Kravice waterfalls guide
From Mostar: Half-Day Trip to the Kravica Waterfall
What are Kravice Waterfalls and is swimming allowed?
Kravice (Kravica) is a crescent of tufa limestone waterfalls roughly 25 metres high on the Trebižat River in Herzegovina, 42km southwest of Mostar. Swimming is allowed and is the main draw in summer — the natural pools at the base are clear, cool, and spectacular. Entrance is 20 BAM.
Kravice Waterfalls — often written as Kravica in Croatian — is one of the most photographed natural sites in Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the images do not lie. A wide crescent of tufa limestone cascades roughly 25 metres into a series of emerald-green natural pools, enclosed by lush vegetation that feels almost tropical against the surrounding limestone karst. In summer, it becomes a natural swimming lido; in spring, a roaring spectacle of white water.
What makes Kravice special
Kravice is not a single waterfall but a horseshoe-shaped cataract approximately 120 metres across. The water comes from the Trebižat River — a tributary of the Neretva — and flows over a tufa (calcium carbonate) formation that grows slightly larger each year as minerals precipitate from the water. This is the same material that forms the travertine pools of Plitvice in Croatia, giving the water its distinctive turquoise-green colour even in summer when levels drop.
At peak flow in spring (March-May), the noise is tremendous and the spray reaches 30-40 metres. In midsummer, the flow decreases and the pools widen, making the site more suitable for swimming. Both states are worth seeing.
Swimming at Kravice
Swimming is permitted and is the main reason most summer visitors come. The pools at the base of the falls are natural, clear, and in July typically around 18-22°C — refreshing rather than cold. You can swim directly under several of the smaller cascades; the main fall creates too much turbulence for comfortable swimming but forms a dramatic backdrop.
Bring a towel, change in the basic changing facilities near the entrance, and wear shoes that grip on wet limestone (flip-flops are risky on the path down). Snorkels are not necessary but occasionally seen.
The site gets extremely crowded on summer weekends between 11:00 and 15:00 — it is genuinely unpleasant at peak times. Arriving by 09:00 or after 16:00 transforms the experience.
Planning your time at the water
Most visitors underestimate how much of the pleasure at Kravice comes from slowing down. The walk down from the entrance is short, but the setting rewards a longer stay: find a flat rock or a patch of shore, leave your bag where you can see it, and alternate between swimming and sitting in the shade. The spray from the main cascade cools the air around the lower pools, which is welcome on a hot Herzegovina afternoon, when the stone-and-scrub landscape inland can feel punishing.
If you are travelling with children or less confident swimmers, stay in the shallower edges of the pools and keep an eye on the current close to the base of the larger falls. The water is clear enough that you can read the bottom, but the limestone is uneven and slippery, so take your time getting in and out. Our Bosnia with kids guide and the family activities guide cover what suits younger travellers across the country, and Kravice is one of the easiest outdoor stops to include.
Photographers should note that the light changes the character of the place completely. Early in the day the crescent is calmer and the colours are softer; later, the sun on the mist can produce rainbows over the pools. A waterproof pouch for your phone is worth having if you plan to swim close to the spray.
Getting to Kravice
From Mostar
By car/motorbike: Head southwest on the main road toward Čapljina, then follow signs to Kravice/Kravica. The drive is 42km, approximately 50 minutes on good roads. Park at the entrance; walk 10 minutes down to the falls.
By organised tour: A half-day Kravice tour from Mostar is the most convenient option if you don’t have a car. Tours typically depart in the morning or afternoon and include transport, entrance fee, and a guide.
Combining with Blagaj and Počitelj: Most day-trip itineraries from Mostar cover all three sites in a single day. The Blagaj, Počitelj and Kravice Waterfalls day tour is the standard package: Blagaj Tekke in the morning, Počitelj Ottoman village at midday, and Kravice in the afternoon — a full and rewarding day.
Kravice is a travertine barrier rather than a cliff — the rock is still forming from the lime the Trebižat carries — and the farms around it work the same water: a Mostar, Medjugorje and Kravice farm-to-table tour connects the falls to the land that lives off them.
From Dubrovnik
Kravice is 130km from Dubrovnik by road (roughly 2 hours). Organised day trips from Dubrovnik typically include Mostar city walk (2 hours), Kravice swimming (2 hours), and optionally Blagaj or Počitelj. See the Mostar from Dubrovnik guide for full details on the various tour options.
Driving and parking notes
If you are renting a car for the day, the route is straightforward, but it helps to read up first on renting a car in Bosnia and driving in Bosnia, especially if you are arriving from Croatia and need to sort out border paperwork; the driving from Croatia to Bosnia guide walks through it. Without a car, the getting around Bosnia guide explains why organised tours are so common for sites like this one, which sit away from regular bus routes.
If you are coming from the coast, remember that the road between Split and Dubrovnik passes through the Neum stretch of Bosnian coast, so check the Neum corridor crossing guide before you plan a combined itinerary. Travellers starting in Split can compare options in the Mostar from Split guide, and those weighing the two coastal bases can use the Split versus Dubrovnik comparison.
Practical information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Entrance fee | 20 BAM / adult |
| Open | Daily from 07:00; closes 17:00 (winter) to 22:00 (May-Sep) |
| Best swimming season | June-September |
| Best waterfall season | March-May |
| Nearest town | Ljubuški (12km) |
| Cafes and food | On-site konobas open in season |
Eating, resting and what to bring
The konobas near the entrance and along the path are part of the experience rather than an afterthought. Grilled meat, fish and cold drinks after a swim are the natural rhythm of the day, and eating there lets you wait out the busiest hours in the shade instead of fighting for a spot at the water. For a wider sense of what to order elsewhere in the country, see the Bosnian food guide and the burek and pita guide, both useful for a picnic or a stop on the road back.
A sensible kit for the day is simple: a towel, water shoes or grippy sandals, sun protection, a hat, a dry bag for valuables and some cash for the gate and parking. There is little shelter beyond the trees near the pools, so plan for sun. In shoulder months, add a light layer for the walk back, since the air near the falls feels cooler than the car park.
How Kravice compares with other Bosnian waterfalls
Bosnia is rich in falling water, and it helps to know what Kravice offers that others do not. Its great strengths are ease and swimming: you park, walk a short way down and are in the water within minutes. Other falls ask more of you. Štrbački Buk sits in the wilder west and rewards the longer journey with power and quiet, the Pliva waterfall at Jajce drops right beside a historic town, and the Jajce watermills guide shows how the same river was put to work. Closer to Sarajevo, Vrelo Bosne offers a gentler, parkland kind of water scenery rather than a dramatic cataract. Choose by mood: Kravice for a swim and a social, lively afternoon, the others for solitude, history or a walk.
Travellers who enjoy nature more broadly can pair the falls with Hutovo Blato nature park, a wetland reserve whose birdlife makes a calm contrast to the splash and crowds of the falls.
Choosing the season
The two seasons at Kravice are almost two different places. In spring the water is high, loud and powerful, and the visit is about the spectacle; in summer the flow drops, the pools open up and the visit becomes about swimming. If you cannot decide, the best time to visit Bosnia guide puts the waterfall in the context of the whole year, while Bosnia in spring, Bosnia in summer and Bosnia in autumn describe what else is open and worth doing in each season. If you want to avoid the crush, the avoiding crowds in Bosnia guide gives general tactics that apply here too.
Fitting Kravice into a longer trip
Kravice works best as one chapter of a Herzegovina loop. Mostar is the natural base: the Mostar destination page and the Stari Most guide cover the city itself, while the best day trips from Mostar list puts the falls alongside other options. On the same day you can add Blagaj and its tekke, or the stone village of Počitelj. Travellers with a little more time can build a longer plan from the Herzegovina weekend itinerary or the Sarajevo and Mostar in three days itinerary, and the Kravice waterfalls destination page gives a short overview of the area. For a first-person account of a summer visit, read the Kravice falls summer blog post.
The ecosystem around Kravice
The tufa wetlands around the Trebižat River support significant biodiversity. The otter (vidra) is resident in the river; kingfishers nest along the riverbanks; and the vegetation includes a mix of riparian woodland and Mediterranean maquis unusual this far inland. The site is within the informal boundaries of the Kravice Nature Monument, though it lacks the protection of a formal national park.
In spring, the wildflower meadows above the falls are excellent for walking — a 2km path follows the river bank upstream to a quieter area above the main pool.
Respecting the place
The tufa that makes Kravice beautiful is fragile and still forming, so treat the site gently. Stay on the paths where they exist, avoid climbing on the delicate mossy formations, take your rubbish with you, and keep soap and sunscreen out of the water as far as possible. Because the area lacks the formal protection of a national park, its condition depends largely on the habits of the people who visit. If you walk further afield in the region, the hiking in Bosnia guide and the landmine safety guide are worth reading first, and the is Bosnia safe guide covers general precautions.
Combining Kravice with the Una National Park
Both Kravice and Štrbački Buk (Una National Park) are tufa waterfalls, but they are very different in character. Kravice is accessible, swimmable, and crowded; Štrbački Buk is remote, powerful, and almost pristine. For travellers spending a week in Bosnia, visiting both is worthwhile. The Una National Park guide and Štrbački Buk guide have the details. For more waterfalls closer to central Bosnia, see the Pliva waterfall guide. For the wider Herzegovina day-trip context, the Herzegovina day trip guide covers how Kravice fits alongside Blagaj and Počitelj.
Frequently asked questions about Kravice waterfalls
How do I get to Kravice Waterfalls from Mostar?
What time does Kravice open and how much is entry?
When is the best time to visit Kravice?
Can I visit Kravice from Dubrovnik?
Is there food at Kravice Waterfalls?
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