Jajce, Travnik, River Pliva & Vrbas Full Day Tour from Banja Luka (Home Hosted Lunch)

General starting time of the tour will be at 8 AM when we are planning to pick you up at your Banja Luka address. The morning part of the tour will take us through the suburbs of Banja Luka, via Vrbas river canyon, over the mountain Vlasic until towards central Bosnian regions.

Located in the heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Travnik was first mentioned in 1463. The famous travel writer Evliya Ćelebija describes it as a “city with a thousand springs”.

For the period of 150+ years, in the period from 1699 to 1851, it was the capital of the Bosnian eyalet (primary administrative division of the Ottoman Empire), from which 77 viziers ruled. 

>Travnik medieval fort overlooking the old town of Travnik

Travnik is the birthplace of Nobel laureate Ivo Andric, famous for his literature masterpieces of “Bridge over Drina” and “Travnik Chronicles”, who spent part of his early childhood in Travnik.

Our visit to Travnik will start from the medieval Travnik Fortress, through the beautiful river source of the “Plava Voda” and the Colorful Mosque, to the very center of the old town and the house of Ivo Andrić.

The Colorful mosque is known as one of the most important symbols of the “Vizier’s city”, and is characterized by colorful decorations and ornaments on the walls, as well as the fact that it is the only mosque in BiH with a minaret that rises to the left of the building.

>Interior of the Colored mosque in Travnik

Famous for being the only city in Bosnia and Herzegovina with two clock towers, and a city with most “Turbets” (Islamic mausoleums) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Travnik is must see destination of central part of our country. 

Unmissable part of our Travnik visit is tasting Travnik sheep cheese and Travnik ćevapi.

>Beautiful Plava Voda springs

After some 45 min of driving from Travnik via Donji Vakuf and the canyon of Vrbas river, we are arriving at Jajce, a beautiful town in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, nestled on a rock above the mouth of the river Pliva in Vrbas river.

Firstly mentioned in 1396, in the title of its founder, Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić, who is called conte de Jajce (Count of Jajce), decided to build Jajce according to the Egg Castle (Castell del Uovo) near Naples, upon which Jajce got its name (Jajce, eng.Egg).

>Jajce with stunning Pliva waterfalls, St.Mary church that was later turned into mosque and walls of Jajce fort

Our walking tour of Jajce will start with exploring the Pliva waterfall, as Jajce is referred to as the only town in the world with a natural waterfall in its city centre. The beautiful green river Pliva ends its course with a 22m high waterfall, and at that place it flows into the river Vrbas. For those daring, a 250m zip line is available as an add-on experience over Pliva waterfall.

Just across the waterfall is AVNOJ Museum – the place where on November 29th and 30th 1943, the second session of the Antifascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) was held. This crucial WWII event, headed by Josip Broz Tito, resulted in some of the most important decisions for the construction of Yugoslavia, which included declaring Yugoslavia a federal republic in which all nations are considered equal. Visit to the AVNOJ Museum is a must, for reasons of better understanding of how Yugoslavia came to be, and the place of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a republic within.

>Jajce catacombs carved in the sheer rock under the walls of Jajce fort. During the WWII, Yugoslavian resistance leader Josip Broz Tito used Jajce catacombs as a hiding facility.

We continue towards Jajce fort, by visiting famous Jajce catacombs.

Duke Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić demanded catacombs to be carved and that he and his family be buried there, but he did not wait for the works to be completed, and today those catacombs represent a perfect insight into long-gone times of medieval Bosnian Kingdom.

Today, Jajce proudly bears the name – Royal City, since the last Bosnian king Stjepan Tomašević was crowned there in the Church of St. Mary. However, during the Ottoman conquest, the last Bosnian king, was captured and killed, when Bosnian centuries old independence disappeared. 

By visiting the beautiful Jajce fort, and admiring its high walls, we are slowly finishing our tour of Jajce and continuing our journey.

> Bosnian house architecture in Jajce – Bosnia and Herzegovina

A few minutes drive from Jajce, at the place where the Great Pliva Lake flows into the Small Pliva Lake, is the location of one of the most beautiful sights of the entire Jajce region – the famous Pliva Mills (bos. Mlinčići).

>Pliva watermills

Once upon a time for the purpose of grinding various cereals, people used the natural fall of the river Pliva and at the place where a large lake flows into a small one, they built a large number of small mills.

Today, these mills are not in use, but are a beautiful insight into the past traditions of local communities. Free time walking around these beautiful mills and Pliva lakes is reserved at this location.

After we have explored the beautiful Jajce region it is time for lunch. The lunch will be organised at the beautiful banks of Pliva river giving us an opportunity to taste some of the most famous local delicacies. 

Locally prepared trout fish is simply a must try when visiting sweetwater regions of central Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We shall meet a local family from Jajce and Pliva region, who will open their home for us and serve us the best food you will have on your Bosnian journey. During this time, you will have the opportunity to dive deeper into the way of life of local communities, by getting to know the local customs and traditions.

>Traditional Bosnian food prepared by the local families in Jajce region

After lunch, the next stop on our journey are beautiful springs or river Pliva.

At 490 meters above sea level, clear and cold water emerges from a large rock. From the very beginning, Pliva makes a series of rapids, waterfalls, and its roar seems to make visitors think only of the beautiful nature they see in front of them.

A light walk in the woods along the banks of the river Pliva will be one of the highlights of the day.

>Enjoying the natural beauty of Pliva springs

Declared a protected reserve of natural landscapes in 1955, and located between Jajce and Banja Luka, the canyon of river Vrbas is one of the most beautiful canyons in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It actually consists of two smaller canyons: the Podmilačje canyon and the Tijesno canyon.

When the Vrbas river cut through the limestone rocks and created a canyon, it created an ecosystem in which numerous endemic plants and animal species thrived. 

The 31-kilometer-long canyon is used for water adventure sports and is ideal for various adventure sports such as kayaking, canoeing, rafting, mountaineering and others. 

Our one hour journey through the canyon until we reach Banja Luka will be enriched with stunning scenery and few amazing photography opportunities.

>Vrbas river canyon

The last point of today’s lavish day are the waterfalls and watermills on the river Krupa, better known as Krupa on the Vrbas.

A short and easy walk upstream along the river, admiring the huge number of waterfalls and active mills will be the perfect end to the day.

>Krupa na Vrbasu waterfalls and watermills

Expected return to Banja Luka will be around 6 or 7 PM, when we shall drop you off at your preferred address.