Dubrovnik To Bosnia & Herzegovina Day Trip: What To See & Do

This post will share the details of my Dubrovnik to Bosnia and Herzegovina day trip.

When I returned from Montenegro, I first checked the weather forecast for the next day, and it didn’t look good.

I woke up to rainfall and thunderstorms and immediately thought the tour would be cancelled.

Then again, I realised these tour operators work in different seasons, so it should be fine.

Anyway, I tried to get as much sleep as possible and prepared for another early morning.

My pickup time was 6:20 a.m. at the exact location as the previous day, which saved me a lot of time in the morning.

The only thing I needed to do was get there quickly in the rain.

Thankfully, I brought an umbrella, so I was good to go and was picked up quite promptly.

Here’s What To See & Do On A Dubrovnik to Bosnia And Herzegovina Day Trip

As with all my tours, I booked my Dubrovnik to Bosnia and Herzegovina Day trip through Get Your Guide via Mostar and Kravica Waterfall Day Trip.

I prebooked it a few months ago and paid for it a few days before my trip.

It was easy and convenient.

After booking, I was immediately emailed the pick-up and drop-off points, which are five minutes walking distance from my Airbnb.

Compared to my Montenegro Day Trip, this was a smaller group of about fifteen people in a minivan.

The vehicle was comfortable, and the driver was good.

My only problem was the tour guide, who sounded robotic and unengaging.

It felt like she didn’t want to be there, which automatically affected the trip’s vibe.

Yes, it was dead quiet and boring.

Anyway, if you decide to book this tour, hopefully, you will have a tour guide that is different from mine.

Aside from that, it was all good.

Pickup was prompt, and they mostly kept to time.

Itinerary

The planned itinerary given by the tour company from Dubrovnik was;

• Herzegovina- Neretva Canton (Scenic 2 hour drive)
• Mostar (30 minutes guided tour + 2.5 hours exploring)
• Kravica Waterfall (1 hour)

Compared to my trip to Montenegro, which wasn’t 100% accurate, this one was and here’s how it went;

06:20 – 08:00 am – Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Neum is a coastal town in Bosnia, the country’s only access to the Adriatic Sea. It also shares a border with Croatia.

• Immediately after getting picked up, we spent 45 minutes picking other people up until the minivan was packed and ready.
• Despite the gloomy weather and low visibility, the drive was smooth, and the tour guide tried to point out significant sights along the way. At this point, I couldn’t be bothered. Instead, I went in and out of a nap.
• The first stop was the border crossing, where we exited Croatia and entered Bosnia. As the latter country isn’t in the EU or Schengen area, we had to get our passports stamped. Until now, I had only realized that most of my European trips have been in the EU, which allows the free movement of people and goods. So, all of these border crossings were a novel experience for me.
• The next stop was a coffee break at a hotel after the border, where we could use the restroom, grab some food, or shop at the attached supermarket. Fortunately, I had already stocked up from Dubrovnik, so I didn’t need to buy anything.
• With the rain still pouring and making me almost regret the tour, we made our way to our first stop, Mostar.

09:00 – 09:40 – Mostar Old Town Guided Walking Tour, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar is the fifth-largest city in Bosnia and is known for its Old Bridge, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• At this point, I realized I’d never been in such heavy rain. I usually try as much as possible to avoid being in the rain so you will not catch me outside if it is pouring. Regardless, the rain did not stop the tour.
• The first thing we did after disembarking from the minivan was a walking tour. Right there, I wish I had brought my waterproof jacket, but I didn’t, so I had to make do with my mini IKEA umbrella.
• Despite the pouring rain, the thirty-minute walking tour from the car park into the Old Town went as planned. We were passed from our Croatian tour guide to a local Bosnia tour guide who took the whole situation in grand strand. If you realise how much these countries depend on tourism, it makes sense for them to adjust to all seasons.
• While I tried to contain my annoyance, stepping into the quaint Old Town of Mostar made all that disappear. Walking in the rain was probably worth it for this trip.
• When we got there, it was nice and peaceful, with little to no crowds, so the tour was done quickly.

09:40 – 10:00

• Then, we took an additional tour of the Kajtaz House, a traditional 16th-century Turkish house, which costs €2.50 for entry. I just went ahead to get out of the rain; I wasn’t particularly interested, but it was good nonetheless.

10:00 – 12:30

• After the Kajtaz House, we had about two hours to explore. As a veteran solo traveller, I thrive on exploring myself, so I was excited to see more of the Old Town. Then, when the rain stopped, I saw a crowd from nowhere. It was insane. I was immediately bored with the whole thing and just tried to get a few photos for the blog and secure a fridge magnet.
• You need to understand that Mostar Old Town is small. It was raining, so the grounds were slippery. Bear in mind that it could be crowded and busy when you go.
• Towards the end, I decided to grab a quick lunch and use the bathroom before heading back for the second phase of the tour.
• I unintentionally ate at a restaurant with the most stunning view of the Old Town. Coupled with the rain, the entire experience felt magical. Also, can I mention how cheap it was in Bosnia? Since their official currency is the Convertible Mark (KM), it was more affordable than the Euro and the British Pound, so it was a win-win for me. I was running out of time, but I would have eaten to my heart’s content if I hadn’t.

13:30 – 14:30 – Studenci, Bosnia and Herzegovina

• After about an hour’s drive, we finally arrived at the Kravica Waterfall, a national reserve in Studenci, Ljubuški. Entry was €10 per person, which we paid to the tour guide, who paid in batches on our behalf.
• Getting to the waterfall required a bit of a hike, but the incredible views made up for it. This was the first stunning waterfall I’d seen in such proximity.
• When we got there, it wasn’t busy, so we could enjoy the one-hour allocated time, unlike in Mostar, which quickly became crowded. There wasn’t much to do at the waterfall, so one hour was perfect.
• On returning to the car park, I picked a fridge magnet and immediately saw many Asian tourists. I was immediately glad we were leaving.

14:30 – 17:00

• When we were done at the Kravica Waterfall l, we returned to Dubrovnik.
• Again, we had to get our passports stamped at both borders, but the queues went super quickly with little to no delays. We also had to pay a €3 tourist tax, which our tour guide paid on our behalf. Again, this is another reason why it is essential to have cash in hand.
• I mostly napped and woke up when I arrived in Dubrovnik for the return journey. I was dropped off where I was picked up in the morning.

Quick Tips

• Ensure you have some cash when you visit Bosnia or go on tours like this, as you might need to pay entry fees and taxes.
• Despite Euros not being the official currency, the tourist areas accept Euros. Also, remember that Bosnia is still a heavily cash-based society so ensure you have cash and a card.
• Like Montenegro, Bosnia is outside the EU, so mobile phone roaming will not work. Either manage without internet for a couple of hours or use public WiFi. Just ensure you’re using a VPN to secure your phone.

In Conclusion

This Dubrovnik to Bosnia and Herzegovina Day trip was great for me.

As a person of colour, I tend not to visit outside capital cities in certain countries for safety reasons.

So, visiting a small town in Bosnia just for a waterfall was entirely out of my radar.

Asides from the standoffish attitude I received from the tour guide, most people generally kept to themselves and weren’t trying to engage in a staring contest with me, so it was okay for the most part.