Marijin put M02/45 (Derventa-Kotorsko)

The Marijin put M02/45 is a point-to-point pilgrimage trail in Bosnia and Herzegovina, linking the Posavina market town of Derventa to the village of Kotorsko. Exact distance and elevation figures are not officially published for this section, but the terrain is predominantly flat to gently rolling — characteristic of northern Bosnia's lowland countryside. As part of the International Walking Network (IWN), it forms one certified stage of the Way of Mary (Mária Út), a trans-European pilgrimage corridor of more than 2,000 km connecting Central Europe to the Marian shrine at Medjugorje.

About the Marijin put M02/45 (Derventa-Kotorsko)

The Marijin put — "Way of Mary" in Bosnian and Croatian, Mária Út in Hungarian — is one of Central Europe's most historically significant pilgrimage networks. Developed and maintained by the Mária Út Közhasznú Egyesület (Way of Mary Public Benefit Association), the network stretches from the Slovak shrine of Marianka and the Polish Black Madonna of Częstochowa in the north, southward through Hungary, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the internationally renowned shrine of Medjugorje. The route carries IWN (International Walking Network) certification, placing it alongside the Camino de Santiago among the world's most significant long-distance walking corridors.

The M02 branch is the southernmost arm of the Mária Út system. After crossing from Croatia into Bosnia and Herzegovina, it traverses the Posavina lowlands before climbing gradually into the hills of central Bosnia, eventually converging with other branches on the approach to Medjugorje. Section M02/45 covers the stretch from Derventa to Kotorsko, passing through the agricultural heartland of Republika Srpska.

Derventa is a modest market town of roughly 25,000 people, positioned on the Ukrina River in the Posavina region, approximately 80 km east of Banja Luka. Its old town carries the characteristic mix of Austro-Hungarian architecture and post-war reconstruction that defines many towns in this part of Bosnia. Kotorsko, to the south, sits on the fringes of Doboj — a larger transport hub where the Bosna and Usora rivers meet — and marks the transitional zone where the flat northern plains give way to the rolling foothills of central Bosnia.

The waymarking follows the official Marijin put signage: white-red-white blazes bearing the distinctive Mary symbol. Pilgrims traditionally collect stamps at churches and shrines along the route in a dedicated pilgrim passport (hodočasnička putovnica or zarándok útlevél), available through the operator at mariaut.hu. The passport is not just a souvenir — it connects walkers to a community of pilgrims crossing seven countries and grants access to parish hospitality networks that are otherwise invisible to independent travellers.

Route Overview & Stages

Official per-section distance and elevation data for M02/45 have not been published by the operator at the time of writing. The table below reflects the known waypoints and character of each stage half; distances are deliberately omitted rather than estimated. The GPX track can be downloaded from the official site at mariaut.hu before departure.

Recommended direction: Walk south from Derventa toward Kotorsko. This aligns with the canonical direction of the entire Marijin put M02 branch — toward Medjugorje — and ensures the waymarking logic works in your favour. Each day's progress brings you closer to the pilgrimage destination rather than away from it, and you will encounter fellow pilgrims moving in the same direction, making it far easier to share information about conditions and accommodation ahead. Walking the section in reverse is possible but goes against the waymarking design and the culture of the route.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Church of the Holy Trinity, Derventa — The primary pilgrim stamp point at the start of this section. The church serves as a spiritual anchor for the local community and is the natural place to begin the day's walk and obtain the first stamp in your pilgrim passport.
• Ukrina River valley — The trail skirts the banks of the Ukrina, a Sava tributary. The flat, reedy floodplain is particularly atmospheric in early morning when mist sits low over the water meadows, and birdlife along the river — including white storks nesting on farmstead chimneys — is excellent from April through August.
• Posavian agricultural landscape — The Posavina is among the most fertile land in Bosnia. Wide fields of maize and sunflowers, traditional wooden farmsteads, and apple orchards line the route through the summer months, offering an insight into rural Bosnian life that more mountain-focused routes rarely provide.
• Roadside chapels and kapelice — Small wayside chapels (kapelice) appear every few kilometres, maintained by local families over generations. These are characteristic of the whole Marijin put corridor and double as shade shelters and informal rest points on exposed stretches.
• Oak and hornbeam woodland — As the route approaches Kotorsko and the land begins to roll, stretches of secondary oak and hornbeam forest provide welcome shade and a dramatic change of character from the open lowland sections that dominate the first part of the stage.
• Kotorsko village church — The end point of M02/45 and a stamp station for the pilgrim passport. The village sits at the northern edge of the Doboj municipality and marks the gateway to the more varied terrain of the M02 sections further south.
• Views toward Doboj and the Bosna valley — From the higher ground near Kotorsko, there are open views south toward the confluence of the Bosna and Usora rivers, with the distinctive medieval silhouette of Doboj Fortress visible on clear days.
• Rural quiet and solitude — Unlike busier pilgrimage routes in Western Europe, M02/45 passes through almost entirely rural terrain with very little vehicle traffic. The relative obscurity of the Bosnian sections of the Way of Mary is itself a highlight for walkers seeking a contemplative experience without the crowds of the Camino de Santiago.

Best Time to Hike the Marijin put M02/45 (Derventa-Kotorsko)

The Posavina lowlands experience a continental climate: hot, humid summers and cold, foggy winters. As of 2026, the trail is best walked in May, early June, or September. The single best month is May: temperatures average 18–22 °C, wildflowers are in bloom across the meadows, the trail surface — mainly compacted earth and gravel tracks — is firm without being dusty, and daylight hours are generous without the brutal midsummer heat.

Avoid July and August. This is the clearest practical recommendation for anyone planning this section. Temperatures in the Posavina lowlands regularly exceed 35 °C in midsummer, and the route offers very little natural shade across its more open agricultural stretches. The combination of heat, humidity from the Sava floodplain, and the absence of elevation gain (which on mountain trails at least generates a cooling breeze) makes July and August genuinely uncomfortable and potentially hazardous for walkers unaccustomed to extended exposure. If you must walk in summer, start before 07:00 and plan to rest during the hottest hours between 12:00 and 16:00.

September is an excellent alternative to May: harvest season brings colour to the landscape, temperatures drop to a comfortable 20–25 °C, afternoon thunderstorms become less frequent, and the route is quieter than the spring pilgrim season. October is viable for experienced walkers but expect muddy tracks after autumn rains and daylight limited to around 10–11 hours.

Winter (November–March) is not recommended. Dense fog and frost are common in the Posavina basin during these months, track surfaces can become waterlogged and impassable, and several pilgrim stamp points and accommodation options operate reduced hours or close entirely.

Practical Information

Accommodation

Accommodation along M02/45 is simple and rural. Derventa has several small hotels and guesthouses, typically priced at €25–45 per night for a double room, with a few hostel-style beds available at around €15. Pre-booking is advisable during the main pilgrim season of May and June, when groups walking the full M02 corridor pass through the town.

Between Derventa and Kotorsko, formal accommodation is sparse. Pilgrims occasionally arrange domaćin (parish homestay) accommodation through local churches — possible but requiring advance coordination, ideally through the Mária Út association. Doboj, the nearest sizeable town to Kotorsko, offers a wider selection of hotels at €30–55 per night and is the natural overnight stop if you are breaking the journey across multiple days or arriving late in the afternoon.

Wild camping in fields and woodland near the route is generally tolerated in rural Bosnia and Republika Srpska, but seek landowner permission where practical and leave no trace of your presence.

Getting There & Back

Getting to Derventa: The most practical access is by bus from Banja Luka (approximately 80 km, 1 hour), which connects to Zagreb and Sarajevo by regular long-distance coach. From Sarajevo the journey to Derventa takes approximately 2.5–3 hours by regional bus. There is no direct rail service to Derventa itself.

Returning from Kotorsko: Kotorsko is effectively a suburb of Doboj, which has both a train station and a bus terminal with regular connections to Sarajevo (approx. 90 km, 1.5 hours), Banja Luka (approx. 110 km, 1.5–2 hours), and Tuzla. The Doboj–Sarajevo rail line is scenic and reliable — an appealing return option. The nearest international airports are Sarajevo International Airport (approx. 110 km from Doboj, 1.5 hours by road) and Banja Luka International Airport (approx. 120 km from Derventa, 1.5 hours by road).

Permits & Fees

No permits or trail fees are required to walk M02/45. The Marijin put is a free-access, publicly waymarked route. The optional pilgrim passport (zarándok útlevél / hodočasnička putovnica) — used to collect stamps at churches and shrines along the route — can be purchased through the Mária Út Közhasznú Egyesület at mariaut.hu. It is not mandatory but is a meaningful way to document the journey, gain access to parish hospitality networks, and receive the official Mária Út certificate upon completing a qualifying distance.

Gear & Packing List

M02/45 is a lowland trail with no technical terrain, so a lightweight setup is the right call. Heavy mountaineering boots are unnecessary — trail runners or sturdy walking shoes handle the compacted earth and gravel surfaces typical of this route without adding weight or heat. Because the terrain is flat to gently rolling, the main physical variable is not elevation but distance under the sun, which makes pack weight and heat management the two things worth optimising.

For a single-stage day walk, the Salomon ADV Skin 20 vest pack carries water, food, and a light layer without adding bulk in the heat. For pilgrims walking multiple consecutive M02 sections with overnight kit, the Fjällräven Abisko Hike 35 — with its structured back panel and weather-resistant G-1000 fabric — handles the mix of trail surfaces and village walking well and is durable enough for a multi-week pilgrimage. Those committed to going ultralight across the full corridor will find the Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 40L unbeatable in weight-to-capacity ratio.

Essential items regardless of pack choice:

• Water: minimum 2-litre carry capacity — water sources in agricultural lowlands can be widely spaced and tap water availability in small villages is not guaranteed
• Sun protection: wide-brim hat, sunscreen SPF 50+, and a light long-sleeve layer for exposed sections
• Pilgrim passport and ballpoint pen for collecting stamps
• Offline maps downloaded in advance — the official GPX tracks are available at mariaut.hu
• Light rain layer — afternoon convective thunderstorms are possible from May through August
• Insect repellent — the Ukrina and Sava floodplains can harbour mosquitoes in summer months
• Cash in Bosnian convertible marks (BAM) — rural villages and small guesthouses are typically cash-only

If you are planning the full M02 pilgrimage corridor, our guide to the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 compares seven sub-1 kg options in detail. For multi-day nutrition planning on long walking stages, see how many calories you need hiking a full day.

Similar Trails You Might Like

The Marijin put M02/45 is one stage in a long, interconnected network. The natural next step is to continue south along the M02 branch into Herzegovina, where the landscape shifts from agricultural lowlands to dramatic limestone terrain and the pilgrim community becomes more concentrated on the approach to Medjugorje. For a contrast that stays in the Western Balkans but trades the contemplative lowland walk for high-alpine drama, the Theth to Valbona hike in northern Albania is one of the most spectacular point-to-point routes in Europe — a useful benchmark for how different the Balkans can be within a few hundred kilometres.

• Marijin put M02/44 (Slavonski Brod–Derventa) — the preceding M02 stage arriving into Derventa from Croatia (27 km); the ideal starting point if you are walking the full corridor from the Croatian border
• Marijin put M02/46 (Kotorsko–Doboj) — the short next stage south from Kotorsko into the river-junction town of Doboj (10 km); a natural same-day extension for walkers with energy to spare
• Marijin put M02/48 (Maglaj–Žepče) — 17 km through the Bosna valley where the river begins to cut through limestone; the terrain character shifts markedly from the Posavina lowlands
• Marijin put M02/49 (Žepče–Nemila) — 23 km continuing south through increasingly hilly terrain along the Bosna River corridor
• Marijin put M02/50 (Nemila–Zenica) — 22 km into the city of Zenica, marking the gateway to central Bosnia's highland interior
• Marijin put M02/58 (Široki Brijeg–Međugorje) — the final M02 approach stage into Medjugorje through the limestone hills of western Herzegovina; the emotional culmination of the entire pilgrimage corridor

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time of year to walk Marijin put M02/45?
May is the optimal month for this section. Temperatures in the Posavina lowlands average 18–22 °C, wildflowers are at their peak, and the trail surface is firm and dry. September is the best autumn option, with cooler air and harvest colours across the fields. Avoid July and August: temperatures regularly exceed 35 °C, the exposed agricultural terrain offers little shade, and the combination of heat and humidity from the river floodplains makes extended walking genuinely demanding and potentially dangerous in midday hours.

How difficult is M02/45 compared to other Marijin put sections?
This is one of the gentler sections of the entire M02 branch. The terrain is predominantly flat lowland with only a modest climb approaching Kotorsko, making it accessible to walkers of most fitness levels. The challenge is not technical difficulty but environmental exposure — the open agricultural landscape offers limited shade and shelter in warm weather. Walkers comfortable with a full day on flat terrain will find M02/45 well within their capability.

How far can I walk per day on this section?
The Posavina lowlands allow for steady, uninterrupted progress without the pace-breaking ascents and descents of mountain terrain. Fit walkers covering similar lowland pilgrimage routes typically manage 25–35 km per day. Because the official section distance for M02/45 is not published by the operator, download the GPX track from mariaut.hu before departure to plan your daily distance accurately and identify any logical halfway points.

What accommodation options are available along the route?
Derventa has small guesthouses priced at €25–45 per night and some hostel-style beds around €15. Between Derventa and Kotorsko accommodation is very limited; parish-arranged homestays are occasionally possible with advance contact through the Mária Út association. Doboj, immediately beyond Kotorsko, offers the widest range of overnight stays at €30–55 per night and is the recommended base if you are dividing the route across multiple days. Book ahead during the main pilgrim season of May and June.

Do I need any permits or passes to walk M02/45?
No permits or trail fees are required. The Marijin put is a free-access, publicly waymarked route through established right-of-passage land. The optional pilgrim passport, available through the Mária Út Közhasznú Egyesület at mariaut.hu, is strongly recommended though not mandatory — it unlocks a network of stamp points at churches along the full route and, on completion of a qualifying distance, entitles the bearer to an official Mária Út certificate.