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Over one week, you’ll bike through the wildest areas of the Dalmatian interior, following macadam trails that were created for the past ARC races! Experience rugged karst landscapes, river canyons, and ancient roads—until you reach the pristine waters of the Adriatic coast. After crossing the whooping 310 miles, you’ll know what it’s like to push (and surpass) your limits, while becoming one with nature.
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Arrive at Zadar, Zagreb, or Split airports and get picked up by your guide. You’ll get transferred to the town of Starigrad, where you’ll stay for the night.
Accommodation: Private accommodation in Starigrad
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Wake up early, eat some breakfast, and get prepared for a long day of biking. Today, you’ll cross the Master’s road—a route designed along the steep slopes of Velebit, the largest mountain in Croatia, in 1832. The road is famous for numerous hairpin bends between the canyons and the peaks. Still to this day it represents a masterful achievement in road construction. The maximum inclination of the road is 5.5%, which is within limits of contemporary road construction regulations. The stunning views should take your mind off the long uphill and once you get to the highest point you’re in for a treat. Hilly Velebit plains and wild wooded paths will take you on a long descent all the way to the other side to Gračac.
Biking: 70 km (43.5 miles)
Elevation: + 1,800 m (5,905 ft), – 1,300 m (4,265 ft)
Accommodation: Private accommodation in Gračac
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The 60-km (37 miles) ride from Gračac to Žegar will be a bit more gentle on your legs after the hard start. Easy uphills, fun downhills, slightly technical terrain and beautiful views of the green and untouched nature will surround you during the whole day just to reward you with crystal clear waters of river Krupa and Zrmanja in the end. Enjoy views of dramatic canyons and countless waterfalls until you reach the village of Žegar, situated near the source of the river Zrmanja. You’ll camp here for the next two nights.
Biking: 60 km (37 miles)
Elevation: + 950 m (3,117 ft), – 1,450 m (4,757 ft)
Accommodation: Camp in Žegar
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Today, it is up to you whether you want to take a day off, go for an easy bike ride or hike. Our advice is to experience the most beautiful kayaking in Croatia. River Zrmanja and its rapids are an absolute must. You’ll find yourself among mesmerizing landscapes with a dramatic canyon and a wild river full of beautiful waterfalls and refreshing cold water. You can relax your legs but can still keep the adrenaline up, while taking a break from biking.
Accommodation: Camp in Žegar
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Brace yourself for the longest stage of the adventure! Hilly roads will lead you along rarely used rocky terrain full of stunning natural megaliths—until you reach the source of the river Zrmanja. Crystal clear water will be an important refreshment, just as it was for Napoleon when he built the old gravel road that leads to it. The bad news is: you’ll have to face some serious uphill sections. But you’ll eventually get rewarded with fun singletracks, shadowy dirt roads, hilly flow sections and romantic grass rides by the river. This stage has it all and you’ll have a long cruise to the city of Knin, the seat of medieval Croatian kings where you’ll stay for the night.
Biking: 93 km (58 miles)
Elevation: + 2,100 m (6,890 ft), – 1,900 m (6,235 ft)
Accommodation: Private accommodation in Knin
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This morning, you’ll get to enjoy the much needed flat ride toward the river Čikola, a welcome contrast to yesterday’s endless uphills. Gravel roads will take you through the plateau above the Krka river—all the way to the canyon of Čikola. Once here, descend to the Krka National Park, a green oasis with truly remarkable waterfalls and crystal-clear rapids. Following the paths close to the water you will finish your day in the beautiful town of Skradin.
Biking: 82 km (50 miles)
Elevation: + 1,600 m (5,250 ft), – 1,800 m (5,905 ft)
Accommodation: Private accommodation in Skradin
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It’s almost all flat from here to the end—or at least relatively flat. But after everything you’ve gone through, this section will feel like a stroll in the park. The final effort will be a short climb to Kamenjak above the Vransko lake. Once the panoramic view of the coastline and the islands opens and once you spot the finish line, it won’t be hard to find some more strength for the last few miles to the coastal town of Pakoštane. Celebrate your achievements with your teammates and your guide or head directly to the bed for some well-deserved rest.
Biking: 56 km (35 miles)
Elevation: + 900 m (2,953 ft), – 900 m (2,953 ft)
Accommodation: Private accommodation in Pakoštane
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It’s time to say goodbye to your guide. They’ll transfer you back to the airport where you’ll 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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