# Plane trees, primeval forest and the bridge on the Drina – by camper through eastern Herzegovina to Višegrad

> From the wine cellars around Trebinje across Popovo polje, the stećci of Radimlja and the uplands of Nevesinje and Gacko into Sutjeska National Park, then…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-476-herzegovina-trebinje-sutjeska-drina/

**At a glance:** 7-day road trip of about 337 km (210 mi) with 14 stops, from Dubrovnik to Vardište. About 4 h 39 min of driving in total. Best time to go: April–May and September–October. No motorway tolls or vignettes expected for a car. From the wine cellars around Trebinje across Popovo polje, the stećci of Radimlja and the uplands of Nevesinje and Gacko into Sutjeska National Park, then along the Drina to the Sokolović Bridge: around 510 kilometres through the quiet east of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 337 km (210 mi) |
| Driving | 4 h 39 min |
| Suggested days | 7 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | Dubrovnik → Vardište |
| Countries | Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Best time to go | April–May and September–October |
| Tolls and vignettes | None expected |
| Updated | October 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-476-herzegovina-trebinje-sutjeska-drina.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Balkans and Greece by motorhome: vignette, tolls, borders, ferries and October](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/eu-balkans-greece-by-motorhome/), [Alpine passes in a motorhome: gradients, closures and tunnels](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/eu-alpine-passes-camper/)

*From the wine cellars around Trebinje across Popovo polje, the stećci of Radimlja and the uplands of Nevesinje and Gacko into Sutjeska National Park, then along the Drina to the Sokolović Bridge: around 510 kilometres through the quiet east of Bosnia and Herzegovina.*

## The spirit of the route

Once you cross the border near Dubrovnik, the bustle of the coast is gone within a few bends. In Trebinje people sit over coffee under the plane trees, the market has cheese in brine, honey and figs, and Vranac comes up from the monastery cellars. After that the land turns empty and wide: karst fields, dry-stone walls, pomegranates, medieval gravestones carved with horsemen and spirals. With every kilometre east the road climbs, until beyond the Čemerno Pass the Sutjeska canyon opens up and the beeches and spruces of the Perućica primeval forest reach right to the edge of the tarmac. From the sliding door you see mist over the Sutjeska in the morning and, in the evening, the green water of the Drina running north between wooded slopes. At the end, in Višegrad, stands the bridge Ivo Andrić wrote his novel about. A route for people who want distance from mass tourism, drive slowly and treat the recent history of these places with respect.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Dubrovnik (Ivanica border) to Trebinje (approx. 30 km)

- **The drive:** Link from the Croatian coast: from Dubrovnik take the coast road briefly south, then climb into the hinterland to the Ivanica border crossing and descend on a well-built road into the Trebišnjica valley. A short but steep climb with hairpins above the coast; the border is an external Schengen border, so expect waiting times in summer and at weekends. Without border delays around 45 minutes.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Arslanagić Bridge (Perovića most): a 16th-century Ottoman arched bridge over the Trebišnjica that was dismantled when a hydroelectric plant was built and rebuilt stone by stone a few kilometres downstream.
  - Plane-tree square (Trg slobode) at the edge of the walled old town of Kastel, with a morning market where farmers sell cheese, honey, herbal brandy and fruit from the karst.
  - Tvrdoš Monastery a few kilometres upstream, with a wine cellar and tastings; plus the view over the town from the church of Hercegovačka Gračanica on Crkvina hill.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Trebinje does not yet have an established, well-documented campsite. A new restaurant and apartment complex in town has also opened a small autocamp; ask in advance whether motorhomes can get electricity, water and disposal there, and check park4night or Campercontact for recent reports. Some wineries around Trebinje let campers stay on their grounds by arrangement.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Wild camping is not allowed in Bosnia and Herzegovina; on private land only with the owner’s consent. The riverside car parks along the Trebišnjica in town are not overnight spots. Do not walk on the slopes and waste ground around Trebinje – the hinterland was a front line.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Do not take a motorhome into the lanes of the old town: park outside the Kastel ring by the river and walk. Right after the border, withdraw convertible marks and fill up – diesel is usually cheaper here than in Croatia. For tastings at Tvrdoš or the Vukoje winery, arrive once the day’s driving is done – and do not drive on afterwards.

### Stage 2: Trebinje to Stolac via Popovo polje and Ljubinje (approx. 135 km)

- **The drive:** From Trebinje head north-west into Popovo polje, a karst field more than 40 km long through which the Trebišnjica flows in a concrete channel. Follow the narrow road along the edge of the polje to Zavala, return to the main road and continue via Ljubinje across the karst uplands to Stolac. Many sections are single-track with passing places, with hardly any traffic and hardly any filling stations. Including the detour around 3 hours’ driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Vjetrenica Cave near Zavala: the largest cave in the country and one of the world’s richest caves for subterranean fauna; visits by guided tour only.
  - Zavala Monastery on the rock face above the polje, one of the oldest Orthodox monasteries in Herzegovina.
  - Radimlja necropolis by the road just before Stolac: stećci with horsemen, hunting scenes and the raised hand, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of medieval tombstone graveyards.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** On the Bregava river, around 2.5 km outside Stolac, is Auto Camp Heaven in Nature, a simple small site with electricity, water, toilets and showers and grey-water disposal; according to guest reports, the owner shows you where to empty the cassette. Open only in the warmer months, so check the season in advance. There are no campsites in Popovo polje itself; if you want to stay there, ask hosts in Zavala.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Popovo polje is farmland and partly flooded in winter; field tracks are private land and many of its edges are suspected minefields. Stop only on tarmac and do not pull off into the fields, not even for a photo.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fill up and take on water in Trebinje. For Vjetrenica, check tour times beforehand; out of season by appointment only. In Stolac the climb to Vidoški grad fortress above the town is worthwhile; if you have time, drive to the Illyrian town of Daorson near Ošanići with walls of huge stone blocks – the final approach is narrow.

### Stage 3: Stolac to Tjentište via Blagaj, Nevesinje and Gacko (approx. 150 km)

- **The drive:** From Stolac head north to Blagaj on the Buna, then climb in hairpins onto the plateau to Nevesinje (just over 850 m) and continue east through pasture and wide karst fields to Gacko. From Gacko take the main road over the Čemerno Pass (around 1,300 m) and down through the Sutjeska gorge to Tjentište. Tight bends on the Čemerno, fog in spring and autumn, and snow possible from late autumn. About 3.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Tekija in Blagaj at the source of the Buna: a short stop at the dervish house beneath the cliff, best early in the morning before the day-trip coaches.
  - Nevesinjsko polje: wide uplands with horses, flocks of sheep and haystacks – one of the loneliest landscapes on the route.
  - Tjentište memorial: Miodrag Živković’s monumental concrete sculpture from 1971 commemorating the Battle of the Sutjeska in 1943, in the Valley of Heroes (Dolina heroja).
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Camp Sutjeska in Tjentište, in the middle of the national park near the hotel and sports complex: grass pitches with electricity, basic toilets and showers, open in the summer season only. Reviews of the sanitary facilities are mediocre; no disposal point is mentioned – empty the cassette and grey water beforehand in Stolac. Registering with the national park is compulsory anyway, so ask there about the current situation.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In Sutjeska National Park overnight stays are allowed only at designated spots. On the plateau between Nevesinje and Gacko the meadows and pastures belong to farmers and municipalities, and since the fighting of the 1990s not all areas have been cleared – do not turn off onto dirt tracks.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Fill up and shop once more in Gacko before the Čemerno; there is little in Tjentište. At Blagaj use the large car park at the bottom of the village; the lane to the Tekija is unsuitable for motorhomes. For more on Mostar and Blagaj, see the CampingSpirit travel guide from the Una via Sarajevo to Mostar.

### Stage 4: Tjentište to Dragoš sedlo and Prijevor (4x4 day) (approx. 50 km)

- **The drive:** The motorhome stays on site. From Tjentište a gravel road climbs around 10 km to the Dragoš sedlo viewpoint (just over 1,300 m) and on through dense forest to the Prijevor plateau (almost 1,700 m) below Maglić. The track to Prijevor is steep and, depending on its condition, washed out; depending on the weather, cars with plenty of ground clearance can make it up, but a 4x4 is safer; jeep transfers are offered by the national park and by operators in Tjentište and Foča. There and back with breaks takes a full day.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Dragoš sedlo: views of the Skakavac waterfall, which drops more than 70 m into a barely accessible gorge, of the Perućica primeval forest, Maglić and the cliffs of Volujak.
  - Perućica: one of Europe’s last primeval beech-fir-spruce forests, strictly protected; visitor numbers are limited, access only with a permit from the national park administration, and a guided tour is strongly recommended.
  - From Prijevor a marked path leads in about 1.5 hours to Trnovačko jezero, a heart-shaped mountain lake just across the border in Montenegro; take your ID. Maglić (2,386 m), the country’s highest peak, is only for the sure-footed.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Second night at Camp Sutjeska in Tjentište. In season, Prijevor has katun huts of wood and stone where shepherds sell cheese, kajmak and bread baked under the sač. There are no designated parking spots for vehicles up there.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In the national park overnight stays outside designated spots are prohibited, and even stricter rules apply in the Perućica primeval forest reserve. Registering at the information centre is compulsory, including for day hikes. Stay on mountain paths: in the border area with Montenegro, trails are not clearly marked everywhere.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Do not drive a panel van or motorhome to Prijevor: grounding, tyre damage and problems turning on the gravel track are common, and breakdown assistance is far away. After rain, take the transfer for Dragoš sedlo too. For Trnovačko jezero set off early – in summer, thunderstorms often build in the afternoon.

### Stage 5: Tjentište to Foča (approx. 30 km)

- **The drive:** Take the main road north through the narrow Sutjeska gorge to its confluence with the Drina and along the bank to Foča. A short, winding stage with rocky sections and a risk of rockfall after rain. Just over half an hour – leaving time for a rafting day.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Rafting on the Tara: the classic trip starts in the Tara canyon on the Montenegrin side and ends at Šćepan Polje, where the Tara and Piva become the Drina; operators in Foča and Bastasi arrange equipment, transfers and border formalities.
  - Gentler rafting trips on the Drina downstream to Foča, also suitable for families.
  - Aladža Mosque in Foča: a 16th-century Ottoman building, destroyed in the war and reopened after years of reconstruction.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Camping Drina in Patkovina, around 3 km north of Foča right on the river: pitches with electricity and water, toilets and showers, washing machine and dryer, restaurant, boat ramp; open roughly from spring to autumn. Upstream in Bastasi, Rafting Centar Tara-Raft takes motorhomes, with electricity, water and disposal; according to guest reports it is noisy on summer weekends – ask about the sanitary facilities in advance.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Gravel banks on the Drina and Tara are not pitches: water levels change quickly with the operation of the power plants and after thunderstorms. Rafting camps are generally happy to take campers, even if you are not going on a trip.
- **Insider tip for campers:** For the Tara trip take your passport or ID card and book in good time; in spring the water is higher and colder, in late summer calmer. If you want to continue to Montenegro from here: the road via Šćepan Polje runs through the Piva gorge with narrow, unlit tunnels – unsuitable for large motorhomes, so check dimensions in advance.

### Stage 6: Foča to Višegrad via Goražde (approx. 95 km)

- **The drive:** North along the Drina all the way: via Ustikolina to Goražde, which belongs to the Federation, then back into Republika Srpska to Ustiprača and through the narrowing Drina valley to Višegrad. A well-built but winding main road with lorry and timber traffic and several short tunnels. Around 2 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - The Drina valley between Foča and Goražde: green water, suspension bridges to isolated farms, plum orchards on the slopes.
  - Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad: eleven arches over the Drina, built in the 16th century to plans by Mimar Sinan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the setting of Ivo Andrić’s novel “The Bridge on the Drina”.
  - Andrićgrad: a stone town built by Emir Kusturica at the confluence of the Rzav and Drina, with a church, the Andrić Institute and cafés.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** There is no designated motorhome campsite in Višegrad. The Stari brod estate and camp lies around 17 km downstream at the entrance to the Drina canyon, but the last kilometres from Prelovo are gravel and only suitable for 4x4s; it is intended for room guests and boat-trip visitors, not motorhomes. Ask the Višegrad tourist organisation in advance about current options and check park4night or Campercontact for reports. The fallback is to cross the nearby border to campsites in western Serbia.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** There are no tolerated free-standing spots in Višegrad; the car parks by the bridge and in Andrićgrad are intended for day use. Along the Drina between Goražde and Višegrad, do not explore riverside paths on your own: there are still suspected minefields here too.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Visit the bridge early in the morning or in the evening, when the light falls low across the Drina. In season, excursion boats run into the Drina canyon downstream of Višegrad – ask the tourist organisation locally about departures and the meeting point. In 1992 Višegrad and Foča were the scene of grave crimes against the Bosniak population; treat memorial sites with respect and leave conversations about the war to local people.

### Stage 7: Višegrad to Vardište border (towards Serbia) (approx. 20 km)

- **The drive:** East out of Višegrad along the Rzav via Dobrun to the Vardište/Kotroman border crossing; beyond it Serbia begins with the Mokra Gora valley. A well-built road, short and flat. Around 30 minutes plus border time. Alternatively, leave the route earlier at Foča via Šćepan Polje into Montenegro.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - 14th-century Dobrun Monastery with frescoes, right by the road in the Rzav valley.
  - The line of the former Sarajevo–Višegrad–Užice narrow-gauge railway, whose trackbed and bridges can still be seen in the Rzav valley.
  - A last look back at the Višegrad bridge from the riverside road on the way out of town.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Across the border in Serbia there are small campsites around Mokra Gora and Kremna – check the current situation in advance; continue with the CampingSpirit travel guide through western Serbia to Tara and Zlatibor. For Montenegro, the CampingSpirit travel guide from the Bay of Kotor to the Piva gorge picks up from here.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Border zones are not places to spend the night: use the car parks in front of the border posts only for clearance.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Spend your remaining convertible marks or use them on fuel before the border – Serbia uses the dinar, and KM are hardly exchanged there. Your green card must also be valid for Serbia (“SRB” not crossed out). Settle any fines from Bosnia and Herzegovina before you leave, or you may have problems at the border.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the EU. Wild camping is generally not allowed; on private land, overnight stays are permitted only with the owner’s consent. This applies in both parts of the country: Trebinje, Nevesinje, Gacko, Tjentište, Foča and Višegrad are in Republika Srpska, Stolac, Blagaj and Goražde in the Federation. You cross the line between them without any checks; signs in Republika Srpska are often in Cyrillic script.
- Mines are a real issue on this route: front lines ran through eastern Herzegovina, along the Drina and around Goražde. The mine action centre BHMAC still marks suspected areas. Always stay on paved roads and marked paths, do not step onto waste ground, ruins, overgrown field tracks or forest edges, and heed the red skull signs (“Pazi mine”). Never drive off-road to spend the night or turn around.
- In Sutjeska National Park, registering with the park administration (Tjentište information centre) is compulsory and overnight stays are allowed only at designated spots; the Perućica primeval forest reserve is strictly protected and accessible only with a permit. Open fires are taboo throughout the karst in summer because of the risk of forest fires.
- Foreigners must register their stay within 72 hours of arrival. Campsites and accommodation usually take care of this – with private hosts, ask actively.
- The network of sites is thin; sites are small, seasonal and often tied to rafting or a restaurant. park4night, Campercontact and camping portals help, but the information is often out of date; ask in advance by phone or messenger. Farmers, wineries and rafting bases will often find you a spot if you ask.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Service points outside campsites practically do not exist. Between Stolac and Foča (two to three days) disposal is uncertain – empty in Stolac and again in Foča. In the karst, any waste water seeps straight into the drinking water.
- Tap water in the towns is generally safe; filter spring water in the mountains before drinking. After heavy rain, karst water can turn cloudy.
- Gas: German exchange cylinders are not swapped. Autogas (LPG, “autoplin”) is available at filling stations in Trebinje, Foča and Višegrad, rarely in the uplands; for refillable cylinders carry a dish adapter and arrive with two full cylinders.
- Filling stations between Stolac, Nevesinje, Gacko and Tjentište are rare – fill up before every upland stage. The currency is the convertible mark (KM/BAM), pegged to the euro; euros are often accepted, with change given in KM. Rafting, national park fees and small camps are often cash only.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits: cars and motorhomes up to 3.5 t 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside, 100 km/h on expressways; vehicles over 3.5 t and vehicles with trailers 80 km/h outside built-up areas. Motorways play no part on this route. Dipped headlights all year round, including during the day. Radar detectors are prohibited. Police checks with laser guns are common on main roads.
- No vignette and no tolls on this route. Road conditions: main roads are mostly surfaced but narrow, without hard shoulders and with potholes; minor roads in Popovo polje and around Stolac are partly single-track. Rockfall in the Sutjeska and Drina gorges, timber lorries in the uplands. Avoid driving at night.
- Documents: driving licence, vehicle registration document, ID card or passport. The international motor insurance card (green card) with the “BIH” code not crossed out is strongly recommended, otherwise you may have to buy border insurance; if continuing, also check “SRB” or “MNE”. If you are not the registered keeper, you need a letter of authorisation.
- Borders: Ivanica (Croatia) is an external Schengen border with checks in both directions; Vardište (Serbia) and Šćepan Polje (Montenegro) are non-EU borders with customs checks. Food of animal origin (meat, dairy products) may not be brought back into the EU – eat your Trebinje cheese before the EU border.
- Blood alcohol limit 0.3 ‰, 0.0 ‰ for novice and young drivers. Phone calls only hands-free. Winter equipment is compulsory from 15 November to 15 April; the Čemerno Pass and the Nevesinje and Gacko uplands can have snow as early as late autumn – carry chains and check details in advance with the automobile club. Maximum dimensions 12 m long, 2.55 m wide.
- Politics and safety: relations between Republika Srpska and the central state are occasionally tense. Before travelling, read the German Federal Foreign Office’s travel and safety advice, and keep your distance from demonstrations. Fines are often collected on the spot; report every accident to the police and ask for a confirmation.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Green card with a valid “BIH” (and “SRB”/“MNE” for onward travel), vehicle registration document and keeper’s authorisation in one folder – every border on this route involves checks.
- Offline maps and a local SIM: coverage is patchy in Popovo polje, on the Čemerno and in the Sutjeska gorge, and detours onto unknown dirt tracks are out of the question because of mines.
- A large fresh-water supply and a spare cassette for the stages between Stolac and Foča without reliable disposal.
- Hiking boots, rain jacket and head torch for Trnovačko jezero, Maglić and the early start in Tjentište – at 1,700 m it is cool even in summer.
- Neoprene socks or water shoes for rafting on the Tara and Drina; the water stays cold even in high summer.
- Cash in convertible marks in small notes for the market in Trebinje, the Vjetrenica tour, the national park, katun cheese and small camps.

_As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [Turistička organizacija Višegrad – Rural household and camp Stari Brod](https://visegradturizam.com/?p=4967)
- [Turistička organizacija Republike Srpske – Višegrad / Camp Stari brod](https://visitsrpska.org/en/oznaka/visegrad-en/)
- [Turistička organizacija Republike Srpske – NP Sutjeska, Dragoš sedlo, Prijevor](https://visitsrpska.org/en/?p=24151)
- [BH Putovanja – Presenting Sutjeska National Park (Anmeldung, Perućica)](https://bhputovanja.ba/en/probihadventure/presenting-sutjeska-national-park/3358)
- [Campercontact – Heaven in Nature, Stolac](https://www.campercontact.com/en/bosnia-and-herzegovina/federation-of-bosnia-and-herzegovina/stolac/61655/heaven-in-nature.md)
- [Tourism BiH – River Camp heaven in nature](https://www.tourismbih.com/?p=48169)
- [avtokampi.si – Camping Drina Foča (Patkovina)](https://avtokampi.si/campsites/camping-drina-foca)
- [See Srpska – Neuer Tourismuskomplex mit Autocamp in Trebinje (2025)](https://seesrpska.com/en/kvalitet/otvoren-novi-turisticki-kompleks-u-srpskoj-23-5-2025)

## Which stops are on the route from Dubrovnik to Vardište?

1. **Dubrovnik** (Croatia)
2. **Trebinje** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
3. **Zavala** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
4. **Ljubinje** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
5. **Stolac** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
6. **Blagaj** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
7. **Nevesinje** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
8. **Gacko** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
9. **Tjentište** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
10. **Foča** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
11. **Goražde** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
12. **Višegrad** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
13. **Dobrun** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
14. **Vardište** (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

## When is the best time for the route from Dubrovnik to Vardište?

The most pleasant months are usually April–May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in March, June, August and November. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## What should you know before driving the route from Dubrovnik to Vardište?

No motorway tolls or vignettes expected for a car.

- **Croatia: Motorway tolls.** Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.
- **Bosnia and Herzegovina: Motorway tolls.** Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.

## FAQs

**How long is Plane trees, primeval forest and the bridge on the Drina – by camper through eastern Herzegovina to Višegrad?**
7-day road trip of about 337 km (210 mi) with 14 stops, from Dubrovnik to Vardište. About 4 h 39 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Plane trees, primeval forest and the bridge on the Drina – by camper through eastern Herzegovina to Višegrad?**
We suggest 7 days: about 4 h 39 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Plane trees, primeval forest and the bridge on the Drina – by camper through eastern Herzegovina to Višegrad start and end?**
It starts in Dubrovnik and ends in Vardište.

**Which countries does Plane trees, primeval forest and the bridge on the Drina – by camper through eastern Herzegovina to Višegrad pass through?**
Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

**Where can you camp along Plane trees, primeval forest and the bridge on the Drina – by camper through eastern Herzegovina to Višegrad?**
OpenStreetMap lists 22 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Camping Solitudo, Camping Pod Maslinom and Camping Kate.