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After arriving in Zagreb, make your way to the Jägerhorn Hotel, where you’ll spend your first night. Meet your guides, get settled and head out for a walking tour of Zagreb. Take a ride on the funicular to the old city center, then walk along the Strossmayer Promenade to reach the Gradec Plateau. After enjoying the gorgeous views there, you’ll have the evening to yourself—use it to explore the city and try out some local restaurants. If you’d like to see something different, join an evening tour with the “coprnice”—costumed guides who will take you through Zagreb’s mysterious history of medieval witch hunting.
Walking: 2 hours
Meals: No meals included
Accommodation: Hotel
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In the morning, you’ll transfer to Mrežnica for an exciting paddle in the river’s upper course. Dynamic rapids will alternate with calmer sections where you’ll be able to enjoy a refreshing swim. If you’d like to take it easy instead, go for a scenic hike around the rapids. However, if it’s epic memories you’re looking for, try diving off a nearby 26-foot cliff! As you journey on, the lush vegetation and white cliffs will lead you to a serene freshwater source. After a picnic-style lunch, head to the Željava Air Base to see underground tunnels left over from the Cold War and an abandoned Douglas C-47 plane located at the entrance. Afterwards, proceed to the Plitvice Lakes, where you’ll spend the night.
Kayaking: 3 hours
Walking: 3 hours
Meals: Breakfast and a picnic-style lunch
Accommodation: Guesthouse
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Start the day with a visit to Mount Plješivica. Your jeep will drop you off at the trailhead for a hike to another abandoned military base, where you’ll be treated to spectacular views of the rugged Lika region on one side and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the other. In the afternoon, explore the Plitvice Lakes, a splendid UNESCO World Heritage site. Blessed with a gorgeous chain of lakes and caves connected by waterfalls, this national park is a unique natural wonder full of amazing photo-ops. This is an easy trek that can be supplemented with a boat ride over Lake Kozjak. Additionally, there are plenty of other interesting sites in the area, such as the source of the Black River. You’ll spend the night in the same guesthouse as the day before.
Walking: 5-6 hours
Elevation: +550m / -450m
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Guesthouse
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This will be the most active day of the trip. After a traditional Croatian breakfast, you’ll head to the strict nature reserve of Bijele and Samarske Stijene. Have fun trekking the area’s well-maintained trails punctuated by the occasional scramble. If the group prefers to take it easy, there’s plenty of less strenuous options to choose from. On your way back, stop by the Matić Poljana, the site of the fascinating “26 Frozen Partisans” monument. In the afternoon, get settled in a lovely guesthouse in the Gorski Kotar region, where you’ll spend the next two nights. Your hosts will welcome you with a traditional dinner prepared with delicious local produce.
Walking: 5-6 hours
Distance: 4.5-5 miles / 7-8 km, depending on the chosen trail
Meals: Breakfast and a picnic-style lunch
Accommodation: Guesthouse
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Today you’ll explore another wonderful national park. Your local guide and his trusted wolfdog will take you on an authentic adventure in the Croatian wilderness. Keep an eye out for tracks belonging to Risnjak’s rich wildlife: wolves, bears, and even lynx—one of the most elusive carnivores in Europe. Afterwards, your guide will host a short workshop on edible plants and herbs that can be found in the area. Following the lunch break, you can choose to rest your legs or explore the park some more. Weather and time permitting, your guide can organize a short trip to the source of the Kupa River in the evening.
Walking: 5-6 hours
Distance: 9.5 miles / 15 km
Meals: Breakfast and picnic-style lunch
Accommodation: Guesthouse
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Head to Istria for a biking journey on the beautiful Parenzana Trail! Winding along a historic railway through the heart of the Istrian peninsula, this biking trail connects all the top attractions in the region. 123 kilometers (76 miles) long, it links 33 towns from Poreč to Trieste. Today you’ll cross around 60 km (37 miles). Follow old tunnels and viaducts to Grožnjan, visit the truffle mecca of Livade, and enter the medieval fortress of Motovun. You’ll meet a family of truffle hunters who will tell you about the history and culture of the region before taking you on a short hike in search of these “fragrant diamonds”. In the evening, explore Rovinj, one of the most picturesque cities in Istria. You’ll spend the next two nights in an apartment on the coast.
Driving: 2 hours
Biking: 7 hours
Truffle-hunting: 2 hours
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: Apartment with twin and double beds
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Today you’ll visit Pula and its world-renowned Roman amphitheater. After a short tour, head to the Lim Channel, a delightful Adriatic inlet and one of Istria’s most recognizable features. Try out the local oysters and clams prepared by your host, whose delicacies wowed Anthony Bourdain himself. In the afternoon, you’ll go kayaking across the channel with several swim-stops along the way and a visit to a pirate cave. Head back to Rovinj for the night.
Kayaking: 3 hours
Distance: 11 miles / 17.5 km
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Tourist apartments with twin and double beds
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Full of vivid impressions and memories, you’ll head to the airport in the morning. Transfers are not included, but your guide can help you with arrangements. Say farewell to Croatia and start planning your next adventure!
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Included:
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- An experienced, certified local guide with extensive knowledge of the area who will be with you during the entire trip
- Expert daily guides show you the ins-and-outs at each stop
- A professional & licensed skipper on river Mrežnica
- 7-day ultimate Croatia active adventure (activities and visits as in the itinerary)
- Accommodation for 6 nights at boutique hotels or local guesthouses, as in the itinerary
- All needed transfers during the tour
- All entrance fees and tickets during the tour, as in the itinerary
- All breakfasts
- 4 lunches (including one brunch)
- Cheese tasting
- Truffle hunting and tasting
- Oyster tasting
- Kayaking and rafting equipment for those activities
- Maps
Add-ons:
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- Single occupancy room — available to add at checkout
Not included:
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- International flights
- Transportation to and from the airport
- Meals not specified under “included”
- Bike rentals
- Personal equipment
- Anything not mentioned in the “Included” section above
- Insurance — recommended, available to add at checkout
- Guide gratuities — optional
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This tour is for beginner to intermediate hikers and bikers with good fitness and riding abilities. You should be able to hike for several hours per day, carrying a light daypack. Each day you will hike, bike, kayak or raft—usually for several hours, sometimes a bit longer.
The mountainous karst terrain can be challenging. On occasion, you might have to do some scrambling but there are always easier ways of getting around the difficult parts of the trail! That said, if you are looking for adventure and up to the task, you’ll be rewarded immensely.
Want to see what else is there in the area? Discover more active adventures in Croatia here!
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Prior to the start of the route, the guide together with each traveler will review the material to ensure that everything necessary is available. Here’s a general list of the equipment you need to bring:
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- Personal hiking gear
- Pack large enough to carry all the items listed
- Backpack for daily tours, climbs and hikes
- Wind and waterproof jacket with hood
- A warm pullover or fleece jacket
- A pair of long pants and a pair of shorts
- T-shirts for warmer days
- Spare clothes for layering and free time
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
- Hiking boots or shoes
- Bathing suit for kayaking and beaches
- Synthetic T-shirt with UV protection for kayaking and hiking
- Water sandals
- Beach towel and sandals or flipflops
- Sunhat
- Hiking poles — optional (but recommended)
- Headlamp
- Pocket knife
- Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
- Sunglasses
- Bike shorts and gloves optional (but recommended)
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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Croatia is home to mostly steady weather, but you should be prepared with the right gear nonetheless. It’s pretty mild and sunny this time of year, but the same white cloud shielding you from sunbeams can easily turn into a stormcloud within minutes. Rest assured, your guide will know the correct course of action if the weather throws a curveball!
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Group sizes and pricing
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- For this active adventure in Croatia, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 7:1.
- It takes a minimum of 4 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 14 participants.
- Solo travelers are welcome! However, if you want to have a room to yourself or if you’re an odd-numbered group, you can have your own room for an additional fee. Contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Min. age requirement:
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- Everybody over the age of 18 is welcome on this hiking adventure.
- Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
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To get to Zagreb, most people fly into Franjo Tuđman Airport in Zagreb. There are two options of reaching your accommodation in Zagreb from the airport, by public transport or taxi:
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- There is a shuttle bus service between the city’s bus station and the airport.
- Standard taxis are readily available.
- You can arrange private transportation by the guide for an additional fee with prior notice.
Other options include flying into Venice, Italy, or Beograd, Serbia, both 4 hours away from Zagreb. If you opt for a bus ride to Zagreb, there are two easy ways to reach the hotel from the main station, by tram and by taxi.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, likely at your hotel in the city center.
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