Journey Through the Balkans

A well organised and tested trip. Could be improved by having more interaction with local people.

Explore did what they said in the trip notes and didn’t disappoint! I would recommend looking at their website if you like adventure travel.

A great contrast of lakes, mountains, cities, culture and history from four fascinating countries. Dusan's dedication and attention to detail made the tour exceptional, and we were in the safe hands of Boban on those windy mountain roads. My highlights were the The Open Air Museum and Kustendorf. I recommend adding a couple of days before/after the tour to explore the Dubrovnik old town.

An excellent trip made even more special with our tour leader Dusan who went above and beyond to ensure everyone had the best time. The open air museum was a highlight as well as Sarajevo and Mostar. A couple of the hotels could be improved and I would have preferred extra time in Mostar and less in Zabljak.

I would recommend this tour to anyone, good itinerary and and if you want to learn something about a complicated Balkan history, do this your. Great countries to visit, interesting scenery, good food, friendly people and really great tour leaders, thank you Filip and Dusan for sharing your knowledge with us and always being helpful. A couple of the hotel rooms could have been better. I like hot weather but may I suggest if people don’t like hot weather don’t travel in summer, air conditioning is a luxury, not a necessity.

The trip was spoilt by the air con on the mini bus not being up to the job. Temperatures in the back of the bus exceeded 30.C on several occasions and made travelling very uncomfortable despite making regular stops etc. Highlights for me were the Uvac rver trip, the train journey ,Sarajevo and Dubrovnik. Lows were the Skadar lake trip, much to fast and noisy actually scaring and chasing the birds and Kustendorf which I found difficult to navigate around and the staff with the exception of the lady on reception gave the impression that we had disturbed their Siesta.

Transport was old, no aircon at ventilation, temperatures of 35 inside bus. A couple of ok hotels but generally rooms far too small for 2 people, spent 10 days grovelling on the floor with suitcase

An absolutely fabulous trip through the Balkans exploring the mountains, forests, alpine meadows, coastlines, National Parks, UNESCO sites and ancient towns of the region, it was even more beautiful and interesting than expected. A busy and really varied itinerary with the opportunity to swim, walk, take boat trips and a historic train ride and also the time to relax. Daniela was an absolutely brilliant leader and guide who looked after the needs of everyone in the group. Those who wished to be more active and walk to the top of the fortress in Kotor or to walk further in Durmitor NP could do so as there were longer options available which worked well. We saw so much and it was not busy with tourists which was lovely. To name just a few….Uvac canyon (nature reserve) and seeing the Griffon Vultures, Skadar lake boat trip and a huge flock of Pelicans, monasteries, mosques, churches, the beautiful wooden museum of Sirogojno and wonderful ladies who knit - I am so pleased with the hat I bought there - many famous bridges, Titos bunker all simply incredible! It was great to be able to spend 2 days in Sarajevo as it was such a fascinating city, culturally, historically, so much to see and do, Mostar was simply stunning, a beautiful old town and bridge. Dubrovnik was interesting but seemed busy after the quieter places we had visited but was great to see it and then spend quiet time at the hotel afterwards a bit away from the Old Town on the beach and swimming in the turquoise sea. The hotels were very well chosen and Daniela was brilliant at recommending local dishes to try, such as Cevapi, the trout, shopska salad which were all simply delicious. The best trout of all cooked by the wonderful 78 year old lady in the family restaurant! Daniela was a wonderful leader and you will be very lucky to have her leading your tour. She was warm, friendly, smiley throughout and very thorough in her explanations of what we were seeing, helpful in advising us where and when to buy currency for the next country and what we needed for each day or options of things we could do. We were so lucky with Igor our driver who was really excellent, a calm and very safe driver throughout the entire tour. He looked after us well and was so kind in loading and unloading all our bags each time. We really enjoyed his company. The region is so interesting historically, so very beautiful , so much so, we intend to return. I can’t recommend this trip enough, we loved it, if you are thinking about it, I’d say just book it!!

Daniella was amazing and such a truly wonderful guide and person

Journey through the Balkans is an excellent trip through Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia, ending with a night in Dubrovnik. Mainly rural with nature and day walks, several boat trips for birdwatching and visits to cultural sites. Also stays in the beautiful cities of Sarajevo, Mostar and Duvrovnik so a varied mix.

Excellent tour leader

All aspects of trip organisation were fine. The group leader was fantastic, extremely knowledgeable hand always smiling. The trip is full on, mainly with one night in each hotel. The hotels are OK but many have things broken in the rooms and bathrooms with little ongoing maintenance. This trip gives you a good overview of each country and knowledge of its history.

Beautiful historic area. There was a lot of time on the mini bus but the area was vast.Our first full day in Kotor was full of activity, climbing to the fortress & exploring the old city before a relaxing boat ride in the afternoon. I also enjoyed Sarajevo & it's history.Our guide had lived through the conflicts of the 90's.Tito's Bunker. Accommodations were adequate. Winding staircases seemed to be common & rooms smaller but that's what I like about Explore.You are experiencing the country as it is.I would definitely recommend this trip.

This trip has a very varied and interesting itinary. The accommadation was good, I especially liked staying at the open air museum which had the best food of the whole trip. Our guide, Ana Marija was lovely with great knowledge and sense of humour and fun. The only thing that I would happily not have seen was the film set. I would like to point out that good walking shoes or walking boots are necessary especially walking up the old walls in Kotor.

You can't see everything in a 12-day tour of the Balkans, but this trip was a full insight, taking in so many places of historic and general interest. Our courier/host was a 'best friend' guiding us, helping us, answering all our questions and sharing love of her country and knowledge to enrich us. Apart from the historic aspect, we were introduced to regional cuisine, giving us (literally) a flavour of the Balkans. The itinerary is a full one, with a lot of walking (and sometimes climbing - achy legs!) Our careful driver was helpful with loading and unloading our bags. An excellent package.

The trip was very interestig and educational. We learned so much about the different cultures that exist in the Balkans. However it felt that we were barely dipping our toes into it. The itinerary is classed as moderate but I am not sure what moderate is....It felt more like full on when you are in and out of hotels almost every night. Why not add an extra two nights? Some sights could have been missed out such as the village at Kustendorf, glad we did not stay there. The accomodation was variable as were the breakfasts, but the rooms were clean. Ana Marija was excellent and her communication via whatsapp was very detailed.