5 Mountains in Bosnia and Herzegovina You Have to Explore

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country known for its natural beauty. Especially when it comes to mountains these regions are rich with forests, resorts and opportunities to discover real gems. I could write many posts on this subject and would probably come up with new mountains to show you each time, but as it is I want to concentrate on the most popular ones as well as those who bring in the most visitors. I have written before about the Top 10 Places you must visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and have mentioned mountains there, but in this post I want to go a bit further.

Some of these places have extended posts on this blog which tell you more if you are interested, and I have provided those links where appropriate.

So here are my choices for 5 Mountains in Bosnia and Herzegovina You Have to Explore

1. Jahorina

Mountain Jahorina hosted the women's alpine skiing events of the 1984 Winter Olympics and is still a very popular mountain today. Located only 30 km (19 miles) from the capital city Sarajevo, Jahorina has great resorts and hotels where you can spend you time and have a starting point to explore the region. The Jahorina Olympic Ski Resort is the biggest and most popular ski-resort in Bosnia and Herzegovina and offers a variety of outdoor sports and activities all of which are listed on the website (in English as well). Beware to ski only on marked courses here.

2. Bjelasnica

Bjelasnica, as a counterpart to Jahornia hosted the men's alpine skiing events of the 1984 Winter Olympics where US skier Bill Johnson won a gold medal for skiing as the first American male. When it comes to skiing Bjelasnica can't be beat. There are numerous skiing paths, ski lifts as well as resorts. Visit the official webpage for more info on events. If you are more into exploring nature and history, try visiting the old village Lukomir (image above this text), but take not that the roads are only open in late spring, summer and early autumn. The village is situated in the municipality of Konjic and is the highest altitude and most remote village in the entire country. The homes in the area are made of stone while their roofs are composed of wooden tiles.

3. Rujiste

Rujiste Mountain is very close to Mostar and I have visited it numerous times and written about it on this blog. It's not as well known as the other mountains shown here, but there is a lot to see here. You can find the "Snow House" there, a motel and restaurant on top of the mountain. From there take a hike into the valley, or drive into the village Zijemlje for some authentic countryside charm. All within 30 minutes from Mostar. A really great, mostly unexplored spot by tourists.

4. Vlasic

Vlasic is a mountain in the very center of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its highest peak is at the elevation of 1,943 m. It is famous for its pastures, cattle-breeding and cheese. It is closest to the town of Travnik, which it overlooks. The mountain is a major center for winter tourism due to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. It is also a popular destination for summer and eco tourism with many hiking trails and undisturbed wilderness areas. More information can be found on the official website.

5. Prenj

The Prenj mountain is not a specific place, but rather a mountain range with various destinations  to be discovered. The best ones are Boracko Lake, which I have shown you before on this blog, is snuggled in between Prenj, Bjelasnica and Visocica mountains. The lake is open to the public for camping, swimming and BBQs. The best spot is across the lake by the restaurant where you will find a great freshwater stream and plenty of shade. Entry to the lake costs 2 KM (1.14 $) which you only have to pay during the summer season. Another great visitors spot it Glavaticevo. The picture above shows a hike to the spring of the river Sanica, but I guess that's one of those hidden places not shown in any guide books.

I hope you enjoyed this mountain tour of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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