Premium Balkans

Trip Type: Explorer
Croatia | 9 Days | 1 - 12 People
Starts From:

NZD 5,625.00 /Person

* Sale Price Available

Discover the beauty and history of the Balkans on a nine-day Premium adventure that travels from Croatia through Bosnia and Herzegovina to Belgrade...

Premium Balkans

Discover the beauty and history of the Balkans on a nine-day Premium adventure that travels from Croatia through Bosnia and Herzegovina to Belgrade. Walk the medieval Old Town of Dubrovnik, sample excellent Balkans wines, learn about the war years in Sarajevo, stop by the famed Old Bridge of Mostar and discover Tara National Park’s spectacular scenery on foot. Ride the rails on a historic steam train, then if the night is calling, discover the lively nightlife of Belgrade – your knowledgeable local leader is always on hand with the best suggestions. Combine battle zones, beaches, bunkers and bars on a comfortable adventure that melds past with present and travel with a small group of like-minded travellers.

Dobro Dosli! Welcome to Croatia, the jewel of the Dalmatian Coast. When you arrive, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. If you arrive early, you might like to head out and explore Dubrovnik’s medieval Old Town, which is surrounded entirely by city walls and easily covered on foot. Although Dubrovnik experienced devastation during the war in the early 1990s, the restored Old Town remains one of the most picturesque places, surrounded by ramparts, filming locations (Game of Thrones fan, anyone?) and the sparkling Adriatic Sea. See the 15th-century Rector's Palace, the monasteries with their cloistered gardens and the baroque churches on a self-paced walk around town. After your meeting, join your leader and fellow travellers for dinner at a local restaurant showcasing Croatia’s traditional cuisine.

After breakfast, drive from your hotel to the Konavle region south of Dubrovnik. The region is known as the Golden Valley of Dubrovnik as it has the most fertile grounds in the area and is filled with vineyards and fruit trees. Visit the small town of Cavtat with its beautiful architecture, ancient history and pebble beaches. After exploring the town, you’ll head further into the Konavle region for a traditional ‘peka’ lunch featuring lamb and other meats cooked under an iron bell. No meal in this region is complete without a glass of Croatian wine, so raise a glass of Grk or Plavac Mali local wine and toast to a new adventure. Return to Dubrovnik, where the rest of the day is free.

Today you’ll cross the border and travel into Bosnia and Herzegovina, stopping at several scenic destinations along the way. Your first stop is Trebinje where you’ll join your leader for a walking tour that takes in the compact Old Town and its market square, followed by a stop at an Orthodox monastery to taste the famous Tvrdos wine. After you’ve quenched your thirst, your trip continues to Stolac where you’ll stop for the lunch and the chance to explore this ancient town on the banks of the blue Bregava River. After you’ve explored the sights of Stolac, head on to Mostar. Here you’ll join an expert local guide for a tour around town that reveals why there is such a strong connection between the locals and coffee.

Leave Mostar and travel towards Sarajevo, stopping in Konjic along the way. Here, you’ll discover one of the best-kept secrets in former Yugoslavia – Tito's nuclear bunker. The military bunker was built to protect Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito and hundreds of his top military personnel and has only recently opened to the public. Go back in time on a guided tour of the bunker and learn about Yugoslav history and how life used to be in not-so-distant past. After touring the bunker, continue to Sarajevo and settle into your hotel before heading out to explore the city with an expert local guide. Tonight, you might like to join your group for dinner at a local restaurant.

Today is yours to explore your own way. Taste your way through the market stalls of Bascarsija, visit one of the museums dedicated to the Yugoslav war or maybe take a cable car up Trebevic Mountain to enjoy the views over the city. You’ll finish the day with a home-cooked meal shared with your hosts Mustafa and Mersiha who proudly claim their kitchen has the best view over Sarajevo. Your night begins learning how Bosnian pita is made before a hearty meal of sogan dolma (stuffed onions) and dolam (stuffed paprika). Of course, you’ll get to try the freshly made pita too.

Today you’ll travel to Serbia with a stop in the small town of Visegrad where a 16th-century bridge dominates the horizon (this bridge also provided the inspiration for the Nobel Prize winning literary work, The Bridge on the Drina). From Visegrad, you’ll cross the border into Serbia and continue your journey to Tara National Park. Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular destinations in the country, the park is home to the world’s third largest river canyon and filled with forested slopes and dramatic ravines. This afternoon, you’ll have the chance to soak in the natural beauty with an easy 2-hour hike. Tonight, you’ll bed down near the town of Zlatibor in your Feature Stay accommodation – a group of wooden chalets surrounded by nature complete with individual swimming pools and views of the surrounding countryside. Later, sit down for a traditional dinner to celebrate your first night in Serbia.

This morning you'll explore Tara National Park further with a scenic steam train ride through the park’s forest and mountains. This section of the railway is part of the famous Ciro trail that connects Belgrade and the Adriatic Sea. Rattle along the tracks as the narrow-gauge engine and historic carriages take you through the incredible scenery, with four stops along the way so you can take photos. After spending a half day exploring Tara National Park on foot and riding the rails, settle in for the drive to Belgrade where you’ll have a free evening.

Start your day with a guided walking tour and discover all that Belgrade has to offer including Republic Square, Knez Mihailova Street, Kalemegdan Park and the Belgrade Fortress where the Danube and Sava Rivers meet. Immerse yourself in the town’s rich history and ask your local guide for suggestions on where to experience the best night life, as Belgrade is known for its party scene. This afternoon is free, so you might like to visit the city market or the Nikola Tesla Museum. You could also catch a trolleybus to Zemun – a bohemian neighbourhood known for its cafes and fish restaurants along the riverside promenade. Tonight, join your group for a traditional dinner in the bohemian Skadarska quarter to celebrate the penultimate night of your trip.

After breakfast, your adventure comes to an end. If you’d like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time to arrange additional accommodation.

Meals
8 Breakfast(s), 1 Lunch(s), 4 Dinner(s)

Transport
Private vehicle

Accommodation
Comfortable Hotel (7 nights), Feature Stay (1 nights)

Included Activities
  • Dubrovnik - Cavtat Tour
  • Mostar - Guided Tour with Coffee Experience
  • Stolac - Town Visit
  • Trebinje - Tvrdos Monastery Wine Tasting
  • Trebinje - Walking Tour
  • Konjic - Armijska Ratna Komanda ARK D-0 (Tito’s Bunker) tour
  • Sarajevo - Walking Tour
  • Sarajevo - Cooking Demo and Home-made Dinner
  • Višegrad - Town Visit
  • Tara National Park - Hike
  • Tara National Park - Steam Train
  • Belgrade - Walking Tour
  • Take a scenic steam train ride through Tara National Park’s forests and mountains on a historic railway that forms part of the famous Ciro trail connecting Belgrade and the Adriatic Sea – a Premium Exclusive Experience.
  • Discover the region known as the Golden Valley of Dubrovnik, filled with vineyards and fruit trees, and visit the town of Cavtat with its beautiful architecture, ancient history and pebble beaches.
  • Drop into Trebinje and tour the compact Old Town and its lively market square, followed by a stop at an Orthodox monastery to taste the famous Tvrdos wine made by its monks.
  • Tour one of the best-kept secrets in former Yugoslavia, Tito's nuclear bunker, which was built to protect Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito and his top military advisors.
  • Stay in an unspoiled corner of Serbia at your Feature Stay – a collection of chalets surrounded by nature and complete with swimming pools and views of the surrounding countryside.
  • This trip spends limited time in Dubrovnik at the start of the trip. You may want to consider arriving a few days earlier to make sure you are not missing out on everything that Dubrovnik has to offer. Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C). It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season. There are some long drives on this trip so bring along headphones and your favourites tunes or use this time to go through your photographs. Or you can simply sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery.

Departing

Finishing

Availability

Price: NZD 7,280.00

Price: NZD 7,560.00

Price: NZD 7,280.00

Price: NZD 7,280.00

Price: NZD 7,000.00

Price: NZD 7,000.00

Price: NZD 7,280.00

Price: NZD 7,560.00

Price:
NZD 6,250.00 NZD 5,625.00

Price:
NZD 6,250.00 NZD 5,625.00

Price:
NZD 6,250.00 NZD 5,625.00

Price:
NZD 6,250.00 NZD 5,625.00

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NZD 6,250.00 NZD 5,625.00

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NZD 6,750.00 NZD 6,075.00

Price:
NZD 6,750.00 NZD 6,075.00

Price:
NZD 6,310.00 NZD 5,679.00

Price:
NZD 6,500.00 NZD 5,850.00
Provided by
Intrepid Travel
Reference Code:
ZMPB
Trip Location
Trip Starts:
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Trip Finishes:
Belgrade, Serbia
Countries Visited:
Bosnia And Herzegovina
Croatia
Serbia
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Destination Details
Croatia | 9 Days | 1 - 12 People

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