Tom`s travels: Lukomir (18/05/2025)

Ania and I decided to go with four other friends hiking near Sarajevo and opted for a popular hike near the Bjelašnica mountain to the village of Lukomir. We got in the cars and then drove to the village of Umoljani, reaching it after a steep and narrow road. Set on the southern slope of the Bjelašnica mountain range, it is inhabited all year round but has a higher population during summer, particularly for shepherds and tourists. Once we parked the car at its highest point, we followed the trail heading westwards. We started ascending a minor mountain, with beautiful views looking out to the east, the greenery of the pastures below, and the grayish look of the peak in the mountain in the distance. It was warm as we headed up, and the sun was shining through some clouds. Eventually, after a few ups and downs, we stopped next to a tree for a break while admiring the panorama. We then continued uphill, and the landscape turned from green forest to bare gray rock. We traversed this typical karstic landscape and then started following a bare ridgeline with nice views on both sides. After a bit of hiking, we eventually reached the Obalj peak, at 1896m above sea level. The view from up there was great, spanning over the Rakitnica canyon right below and the many peaks of the different mountain ranges in the distance. It was really windy and cold up there, so we decided to move on quickly as we were starting to freeze. Not far ahead, we could now start seeing the village of Lukomir, nestled in a small basin flanked by mountainous terrain. Just as we approached it, it started raining, but it was so cold that it was more of a mix between rain and snow. We quickly passed the village's large cemetery and then looked for a place to take shelter. We opted for Na Krovu Svijeta, where we sat and ordered some food for lunch. The village of Lukomir sits at 1495m above sea level, making it thus the highest permanent village in the country. After a warm soup and meal, we were ready to continue hiking, as the clouds had passed and a timid sun was again shining through the clouds. This time, we took another route to complete a circular route back to the car. This was also the most popular route between Lukomir and Umoljani, as it was also the easiest. We hiked along a path overlooking the Rakitnica canyon for most of the way, having beautiful views at every turn. We also had a nice vantage point of the village Bobovica, right across on a small plateau on the other side of the canyon. After a bit of walking, we then came across a large flock of sheep guarded by an old, friendly dog who came to us and got some scratches. We then moved on and reached a flat open area where a zig-zagging small river called Studeni Potok made its way. Eventually we then reached the cars and from there drove back to Sarajevo.