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Pine woodland
Old pines on every side, quiet enough to hear the wind move through them.
A private mountain retreat
VUKOV KONAK
★WOLF'S DEN RANCHSARAJEVO★
Where the mountains become home.
Seven acres of pine forest, open fields and mountain streams in the hills of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
16 km from Sarajevo Old Town
Come back to nature
konakAn old Bosnian word for a house where travellers stop for the night. Vukov Konak is the wolf's lodging.
Hidden among [seven acres] of pine woodland, open fields and mountain streams, Vukov Konak is a place made to [slow life down.] Mornings begin with fresh mountain air. Evenings end [beside an open fire.] Stay in our log house, retreat to the wood-fired Finnish sauna, relax in our salt-water jacuzzi, explore the mountains, or simply [disappear into the woods] for a while.
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The Ranch
ACRES OF WILD
Woodland and open land, surrounded by the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Keep scrolling to walk it.
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Open fields
Room to breathe, to walk, and to watch the weather come over the hills.
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Wildflower meadows
Wild herbs and flowers across the hillsides every summer.
There is no need to manufacture an experience here. The forest provides it.
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Winter, too
When the snow arrives, the forest goes quiet and white.
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Private trails
Paths through the ranch that only our guests walk.
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Forest finds
Porcini, chanterelles and wild herbs, in their seasons.
Stay
STAY AT THE WOLF'S DEN
Come for a weekend or a few weekdays. Every package includes a place to sleep in the log house, which sleeps up to 10 guests. Packages and prices are coming soon, so ask us what is open. Airport and Old Town transfers are available too, for an additional charge.
BUNGALOW I
Dawn
- Private
- A-frame cabin
- Natural wood
BUNGALOW II
Dusk
- Private
- A-frame cabin
- Natural wood
BUNGALOW III
Midnight
- Private
- A-frame cabin
- Natural wood
All three bungalows share the same A-frame design. They are being refurbished and are not open for guests yet, and they have no heating for the winter. Photos will be added as soon as they are finished.
The Log House
THE HEART OF THE RANCH
At the centre of Vukov Konak stands the main log house: warm, solid, and built for long evenings together. We live here too, so you stay in our home, with four guest bedrooms and room for up to ten guests.
In winter and in colder weather, this is where everyone eats and spends the evening. Meals are served in the log house, by the open fire, with the bar close at hand.
Big match on? We can show all the major sports on TV, including Sky Sports, TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport), rugby and more, so you can follow the game by the fire with a drink from the bar.
Gather around the fire. Let us pour you a drink at the bar. Stay up too late.
- 4Guest bedrooms
- 10Maximum guests
- Large fireplace
- Bar
- Live sports on TV
- Free Wi-Fi, powered by Starlink
- Open-plan living
- Central heating
Finnish Sauna & Jacuzzi NEW
HEAT.STEAM.SILENCE.
After a day in the mountains, step into the warmth of the Finnish sauna, then ease into the salt water jacuzzi. Heat, water and the quiet of the forest, all in one place.
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The Finnish sauna
A wood-fired Finnish sauna, with real heat and soft steam. Sit, sweat, and let the day fall away.
- Wood-fired
- Finnish style
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The jacuzzi
Warm, bubbling water to follow the sauna, with the forest all around you. Big enough for the whole group.
- Seats 6
- Salt water system
Sauna first. Jacuzzi next. Then the fire.
Ask about the saunaExperiences
DON'T JUST STAY. EXPLORE.
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Trekking
Mountain trails and forest paths around the ranch, including the walk to Skakavac waterfall.
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Forest foraging
Wild herbs, berries and mushrooms, found in season with someone who knows where to look.
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Sightseeing
Mountain villages, viewpoints, and Sarajevo itself, an easy drive away.
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Fireside evenings
A fire pit, a drink, and a sky full of stars.
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Quad rides
Quads for the whole group. See the countryside from a different angle, over forest tracks and open hills.
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Cave exploring
A cave about 3 km from the ranch, with stone chambers, formations and still water. Visits are guided by us only, with a torch and good boots.
Drag to explore
Quad rides and all other activities are an additional charge, unless arranged with your booking in advance.
Trails and history
WALK THE MOUNTAIN
The ranch sits high in the hills above Sarajevo, with forest paths, meadows and marked mountain trails in every direction. Walk out of the gate for an hour, or give a whole day to the biggest sights: Skakavac waterfall, a 98 metre drop that is about 2.5 to 3 hours of moderate walking from the ranch over the mountains and along forest trails.
The area within roughly 10 km of the ranch. The pin is Vukov Konak; dashed lines are footpaths and trails. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
- Skakavac waterfall98 m, a protected natural monument. About 2.5 to 3 hours from the ranch.
- Bukovik peakAt about 1,530 m, with wide views over the mountains.
- Sedam vrelaThe Seven Springs meadows, on the classic route up from Nahorevo.
- Čavljak and CrepoljskoMarked trails connect the two with Bukovik and Skakavac.
- Via DinaricaThe long-distance trail is signposted in the area.
- By bikeThe Barice, Čavljak and Skakavac route is a popular mountain-bike day.
History along the way
Bosnia and Herzegovina is known for the stećci, medieval carved stone tombstones, many of them now UNESCO World Heritage, and for old mountain villages where traditional life carries on. Tell us what you would like to see and we will point you to the nearest sites and the best way to reach them.
Walking times are approximate and depend on the weather and your pace. Tell us how much time you have and how fit the group is, and we will suggest the right route.
Food
FROM THE LAND TO THE TABLE
Much of what reaches the table at Vukov Konak begins here. Home-grown produce, garden vegetables, ingredients from local producers and the flavours of traditional Balkan cooking, all around one table. In the colder months, dinner moves inside to the log house, by the fire.
Home grown
From the ranch and garden.
Local
From trusted producers nearby.
Seasonal
What the land gives changes with the seasons.
Jelovnik · Menu
WHAT'S COOKING
Homemade in our own kitchen, in Bosnian and English, with a simple drinks list to go with it. Mains are on every day, specials change with the day and the season, and preorder dishes need at least 48 hours' notice. Ask us what's on today.
A day at Wolf's Den
MORNING
WAKE TO THE FOREST
Coffee, mist in the pines and birdsong. Breakfast from our kitchen is brought to your table.
- Morning
- Day
- Midday
- Afternoon
- Evening
- Night
Planned for next year
A POOL IN THE FOREST
In a clearing among the pines we're planning a natural pool built only from stone and sand, with a sand beach, sun lounges, a beach volleyball court and a beach bar, with one section of the bar counter reaching into the pool itself. It isn't built yet. This is the plan for next year.
About 12 × 5 MPool
Up to about 1.8 MDeepest point
Sand beachStone, sand and lounges
Beach volleyballCourt on sand
Beach barPart of the counter in the pool
Natural materialsStone and sand, nothing artificial-looking
An idea of the plan, not a photo of the ranch.
Films
SEE IT MOVE
Short clips from around the ranch and the mountains. Tap one to play it.
Gallery
LIFE AT THE RANCH
Volunteer
BUILD IT WITH US
Vukov Konak is still being built, and the best way to see it grow is to be part of it. We welcome volunteers who like working outdoors, learning by doing and sharing the evening fire with the people they worked beside.
There is real work on the ranch: building and repairs, gardening and the kitchen garden, forest and trail care, the kitchen, and animal care once the animals arrive. You do not need to be an expert. You need to be willing and reliable.
Who it suits
- Travellers who want a longer stay
- Builders and makers
- Gardeners and cooks
- Students and gap-year volunteers
- Anyone who loves the mountains
How long you stay, what you help with and what we offer in return is agreed with you personally before you arrive, so nobody is surprised. Write to us and tell us about yourself.
Future projects
WHAT WE ARE BUILDING NEXT
The ranch is growing. These are the plans for the coming seasons, and you are welcome to follow along, stay with us while they take shape, or help build them.
Sauna and jacuzzi
A wood-fired Finnish sauna and a salt-water jacuzzi for six, built by hand and nearly ready.
Bungalow refurbishment
The three A-frame bungalows are being redone, inside and out, in natural wood and fresh colours.
Natural swimming pool
A natural pool of about 12 × 5 m, built from stone and sand with a sand beach, lounges and a volleyball court. Planned for next year. The ranch has its own water wells in several places.
A house for the animals
A proper home for the animals we plan to have, with room for a horse and a cow, so guests can meet them.
Animals on the ranch
A couple of deer, and over time other animals that suit the mountain, cared for properly and part of daily life here.
Something we missed?
Tell us what you would love to find at a mountain ranch like this. Good ideas have a way of becoming plans.
Back the build
HELP US BUILD IT FASTER
If you would like to see these projects happen sooner, you can back them. In return you get a stay at the ranch for your support, so you are not just donating, you are pre-booking a place in something you helped build.
SUPPORTERA discount on a future stay at the ranch.
PATRONA bigger discount and priority on your preferred dates.
FOUNDERFor our largest backers: a paid weekend or a full week at the ranch.
Amounts and the exact rewards are being finalised. Tell us you are interested and we will send you the details first.
Location
FIND THE WOLF'S DEN
Hidden in the mountains above Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Any car will get you here.
- BY CAR
- Sarajevo Old Town: only 16 km · Airport: about 35 km
- TRANSFERS
- We can collect you from, and take you back to, the airport or Sarajevo Old Town, for an additional charge. Ask when you book.
- FIND US
- Use the map, or tap "Open in Google Maps" below for turn-by-turn directions.
- ARRIVAL
- The last stretch is a forest road. We send every guest clear directions from the main road before they arrive.
Book
YOUR ESCAPE STARTS HERE.
Tell us when you'd like to disappear into the mountains.