Would you like to visit Bosnia in a motorhome or converted van? Read all our practical advice in this article!
A little-known destination for the French, Bosnia-Herzegovina is so close geographically but so far apart culturally. With its iconic cities of Sarajevo and Mostar, Bosnia is a magnificent country that deserves to be discovered.
Travelling around Bosnia in a motorhome is perhaps one of the best ways to discover the country. It’s an idea that will appeal to families and adventurers wishing to organize their trip on a day-to-day basis. You’ll be able to explore the region at your leisure, discovering all the treasures this motorhome-friendly land has to offer.
Ready for adventure? This article contains all the practical information you need to prepare your visit to Bosnia in a motorhome, including route ideas, traffic regulations, the most important camping areas and the best time to visit.
Route ideas in Bosnia by motorhome
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Nor Safariny
Although Bosnia is an undulating country, with sometimes difficult roads, its small size is not conducive to a month-long stay. That’s why we’ve excluded the 1-month itinerary. Of course, there’s nothing to stop you extending your stay in Bosnia by doubling up on a few nights here and there, for example.
For each stage, we advise you to stop at each place, park or town mentioned, and to sleep in or near the last place of the day. Travel times are indicative and take into account the route from the first to the last point of interest of the day. Stops for visits and rest periods are not indicated.
A week away
- Day 1: Discovery day in Sarajevo ;
- Day 2: Sarajevo – Skakavac nature reserve and waterfall – Srebrenica – Tuzla (269km, 5h40 travel time) ;
- Day 3: Tuzla – Banja Luka (165km, 2h20 travel time);
- Day 4: Banja Luka – Pliva waterfall in Jajce – Mostar (233km, 3h55 travel time) ;
- Day 5: Morning discovery of Mostar – Blagaj – Kravice Waterfalls (57km, 1h05 drive) ;
- Day 6: Kravice Waterfalls – Počitelj – Sutjeska National Park (147km, 2h30 drive);
- Day 7: Sutjeska National Park – Sarajevo (103km, 1h55 drive).
Two weeks away
- Days 1 and 2: Sarajevo discovery days ;
- Day 3: Sarajevo – Skakavac Nature Reserve (13km, 35-minute drive);
- Day 4: Skakavac Nature Reserve – Srebrenica – Tuzla (256km, 5-hour drive) ;
- Day 5: Discovery day in and around Tuzla ;
- Day 6: Tuzla – Banja Luka (165km, 2h20 travel time);
- Day 7: Full day to discover Banja Luka and the surrounding area;
- Day 8: Banja Luka – Kozara and Una National Parks (218km, 3hrs 45mins drive);
- Day 9: Una National Park – Blidinje Nature Reserve (239km, 3h25 drive);
- Day 10: Blidinje Nature Reserve – Mostar (85km, 1h25 drive);
- Day 11: Morning discovery of Mostar – Blagaj – Kravice waterfall (57km, 1h05 drive) ;
- Day 12: Kravice Waterfalls – Počitelj – Sutjeska National Park (147km, 2h30 drive);
- Day 13: Discovery day in Sutjeska National Park ;
- Day 14: Sutjeska National Park – Sarajevo (103km, 1h55 drive).
What budget for motorhome travel in Bosnia?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Daniel Turbasa
Let’s face it: much like in Albania, it’s very difficult to find motorhomes in Bosnia. So it’s essential to plan ahead or find an alternative solution, such as renting in Croatia or France. The rare local rentals are also expensive, costing around €210 per day, including insurance. Nevertheless, you’ll save a lot of money on parking, as you’ll always find a place to spend the night free of charge.
As always, fuel consumption depends on your load and your driving style. We therefore assume a high average. Finally, for the two-week itinerary, we add €50 for parking in case you want a little more comfort for a few nights.
Average budget for 1 week :
- Motorhome rental + insurance: €1,470 ;
- Petrol + toll: €80 ;
- Parking: 0 € ;
- Total: €1,550.
Average budget for 2 weeks :
- Motorhome rental + insurance: €2,940 ;
- Petrol + toll: €160 ;
- Parking: €50 ;
- Total: €3,150.
If you’re bringing your motorhome from France, you’ll save a lot of money!
Driving a motorhome in Bosnia: traffic rules you need to know
What documents should I carry?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Alex Erofeenkov
If the country is not a member of the European Union, you don’t need to provide any additional documentation to travel through Bosnia in a motorhome. All you need is your passport, your French driver’s license (if possible, the card version) and an up-to-date MOT.
To drive a motorhome in Bosnia, you need an international insurance card, commonly known as a « green card ». You can obtain it either from your French insurer, or from a local rental agency in Bosnia.
What are the speed limits?
In principle, there are four speed limits in Bosnia:
- 60 km/h in built-up areas ;
- 80 km/h on roads outside built-up areas;
- 100 km/h on expressway ;
- 130 km/h on freeways.
In practice, local by-laws can lower or raise the limit. So keep an eye on the road signs!
The fuel
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Wirestock Creators
Although there are fewer on the smaller roads, you’ll have no trouble finding gas stations in Bosnia.
The price per liter will put a smile on your face, as it’s generally 40% cheaper than in France! For example, where a liter is €1.60 in France, it’s around €1.10 in Bosnia.
Drinking and driving
In Bosnia, the legal alcohol limit for driving is 0.3 g/litre of blood. The limit is zero for drivers under 21 and for the first three years of their driving license.
Freeway tolls in Bosnia: how much does your motorhome category cost?
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There is only one freeway in Bosnia, theA1. It can be found in two different parts of the country: on the Croatian-Bosnian border, near Dubrovnik, and around the capital Sarajevo. Some routes are free of charge, while others require payment. Depending on the point of departure, the fee for motorhomes is between 2.50 and 5 KM (i.e. between €1.25 and €3 with conversion).
If you follow our itinerary, you can take the cheapest paying section near the Kravice waterfalls.
Further information on driving a motorhome in Bosnia
Apart from the obligation tokeep the lights on at all times, the rules of the road are identical to those in France.
However, travelling around Bosnia in a motorhome is not a smooth ride! As in all Balkan countries, local driving habits can be suicidal on mountain roads. So you need to be extra vigilant. On the other hand, road conditions are satisfactory, although they can sometimes be a little too narrow for two vehicles.
How and where to rent a motorhome in France?
Would you like to visit Bosnia by motorhome, but don’t have your own vehicle? It’s now very easy to rent these vehicles between private individuals, especially in France. Numerous online platforms, such as Yescapa, offer this type of rental.
How does it work?
- First, you need to choose the motorhome in your city (e.g. Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Paris, Montpellier or Marseille).
- Make sure you choose unlimited mileage, check the number of berths available and whether international travel is possible.
- Make your rental request online and share your travel information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) with the owner.
- If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the owner’s contact details to arrange a first meeting.
- On the day, present your driver’s license and pay the deposit.
- An inventory of fixtures is drawn up and a rental contract is signed by both parties. You’ll need to sign it as soon as you return from Bosnia, and once you’ve done that, you’re all set!
RV parks in Bosnia: where to park?
Photo credit: Caramaps
While there are plenty of camping areas in the country, there’s one great advantage to touring Bosnia in a motorhome: wild camping is legal! So find a place that suits you, make sure you’re not on a private priority, and set down for the night.
On the other hand, there’s one very particular thing to watch out for in Bosnia, and that’s the » Beware of mines » signs. These are unfortunately numerous, and are usually found near fields or landscapes that have not been cleared of mines since the Bosnian war. Although most of the national parks have been cleared of mines, this caution also applies to hiking.
If you’re looking for camping comfort, there aren’t many campsites in Bosnia. You’ll find them around Sarajevo, Mostar and Tuzla, but not around Banja Luka and the national parks in the north of the country.
To sum up, here are the rules of good conduct:
- If wilderness camping is permitted, please respect the country’s fragile environment;
- If you’re parking in a national park, make sure you’re allowed to stay overnight. A prohibition is usually indicated by a sign;
- We can’t stress this enough: » Beware of mines!
When is the best time to travel in a motorhome in Bosnia?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – AleksandarPhotograpy
It’s best to visit Bosnia by motorhome from March to October/November. The weather is more pleasant and, above all, some mountain roads are impassable in winter.
If you want to see the snow, you can travel in winter, but you’ll have to plan a few detours and potentially forget Sutjeska Park.