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Looking for Tour Guide Recommendations: Split to Sarajevo (with a stop in Mostar)

Hi everyone!

I'm planning a 5-day trip this September starting in Split, Croatia and ending in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I'm looking for recommendations for local tour guides or small group tours that can help us make the most of the journey.

We’d love to stop in Mostar for a day or two to explore the old town and surrounding areas, and we're especially interested in scenic routes, cultural insights, and historical context along the way. We're open to private guides, day tours, or even transfer services with guided stops.

Has anyone done a similar route or worked with guides you’d recommend in this region? Bonus points if they’re flexible, knowledgeable, and great with storytelling!

Thanks so much in advance—appreciate any suggestions or contacts!

Posted by
14 posts

Reach out to Ivan Ćosić (MC-Travel Croatia) on facebook. He does private transfers from Split and can also include a private guide onboard with you. Very, very good!

Posted by
23227 posts

Fun trip to some great places and enough time to do it well.

1 Split to Mostar is about 2.5 hours by car so maybe break it up with a stop at a winery along the way. Grabovac is one option, but there are probably others. Next stop, Kravica Waterfalls https://youtu.be/dVoR-jsXU6A?si=ONDjr9tGO5n5Ekmt . Now you have a full day on the way to Mostar and will be there in for a little late afternoon, early evening self-exploring and relax.

2 then have a guided day the next day. Then the night again in Mostar.

3 third day to the Tekke Dervish House in Blagac https://youtu.be/HdKr-FW25fw?si=uheAGwdNf5S5G09 , then head north to Jajce for the night https://youtu.be/OKZu3RJrjX8?si=6VBaswvmAU4b8HCw . Wonderful town. If you are okay with a little extra road time, my favorite hotel in BiH is the Hotel Kraljevac and for me its worth the little extra drive time to spend the night there https://youtu.be/QNpUWXV3RkI?si=mMOEqAoyfhhOj9lI

4 from Jajce to Travnik for the waterfalls https://youtu.be/QymcxBUN7gA?si=tjJfG1qasQyvElCY . Another pretty BiH town. Then on to Sarajevo. There is a lake with a wonderful restaurant about half way, I cant remember the name right now but when I do, I will add it.

Okay, that’s four days. You could do another night in Mostar, but I don’t know how much time you planned for Sarajevo, but its never enough. Great place.

So how do you do this? On your own its not easy. You contact this lady and see if she can put this together for you. Dijana Krkotic, Guide & Tour Designer Doclea Travel, +382 69 277 749 (whatsapp), [email protected] , www.docleatravel.com Visit her website and check her references. I wish I knew of a second that could do this so you could shop, but so far she is pretty unique in the business. Go go back to that area from time to time (its easy to reach from Budapest) and rather than trying to do it all myself I just call her. The Balkans are her specialty and I bet she has a better ideas than me.

Posted by
2 posts

There are tours, and then there are DREAM TOURS. The experience we had with Petar, was truly one of dreams.
To begin the journey with Petar I found him doing a search for tours in Croatia...i sent an inquiry through his website and he promptly responded....l have to admit, I was not so prompt. He followed up again and then the last time I finally responded (crazy week for me).
He was warm and polite from the first interaction. We set up an initial phone call where l described what I was thinking for our trip to Croatia.
He was engaging and a good listener. We agreed he would send me an initial proposal....which arrived in a timely and professional manner.
The proposal was very clear, provided a good timeline and very thorough description of each day.
l immediately agreed and sent deposit.

Months passed and it was finally time for our trip. During that time we had a couple of
"touching base" correspondence.
I was traveling solo with my 17 year old son. We were both very excited and curious about our trip.
Petar picked us up at the airport and our journey began!
Petar is kind, friendly, polite and incredibly thoughtful. He has a charming and engaging personality. He is so knowledgeable and shares his passion for his motherland. He knows so much about the history, culture and people but delivers it in a manner where one doesn't get overwhelmed.
He has the best dining locations (some people may think they could save a few dollars by not adding those to the trip, but they are so worth it so just trust him).
He has great music, photos to share and really enjoys sharing them.
Ohhhhhh.... And he is FUN! We laughed often.
I've traveled far and wide.

He has the best dining locations (some people may think they could save a few dollars by not adding those to the trip, but they are so worth it so just trust him).
He has great music, photos to share and really enjoys sharing them.
Ohhhhhh.... And he is FUN! We laughed often.
I've traveled far and wide.
Petar is a treasure. One of a kind.
He was beyond expectations. Should you travel with him, you will be so happy you did.
The only thing I would suggest to Petar, is he needs to charge more money for his services.
He is in a different league.

***** Petar made wonderful hotel recommendations, planned a speedboat tour for us and took us to so many site visits and amazing restaurants. Basically you just turn over the planning to him and he takes care of everything.

Posted by
4614 posts

We can recommend Mate Perajica. His English is perfect, is personable, and has a subdued sense of humor.
His website is privatedriverguideincroatia.com.

We did a 2 day trip to Medjugore and Mostar with him in 2021. We had a dental emergency and he took care o everything for us including waiting at the dental office and taking us to the pharmacy for antibiotics.

Posted by
1201 posts

I just used both FunkyTours and Sarajevo Insider while in Sarajevo, and would recommend them both. The folks at FunkyTours were particularly responsive and eager to accommodate. I used them for tours within Sarajevo and a day trip to Mostar. They both advertise private services and broader itineraries.

Five days isn’t a lot. You may want to check flights out of Sarajevo to buy some time. If you need to get back to Split, it’s a quick flight. Sarajevo airport is small and modern. Check Croatia Airlines, tickets should be cheap.

Posted by
23227 posts

Do Mate, Peter and Funky also sell planning or just sell guided tours? Does Funky have a web site?

Posted by
1201 posts

Mr E, FunkyTours has a strong website/web premise. They present some unique itineraries, or at least their emphasis is (Brutalist Architecture, etc.) I feel confident recommending them because they present some real “hustle” that is, they’re eager to earn your business the right way. I’m describing something that’s kind of a vibe, but I think is kind of “American” that folks appreciate.

We were lucky enough to find ivana Jelavic +385 91 332 8400, a lifelong resident of Split for our introduction to the area . Ivana has traveled extensively and is well respected in the tour guide industry. She is personable, energetic, and incredibly knowledgeable of history, food, and architecture. She enriched our family's understanding of the city. Our tour was of the palace but she also does culinary tours and recommended some really amazing local restaurants. We've learned that a good guide is key to a good experience and Ivana made that very clear!