National park Una

Bus national park Una

National park Una is one of the 4 national parks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The park is located in the western part of Bosnia along the Bosnian / Croatian border just south of the city Bihać.

The more famous NP Plitvička jezera in Croatia is located just 40 km away, which makes these two national parks a perfect combo for a day trip.

Read on and find out how to get to national park Una and what to do there.

How to get to NP Una

By car

The easiest way of getting to the Una National park is for sure by car. The national park has 6 entrances which all can be reached by car.

However, the last few kilometers of the road are not in good shape because it’s under construction so be careful.

By bus

Getting to National park Una by bus is not an easy task, but is semi doable. From Bihac ‘Bedem’ (not the bus station) there is a local bus towards Kulen Vakuf.

This bus passes the 2nd entrance in Ćukovi where you can ask the driver to drop you off. From Ćukovi there is a 4.5 km walk to get to Štrbački buk, getting back you will have to do the reverse or if possible get a lift. Timetable for the bus you can find at the bus station in Bihać; usually there is about 5 daily departures.

Taking a bus directly to Martin Brod is also possible from Bihać bus station.

Excursion/Day trip

Another easy way of getting to National park Una is to join an organized trip available from Bihać and other towns; if possible find a tour which takes you both to Štrbački buk and Milančev Buk.

Entrance fee

The main entrance is Gorjevac, which is the one to take when you are heading for the waterfalls in Štrbački buk.

Also the entrance in Martin brod is one to consider as this one is located by the waterfalls in Milančev Buk.

Here are all entrances to NP Una:

  • Entrance 1 – Gorjevac (Štrbački buk)
  • Entrance 2 – Ćukovi
  • Entrance 3 – Ćelije
  • Entrance 4 – Račić
  • Entrance 5 – Martin brod (Milančev Buk)
  • Entrance 6 – Lohovo

All visitors, except children up to the age of 7, have to pay an entrance fee.
The price of tickets depends on entrances.
The price range is from 2 KM (if you come into the park from Entrance 6) to 7 KM or 3,5 € (Entrance 1, 2 & 3).

Una national park Waterfalls
Waterfalls of Martin Brod

How to get from Plitvice lakes to National park Una?

There isn’t a direct bus line from Plitvice lakes to national park Una, but there are other ways to get there by bus:

From National park Plitvice there is a morning bus driving to Bihac (departure time from Plitvice stops is around 08:00)

The only drawback is that tickets for this line cannot be purchased online and as the bus arrives from Zagreb with FD in Bihac, you can not be 100% sure that there is space on the bus, but usually most people get off the bus in Plitvice, so if you wait at Entrance 1 you should have a fair chance of getting on the bus.

The bus is operated by the company Autopromet d.d. Slunj.

Other options by bus is to catch one of the other buses driving between Zagreb and Bihac.

As these buses follow another routes, you will have to get on the bus in either Slunj or Rakovica. As mentioned earlier, from Bihac you then have to catch a bus to either Kulen Vakuf or Martin Brod.

Taxi or transfer from Plitvice lakes to National park Una

Taking a taxi from Plitvice to Una is possible if you are able to catch one. The price for a taxi to Bihac is about 50 Euro and to Una about 70 euros (Štrbački buk).

You also have the option to pre-book a transfer which will then pick you up from the entrance or from your hotel or apartment in the area.

Bihac
“Waterfalls” in Bihać

What to see at NP Una

If you still didn’t visit Una, make sure you do so! The park boasts beautiful waterfalls comparable (to some even more beautiful) to the ones on Plitvice lakes and a rich flora and fauna. Also, it’s far less crowded.

Here’s a list of the best sights in Una national park.

Štrbac buk

This is the largest waterfall in NP Una (24 m) – even bigger than the biggest one in Plitvice. The best way to get there is from Orašac (in Bosnia).

Martin Brod

This is actually a small village dating from the 15th century. Its main attraction are the waterfalls (one of the most beautiful is Milančev buk) as well as watermills and old washing mills called bucnice which are now marketed as “eco washing machines” because of their sustainability.

In the vicinity, you’ll also find Rmanj Monastery, an old Orthodox monastery dating from the 15th century. There’s no entrance fee so you can go in and take a peek.

Things to do

If you like hiking, kayaking and fishing, NP Una is the place for you. Read on and find out what to do here.

Hiking

Currently, there are still no official hiking trails so you’re left to your own devices. There is, however, an educational trail “Along the Paths of Past” from Cukovi to Strbacki buk.

Biking

If you wonder if there are cycling trails in the park, the answer is yes.
Here’s a list of available trails:

  • Drvar – Boboljusci – Martin Brod (37. 6 km long)
  • BH-G Drvar – Cvjetnić – Martin Brod (40. 3 km)

Kayaking and rafting

The waterfalls of Una river are perfect for kayaking and rafting. There are several agencies that organize rafting along the 15 km long Strbac – Lohovo route.

The best time of the year for rafting is from March to October.

Useful information

  • Plan some time also to see the small waterfalls in Bihać
  • If possible try to find accommodation along the river Una, there are several options in beautiful natural surroundings.
  • If your given name is Una, you can get a free entrance if you show a valid ID.
  • Some people are living within the national park, so respect their privacy.
  • Currency in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Convertible Mark (KM); one KM equals 0.50 euro cent, in Bihac you can exchange currency or withdraw money from an ATM machine.
  • Visiting the whole national park even by car takes quite a bit of time as it covers an area of 196 km2 and has a length of around 40 km.
  • Štrbački buk (opposite side of the river Una) can also be reached from Croatian side without entering Bosnia.
    The place in Croatia you will have to go to is called UNA MAMEA Park Arboretum (which is a bit off track in relation to larger roads).

Contact information

  • phone: +387 37 221 528
  • e-mail: info@nationalpark-una.ba
  • address: Bosanska 17d, 77 000 Bihać

  4Comments

  1. Jonathan   •  

    Hi. Is it possible to enter from Croatia and do not cross Bosnias country boarder? We will be deiving a car from Treviso and this does not permit us to croos Bosnias border but we wish to visit Štrbački buk

    • Melani Grubić Mikulić   •  

      Dear Jonathan,

      The access to Strbacki bus from Croatian bank of the river is not in a good condition because people usually access the waterfall from the Bosnian bank. You could try but we advise to ask the locals for more information.

      Best regards!

  2. Eric Li   •  

    Are there any accommodations in the Una National Park for a two or three days stay? Or people need to head back to Bihac to stay overnight? For public transport, is there any bus from Bihac to Una National Park and back? Is it doable in one day?

    • Maja   •  

      Hi Eric,

      there are some accommodation options around the national park, you can check them via booking platforms.
      However, you will definitely find more options in Bihac.

      Best,
      GBB Team

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