I grew up skiing on Bjelasnica. I now live in Australia and come back every year to ski on this mountain.
This mountain hosted Olympic downhill and slalom events so it has long runs and diverse terrain. Main runs are covered by snow making machines and they are always well groomed. Another bonus is that the runs are not crowded so you can really enjoy your turns. In the last couple of years here there has been a lot of development in the village as well.
Bjelasnica would benefit from more investment and better management but it is still an awesome place to ski. This mountain is for those who simply love to ski.
Went to Sarajevo as part of my Europe travel. I did not plan to ski but went for one day of skiing after some persuasion from local friends.
Although it was the beginning of the season as they told me (Jan.3rd ???), and there was a shortage of snow on upper slopes, the ones that were open provided a lot o fun.
There are not a lot of amenities on the mountain itself but this place has a lot of potential. With the right management it could be turned into a very respectable ski center. However, beside natural beauties it lacked organization and proper investment to offer much more than a few days of skiing.
What is great is that it is so close to the city (Sarajevo) which has so much to offer.
Bjelasnica is something for the advanced skier. The mountain is wild and the weather conditions, over 1600 meter, are like on the moon. The wind is impossible, but you will love it! It can make you happy! You can catch some air and recharge your health!
I went to Bjelasnica (Bjelašnica) last year as a part of my trip to Sarajevo.
The city is amazing, the people are friendly, and there are many hotels to stay in. There is a bus going to nearby mountains Igman and Bjelasnica. To stay at the ski resort, one needs to plan ahead and book a room since it seems to be a very popular place. The mountains and the scenery are amazing.
The slopes were great for an advanced skier like myself. This place is in my travel plans for the year too.
The place is only about a 30 km from the down town of Sarajevo. In the town you can find lot of fun, on the mountain you can find danegerus, sport and fun. The mountain is over 2000 meter high with his own air-conditions. Over 1600 m are the conditions like on the another planet. The wind is extremely strong but it makes your holiday happend. The sun isn't also on this high something another than in the town. You will never forget this!
I go to Bjelasnica every year a couple of days, since it is not far from Croatia, where I live. It is not something I would recommend for a holiday, but if you stay in Sarajevo or on Croatian cost on winter it is a small ski resort that you can feel ok. Since there is not enough artificial snow you have to, when there is enough natural snow. The best time would be from mid February to the end of March. The potential of this Olympic mountain is to be on the level of medium Austrian ski resort, but due to the luck of money and not very organized management it is still a plays for a good weekend if you are nearby. As I said, I am minimum 2-3 weekends a year there.
Good luck
The Olympic Mt. Bjelašnica is only 32 km from a city center, and 23 km from Sarajevo International Airport. Visitors of Bjelašnica are more than welcome to enjoy our slopes!
Bjelašnica, with its natural beauty and treasures, has plenty to offer - a real joy regardless of the season. We can offer tennis playgrounds, mountain biking, possibility to organise various parties, football tournamnents, fairs ..etc.
All that enjoy hiking and discovering the beauty of wilderness are invited to come and enjoy our picnics.