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Jahorina Ski Resort is the biggest and most modern ski resort in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country in southeastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. The resort is named after the Jahorina Range of the Dinaric Alps. Another main feature of the resort is that it hosted the women’s alpine skiing competitions during the 1984 Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo, the capital of the country, while other events were held in the second-largest Bjelašnica Ski Resort. With a total of 47 km (29 mi) of slopes and 17 ski lifts, Jahorina is best suited for beginner and intermediate skiers. The resort’s ski season lasts from mid-December to early March in general.
Jahorina Ski Resort is located to the southeast of the city of Istočno Sarajevo or the City of Eastern Sarajevo, the capital of the Republic of Srpska, which in turn is one of two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina together with Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the capital in the City of Sarajevo. The nearest towns to the resort are Pale in the Republika Srpska, and Trnovo in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (follow the last two links to find guides to these entities).
Geographically speaking, Jahorina is part of the Dinaric Alps, an alpine orogeny extending from the Julian Alps in Slovenia to Albania via Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia.
The Jahorina mountain is not the only one in its region, it is surrounded by other massifs with the following major peaks: Trebević (1,627 m / 5,337 ft), Bjelašnica (2,067 m / 6,781 ft), Visočica (Vito of 1,960 m / 6,430 ft), Treskavica (Mala Ćaba / Đokin Toranj of 2,088 m / 6,850 ft), and others.
The range consists not only of its summit Ogorjelica (1,916 m / 6,286 ft) but several lower ones. These peaks include Košuta (1,907 m / 6,256 ft), Šator (1,875 m / 6,151 ft), and Jahorina (1,784 m / 5,853 ft) after which it got its name, but also the plateau of Ravna Planina (1,430 m / 4,691 ft), where you can find another smaller Ravna Planina Ski Resort.
Locals also call this resort Olympic Center Jahorina since that is the name of the government organization which manages it.
Here is how to transport yourself to and from Jahorina Ski Resort:
The nearest airport to Jahorina Ski Resort is Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ). It is 36 km ( 22 mi) away or an hour of slow driving. Once there, you can choose your transportation option, be it a shuttle, rental car, bus, or taxi. Most people will rent a car, so here are the best ways to get to the resort.
The road towards the Jahorina Ski Resort is well maintained even during winter conditions, and easy to navigate.
There are two ways to get to Jahorina: it can be through Pale or Istočno Sarajevo, both lying on the eastern outskirts of Sarajevo. Both of these roads merge at Trijangla (threeway intersection) near Pale, meaning that there is only one access road to Poljice, the base station of the resort.
Numerous parking options are available at Jahorina Ski Resort with a daily parking fee of 15 Bosnia-Herzegovina convertible marks (KM) or €6.5 or 2 KM (€1) per hour. There are automated parking ramps and manual parking spaces available throughout the base station at Poljice.
In case you are not renting a car at the airport, you can also get to Jahorina via shuttle service, taxi, or public transportation. The easiest method would be by cab since taxi services in the country are reasonably priced compared to the rest of Europe. If this is not an option for you, the buses are also a great and cheap way to move about. You can reach Jahorina through Sarajevo and Pale, and here is how:
Jahorina from Sarajevo and Istočno Sarajevo
If you are visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina via Sarajevo, you will get to the airport, railway station, or bus station in Sarajevo, and then you can use these transportation options. The same goes for visitors coming in from Istočno Sarajevo:
Jahorina from Pale
You can also reach Jahorina Ski Resort via Pale. This road is the easiest, and can even be taken from Sarajevo, if you get to Pale via Ljubogošta, which takes 15 km (9 mi) and up to 20 minutes of driving. These are your options when going to Jahorina via Pale:
Jahorina is a relatively big ski resort for Bosnia and Herzegovina, but getting around it can be easily done on foot. In fact, there is only 2 km (1.2 mi) of roads around which the ski resort stretches. Therefore, for most people, walking from one end to the other will be fine. So there are no shuttles or public transportation options in Jahorina itself. But you can also move around the area by car. The roads are well maintained so even beginner drivers won’t have problems getting from base station Poljice to all types of accommodation.
Winter and snow on the Jahorina Range last from November to May.
The skiing season, on the other hand, generally lasts between mid-December to early and mid-March. So the season is occasionally shorter due to no snowfall and high temperatures, which cannot be reversed. In particular, most seasons, the skiing starts around the Christmas holidays. This is why the best time to go skiing here is January and February, specifically the highest snowfall is mid to end of January.
But the high season corresponds to this, meaning that the most crowded ski slopes are in January, especially around the Orthodox Christmas and New Year holidays, when the slopes are packed.
The low season is during mid-December, if the snow allows it, and mid-February, when you can catch empty slopes and get away from the bustle.
Artificial snow made with snow cannons is common on Jahorina, where all slopes have backup snow machines. In other words, the whole ski resort can be open even when the weather isn’t perfect.
Still, in most cases, there is enough snowfall. With its cold Continental and warm Mediterranean climate, which meet in this area, snow is almost guaranteed. January and February are the coldest months on the mountain.
There are an average of over 175 days with snow every year. There can be so much of it that it can go up to 5 m (16 ft) in height, mostly with a height of 3 m (9 ft) on peaks. The average height of snow in February over the past ten years has been 106 cm (47 in).
Jahorina is the biggest ski resort in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the biggest on the Balkan Peninsula. It is also one of the most modern ski resorts in the region.
The resort is divided into three main parts: 1). Poljice or base station, 2). Ogorjelica ski lifts below Ogorjelica (1,916 m / 6,286 ft), and 3). Šator (1,875 m / 6,151 ft) stretching to the left of Ogorjelica peak.
One can reach Ogorjelica via a chairlift from the base station at Poljice.
The base has an elevation of 1,316 m (4,317 ft), and the top station rests at 1,900 m (6,233 ft) below the peak of Ogorjelica (1,916 m / 6,286 ft). This makes the vertical drop 584 m (1,916 ft).
Still, this does not mean it is hard to get around Jahorina. The base at Poljice is a length of 2 km (1.2 mi), and all the ski slopes and accommodations feed into it.
Chairlifts and slopes stretch all across the mountain and intersect with each other. You can choose which lift to use without having to ski down a certain run, giving you the possibility to decide among numerous piste options.
In Jahorina there are 20 km (12.4 mi) of beginner or easy slopes, 24 km (15 mi) of intermediate, and 4 km (2.4 mi) of expert or advanced.
The longest slope is Olimpijski spust, which is 2 km (1.2 mi) in length with an altitude difference of 547 m (1,794 ft) between the top and base stations. A little bit of history of the slope and the entire resort:
Today, ski camps and training programs are still held at Jahorina since the mountain has 11 ski slopes that can be used for international competitions.
Just like other Bosnian ski tracks, the easiest slopes on Jahorina are marked with blue 🔵, intermediate slopes are red 🔴, and the hardest options are black ⚫. One could say this is a great mountain for beginners and intermediate skiers, since the incline and type of slopes are mild. If you are an experienced skier, there still will be slopes for you here.
The connection between Poljice base and Ogorjelica top stations is through 17 ski lifts. These lifts include: 2 gondolas, 5 chairlifts, 4 T-bars, 2 baby lifts, and 4 moving carpets.
Even for those looking for night skiing, Jahorina Ski Resort has something to offer: 4 ski lifts (2 gondolas and 2 chairlifts) work during the evening, so if you’d like, you can ski down the whole mountain in darkness. In fact, you can even take a walk across the mountain under the evening lights.
Let's summarize the information about the resort's pistes and lifts:
There is no official true backcountry skiing in Jahorina. However, it is a great mountain for ski touring and snowshoeing since it is relatively flat and forms a plateau with Ravna Planina. There are also no marked trails for these activities, but they can be easily done individually or with a guide, which is offered by the resort itself.
Especially popular is the snowshoeing route from Jahorina Ski Resort to Ravna Planina and back. This is a 3 hour long trail , which most users find easy to intermediate difficulty. It can be done as a solo hike or with a local guide in a group tour of 6+ people.
The ski pass price for Jahorina Ski Resort varies depending on the time of purchase. There are different prices for pre and post-season (9 December — 20 March), mid-season (10–23 December, 6 January — 9 February, and 27 February — 19 March), and peak season (24 December — 15 January, and 10–26 February). This is a great idea for those of us that want to enjoy the slopes on a budget and want to avoid the crowd. These are the prices for the Jahorina Ski Resort ski pass for adults:
In case you need some assistance on the spot, you can reach out to the Jahorina Ski Resort management via these contact information:
Jahorina Olympic Center
Olimpijska bb, 71423, Olimpijski centar Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
+38757270090
At Poljice base station you can find many restaurants. The most popular options for dining include Restaurant Staza and Etno Restaurant Koliba. There is a supermarket if you are looking for faster and cheaper options. For a drink on the slopes, most skiers choose Freeze Ski & After Ski Bar, Ski Cafe Peggy, Bijeli Javor, Kinder Jaje, and others.
You will not be disappointed by the lodging of Jahorina Ski Resort. There are all kinds of accommodations to choose from. Most hotels and apartments will be close to Poljice, while some lodgings like rental lodges will be further up the mountain and by the slopes.
The biggest and most luxurious stays are offered in hotels like Hotel Termag, Lavina, Kristal, Snješko, San Aparthotel Vučko and others. But, of course, there are also more budget-friendly options like apartments and rental cottages. These are the most popular options here.
One can also find accommodation near Sarajevo, Pale or Istočno Sarajevo as well, and travel to the slopes when needed.
The Jahorina Ski Resort calendar is full of new events. This is why skiers here will always have something to do after the full day of skiing. In particular, Jahorina is a famous entertainment hub among all the Balkan ski resorts, known for hosting concerts and music festivals like Jahorina Ski Opening at the beginning of the ski season and Balkan Wave Winter at the peak season with some of the region's biggest stars.
Pale, Istočno Sarajevo and Sarajevo are three nearest towns to Jahorina Ski Resort where you can experience the country and its culture before and after skiing. Here's at least what's important to know about them:
Pale is located in the eastern part of the country, Republic of Srpska. It is a small town with a mountain climate and a small population of just 20,000+ people, still it is a great place to enjoy a night out. The city has been an important religious center for centuries, with many churches and mosques built during this time, like the Temple of the Council of the Holy Archangel Gabriel. It became the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitanate of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Istocno Sarajevo is a municipality near the city of Sarajevo. It is located in the eastern part of the city and borders Novi Grad to the north, Ilidža to the west, Hadžići to the south-west and Dobrinja to the south. The municipality has an area of 8.5 sq km (5 sq mi) and a population of about 60,000+ people. When visiting, don’t miss its main attraction — the Orthodox Church snt. Vasilije.
Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the Miljacka River, in the center of the country, surrounded by mountains. Sarajevo has a long history dating back to medieval times when it was one of the most important cities in Europe. It was also part of the Ottoman Empire for five centuries. The city's Old Town is one of its most popular tourist destinations, with its narrow streets and houses decorated with oriental features from that period.
