Zeljava Air Base
Zeljava Air Base
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
14 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
2
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0
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Terrible
1
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Ronald K
8 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Nice to have a walk around in the shelters, make pictures and drive the abandoned runway by car. Make sure to take large torch because it is all dark inside.
The small food-shop near the entrance sells very tasty burgers.
The small food-shop near the entrance sells very tasty burgers.
Written July 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terry Anzur
Jupiter, FL1,856 contributions
Jun 2024 • Friends
I visited by car from Bihać with an author researching a book. Be sure to enter from the Croatian side of the border after passing through the checkpoint because this area is on the illegal migration path through the Balkans and frequently patrolled by police. No worries about a long wait, it wasn't busy. Plus, there are still land mines in the area from the 1990s wars, so stick to the paved roads.
This "abandoned" place has been rediscovered by adventurous tourists. There's even a snack bar and parking lot at the entrance, but we had the place to ourselves early in the morning. No charge to park or drive your car onto the base. The crews cutting the weeds along the runway seemed amused by the visitors speeding down the pavement in cars and motorcycles.
The highlight is the vast underground aircraft bunker, which was built to defend Yugoslavia during the Cold War when Tito feared a nuclear attack. It was destroyed by retreating Serbian troops in 1992. Bring the most powerful flashlights you can find because there is no light once you get past the entrance. I fell into a deep hole and nearly lost my camera, plus there's a mist of particles inside that are most likely asbestos, so an n-95 mask is probably a good idea as well. Not much left in there, but people with a local guide said they were able to visit the remains of a control room.
This "abandoned" place has been rediscovered by adventurous tourists. There's even a snack bar and parking lot at the entrance, but we had the place to ourselves early in the morning. No charge to park or drive your car onto the base. The crews cutting the weeds along the runway seemed amused by the visitors speeding down the pavement in cars and motorcycles.
The highlight is the vast underground aircraft bunker, which was built to defend Yugoslavia during the Cold War when Tito feared a nuclear attack. It was destroyed by retreating Serbian troops in 1992. Bring the most powerful flashlights you can find because there is no light once you get past the entrance. I fell into a deep hole and nearly lost my camera, plus there's a mist of particles inside that are most likely asbestos, so an n-95 mask is probably a good idea as well. Not much left in there, but people with a local guide said they were able to visit the remains of a control room.
Written June 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marko
Zagreb, Croatia337 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
Insane airport from Yugoslavia era, great to visit and to feel a bit of history. Airplane Douglas laying around, worth of visit
Written October 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Letuso
Bratislava, Slovakia226 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
The many people know stories about secret military District 51 in Nevada. About top secret district 505 from time period of former Yugoslavia knows not so many people. Secret air based military airport was building more than 20 years after Second World War & was finish in 1968. It is biggest & most expensive underground military airport in Europe. This bunker was able to”accommodate “ 56 planes (Mig 21) in average mode…in emergency mode they can be hidden 100 airplanes. This Zeliava underground airport was functional until 1991 during “Yugoslavia civil war” and was destroyed in 1992 by ex Yugo army with 60 ton of explosives.
Today it is unofficial tourist attraction & if You like military history, if You want feel “touch” of history definitely have to visit this place. When U are inside in tunnels, walking in catacombs the feelings are unbelievable…You feel like in apocalypse movie. This place have own deep “arcane” spirit & atmosphere.
On the other side if You want have fun & U want try acceleration of Yours cars or motobikes not every day have possibility riding on the runway 😉
So definitely I will come back with better lamp & I will discover all 3,8 km of this underground abandoned airbased 😉😎
Today it is unofficial tourist attraction & if You like military history, if You want feel “touch” of history definitely have to visit this place. When U are inside in tunnels, walking in catacombs the feelings are unbelievable…You feel like in apocalypse movie. This place have own deep “arcane” spirit & atmosphere.
On the other side if You want have fun & U want try acceleration of Yours cars or motobikes not every day have possibility riding on the runway 😉
So definitely I will come back with better lamp & I will discover all 3,8 km of this underground abandoned airbased 😉😎
Written August 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
theseattletraveler74
Seattle, WA34 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
A fascinating history lesson, and one-of-a-kind experience! The area is free and open to the public, but it’s much better with a guided tour. Antonio is very knowledgeable, shares personal, first-hand experiences and stories, and even provides flashlights. You start by driving on actual runways which is so fun! Then 2 hours through the tunnels.
Wear VERY sturdy shoes - there aren’t “trails” and so lots of rocks and debris. If you get claustrophobic, this might not be for you - there are small spaces, walking sideways pressed against walls and ducking your head through doorways, etc.
This is one of the best walking tours I’ve ever done. Highly recommend!!
Wear VERY sturdy shoes - there aren’t “trails” and so lots of rocks and debris. If you get claustrophobic, this might not be for you - there are small spaces, walking sideways pressed against walls and ducking your head through doorways, etc.
This is one of the best walking tours I’ve ever done. Highly recommend!!
Written July 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike W
Wintelre, The Netherlands361 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
A very special experience. You can easily drive your car into the hangar. However, soon you will no longer see anything. Not even with the high beams on. Completely free entrance.
Written August 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Specter88
Cerro Maggiore, Italy133 contributions
Sep 2024 • Couples
For a long time I was looking for this exploration, it was really beautiful! The outer slopes are many and scattered and I think I found all 4 entrances to the base (I found 4 I don't know if there are more) but in case they are covered by vegetation. The interior is for lovers of urbex, you can visit the underground hangar with good torches, the anti-atomic bunker is excluded which is closed with watertight doors. There are minefields, but don't worry, they are beyond the Bosnian border so stay on the concrete/asphalt tracks and nothing will happen.
Automatically translated
Written September 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nobody501
Dingelsdorf, Germany161 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
I wanted to go there for a long time, and well, it's very cool if it wasn't so crowded. The C-47 can be visited great and if you have a few minutes patience you get a photo without other people from the machine.
The runway and the tunnel are already very impressive you can see the craters from the blasts, unfortunately there were a lot of people in the bunker, which is why we stopped quite quickly.
The runway and the tunnel are already very impressive you can see the craters from the blasts, unfortunately there were a lot of people in the bunker, which is why we stopped quite quickly.
Automatically translated
Written August 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MRZ977
Rovigo, Italy4 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
to see the ability of man to create spaces within a mountain.....
hoping that structures like this won't be built anymore
hoping that structures like this won't be built anymore
Automatically translated
Written August 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lorenzo T
4 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
In reality, while I was nearby, I changed my mind after reading online (I think on the wiki) about the presence of still active minefields and the ban on access to the site. A soldier died recently while looking for mushrooms. So I advise against it or at least inform yourself well before planning a visit.
Written November 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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