Tens of thousands of people from impoverished Asian and African countries are ready to risk all to reach wealthy western Europe. Some of them take the so-called Mediterranean route, while others follow a tough overland route through the Balkans. That journey begins in Turkey, and continues through Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, and then to western EU countries if successful. CGTN's Aljosa Milenkovic is following them on that route to Bihac, the last stop for migrants before they enter Croatia and the western EU.

Driving along a beautiful route through the town of Bihac and dozens of migrants walk on the side of the road towards their improvised camp close to the town's city center. Lunch time is an hour from now, but yet, they've already started cueing. They don't have too much help here and they pray for nice weather to continue.

MIJO KRESIC DEPUTY SECURITY MINISTER OF BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA "Over the last few days, higher pressure is felt on the Bosnia and Herzegovina borders with Croatia and Montenegro. That migrant route is very active. It's obvious the migrants and smugglers want to transfer as many people as possible before the winter."

And Bihac is the place where that increasing pressure is very visible.

ALJOSA MILENKOVIC BIHAC, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA "Hundreds of migrants are here, in this makeshift camp, just a stone's throw away from Bihac's city center. Most of them are single males from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and North African countries. They are waiting for an adequate moment to try to illegally cross the border into Croatia."

Here is the place where the migrants are most often trying to cross into Croatia. It's around the Izaccic border crossing. Local police officers are doing their best to prevent them, but they are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of migrants.

REFIK SABOTIC BORDER POLICE LOCAL COMMANDER "During all of last year, we had 80 cases of attempted illegal border crossings by migrants. This year it's hundreds of cases. We've caught only 7, out of around 800 people that tried to illegally cross the border."

The Bosnian police are just one hurdle for migrants trying to reach western Europe. Ahead, are much more strict Croatian and Slovenian police, who are trying to protect the EU borders. Their actions are not so welcomed by the migrants.

AHMAD MIGRANT FROM PAKISTAN "Especially from here to crossing Croatia and Slovenia, they are very bad. We do not want to stop in Croatia and Slovenia, but I don't know why they are not opening their ways!? If they don't want us entering their country, they should let us cross."

But the situation is not so simple as Ahmad would like it to be. In order to simplify it and beat the EU immigration system, many migrants turn to alternative solutions.

PETER VAN DER AUWERAERT REPRESENTATIVE FOR BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA INT'L ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION "We have about 8 or 9% self-declared Palestinians, about 7% self-declared Libyans, and 20% self-declared Syrians. I would say that in that category, maybe roughly 70% are actually not from those countries because people there are usually North Africa, from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and they self-declared as Syrians because they believe that will give them special status."

The exponential rise in the number of migrants here as well as rough terrain which is almost impossible to seal, means that this route will continue to be open, for quite some time.

Aljosa Milenkovic, CGTN, Bihac.