Begin your Balkans tour experience with Original World in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
This tour is offered twice annually, in May & September. The dates are on the brochure which you can download. Given here for easy reference.
September 14-October 4, 2026
May 10-30 & September 13-October 3, 2027
To find the dates that you wish to book, click the button “See Availability,” a calendar appears. You will see dates in black ink. Click on the date to select it. If you want a future date, use the arrow to move forward on the calendar to view additional dates.
The Balkans Explorer tour offers diverse landscapes and expereinces including extraordinary monasteries and churches, important monuments and historical sites, and quaint picturesque villages as well as places of immense natural beauty.
Learn about the fascinating history of Bosnia. Tour the charming old town of Sarajevo. Experience magical Mostar and then cross the border into Montenegro. Driving along the gorgeous Adriatic coastline, the tour visits the charming towns of Kotor and Budva.
From Budva, it is a short drive over the Albania border to Shkodër Lake which lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro. Visit the town of Shkodër and the small hillside town of Kruja before arriving in Tirana, Albania.
Enjoy a comprehensive tour of Albania including Tirana, Apollonia, Saranda, Butrint and Berat. We then cross into The Republic of North Macedonia enjoying panoramic views of Lake Ohrid and fishing villages stretching along the lake`s coast.
Ohrid, takes your breath away, wow! Stunning, mountain-fringed shores of Lake Ohrid. A walking tour of Ohrid, one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. Onward to Skopje, located in a valley, on both sides of River Vardar. A walking tour of Old Town as well as the newer areas. A unique experience in Canyon Matka (also referred to as the Butterfly Canyon), a boat trip that takes us inside Vrelo Cave to admire the striking nature.
Next, we cross the border to Prizren, Kosovo. Visit the town and Monastery Visoki Decani (monks still reside here) as well as the Patriarchate of Pec; nuns still reside here (both are UNESCO).
Onward to Serbia. Visits enroute to Zlatabor Town/Mount Zlatibor. We continue to Belgrade which has been the Serbian capital for 6 centuries. It is a city of rich cultural activities including concerts, theater performances, galleries and fine dining.
Soak up the ambiance in picturesque Mostar
Discover Kruja’s fortress, museums and the old bazaar
Visit Butrint, one of the world’s archeological wonders
Marvel at ancient Apollonia which is among the finest archaeological sites of the Mediterranean
Many UNESCO sites in each country
Enjoy the stunning ambiance of Ohrid, one of the oldest human settlements in Europe.
Quaint traditional towns of Montenegro.
Studenica Monastery; the crowning achievement of medieval culture and art in Serbia
Interaction with the nuns of Patriarchate of Pec.
Belgrade, the fascinating capital of Serbia.
Accommodation with daily breakfast
Arrival/departure transfers on tour dates (additional cost on other days)
One accompanying guide from Sarejvo to Montenegro border; one accompanying guide from Montenegro border throughout Albania; another accompanying guide throughout Serbia.
Meals: 7 lunches, 7 dinners
Bottled water during drives and sightseeing
Transport by ac mini-van or larger depending on group size—there will be more seats
Monument entrance fees
All Tourism Taxes
International airfare
Tourist tax (if any)
Tips to drivers, guides, and hotel porters
Meals other than those listed
A tour of Bulgaria follows the Fall Balkans tours. Receive a $200 discount if you sign up for both tours. use code back2back at check-out.
Original World, founded in 1997, offers hand-crafted immersive journeys steeped in vibrant local color and time-honored traditions. Original World is a boutique company, not a corporate conglomerate. Our services are personalized and we offer options for flexibility even within a group tour. Our small group tours feel like a private tour experience with like-minded travel companions. Explore destinations that maintain a traditional culture in India, Asia, Africa, Middle East, and Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe.