What the advisory actually says matters more than the headline level. It notes that recent unrest has been political and has not targeted tourists, that landmines and unexploded ordnance remain in parts of the country, with deaths reported as recently as August 2025, and that travelers should stay on hard-surfaced roads and out of abandoned buildings. The marked paths up Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain are heavily used and are not mined areas; wandering off-trail into the countryside is where that warning applies. Neighboring Croatia, through which most pilgrims arrive, is Level 1.
Entry for U.S. citizens is visa-free for up to 90 days in a 180-day period with a passport valid three months beyond departure; anyone staying in a private home rather than a hotel for more than three days is supposed to register with the local police within 48 hours, which guesthouses handle. Drivers need an international driving permit with their U.S. license, and the legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.03 percent.
On the ground, Medjugorje is a small village built around a parish church and a daily prayer program; the main hazards are twisted ankles on the stony hill paths, dehydration in July and August, and thieves working the crowds at the evening program. Keep passports in the guesthouse safe, carry water, and wear real shoes on the hills. The U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo is the contact in an emergency; enroll in STEP before travel.