Nine of us set off for three days on Prenj. We expected sharp limestone, faint paths and few places to refill our bottles. The lack of water turned out to be the hardest part to plan for.
Day one: the long approach
We started from Bijela and climbed steadily for four hours. The heat made it hard going, with almost no shade on the exposed sections before the tree line.
Day two: a dry spring
We had planned to refill at a spring marked on the map. A group that passed through in May had confirmed it was running, but we found it dry.
Never let your route depend on a single water source. Carry the contingency, or plan a bail-out that reaches water.
We rationed the water we had and shortened the ridge traverse. Everyone carried an extra litre from that point on.
Day three: down to Boračko
The descent to Boračko was our favourite part: steady walking, mostly in the shade, with a swim at the end. It's the part we'd choose for a one-day visit.
What we'd change
- Carry two litres of reserve water per person instead of one.
- Start day two an hour earlier to move before the heat.
- Check water sources with someone who has visited that month.
We run multi-day hikes through the summer. You'll find dates on the hikes page.