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There’s no better way to witness the less-known side of Mediterranean paradise. Leave behind the shiny Adriatic coast and enter its mountainous heart—in the most adrenaline-driven way possible. Become one with nature as you bike along rocky paths, scramble up lofty karst formations, kayak in wild whitewater rivers—and find strength in moments when there seems to be none left.
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After arriving at Zadar or Split airport, you’ll get picked up by your guide and transferred to Starigrad. This coastal town is located next to the Paklenica National Park, the second oldest in Croatia. Once you’re here, you can go for a hike among karst rock formations, black pine forests, and dramatic canyons (time permitting). Alternatively, you can spend some time relaxing by the beach. Retreat early and get a good night’s sleep to prepare for tomorrow’s challenge. You’ll stay at a hotel favored by local rock climbers.
Driving: 2 hours
Accommodation: Local hotel in Paklenica
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tart your day early, enjoy a hearty breakfast, and prepare mentally for day packed with adventure! Enter the magnificent, rugged landscapes of the Dinaric Alps and bike from the Paklenica National Park along the steep slopes of Velebit—the largest mountain in Croatia. After approximately 4 hours, you’ll reach lofty limestone formations of Tulove Grede. After scrambling for around 2 hours, reach the top of this iconic karst phenomenon standing at 3,675 ft (1,120 m). Afterward, it’s another 3 hours of biking through the hilly Velebit plains and wooded paths to the town of Gračac, where you’ll stay in private accommodation.
Biking: 7 hours
Scrambling: 2 hours
Accommodation: Private accommodation in Gračac
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Wake up and drive to the village of Otrić. From here, you’ll go on a 4-hour bike ride to the town of Knin, the ancient seat of medieval Croatian kings. In the middle of the ride, you can take a dip in the small hidden lake to freshen up. Once you’re in Knin, climb one of the oldest medieval fortress in Europe, which became a symbol of Croatia’s fight for independence. Drive back to Otrić, and then to Gračac. From here, you’ll cycle for about 1 hour to the Krupa river. Once there, hike and scramble for some 5 hours along the dramatic river canyon until you reach the shores of the Zrmanja river—where you will stay for the night sleeping in tents.
Biking: 5 hours
Scrambling: 5 hours
Accommodation: Tents
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Today you’ll tame the wild waters of the river Zrmanja and whitewater kayak for about 3 hours. After a short van transfer, it’s time to explore the Bijela canyon and descend into the hidden cave inside the canyon, which will take you approximately 2 hours. Once you’re out of the cave, your Adventure Race Croatia challenge is complete. Return back to Starigrad and take some well-deserved rest.
Kayaking: 3 hours
Trekking and caving: 2 hours
Accommodation: Private accommodation in Starigrad
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After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to your guide. They’ll transfer you back to the airport or some other agreed-upon place. Say goodbye to Croatia—or continue touring on your own.
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What you get on this adventure:
- An experienced and certified local guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- Transportation to and from the Zadar airport
- Accommodation for each night as indicated in the itinerary
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Transportation during the tour
- Bike rental
- Kayak rental
- All entrance fees and tickets during the tour
Accommodation: During your stay hotels and private accommodation, you will share double bedrooms. Accommodation in the area is limited and will be reserved upon your reservation of the trip. You will be comfortable enough to have all your basic needs met but the highlights of this trip will be daily adventures!
Meals: All breakfasts during the trip are included and consist of traditional Croatian breakfast foods (bread, cold cuts, coffee/tea, etc.). For lunch and dinner, your guides will give you recommendations for the best local restaurants and bistros. Snacks and beverages are not included. Bring a water bottle and fill it up anytime!
What’s not included:
- Anything not specified in the itinerary
- Transportation prior to and after the trip
- Snacks and beverages
- Personal equipment
- E-bike rentals
- Trip and medical insurance
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These guided tours include hiking, biking, and kayaking. They are perfect for intermediate hikers and bikers with good fitness and riding abilities looking for a new challenge.
You need to be able to hike for several hours a day while carrying a light daypack. You can expect four to eight hours of hiking and biking every day in varying terrain and temperature conditions. On occasion, you might have to do some scrambling on mountainous karst, but there are always easier ways of getting around the difficult parts of the trail.
You can rent an e-bike to help you cross some of the more strenuous parts of the trail. Contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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With 4 to 8 hours of activity daily, this adventure requires good fitness levels. You can build up your exercise routine to include more cycling, paddling (cable row machines are a great alternative) and running or hiking longer distances. Training is the key to success and the more time you dedicate to training, the easier the tours will be!
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For this tour, you should have prior biking and hiking experience.
A guide will further explain the different mountain bike techniques and body positions to get you feeling comfortable on the trail. This tour is perfect for intermediate-to-advanced riders and hikers with previous experience with multi-day tours.
As for kayaking, no previous experience is needed. Expect your core and leg muscles to ache the next day—in the best way possible.
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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:
- 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 (whichever is more comfortable for your hiking style)
- Bathing suit for kayaking and beaches
- Synthetic T-shirt with UV protection for kayaking and hiking
- Water sandals (or regular shoes if you don’t mind making them wet)
- 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 are 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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Group sizes and prices:
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- Group tours need at least 4 people to operate. Once 4 people pay a 30% deposit, we will notify you that the trip is confirmed and you can start booking your flights to Croatia.
- Private tours can be created for 1 to 8 people. It is recommended to have 2 or 4 people in a group to get the best sense of adventure racing.
- Cost is per person and it does not decrease as the group grows.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the tour on a case-by-case basis, but must be in presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has minors under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements
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To get to your adventure in Croatia, you can fly into Zadar Airport in Croatia. Your guides will come and pick you up from the Zadar airport, and also drop you off at the end of the trip. You can also fly into Zagreb Airport or Rijeka Airport.
If you’re not flying in, once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Croatia, please refer to Croatia’s COVID-19 and Travel Info.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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Croatia is known for its pleasant climate, but you should nevertheless be prepared with the right gear, especially in the mountains. It’s very hot and sunny during the summer, but short thunderstorms can always happen. Rest assured, your guide will know the correct course of action if the weather throws a curveball!
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We highly recommended that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more.
As we’ve recently seen, travel plans can be abruptly halted, so it’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance that covers cancelled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans. For peace of mind, we suggest you consider both options of insurance.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!
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With us, it’s all play and no work for you! 57hours is an open platform that connects you with trained and certified outdoor adventure professionals all over the world. Using our tech-savvy, we make it super easy to find and book adventures worth tackling, with guides worth booking, all gathered from the first-hand experiences of the locals who adventure in these amazing locations.
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