Start with a pickup from your hotel in central Dubrovnik, and set out by air-conditioned private vehicle to Vjetrenica Cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Along the way, make several stops to soak up the views, and hear how the UNESCO-listed Vjetrenica is the largest and most important cave in the country and the Dinaric Alps.
After roughly two hours, hop out of your coach and follow your guide into the depths of the cave. Spend the next hour exploring the subterranean passages, which stretch out over 3.7 miles (6 km).
Ogle the eerie stalactites, stalagmites and rock formations, and learn the origins behind the cave’s name, which means ‘wind cave.’ See, too, cave drawings estimated to be more than 10,000 years old, and wander past small lakes whose waters are home to rare species such as the blind salamanders known as ‘human fish.’
Back above ground, continue to a nearby restaurant for lunch (own expense). Tuck into local dishes such as peka, a tasty meat or fish and potato dish that is cooked ‘under the lid’ in a covered pot and put directly into the embers of a fireplace.
With your appetite sated, return to your coach and begin the journey back to Dubrovnik, where your tours concludes with a drop-off at your hotel.