of wild cranberries and blueberries. On a clear day, it is even possible to see Sarajevo in the far distance.
We will stop at a spectacular viewpoint for a saddlebag picnic, while the horses rest and graze nearby. After about an hour, we will continue towards our next destination—the secluded village of Vrtače.
Hidden high in the Vranica Mountains, Vrtače is a tiny pastoral settlement that once provided seasonal shelter for shepherds bringing their livestock to the summer pastures. Its small traditional wooden houses, known locally as katuni, blend naturally into the surrounding mountain landscape.
Only a handful of residents remain in this remote village, but they will warmly welcome us and may even offer freshly picked wild blueberries from the surrounding slopes. With its peaceful atmosphere and breathtaking views across the mountains, Vrtače feels like a place untouched by time.
Accomodation (mountain cabins)
3 double bedrooms (shared bathroom)
One 6 bed room (shared bathroom)
(showers at the cabin)
Day 6 – Friday (3 hours riding, SPA and massage included)
We will leave the beautiful scenery of the village Vrtače and ride towards the village Tovariste, where our horse transportation back to the equestrian ranch will be waiting. The section is approximately 3 hours long and it links Vrtače with the small picturesque Bosnian town Fojnica.
Horses and riders will both be transferred back to horse ranch by truck and car. There we’ll refresh, change and take the short 10 min drive to a beautiful international five stars spa resort for swimming, sauna, steam rooms and well-deserved full body massage.
This evening is reserved for a farewell dinner and wine tasting. The wines will be paired with a selection of traditional local cheeses produced by a small family dairy in Fojnica—the town we rode into earlier today. Each guest will receive a few bottles of their preferred wine as a gift to take home. A relaxed and memorable evening, with plenty of time to share the highlights of our riding adventure, exchange photos, and enjoy fine wine, local flavours, and great company beside a crackling fire in the outdoor fireplace, right in the heart of the vineyard.
Accommodation (equestrian ranch)
3 double bedrooms (one with private bathroom)
One 4 bed room (shared bathroom)
Kitchen, terrace
Day 7 – Saturday
After breakfast, you can say goodbye to the horses before being transferred either to Sarajevo Airport or to your accommodation in the city if you are extending your stay. Before the transfer, we will use the remaining time to visit the fascinating Tunnel of Hope Museum, located beside Sarajevo Airport and centred around the historic tunnel that once ran beneath the airport runway.
