Guide

All Intrepid group trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader takes care of logistics, will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Meals

9 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner

Others

Blidinje Nature Park: Hajducka Vrata guided night hike Blidinje Nature Park: guided stargazing on Cvrsnica Mountain Blidinje Nature Park - hiking with wild horses Bjelasnica mountains guided hike Lukomir village visit Lunch with local Bosnian family Durmitor National Park - Lake Trail guided hike Prokletije Mountains guided hike: Karanfili peaks Albanian Alps: Theth to Valbona guided hike Fierza to Koman picturesque ferry trip

Transport

Private vehicle,Ferry TRANSPORT IN EUROPE: Half the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action. PRIVATE VEHICLES: All sections of this trip are travelled by private transport. Our vehicles are locally sourced, comfortable and mostly air conditioned, which makes travelling enjoyable. On some days we will be covering long distances, which will make these days feel longer, however spectacular views and interesting stops along the way make up for it.

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. TWIN SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. FACILITIES: Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges. Hotel (8 nights),Guesthouse (1 night)

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services are not included.

Flights

Flights are not included.

Optional

Other activities and services are not included.

Insurance

Insurance is not included.

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Day 1 Day 1: Split
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Split

Pozdrav! Welcome to Croatia. This Mediterranean paradise might be best-known for its island-dotted coastline but it’s filled with a surprising charm, intriguing history and leafy green goodness that will be sure to delight you. Our trip starts in the glistening port hub of Split, lapped by the Adriatic Sea, with local produce stalls, cobblestone laneways and ancient buildings topped by iconic Croatian rust-tiled roofs. Your Intrepid trip officially kicks off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening where you’ll get to know your new travel companions and locally based leader. If you arrive in town early, why not wander along the waterfront, grab yourself a fresh gelato and soak up the Mediterranean sun or head to the Old Town and marvel at its Ancient Roman Architecture juxtaposed against modern museums, shops and homes. If one day here just doesn’t seem like enough (we don’t blame you), we can arrange extra night’s accommodation at the start of your trip, subject to availability.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 2 Day 2: Blidinje Nature Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Blidinje Nature Park

Wake up and enjoy a free morning to explore Split at your leisure. Perhaps grab a coffee along the waterfront promenade or chat to the locals selling brightly coloured fruits and veggies at the morning markets. After lunch, we’ll hit the road toward neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our first stop will be in Blidinje, where you’ll have a little free time to explore before our adventure really begins on a hike through to Hajdučka Vrata (Outlaw's gate). You’ll hike the Dinaric Alps as the sun sets with a certified Mountain Guide (who holds mountain rescue qualifications) and your local leader, both there to ensure your safety. One of the highlights of this trek is that night begins to fall just at the end of the walk – giving you a special opportunity to stargaze from the Alps. Make sure you pack a trusty head lamp (perhaps, with spare batteries) and walking poles for extra support.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 3 Day 3: Blidinje Nature Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Blidinje Nature Park

Wake up without an alarm today and have a well-deserved rest after last night’s hike. Fuel up on a hearty breakfast before we hit the road to your next accommodation spot and prepare for another epic hike in the surrounding mountains. Today, you’ll take on Cincar Mountain to meet its local herd of wild horses. Yep, you read that right. You’ll be accompanied by local experts who know the horses favourite hang-out spots. The southern parts of Cincar Mountain are home to more than 700 wild horses, with endless meadows, wide open space and fresh mountain air to sustain them, they’ve been here for more than half a century. Today’s hike will be relatively easy, it’ll be the sight of these majestic animals that takes your breath away. Watching wild horses galloping freely with mountain peaks behind them is a sight (and feeling) that you won’t soon forget.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 4 Day 4: Bjelasnica Mountains / Sarajevo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Bjelasnica Mountains / Sarajevo

You’ll be up bright and early this morning to hit the road toward the village of Umoljani where our next hike, in Bjelašnica Mountain area, will kick off. With more than 40km of ski slopes in this area, Bjelašnica Mountain hosted the Winter Olympics in 1984 which were deemed ‘the best in history’ by the International Olympic Committee. So, it’s safe to say today’s terrain is the kind of take-your-breath-away alpine scenery you could only dream of. Your hike will be along a loop trail that crosses through the highest and most remote village in Bosnia – Lukomir. You’ll get the opportunity to hang out with the locals here; you’ll share lunch, laughs, local cheese and, of course, Bosnian coffee. Coffee-lovers assemble; the rich (exceptionally strong), chocolatey brew is rather addictive and to make things even sweeter – it's often served with a portion of Turkish Delight. This village is particularly charming; at 1,500m above sea level, it’s unique for its centuries old stone houses and traditional dress. You’ll discover fascinating history, culture and architecture during your pitstop here. After some time learning more about local life, you’ll hike the loop back to our private vehicle and we’ll set our sights on Sarajevo for the evening.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 5 Day 5: Durmitor National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Durmitor National Park

After breakfast this morning, you’ll have plenty of time to explore Sarajevo – trust us, you’ll welcome every minute in this fascinating city. With a short leader-led walk in the morning, you’ll then have time to explore at your leisure. The city first hit the world stage after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife here sparked the beginnings of World War I. Then, in the early 90’s the city was held under siege for almost four years during the Balkan War, perhaps this is something that makes the vibrancy of the people and their spirit shine through so strongly here. You might like to explore the Old Town, sip a local Bosnian coffee, walk across the famous Latin Bridge, or look for the Sarajevo roses – memorials across the city. After some time here, you’ll get ready for our next stop (and next country of the trip) – Montenegro! Try to nab a window seat today, the countryside along the drive is something else.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 6 Day 6: Durmitor National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Durmitor National Park

Fuel up on a hearty breakfast this morning, today is all about hitting the mountains! You’ll strap on your adventure boots, and we’ll start our hike from the main entrance of Durmitor National Park. A UNESCO world heritage site, the national park is painted by lyrical landscapes that are traversed by rivers and dotted with richly coloured glacial lakes, charmingly nicknamed the “mountain eyes” by the local inhabitants. The thing about Durmitor National Park is, it’s so vast and so breathtakingly beautiful, we have plenty of trail options for today’s hike. Your expert leader will take on your personal tastes and fitness levels and mix and match the trails here to create an epic day of hiking that the whole group enjoys. Don’t worry, glacial lakes, lush pine forests and fresh alpine air are a guarantee for any trail combination today. Your final climb of the day will get your heartrate up and lead you to one of the best viewpoints overlooking Tara Canyon. Once you reach the top, rest, relax and soak up those views – you've earnt it!Accommodation: Hotel
Day 7 Day 7: Prokletije Mountains
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Prokletije Mountains

You’ll set out bright and early this morning for Vusinje, a small village on the border of Montenegro and Albania. From here, you’ll hike towards Karanflii peaks which stand proudly over Grbaja Valley below. You’ll walk along the ridge of the mountains and while the distance isn’t as far as previous days, the elevation gain is significant - pack your walking poles to help you out! The trail winds around Prokletije Mountain and includes Popadija and Talijanka peaks with a front row view of the towering Karanfili peaks in the distance. Sit down to a packed lunch with your fellow adventurers and take a moment to soak it all in before heading to your accommodation in Gusinje in the afternoon.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 8 Day 8: Accursed Mountains
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Accursed Mountains

Another day, another country to explore. You’ll cross the border into Albania today – the fourth and final country to discover on our Balkan hiking adventure. Our first stop will be in Theth, one of the wanders in Albanian Alps, declared a Protected Historic Center by the Albanian Government. Lace up your walking shoes for our next walk on the Valbona-Theth hiking trail. This is a signature hike in the region – recognised for the rewarding vistas that sprawl far across the pine-dotted valley below and snow-capped Albanian Alps above. After a day on your feet, retire to your guesthouse in Valbona Valley where you’ll be treated to an authentic dinner with your group. Put your feet up and reflect on all of the hiking you’ve achieved in the last week.Accommodation: Guesthouse
Day 9 Day 9: Tirana
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Tirana

After breakfast today, you’ll enjoy a scenic ferry ride to Koman. Surrounded by mountains that seem to dive directly into the turquoise water of the lake, the 2.5 hour cruise will be just as much about the journey as the destination. It’s a nice opportunity to rest your legs and sit back to enjoy one of Mother Nature’s best shows. Once the ferry docks in Koman, you’ll be taken to Tirana by minibus. On arrival, your leader will take you on a short orientation walk around the country’s capital. You’ll have the evening at your leisure – you might like to head to a local restaurant to enjoy one final dinner with your newfound travel friends. Be sure to ask your leader for their best recommendations.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 10 Day 10: Tirana
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Tirana

Your Balkan hiking adventure comes to an end after breakfast today.

10 days tour

Hiking The Balkans: Via Dinarica

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Itinerary of your trip Hiking The Balkans: Via Dinarica

Day 1: Split

Day 2: Blidinje Nature Park

Day 3: Blidinje Nature Park

Day 4: Bjelasnica Mountains / Sarajevo

Day 5: Durmitor National Park

Day 6: Durmitor National Park

Day 7: Prokletije Mountains

Day 8: Accursed Mountains

Day 9: Tirana

Day 10: Tirana

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