WALKING IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

Our Clients’ Reviews

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  Lesley Parks

  WALKING IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

  

  Written September 2008

  A varied holiday with walking, scenery, sightseeing, meeting locals, a bit of fun with the optional white water rafting, experiencing it all with a great bunch of peolple from various backgrounds. Oh and there is plenty of flora fauna and fungi for those who are inclined. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  The forest left in its natural state that we walked through was wonderful.

  The white water rafting was my first experience and I cant wait to do it again!

  The monument dedicated to those who had died in the recent war (the one by the 1980's hotel!!) 

  The friendliness of the people in the remote parts.

  We were introduced to the president of Bosnia by our number 2 leader even though we had just stopped at the hotel for a convenience break after a long days walk and we were not as fresh as we could have been. He was very approachable dispite his minders.

   

   

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Emir was a knowlegeble, amenable, fit,caring person. He will make a great leader. he was only let down a very little by his inexperience which showed when he mentioned things we could do instead of saying who wants to (people are shy at coming forward) and a couple of times when he did not preempt all the points to organise meeting up and what we would require for each activity (we are on holiday and want to be spoon fed!!!). Having said that the moment we asked the question he filled in the answer. He is only 23!

   

  His number 2 was very knowledgeable, amenable ,fit and caring also. She remained professional and carried out her duties at all times and appeared to organise a little more thouroughly when she was doing the activity.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  The holiday has a bit of every thing and the scenery and sights are magic in a country that feels fresh and clean.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Where are the brochures for next year so I can book next year's holiday.

   
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  Brian Rogers

  WALKING IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

  

  Written July 2008

  A good blend of walking and sightseeing encompassing 6 full day walks (or 5 walks and a rafting day) and 3 particularly historic cities in just 8 full days.  

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  The visits to Mostar to Sarajevo. Given the events of 1992 to 1995 there are some very poignant reminders of the war but it was very pleasing to see how the cities are being restored - the symbolic reconstruction of the old bridge in Mostar being the best example. Seeing the local people enjoying a normal life again was an uplifting experience.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Both the leader (Samer) and his assistant (Emir) were excellent representatives of their country. Both were considerate hosts with considerable humour.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Don't have any second thoughts about going!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  The only downside was the poor quality and quantity of the food on the first two nights at the Hotel in the National Park. We ate away form the hotel on the third night and the food at that restaurant was exceptionally good.

   
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  Deirdre O'Connor

  WALKING IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

  

  Written July 2008

  This trip has a great combination of excellent walks and really interesting visits to Sarajevo and Mostar. It is fascinating to see how the country is faring after a war that is all too recent. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  I really enjoyed the fact that the walks were in spectacularly beautiful places, with so few other people around. I particularly enjoyed the walk to Lukomir, and the warm welcome we received from the local people. However, my highlight was spending time in Sarajevo, and having two guides who live in Sarajevo and who were so generous with their information made the experience fascinating.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Samir and Emir from Greenvisions were excellent guides, both in the mountains and beyond. They were considerate, passionate about the environment and their country and really made the trip special.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Bring snacks for the first part of the trip, limited shopping opportunities and not great food in the hotel in Sutjeska. Do the rafting, the Neretva canyon is beautiful. Be prepared for longish transfers in the bus, as you will cover a lot of the country.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  This trip is interesting in all kinds of ways. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys walking, but wants to get a feel for a country that we have all heard so much about, but usually understand so little of what we hear.

   
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  Michael Dowd

  WALKING IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

  

  Written July 2008

  Enjoyable walking in unspoilt countryside and Sarajevo is wonderful.  

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  The most lasting memory will be Sarajevo, having a sense of the place that is more than the besieged wartime city.  Inspirational moments?  The traditional lunch in Lukomir then walking around the village.  The derelict buildings and cables on the 1984 ski slopes at Bjelasnica.  Mint tea, rosehip tea.  (It's a sad comment on my shallowness  that I seem more inspired by the lunchstops than the walks.  The countryside was beautiful, honestly.)  The stecci.  Sitting in the tram in Sarajevo at night watching reflections in the Miljacka river.   Listening to sevdah by the river.  Buybook in Sarajevo and Mostar.  And I really didn't expect the coffee to be so good.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Samir and Emir are why I've said five stars.  Friendly, willing to answer anything ('there's no such thing as a silly question,' though we probably sorely tested that), patient, witty, passionate about Bosnia.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Book now.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  I enjoyed the unspoilt Sutjeska national park in the first days of the holiday but it is still a tour that gets better the longer you stay in Bosnia - which is good planning!  Dubrovnik at the end was a bit too picture postcard for me - I guess I was missing Bosnia already.

   
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  Robert Singleton

  Friendship and solitude

  

  Written September 2007

  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  It is difficult to come up with a specific answer. The solitude in the mountains with no other hikers around and meeting nobody other than the occasional shepherd is something that is difficult to imagine anywhere else in the world. On the other hand the bustling centres of Sarajevo and Mostar provided such wonderful hospitality .

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  What did you think of your group leader?

  The two guides who led the tour were possibly the nicest people I have met on holiday on long time. Their passion for their country and the help given to the group was a far beyond anything you could reasonably expect. Any guides who carry thermos flasks of hot water in their rucksacks to make coffee and tea for the hikers at the lunch break deserve special praise.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Just go you'll not regret it

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  I can understand why the tourist agencies will wish to accentuate the positive. However anyone who travels to the area is doing so with the background of the war in mind. To that end it would have been nicer if it instead of providing a walking tour of Sarajevo which is something we could do easily from the well located hotel it would've been nice to have visited some of the out lying sites such as the tunnel and the Jewish cemetery which are only accessible by vehicle. That could be included in the itinerary on the way into Sarajevo from the national park.

   
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  Roselyne Pat Fong

  beautiful scenery friendly people

  

  Written September 2007

  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  experiencing nature which is as yet unpolluted and unspoilt, hope it stays that way.

  NO CROWDS, sometimes meeting other walkers was nearly an event

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  What did you think of your group leader?

  EXCELLENT,  helpful and thoughtful

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  It can get very hot at that time of the year, good to be well prepared

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  1.The only black spot of the trip from my point of view and everyone else in the group, was the inflying journey, arriving in Dubrovnik very late(the flight was delayed but the original landing time was late anyway) and then having a really excruciatingly uncomfortable minivan journey to Sujeska National Park.I felt nearly sick with tiredness and discomfort and I don't have a sensitive stomach usually.Please consider flying into Sarajevo.I found Dubrovnik quite disappointing anyway and would not have minded missing it. 2.Some of the people on the trip said that the trip notes exaggerated the difficulty of the walking,I didn't think so, specially when the weather was extremely hot for walking.I am also a novice walker whereas several of the other people in the group were much more experienced.I thought the trip notes were pitched right to address walkers of all experience.