DESTINATIONS BOSNIA | GREECE, CYPRUS & BALKANS
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Local pastry dish krompiruša; Mostar’s Old Town; writer Ally Wybrew PICTURES: Sarah Hibbert; Shutterstock/BBA Photography
years earlier, he’d ditched a corporate job in Slovenia to literally escape to the country, building this retreat almost single-handedly. Today, volunteers help with the upkeep, making soup and tea for visitors and leaving mementos as they go. I perused a book of sketches, admired a pair of dusty walking boots and marvelled at a dreamcatcher made by a First Nations Canadian woman. Warmed up by a bowl of homemade kidney bean soup, we said our hvalas (‘thanks’) and I was thrust back out into the wild. Remote, homely abodes quickly became a defining feature of this Bosnia tour. The next day, in Lukomir – the highest village in the country at 1,495 metres – I was shuffled into Koliba Umoljani, a hut warmed by a wood-burning stove, and plied with delicious krompiruša – a pie made of potato, oil and flour, curled into a spiral in a tepsija pan and baked in the oven.
travelweekly.co.uk
In Bosnia you can find forests, lakes and rivers – but also attractive, challenging peaks
As we fuelled up for a three- mile hike, Samer explained how it took some time to convince Lukomir’s locals that tourists would want to visit somewhere so cut off that “only bills came regularly”. Hard, perhaps, to see the appeal of a cluster of patchwork-roofed, wonky-beamed houses and a cemetery filled almost entirely with the same three surnames (those of the shepherd families who established this outpost). I’m grateful that they were won round – it’s a privilege to be welcomed into such a secluded village.
SLAVIC SURPRISE Bosnia proved to be a revelatory destination. Very nearly landlocked, it feels like a forgotten kingdom ready to bestow its bounty on those curious enough to enter. The terrain is astoundingly diverse, and perfect for active clients to explore. “In Bosnia you can find forests, lakes, rivers – but at the same time rocky, attractive, challenging peaks. With the combination of southern Mediterranean influence and continental influence in the north, you get a mixture of both worlds,” Samer summarised. He’s spot on. During my trip, I
travelled from the chilly 3C heights of Bjelašnica Mountain down to the Unesco-listed city of Mostar, which can exceed 40C in summer. In capital Sarajevo, I saw the ski slopes of the 1984 Winter Olympics, scaled the channels of the now disused luge slide and said ‘Živjeli!’ (‘Cheers!’) with a city-brewed lager. In Bosnia’s countryside, I hiked across verdant,
cowslip-peppered valleys, gaped at horses charging freely through the forest and admired the architecture of Orthodox chapels built into hillsides. It’s easy to see why demand for
the region has escalated. Bosnia is piqueing the interest of travellers seeking those off-the-beaten-track experiences – and if my visit is anything to go by, clients willing to lace up their walking boots won’t be disappointed.
TW BOOK IT
Exodus Adventure Travels’ eight-night Walking in Bosnia and Herzegovina trip is priced from £2,149 per person, excluding flights. Includes twin-share accommodation with breakfast, transport and listed activities, five lunches and two dinners. Price based on a June 3, 2027, departure.
exodus.co.uk
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