A Day in Una National Park, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Una National Park in Bosnia and Herzegovina is well worth spending a day in. Full of gorgeous waterfalls, scenic views, castle ruins, and more, this park demands a visit if you’re doing a road trip through Bosnia and Herzegovina. I’ve compiled an itinerary that will take you through most of the highlights of the park.

I recommend starting this itinerary from the south. I took off from Mostar about 8 AM and ended up finishing in the northern section of the park at about 4:30 PM. If you’re coming from Bihać or somewhere else in the north, you can certainly do this itinerary in reverse. But I like starting the Una National Park visit from the south because then you get to save the crowning glory of the park, Štrbački Buk Waterfalls, for last.

Itinerary

This is an ambitious itinerary, and if you want to make it more relaxed, there are a couple of stops you could eliminate to make things easier. I’ll highlight the favorites below, and mention some of the ones that might not be as worth your while depending on your schedule and interests.

Viewpoint

First off, don’t make the same mistake I do and just pass this gorgeous viewpoint by. If you’re coming from the south, this will be your first stop shortly after you enter the park. Definitely don’t miss it on Google Maps with the link above. Now how do I know it’s beautiful? Because I was too distracted by some of the views near the viewpoint to realize I’d missed the pull-off for this one… whoops. All the same, it’s this part of the drive and the viewpoint stop that will give you your best vantage over the winding valley of Una National Park.

Martin Brod (Small) Waterfalls

You’ll find parking on your way to the Martin Brod Waterfalls right near the suspension bridge that takes you over them. This will be your first waterfall sighting in Una National Park. And while it won’t be the most impressive, it’s still worth a couple pictures. Spend a few minutes hear admiring the rushing, small falls before heading back toward the ticket booth near the parking area. Then you’ll begin your really short hike to the next gorgeous sight.

Great Una Waterfalls

Great Una Waterfalls give you a taste of what Una National Park is all about. Serene waterfalls surrounded by lush forest, when I was there, I saw only a handful of other visitors. There are nice spots to take some photos and trek closer to the rushing water. You can approach it on a couple of different levels, giving you different vantages, if you follow the wooden platforms above and around the travertines.

In fact, the travertines themselves are a beautiful characteristic of Una National Park. Clear, turquoise waters with a smattering of aquatic vegetation, the travertines are a staple around the various falls. When you’re done with the falls, you can either head back to your car if you’re on a tight schedule, or go on a short hike to the next stop.

Watermill and Eco Laundry

You’ll see some sights near the wooden platform that point to the Watermill and Eco Laundry. You’ll walk through the small town of Martin Brod which is idyllic and quaint, though nothing that will ‘wow’ you by itself. The watermill and eco laundry provide a brief, if not touristy, view of how the Una River was important to the historic lives of inhabitants in the area. You can pay a nominal fee for a demonstration of how the watermill and eco laundry machine work, which have been operating for hundreds of years. It’s fun to watch and worth the small price just for the heck of it.

But if you’re short on time, this isn’t going to make or break your experience in Una National Park. You can head on back to the parking area, possibly stopping again at the falls for a final look.

Rmanj Monastery

This Serbian Orthodox monastery has been destroyed several times during various wars throughout its history. When I visited Rmanj Monastery, it was under renovation, so I couldn’t go inside the church or really see the interior of anything. However, there is a small tourist information point nearby and place to buy some snacks and drinks if necessary. The Monastery makes for a serene focal piece in the midst of the gorgeous valley running through Una National park. This also gives you a good spot to park so you can visit the next sight.

Unac Tunnel

If you want to do a quick hike and you’re short on time, Unac Tunnel can scratch that itch. The trail takes you from near the information point mentioned above. Following the trail, you hike parallel with the Una River. You’ll cross some rocky paths, so watch your footing! But the hike is relatively easy and flat, with a wide, sweeping path. The tunnel it takes you to is sometimes home to bats, so watch your head! The coolest view is when you exit the tunnel. You get a picturesque view of the rapids, surrounding valley slopes, and the rocky outcroppings up and down the valley. It’s another impressive perspective of the park and gives you a chance to stretch your legs a bit.

But again, if you have other priorities, this is a sight you could skip without losing too much from your day.

Lunch

I packed my own lunch, so I didn’t drop into any restaurant. However, if you’re following the above itinerary and didn’t bring your own food, your stomach might be growling at about this time. And if you’re planning on visiting the Ostrovica Castle, you’re definitely going to want to grab something now. I’d recommend driving up to Kulen Vakuf where you can find couple of cafes for an affordable lunch. Bistro Una and Bistro Džisrikebir both have decent reviews. Feel free to eat in town and admire the views of Ostrovica Castle from below before you take the adventure up. Or if you want to have lunch with an eagle’s eye view, get something for takeaway and prepare for the trek!

Old Town Ostrovica Castle

Okay, now Ostrovica Castle is a worthwhile stop in your visit to Una National Park BUT it’s a challenge getting there. I would skip this if you aren’t up for a bit of a hike or more importantly, you’re a wee bit anxious about spending thirty-ish minutes trying to drive up really rough, one-line gravel roads. Trust me, on the way back down, I had to share this road with a lorry going the opposite direction. It wasn’t a ton of fun.

All the same, if you like hiking to impressive views and kind of exploring some parts of a ruined castle, this fits the bill. I parked my car slightly off the road next to a picnic bench with a sign pointing to the hiking path/road that led up to the castle. Then it took me about fifteen minutes from there to make it up to the castle.

However, if you followed Google Maps, it will show that you can drive all the way up to the castle. I’m frankly not sure if you should or not, given the road gets even worse, but it does look like there’s parking up there. I didn’t trust those roads, so I left it at the small pavilion I mentioned.

If that doesn’t scare you, visit the castle for some impressive views. Just be really careful exploring up there because it’s full of scree and steep slopes!

Strbacki Buk Waterfall

Ah, we’ve made it! The most beautiful part of Una National Park in my opinon is the Strbacki Buk Waterfall. It’s really easy to drive here and find ample parking. Before you even start down the pathway to the falls, there are plenty of stands to pick up another drink or snack.

There are spots to picnic and swam above the travertine falls, so if you’ve skipped over some of the stops above, you’ll have ample time to chill here.

Winding wooden platforms take you from the top of the falls to various viewing points. These falls stretch down the river, and every new view seems more impressive than the last. I spent a good forty minutes just admiring the various vantages here, and I probably could’ve spent longer. This was by far my favorite stop at Una National Park. If you can only see one thing at the park, make this your stop. You will not regret it.

Dinner at Japodski Otoci

Ah, we’ve had quite the day, haven’t we? So many waterfalls, a bit of hiking, gorgeous views, what could make it better?

A delicious dinner at the lakeside, of course. Japodski Otoci is on a series of islands. The food is great and affordable, mostly typical Bosnian fare. You’ll get a wonderful view over the water, especially if you time dinner for sunset. I really enjoyed my food and a beer here after a long day exploring Una National Park.

Where to stay

In my opinion, one of the best places to stay after exploring Una National park is staying at Japodski Otoci. Besides the awesome dining area on the island, they offer some comfortable and unique lodging. I stayed in one of their normal motel rooms. It was comfortable, had A/C, hot water, and all the other stuff you’d expect, plus free breakfast at the lake. But the coolest lodging they offer are some unique tents and treehouses scattered throughout the islands.

Plus, the islands themselves are fun to explore. It doesn’t take long to get from one end to the other, but you’ll see some of the unique tree houses along with different activity area. There are play areas for the kids, places to borrow boats, and some opportunities to go swimming, too.

Not only that, but Japodski Otoci offers a bunch of different adventures and activities you can book with them depending on the season. If you want to go white water rafting, these guys can hook you up.

If you’re not into staying there, I’d recommend finding a hotel in Bihać, a town right on the Una River. I didn’t visit this town, but I heard it’s cute and small enough to explore in a half-a-day or less. There are quite a few decent looking options for lodging along with food.

How to Get There

I highly recommend driving your own car for this trip. You’ll be able to visit all the stops I mentioned above, and you’ll be able to keep good time. Otherwise, you might want to contact a tour company that will take you to Una National Park. Since I drove on my own, I didn’t take any tours. But if I had to, I would contact a company like this that does Una National Park tours.

Other Activities

If you’re into adventurous activities, Una National Park has you covered. I didn’t spend enough time there to enjoy the white water rafting or biking, but both activities are on offer. You can also find guides to take you fly fishing, mountaineering, or off-roading. No surprise here, but Japodski Otoci offers all these tours. Based on my experience with them, I wouldn’t hesitate booking a tour with them. There are also other rafting companies that can take you on a river tour as well. Let me know if you go on one of these; I’d be jealous, but I want to hear how it goes!

Plus, on your drive to the Strbacki Buk Waterfall, you’ll see plenty of spots where you can park for a picnic, swim, or even enjoy a rope swing or two over the river. Tons of great places to relax.

Final Tips

• This trip is best done with a rental car. You can go pretty much anywhere with a 2WD vehicle, but be forewarned that when I was there, many roads were little more than rough gravel. You’ll have to go slow, and Google Maps may not reflect the right driving time.
• You can easily visit all these sights within a day. However, if you’d like to add another activity or spend some more relaxing time in the park, two nights wouldn’t be a bad choice.
• Make sure to start early in the morning to finish the whole itinerary within the day. I left Mostar at 8 am to make this work and end up at dinner in time for sunset.
• If you’re staying in Bihać or another spot north of Una National Park, I’d still recommend starting at the south of the park if possible. You really will save the best for last that way, and you’ll be increasingly impressed with each sight.