Green Heart of Croatia (6 Days)

Please view this information on our website, where we have more and better details!

There is no better place to spend hot summers days then in the mountains and on the rivers of the Croatian Highlands (“Gorski Kotar”). This area has so much to offer, but still only few people have discovered its secrets. We take you rafting/kayaking on the Mreznica and Kupa rivers, on an easy bicycle tour along the river shore and, of course, to the famous Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Your guide will adjust activities and routes according to your abilities and wishes. After the experiences of each day, relax back at the hotel, enjoy your delicious traditional Croatian dinner or go for a short swim in the nearby river. The green heart of Croatia is waiting to be discovered – by you!

Short Itinerary:

Day 1 – Arrival in Zagreb or Rijeka; taking up lodging in the Dobra River valley

Day 2 – Walking/Hiking in Plitvice Lakes National Park

Day 3 – Kayaking the Upper Mreznica Canyon

Day 4 – Cycling down from Risnjak National Park along the Kupa River

Day 5 – Rafting/kayaking on the Kupa River

Day 6 – Goodbyes & transfer to Zagreb or Rijeka Airport 

Itinerary:

Day 1 – Arrival in Zagreb or Rijeka and take up lodging in the Dobra River valley

Your guide meets you at the Zagreb or Rijeka Airport in the afternoon. (Details of arrival times and pick-up places will be arranged during the booking process. Pick-up at Pula or Zadar Airport available upon request.)

After a short introduction, you will be transferred to our beautiful hotel in the Dobra River valley right across an old Croatian castle, where you can settle into your room, meet the other members of the group and discuss the plans for the week with your guide. Relax, enjoy your welcome dinner and go for a walk or a swim in the calm river.

Day 2 – Walking/Hiking in Plitvice Lakes National Park

The UNESCO World Heritage Site and most popular National Park of Croatia is waiting for you: Plitvice Lakes. The karst stone landscape has allowed this paradise of 16 lakes, uncountable waterfalls and little caves to be created.

As we walk along wooden pathways, you will marvel at all those cascades around you. Your guide will choose a fitting route for your group, which may include some hiking up the mountain, as well as a boat tour across the biggest lake.

A mixed day of walking, picture taking, lunch at a park restaurant, hiking and just tumbling around in amazement. Back at the hotel, relax and prepare for the wilder places of the tour.

Day 3 – Kayaking the Upper Mreznica Canyon

After breakfast, and taking a lunch package with us, we drive together to our base camp at the amazing Mreznica River, which is the cleanest and most beautiful Croatian river, as locals rightly say. You will receive safety gear (and neoprene suits, if necessary) and change. Safety talk and off we go.

This tour, a combination of kayaking and canyoning, will take 4-6 hours all together. Riding down waterfalls – even if you have never done it, believe us, it‘s fantastic and your guide will keep you safe! If the falls get too high, we can jump from the cliffs, go on natural water slides or walk around them, it all depends on the situation and your comfort level. This is a trip full of adrenaline and you will see a lot of Mreznica‘s beauties.

After landing, we changing into our dry clothes and head back down through little villages along the river to our hotel.

Day 4 – Cycling down from Risnjak National Park along the Kupa River

This amazing cycling tour is fantastic for both young and old, experienced and inexperienced bikers.

We start off from the National Park’s visitor centre down a paved road with some gravel parts and soon arrive at one of the most unique and spectacular places of all Croatia: the Kupa river source. 168m deep (!), rich turquoise-coloured and crystal-clear – you have probably never seen something like this! From there we follow the river down on well-paved local roads and may decide to cross over into Slovenia for part of the trip, stopping for lunch at a local restaurant there. In the village of Brod na Kupi we head for our nearby rafting base camp on the smaller Kupica River, where we have some refreshments ready for you.

If time allows it and you are up for some more cycling, we will take a forest trail up another creek to the famous 70m-high waterfall of Zeleni Vir. After riding down to the base again, our driver will take us back to the hotel.

Day 5 – Rafting/kayaking the Kupa River

Let’s hit the water one more time! Depending on the season and water level, we will choose the best section of the river for you. Again we will take lunch packages with us and again you will receive safety and paddling introductions before you start floating down this amazing, wild, untouched river with steep forested mountains on each side.

Your guide will keep you safe through some exciting rapids and help you discover the rich plant- and wildlife all around you. For example, the Danube Salmon has managed to survive in this river section, even while he cannot make his way down to the Black Sea anymore, as he did long ago. Back then, there was much more activity on and around the river then today, since it formed an important part of the trade route between the Adriatic Sea and the centre of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

At the end of this river adventure, it’s time to wrap up the trip with another Croatian-style feast, while sharing pictures and thinking back over all the exciting moments of the week.

Day 6 – Goodbyes & transfer to Zagreb or Rijeka Airport

Time to say ‚Goodbye‘! Depending on your further travel plans, after breakfast your guide will transfer you to the Zagreb or Rijeka Airport or some other place in the area. 

Specifics:

Accommodation:

You will stay in an idyllic 3-star hotel in the Dobra River valley. Each room includes its own bathroom and shower, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and TV. 

Meals:

Every day you will have a buffet breakfast and a dinner menu consisting of famous Croatian specialties at the hotel. For lunch, some days we will stop at a local restaurant. When our trip takes us too far away from the restaurants, or if you prefer to bring lunch with you, you can order a lunch package for (usually) 10€/package at the hotel. Besides, we will make sure to stop at local stores to stock up on snacks.

Travel arrangements:

A pick-up at the Zagreb or Rijeka Airport is included in the prices. Please ask us for pick-ups at Pula, Zadar or Split Airport, which we will provide for a surcharge.

We can either drop you off at Zagreb or Rijeka Airport, or arrange a place more suitable for your travel plans, if you wish.

You can, of course, also arrive in your own vehicle.

Arrival time: If you arrive by flight, please arrange to arrive at the airport before 4pm on our first day, if possible.

Group requirements:

Group size: Usually, the group will consist of 6 to 8 guests plus one guide. The minimal group size is 4 guests.

In case you book a trip, but the minimal group size is not reached by 3 weeks before departure, you have the following options: we can run the trip as a private tour for you for a surcharge, we can give you a full refund or we can reschedule you for another week.

Minimum age: Children from 8 years on are welcome to come. 

Fitness & experience level: Moderate level of personal fitness required. All activities can and will be adjusted to the fitness level of the group. We do not expect any prior experience in the activities planned. After the initial booking, we will check in with you as to your physical shape, health condition and special food diet. 

Languages:

Our guides speak English and Croatian as well as German or Swedish. If you would prefer a German- or Swedish-speaking guide, please contact us and we will see, who is available for your travel dates. However, please note that the entire group will likely be international and the common language spoken will therefore be English.

Equipment:

We will provide you with all specialized equipment needed for each activity – kayaks (brands: Rob Fin or Aqua Design), poss. raft (Aqua Design), life jacket, helmet, neoprene shoes, wet suit (if needed), waterproof boxes, bicycle (type: gravel bikes) and biking helmet.

We exclusively use first-rate, European-manufactured equipment with the CE-certificate for conformity with European health, safety, and environmental protection standards.

After booking your trip, we will send you a detailed list of personal items you will need to bring along with you – like bathing suit/pants, runners or hiking shoes, backpack etc.

Dates & Prices:

Departure Dates: If you would like to book this trip on a different date than is currently available, please contact us directly, since we may be able to shift dates around.

Singe-use rooms: Available upon request for a 30% surcharge.

Child discount: Valid for children up to 15 years of age.

Prices include:

- All transfers during the trip, including pick-up and drop-off at the airport

- 5 nights of ***-accommodation with breakfast and dinner

- Tourist taxes

- 4 days of organised day trips

- Qualified, English-speaking outdoor guide (German or Swedish-speaking possible upon request)

- Insurance

- Entrance fees for National Parks and the like

Prices exclude:

- Airfare from and to Croatia

- Sportswear and personal items

- Lunch packages or lunch at restaurants

- Snacks (we will make sure to stop at local stores for stock-up)

Customize this trip!

We love to accommodate your special wishes! If you would prefer a private trip just for your family or friends and want to swap one experience for another, just let us know – we will work out an offer for you and tailor your adventure holiday according to your desires.