Things to Do in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sutjeska is Bosnia's oldest and largest national park, home to the 2,386-meter Maglić peak (the country's highest), the ancient Perućica rainforest (one of Europe's last primeval forests), and the Tjentište War Memorial. You can hike the challenging trail to Maglić summit (6-8 hours round-trip), explore marked trails through old-growth beech and spruce forest, or raft the Sutjeska River canyon. The park sits near the Montenegro border in the southeast, about 160 km from Sarajevo.

Yes, Bosnia and Herzegovina is generally safe for travelers, violent crime against tourists is rare. Stick to marked paths in rural areas (landmines from the 1990s conflict remain in some unmapped zones, though tourist sites are cleared), watch your belongings in crowded Sarajevo markets, and avoid political demonstrations. Driving can be erratic, on mountain roads. The bigger hassles are stray dogs in smaller towns and occasional petty theft, not personal safety.

Stolac, one of Bosnia's oldest continuously inhabited towns, offers the hillside Vidoški fortress ruins (free to climb, great views over the Bregava River valley), the Ottoman-era Čaršija quarter with stone bridges, and the nearby Radimlja necropolis, 140 medieval stećci tombstones (UNESCO-listed) in a field 3 km west of town. The town itself is compact. You can walk the main sights in 2-3 hours. It's 40 km south of Mostar, often visited as a day trip.

Jordanian passport holders need a visa to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina. You'll apply at the Bosnian embassy in Amman or the nearest consulate, there's no visa-on-arrival option. The process typically requires proof of accommodation, return tickets, travel insurance, and takes 10-15 business days. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (mvp.gov.ba) or the embassy directly for current fees and document lists.

EU, US, Canadian, Australian, and UK passport holders enter Bosnia visa-free for up to 90 days. Many other countries (including most Balkans neighbors and Gulf states) either get visa-free entry or can apply for a visa at the border with a valid Schengen or US visa in their passport. If you need a standalone visa, apply at a Bosnian embassy before you travel, processing takes 1-2 weeks. Always verify your nationality's specific rules at mvp.gov.ba before booking.

May through September offers the warmest weather, Sarajevo averages 20-25°C, good for hiking Sutjeska or rafting the Tara. July and August get crowded in Mostar (expect tour-bus crowds at Stari Most) and hotel prices jump 30-40%. Late April and early October bring cooler temps (12-18°C) but thinner crowds and lower prices. Winter (December-February) is cold (often below freezing in Sarajevo) but great for skiing Jahorina or Bjelašnica, where lift tickets run €20-30/day.

Buses connect major cities reliably, Sarajevo to Mostar takes 2.5 hours (€10-12), Sarajevo to Banja Luka 4 hours (€15-18). Smaller towns and national parks are harder: Sutjeska has no public transport from the main road, and Jajce or Počitelj see only 1-2 buses daily. Renting a car (from €25/day in Sarajevo) makes rural exploring feasible, though mountain roads are narrow and winding. Trains exist but are slow and limited to a few routes.

The official currency is the convertible mark (BAM or KM), pegged 1:1 to the old Deutsche Mark (so roughly 2 KM = €1). ATMs are common in cities. Most accept Visa and Mastercard with typical foreign-transaction fees. Some hotels and tourist restaurants in Mostar or Sarajevo accept euros directly, but you'll get a worse exchange rate, withdraw marks instead. Credit cards work in larger establishments. But carry cash for small guesthouses, rural areas, and market stalls.

Yes, there are no border checks or restrictions, the inter-entity boundary line is administrative, not a customs border. You'll cross it on the highway between Sarajevo and Banja Luka without noticing, though road signs switch from Latin to Cyrillic script in Republika Srpska. Both use the same currency (convertible mark) and your phone plan won't roam. The main difference is cultural signaling: Bosniak-majority areas in the Federation versus Serb-majority areas in RS, each with distinct memorials and place-name spellings.

Around 2% of Bosnia's land, mostly forests, riverbeds, and former front lines, still has unexploded ordnance from the 1992-95 war. All major tourist sites (Mostar, Sarajevo, Jajce, Sutjeska trails, ski resorts) are cleared and safe. Stick to paved roads, marked trails, and inhabited areas. If you're hiking off established paths or exploring abandoned buildings in rural areas, don't, or hire a local guide. Red-and-white "Mines!" signs (Mine/Мине) mark danger zones. Never ignore them.