About

Basic information

Nine days of bolting, climbing, highlining, nature and nights around the fire - A celebration of an international climbing and highlining culture and the spirit of vertical pioneering. In 2015 we created the Drill & Chill Climbing and Highlining Festival to playfully combat the status quo. The festival is organized by Climbing club Extreme Banja Luka and is conceived around the idea of connecting climbers, highliners and outdoor enthusiasts from Western Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region through the transfer of knowledge and experiences.

For all of you that like to travel and climb off the beaten paths, there still are a few hidden spots offering the feeling of wilderness, discovery and adventure – Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country rich with diverse forested mountain landscapes, quiet villages, welcoming locals, great food and an enormous abundance of uncharted and untamed limestone!

We invite you to be guests in our backyard and play with us. Here, we will set up camp for 7 days, work, climb, slackline, hang out, watch movies, party, enjoy traditional food and drinks or just chill in hammocks.  

The festival will be focused on the development of the canyon Tijesno as a climbing and highlining area. Due to the alpine terrain, experience with multipitch climbing, steep approaches and loose rock is advised! For less experienced climbers who want to join us, we can point out some easier and less technically demanding climbs or some other nearby sport climbing areas. For everyone who wants to enjoy other outdoor activities off the beaten path, we will provide you with all the necessary advice and instructions on where to go.

 

Call for Bolters and Riggers

If you are a bolter or have experience in rigging highlines and you would like to visit, explore and help us with bolting new routes or establishing some trad lines and highlines – please make sure you note this in the registration form.  We will have a certain number of bolts, hangers and anchors that we can distribute amongst those interested.

Please notice that we can provide only some bolting material for highline anchores and that you should bring your own equipment (webbing, slings, pads, weblocks, pulley systems, etc.)

Due to the alpine character, solid multipitch climbing experience is an absolute requirement for all bolters. In order to ensure safety and a good atmosphere among all participants, the bolters are asked to share the rock in a cooperative fashion, coordinate their work with the festival organizers and to respect the local bolting ethics.

If you are new to bolting but would like to join us we might be able to share our experience in bolting. Please keep in mind that the practical part of the bolting course will have a limited number of places and it will be up to the organisers to decide who to bring along.

Lets get together and celebrate the spirit of pioneering the vertical frontier – Exploring, bolting and first ascents.

 

Basecamp

The camp (including electricity, water, shower, toilets) will be set up in a field in the village. Basic private accommodation on site can be arranged for a very small fee to be paid directly to the hosts.

 

Directions

 

By car

For those who live north of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it would be best to take the freeway which runs from Zagreb (direction Slavonski Brod) to the Croatian/ Bosnian border at Gradiška. From Gradiška just follow the signs (highway or freeway) straight south to Banja Luka. In Banja Luka follow the freeway M16 which continues straight through Banja Luka towards direction Jajce / Sarajevo.

 

Banja Luka to the Canyon, 15km

Attention! Google Road of Doom! Do not take this road! It is not drivable!

 

If coming from Gradiška / Banja Luka, take the freeway M16 that runs south towards Jajce / Sarajevo. When you pass Banja Luka towards the south you will come down a small hill and pass by a Muslim cemetery on your left.  Follow the road and 700m after a yellow bridge there is a NESTRO gas station on your right. Keep going for a little until there is a turnoff to the right that goes uphill (towards Ribnik, our village is called Gornji Prnjavor - Rekavice). Follow the main road uphill for a few minutes (serpentines) until you see a gas station PETROL on your right and a bus stop on your left. Here you take a left onto the small side road: Just follow the signs “Drill & Chill Festival”. At the end you will reach a dirt road, keep going for two minutes and you’re there. The coordinates of the basecamp are 44.688358, 17.169608.

 

Public transport

It will be most comfortable and affordable to take one of the many bus lines operated by EUROLINES which usually run multiple times a day, connecting most European cities with Banja Luka (i.e. Vienna-Banja Luka : 2x daily, 33€ one way).

 

By plane

There are cheap flights to Banja Luka, Tuzla or Sarajevo by Ryanair and by Wizzair. Also, you can check flights to Zagreb. Check Skyscanner or Google flights.

 

By bus

It will be most comfortable and affordable to take one of the many bus lines operated by Flixbus which usually run multiple times a day, connecting most European cities with Banja Luka. Additionally, you can use BlaBlaCar to look for rideshares to Bosnia.

There are local buses that go from Banja Luka to a station relatively close to the festival. You will find the bus line schedule at this LINK.

 

Programme

This is last year's program, you can expect similar activities. New program will be published in mid August.

 

Attendance fees

The number of places is limited! In case of cancellation of your registration you are obliged to pay 30EUR (30KM for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina) of non-refundable fee. Deadline for free cancellation is Thursday (August 1st 2024).

4 days (3 nights) package 80 EUR

• Stay up to 4 days (3 nights) at the camp (water, electricity and showers included)
• Participation in all workshops
• Canyon Tijesno guidebook
• T-Shirt
• For citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina fee is reduced to 80KM

Register

 

5+ days (4+ nights) package 120 EUR

• Stay 5 or more days (4 or more nights) at the camp (water, electricity and showers included)
• Participation in all workshops
• Canyon Tijesno guidebook
• T-Shirt
• For citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina fee is reduced to 100 KM

Register