The riding begins at the foot of the mountain Ormanj with sweeping views of the peaks of the olympic mountain Bjelasnica. Horse tracks surrounding it stretch over hundreds of kilometers through unspoiled nature, forest roads, meadows, mountains and mountain villages. Cleared paths through dark forests lead to canter-inviting glades with views of snow-capped mountains in the distance. Stones with strange carvings, as yet to be deciphered by modern man, border your path. A few of the routes are challenging but the horses born and raised here and take the undulating terrain in stride.
Departure & Return Location
Arrival at Sarajevo International Airport
Date and Rates
TBA
Price Includes
- horses, tack and guiding
- full board and accommodation for 6 nights including drinks (alcohol in reasonable amounts determined buy the outfitter)
- transfers
- Entrance Fees
- All transportation in destination location
Price Excludes
- € 10 single supp per night where possible. (sometimes a bathroom has to be shared)
- tips and gratuities
- any private expenses
- all flights
Complementaries
- a full body massage at a famous wellness spa in Fojnica
On this holiday, you will enjoy unique horse-riding experience through pine forest, fields, picturesque slopes, and paths along mountain creeks of the Sarajevo Olympic Mountains and Via Dinarica trails.
There will be 5 days of riding – two of the days will be 1/2 days in the saddle.
The horses you will ride on this trip are both spirited and kind, and immaculately kept. They compete in endurance, dressage and show jumping. The breeds vary from Bosnian Arab horses, Lipizzaner to Anglo – Arab mixes.
Bosnia has had many culinary influences over the centuries. The result is mouthwatering. For vegetarians, there await many interesting combinations of flavors with roots from middle eastern, Slavic, and Mediterranean cuisines. Omnivores will enjoy the unbelievably tender beef and vegetable stews, as well as the traditional snack food “Cevapi”, a char-grilled ground meat served with fresh flat bread and chopped onions.
Your accommodation is diverse, comfortable, and usually in the middle of an enchanting forest. You will stay one or a couple of nights in very comfortable rooms above the equestrian center, as well as in mountain lodges and a spa hotel. Hot water is always available.
Your hosts, Selma and Rasim, are both physicians by education, and fluent in English and German. Both are very passionate horse people, who besides working in their medical field are riding instructors , endurance competitors and explorers who will be delighted to share their knowledge of the region with you.
- ride immaculately kept Arabians, Lippizan, Haflinger and Bosnian mountain horses in English tack.
- experience some of the most beautiful and wild landscapes of Bosnia And Herzegovina
- ride through small and very picturesque Bosnian villages
- learn about the history and culture of this region from extremely knowledgable local guides
- a mountain and forest ride with plenty of opportunities for cantering along the way on well schooled horses
- experiencing the excellent cuisine and traditions of this region
Day 1 Arrive in Sarajevo
You will be picked up at Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ) and transferred to the accommodation at the equestrian center in the afternoon. You can have optional activities such as an old city (Bas Carsija) walking tour and dinner in a traditional Bosnian restaurant. Overnight at at the equestrian centre.
Day 2 Lunch in Bjelasnica and introductory ride
You will be introduced to the horses and after discussing your preferences and experience select a suitable horse. You will have an afternoon ride and visit the Mountain Lodge Kraljevac on the slopes of the magnificent Olympic Mountain in Bjelasnica where we will have lunch. The goal of this afternoon ride is to match you with a horse that you will enjoy riding for the rest of the week. Overnight at at the equestrian centre
Day 3 Full day ride along the Lepenica riverbank and forest paths
We will depart in the morning after breakfast on a trail to the northwest. A flat section invites for a light trot or canter and after about 30 minutes, we will stop in a village, where we will find a mystical scene in a small forest – a large group of centuries-old unmarked monuments (tombstones) covered with moss.
We will slowly continue downhill towards the Lepenica River where you will enjoy riding through the shallow river and enjoy its waterfalls. Besides the natural beauty of these villages, the nearby hill offers an opportunity to see, in the opinion of many archaeologists, the most beautiful tombstone in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the tombstone of Radoja Radosalić.
Along the riverbank of Lepenica, we will enjoy a coffee or tea and prepare for a demanding section that is before us. For the next 15 or so kilometers, we will mainly trot and canter on forest paths with few glades and enjoy sights and sound or mountain river Crna Rijeka (Black River).
The riding camp is in front of us with fresh prepared grilled trout.
The sound of Crna Rijeka and shade invites for a quick nap in hammocks.
In the late afternoon, we will arrive at your first lodging house, the Mountain Lodge Lopata, and have an opportunity to summarize impressions and enjoy the local culinary delights.
Day 4 Ride out from the Lopata Mountain Lodge through Bitovnja to Pogorelica
After a good breakfast and strong coffee, you will prepare the horses for part of the route towards the northwest. Moving further, the elevation will continue to rise and after 1,324 meters above sea level, your first stop will be high plane which is located at an altitude of 1,744 meters. You will often find natural springs along the way for refreshment. The incline is gentle through forest paths and open glades.
You will leave the forest belt when you cross the border height of 1,600 meters and there the spectacle called Bitovnja starts. The vast mountain pastures invite to canter and gallop and the scenery is breathtaking on all sides. It feels as if one can see clear across the entire country of Bosnia. After about 10 kilometers of riding at a good pace we will be met by the logistics team for a well-deserved picnic on Bitovnja served with mountain tea brewed from local herbs, before you continue north.
You will continue through vast pastures and you can certainly say that it is the most beautiful section of your adventure. After a few hours of riding, you will leave beautiful Bitovnja behind and descend down to your next overnight destination Mountain Lodge Pogorelica. After a well-deserved dinner, you will summarize impressions and plan for tomorrow. Overnight in the Mountain Lodge Pogorelica
Day 5 Ride towards Mount Zec towards Mt Vranica
After a good night’s rest for riders and horses you will have a demanding riding section of about 25 kilometres before you. You will start to climb towards the Mountain Zec and ride across the mountain pastures where shepherds graze thousands of sheep during the summer and, in the valley, you will see their huts, pastures, and sheep herds. All around you, you will have the slopes of the Zec Mountain with natural plantations of cranberries and blueberries. On a clear day, you can even see Sarajevo and Lepenička valleys from this position. On this beautiful lookout, we will enjoy a well- deserved break with refreshments. After lunch you will continue on to your next destination – Prokoško Lake.
Many have written about the beauty of this fairy tale lake, calling it an eye of the mountain or natural gem. It is located in the heart of the Mountain Vranica, which, according to many, is the most beautiful destination in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are shepherds’ huts around the lake, built entirely of wood, logs, and covered with wood. One of these huts will be the place where you spend the night. Overnight Accomodation in Roomy Cabin Jezero
Day 6 Prokoško Lake towards the village of Tovarište
After breakfast you will leave the beautiful scenery of Prokoško Lake and ride towards the village of Tovarište, where horse transportation to the equestrian center will be waiting. On this day we ride for approximately 3 hours and the trail links Prokoško Lake and the small picturesque Bosnian town, Fojnica. Fojnica is famous for its wellness and spa centre where you will spend the afternoon enjoying a full body massage, thermal water, and pools, all included in the price. You will stay in Fojnica overnight and enjoy the local food. Overnight Spa Center Reumal ( 1/2 day riding)
Day 7 Departure day
After breakfast departure to the airport or continuing your journey
Through the outfitter’s partners they can offer you optional great excursions like: “in vino veritas” (wine tasting in the famous Herzegovina winemakers), Sarajevo walking tour (exploring Sarajevo), Neretva rafting (adrenalin adventure at River Neretva), and many others.
