Ivan Sedlo is a mountain saddle at about 970 metres in the Dinaric Alps of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the old road between Sarajevo and Mostar, and it is also a divide. Water that falls on the southern slopes runs toward the Neretva and the Adriatic, and water on the northern side runs into the Bosna and eventually the Black Sea. The pass sits in beech and pine forest, with cool air and a clear view across the folded ridges, and in winter it is a place of heavy snow.
The pass has a notable railway history. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire took over Bosnia in 1878, it built a narrow-gauge line between Sarajevo and Mostar, an extraordinary piece of engineering that crossed the Ivan with a rack-and-pinion section, so that locomotives could haul trains up the steep slopes. The line closed in the 1960s, and a new motorway has since bypassed the pass with tunnels, but remains of the old line, along with tunnels and viaducts, can still be found in the forest. Railway enthusiasts come to trace them.
For a rider, the older road over the Ivan is a lovely, quiet alternative to the motorway, with long, fluid bends climbing through forest and a surface that is patchy but mostly rideable. The traffic is light, since most vehicles now use the tunnel, so you often have the pass to yourself. In summer the temperature is cool and fresh, while in late autumn and winter, ice and fog make it dangerous. Take care on the descent, where potholes and loose stones appear on the sharper bends.
Nearby, Konjic is a pleasant town on the Neretva, known for its old stone bridge and for a secret nuclear bunker that Yugoslavia built for Tito and his military leaders. It is now open to visitors, a vast underground complex carved into the mountain, and it is a striking piece of Cold War history. Just north, the area around Pazarić is rural and green, and the road is dotted with small farms selling honey, cheese and plums.
Fuel is available in Konjic, about twelve kilometres from the pass on the southern side, and in the larger towns around Sarajevo on the north. There is little on the pass itself, though roadside stands sometimes sell local products. Remember to carry cash in convertible marks, because small places do not always accept cards, and be prepared to share the road with cattle.