Croatia to Bosnia: Zagreb to Sarajevo via the Adriatic Coast

Land in Zagreb, Croatia's capital, and make your way to the hostel. Drop your bag, get settled in the dorm, and get ready to meet the rest of the crew. The first night is for getting your bearings with a quick walk around the neighborhood before finding one of Zagreb's many beer halls or trendy bars.

It's a travel day, starting with a bus ride from Zagreb into the Croatian interior. The destination is Plitvice (90 waterfalls) Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its 16 terraced lakes connected by waterfalls. You'll spend the afternoon exploring the network of wooden walkways that criss-cross the pools and cascades. It’s a heavy-duty photo-op spot, so make sure your phone is charged. The hostel for the night is just outside the park.

Leave the inland forests behind and take a bus south to the Dalmatian Coast. You'll arrive in Split, a city that feels alive and ancient at the same time. After dropping your gear at the hostel, a quick walk around the area will get you oriented. The main plan for the night is a group outing. Head for Bačvice Beach, where you can grab a drink at a beach bar before seeing where the night takes you.

The day starts with a walk through Diocletian's Palace, the sprawling Roman complex that forms the core of Split's old town. After that, the day is yours. You can take a ferry to the famous Zlatni Rat beach on the island of Bol, explore the nearby historic town of Trogir, or just find a spot on the Riva promenade to people-watch. The city's nightlife is always an option once the sun goes down.

Today is an island day. A morning ferry gets you from Split to Hvar, one of the Adriatic's most popular spots. Once you land, the island is yours. Your best move is to team up with some hostel mates and split a water taxi to the nearby Pakleni Islands for more secluded coves and beach bars. Or, you can stay on Hvar and hike up to the Spanish Fortress for the classic panoramic view. You'll catch an evening ferry back to Split for the night.

The morning is a four-to-four-and-a-half-hour bus ride down the scenic Dalmatian coast to Dubrovnik. After checking into the hostel, you'll have time to get a first look at the famous walled city. For any Game of Thrones fans, this is King's Landing in the flesh. The evening is free to explore on your own or meet up with the crew for a night out. The East/West Beach Club is a solid bet if you're looking for a party that starts before dark.

Say goodbye to the Croatian coast and cross the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina. The landscape changes quickly. The first major stop is Tvrdoš Monastery, a 16th-century Serbian Orthodox site where the monks still make wine; you'll get to try some. Before reaching the town of Trebinje, there are stops for views from Hercegovacka Temple and for photos at the Ottoman-era Arslanagić Bridge. After checking into the hotel, a walk through the old town gets you oriented before dinner.

This is a full-on Bosnian road trip day. The route cuts north to Počitelj (105km), an old Ottoman stone town and art colony with a fortress perched above the Neretva river. From there, it's on to Kravica (25km) Waterfalls for a chance to swim in the pools at the base of the wide cascades. The day ends near Livno (120km) with a sunset Jeep safari across a high plateau, keeping an eye out for the herds of wild horses that roam the area. The night finishes with a BBQ dinner and a campfire back at the guesthouse.

The drive south from Livno leads first to the village of Blagaj (130km on). Here, the Dervish Monastery is dramatically built into a cliff face right at the source of the Buna River. If the weather's right, it's a good spot for a quick swim. It's a short drive from there to Mostar (20km on), a city defined by its history. A walking tour covers the key sites, including the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge), which was famously rebuilt after the war. The rest of the evening is free to wander the cobbled market streets and find a riverside restaurant.

A morning train takes you from Mostar to the smaller town of Konjic (a 70-kilometre local train ride). After dropping your bags at the lodge, you'll gear up for white water rafting on the clear, cold Neretva River. It's a classic group activity that ends with a BBQ lunch on the riverbank. The afternoon is yours. You can relax at the lodge or, for a serious dose of Cold War history, organize a trip to Tito's Bunker, a massive, once-secret nuclear command center built into the nearby mountains.

It's another scenic train ride today, this time from Konjic to Sarajevo (a 60-kilometre local train ride), the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The best way to get a feel for the city is through its food. An afternoon food tour with a local guide will get you away from the tourist traps and into the small shops and restaurants that define Bosnian cuisine. You'll sample local specialties and learn about the city's complex history. The rest of the day is free to keep exploring on your own.

You have a full free day to get under the skin of Sarajevo. Your best move is to dive into the city's recent past at one of the many powerful museums about the 1990s siege. For a different kind of history, take the funicular up the mountain to see the abandoned 1984 Olympic bobsled track, now a concrete canvas for graffiti artists. In the evening, the whole crew gets together for one last big night out to close out the trip.

It's the last day. Pack your bags, say your goodbyes, and head out whenever you need to. There are no activities planned, leaving you free to grab one last Bosnian coffee or do some last-minute souvenir shopping before making your way to the airport.