Throughout National Parks

Welcome to Croatia! We are going to meet you at the airport and take you to Zvecaj, small village by the Mreznica River. You are going to settle down in the hotel Zeleni Kut, small family owned hotel overlooking the green Mreznica River and its waterfall. The hotel restaurant serves traditional Croatian specialties – fresh water fish from its own fishing ponds, homemade cheese, ham and sausages as well as fresh vegetables and fruit from local farms. Overnight in the hotel.

The Risnjak mountain range is named after a rare animal that inhabits its woods – the lynx. It is located in Gorski Kotar, heavily forested region of the country, about 15 km inland from the Adriatic Sea. We start our hike from Vilje which will lead us towards our goal – Big Risnjak, the highest point of the mountain range. Schlosser’s mountain hut is probably one of the most beautiful mountain huts in Croatia. After resting and enjoying the amazing view over the sea, other peaks of Gorski Kotar and even the Alps, we will descend slowly back to Vilje. After hiking we will return back to our hotel for dinner in the late afternoon.

After breakfast, we’ll drive to Croatia’s youngest national park – North Velebit National Park. The area was designated a national park due to its richness of karst phenomena, outstanding biodiversity and exquisitely beautiful nature on a relatively small area. The Park is crisscrossed with numerous mountaineering trails. The most famous is the Premužić trail, named after its constructor who built it in the late 1933. The path runs through the most beautiful and the most interesting parts of the park. From the numerous peaks in the surroundings you can have a magnificent view on the Adriatic Sea, its islands and the continental side of the mountain chain.
Accommodation in Plitvice Lakes National Park is provided by the families of Korana Village, a small romantic place hidden away in a valley by the Korana River. The houses are small, traditional dwellings with simple rooms in an idyllic setting. The peaceful atmosphere makes the village an ideal base from where to explore the surrounding area – Korana Village has no pubs, restaurants, shops, schools, not even a church – it’s just a village as small and wonderful as it can be, an ideal setting for a fairy tale.

Today we are going to visit the most beautiful and stunning National park of Croatia – Plitvice Lakes National Park. We start our day walking along the wooden paths and bridges in and around Plitvice Lakes National Park. Its exquisite series of 16 emerald green and opal blue travertine lakes, more than 90 waterfalls and numerous caves make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lakes are surrounded by beech and pine forests and are home to extensive wildlife. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in the pure and untouched nature. Panoramic boat and train rides will take us back to the start. In the late afternoon return to the village just for overnight stay

Today you can choose to be as active or as lazy as you want. You can relax by the river, swim or even take another optional cycling tour around Plitvice Lakes National Park. Several mountain hiking, river rafting, city sightseeing or beach trips are offered, in case you are keen on discovering more beauties that Croatia has to offer.

After saying goodbye to our village hosts we continue south to Paklenica National Park, part of a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and a favorite hiking and climbing destination. Time permitting, we will stop by the narrow Wild West-like canyons of the Zrmanja and Krupa Rivers and visit the medieval Krupa Monastery which is the oldest orthodox monastery in Croatia. Paklenica National Park covers the area of torrent flows of Velika Paklenica and Mala Paklenica, their distinctive canyons carved vertically into the south slopes of Mount Velebit and the broader surrounding area. This relatively small area offers exceptional diversity of geomorphologic phenomena and forms, diverse flora and fauna, attractive landscapes and intact nature. Having adapted to the geographic and climatic environment, the locals mostly engage in nomadic stock herding, which can be seen by their mountain shepherd residences. Hiking is the only way to really get to know Paklenica National Park. There are several wonderful hikes through beech and black pine forests to choose from. The most popular is the trail leading to Borisov Dom, a mountain hut popular among mountaineers. After descending all the way to the sea we drive to Skradin for the overnight stay.

The last day of the journey takes us to Krka River National Park with its fantastic karst formations and travertine waterfalls. We explore the park’s extensive waterways and complex history dating back to late 10th century and first Croatian kings. One of the options is a visit to Skradinski Buk waterfall, the place where the second hydro plant in the world was built, just a few years after the one on Niagara Falls. A boat will take us to Visovac island and and its Franciscan monastery. After walking, return to the hotel for the diner.

Depart from Skradin to the airport and flight home.