Multi-country programme for tour operators
Balkan Grand Tour in 12 days: six-country circuit for tour operators
The Balkan Grand Tour is a 12-day coach circuit from Belgrade to Skopje through Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia, operated by travellige, a Sarajevo-based, trade-only DMC, under one contract and one invoice for tour operators and travel agencies.
- Duration
- 12 days
- Route
- Belgrade → Skopje
- Best months
- April to June, September to October
- Group size
- 15 to 45 by coach; smaller groups by minibus
At a glance
- Duration
- 12 days, 11 nights
- Countries
- Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia
- Overnights
- Belgrade 2, Sarajevo 2, Mostar 1, Dubrovnik 2, Kotor 1, Tirana 1, Ohrid 2
- Arrival / departure
- Belgrade (BEG) / Skopje (SKP); Ohrid (OHD) possible
- Border crossings
- Five: RS-BA, BA-HR, HR-ME, ME-AL, AL-MK
- Longest drive
- Belgrade to Sarajevo, about 6.5 to 7 hours with stops
- Best months
- April to June, September to October
Why this programme sells
The Grand Tour shows the whole Western Balkans in under two weeks: the Danube capital of Belgrade, Ottoman Sarajevo and Mostar, the walls of Dubrovnik, the Bay of Kotor, post-communist Tirana and the lake town of Ohrid. It is the circuit operators ask for when they want one flagship Balkan product.
The route runs in one direction without backtracking and keeps daily drives realistic. Its difficulty is operational, not geographical: five borders, five currencies and suppliers in six countries. That is exactly what we take off your desk. You contract once with travellige, receive one invoice and have one operations contact for the whole circuit.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Belgrade
Meet and greet at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and transfer to the hotel (about 30 minutes). Evening walk along Knez Mihailova street and welcome dinner in Skadarlija.
⌂ Belgrade
Day 2
Belgrade
Guided tour: the Kalemegdan fortress above the confluence of the Sava and the Danube, the old town, the Church of Saint Sava and the Museum of Yugoslavia with Tito's mausoleum, the House of Flowers. Afternoon free or an optional river cruise.
⌂ Belgrade
Day 3
Belgrade to Sarajevo via Višegrad
A long but scenic day. Drive south-west to the Bosnian border at Kotroman and Vardište and on to Višegrad (about 4 hours) to see the UNESCO-listed Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge on the Drina, the bridge of Ivo Andrić's novel. Continue through the Drina and Prača valleys to Sarajevo (about 2.5 hours). Total about 6.5 to 7 hours including stops and the border. Optional instead: a stop at Mokra Gora and the Šargan Eight heritage railway, which lengthens the day.
⌂ Sarajevo
Day 4
Sarajevo
Full-day guided tour: Baščaršija, the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, the Cathedral, the Old Orthodox Church and the Old Synagogue, the Latin Bridge and the site of the 1914 assassination, and the Tunnel of Hope from the 1992 to 1996 siege.
⌂ Sarajevo
Day 5
Sarajevo to Mostar via Konjic and Jablanica
Drive along the Neretva valley with stops at the old bridge in Konjic and the Jablanica bridge (about 2.5 hours of driving in total). Afternoon walking tour of Mostar: Stari Most, rebuilt in 2004 and UNESCO-listed in 2005, the old bazaar and the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque.
⌂ Mostar
Day 6
Blagaj, Počitelj and on to Dubrovnik
Morning at the dervish tekke in Blagaj (20 minutes) and the Ottoman village of Počitelj (30 minutes). Continue to Dubrovnik (about 2 hours from Počitelj) via the Metković crossing into Croatia and the Pelješac Bridge, avoiding the double border at Neum. Allow extra time at the border: Croatia is in the Schengen area and the EU Entry/Exit System applies.
⌂ Dubrovnik
Day 7
Dubrovnik
Morning guided tour of the UNESCO-listed old town: Pile Gate, Stradun, the Rector's Palace and the cathedral. Optional walk on the city walls (best early, before the heat and the crowds) or the cable car to Mount Srđ. Afternoon free.
⌂ Dubrovnik
Day 8
Dubrovnik to the Bay of Kotor
Drive to the Montenegrin border at Karasovići and Debeli Brijeg, then along the Bay of Kotor to Perast (about 2 to 2.5 hours in total; summer queues can add time). Boat to the island church of Our Lady of the Rocks. Continue to Kotor (20 minutes) for a walking tour of the UNESCO-listed old town.
⌂ Kotor
Day 9
Kotor to Tirana via Shkodër
Drive via Podgorica to the Albanian border at Božaj and Hani i Hotit and on to Shkodër (about 3 hours), for the Rozafa fortress above the lake. Continue to Tirana (about 1.5 to 2 hours). Evening orientation walk around Skanderbeg Square. Total driving about 5 hours.
⌂ Tirana
Day 10
Tirana to Lake Ohrid
Morning tour of Tirana: Skanderbeg Square, the Et'hem Bey Mosque and one of the Bunk'Art Cold War museums. Drive via Elbasan to the North Macedonian border at Qafë Thanë and on to Ohrid (about 3 hours).
⌂ Ohrid
Day 11
Ohrid
Guided walk through the UNESCO-listed old town of Ohrid: the ancient theatre, Samuel's Fortress, the Church of St John at Kaneo above the lake and St Sophia. Afternoon free or an optional boat trip on the lake or excursion to the monastery of St Naum (about 45 minutes each way).
⌂ Ohrid
Day 12
Ohrid to Skopje and departure
Drive to Skopje (about 3 hours). Short tour of the Old Bazaar, the Stone Bridge and the Mustafa Pasha Mosque, then transfer to Skopje International Airport (about 25 minutes) for evening flights. For morning flights, the group departs from Ohrid airport instead, or we add a night in Skopje.
Included in the ground package
- Accommodation in the hotel category agreed in the quote, in twin or double rooms, with breakfast
- All transport shown in the itinerary by air-conditioned coach, midibus or minibus sized to the group, with a professional driver
- Arrival and departure transfers on the programme dates
- Licensed local guides for the city tours named in the itinerary, in English, German, Turkish, Arabic or Italian
- Entrance fees to the sites marked as visited (not those marked optional)
- Parking, road tolls and the driver's accommodation and meals
- Local tourist (city) taxes on accommodation, itemised in the quote
- One operations contact reachable around the clock while the group is on the ground
- A tour manager who travels with the group from Belgrade to Skopje, plus local guides in each city where local rules require them
- Boat to Our Lady of the Rocks in Perast
- Entrance fees for the Tunnel of Hope, Blagaj tekke, Rozafa fortress and the main churches in Ohrid
- Coach permits and border paperwork for all six countries
Not included
- International and domestic flights, unless quoted separately
- Visa fees and any visa support beyond the invitation letters we can issue for confirmed bookings
- Travel and cancellation insurance
- Meals and drinks not listed as included
- Optional excursions and activities
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses, porterage at hotels unless requested, and anything not listed under included
- Dubrovnik city walls and cable car, Belgrade river cruise, Šargan Eight railway and St Naum excursion (optional)
Hotel categories
- Standard: 4-star city hotels in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Mostar, Tirana and Ohrid; 3-star or 4-star in the Dubrovnik and Kotor areas, where central 4-star rooms are scarce and expensive in summer
- Superior: upper 4-star and 5-star hotels, with Dubrovnik close to the old town and Kotor on the bay
- Boutique options in old town houses in Mostar, Kotor and Ohrid for smaller groups
- In peak months we may place larger groups in Cavtat or on the Dubrovnik Riviera and in Budva or Tivat instead of Kotor; we show this in the quote
Group size and guiding
Ideal for 15 to 45 travellers in a full-size coach. Groups below 15 travel by midibus or minibus. The same vehicle and driver normally run the whole circuit, which keeps the experience consistent and the border paperwork simple.
A tour manager in English, German, Turkish, Arabic or Italian accompanies the group throughout. Licensed local guides join in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Mostar, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Tirana and Ohrid. We plan daily driving within EU and AETR drivers' hours rules.
FAQ
Can the tour run in the opposite direction, from Skopje to Belgrade?
Yes. The route works equally well from Skopje or Ohrid to Belgrade. We choose the direction that fits your flight connections.
What visas do my clients need?
It depends on nationality. Croatia is in the Schengen area, so travellers who need a Schengen visa need one for the Dubrovnik leg; the route enters Croatia only once. From 1 November 2026 Montenegro has announced visa requirements for Turkish, Chinese and Saudi citizens; for those markets we propose a variant without Montenegro. Visa rules change; last checked: October 2026.
How long do the border crossings take?
Usually 20 to 60 minutes per crossing for a coach, but the Croatian and Montenegrin borders on the coast can take longer in July and August. We schedule border days with buffers and keep passenger lists ready for the authorities.
Can you shorten it to 10 days?
Yes. The usual 10-day version removes the second night in Belgrade and the second night in Dubrovnik, or starts in Sarajevo instead of Belgrade.
Do you handle all six countries yourselves?
Yes, through one contract with travellige. We plan, contract and pay hotels, guides and services in every country on the route, and you receive one invoice.
Quote the Balkan Grand Tour
Send your dates, group size, market and preferred direction. We reply with a full proposal and net rates within 24 hours on working days.
Request a Quote