Itinerary
- Day 1
Zagreb
You'll arrive in Zagreb and get picked up from the airport, heading straight to your hotel to settle in. Once you've checked in, spend some time walking around the capital and taking in the Austro-Hungarian buildings scattered throughout the city. The cathedral, St Mark's Church, and Lotrscak Tower are all worth seeing if you have the energy. Grab coffee at Trg Bana Jelacica and just sit for a bit watching the city come alive. Later in the evening, you'll meet your guide and have a welcome dinner where they'll brief you on what's coming up.
Included Activities
- Single timed airport transfer from Zagreb Airport
- Welcome dinner and tour briefing with guide
Optional Activities
- Self-guided exploration of Zagreb's landmarks including Zagreb Cathedral, St Mark's Church, Lotrscak Tower
- People watching at Trg Bana Jelacica square with pavement cafes
- Visit museums and galleries
- Ride the funicular railway connecting Lower and Upper towns
Landmarks Zagreb Cathedral St Mark's Church Lotrscak Tower Trg Bana Jelacica - Day 2
Plitvice Lakes
Early morning drive takes you to Plitvice Lakes National Park where you'll spend about 4 hours hiking. You'll walk along wooden boardwalks that wind through the park, seeing sixteen different lakes that are all connected by waterfalls. The whole place is thick with forest, and the water seems to come straight out of the rocks. This is a UNESCO site, and you'll understand why as you move through it. The terrain is manageable but you'll want good shoes since you're on the paths most of the day.
Included Activities
- Hiking in Plitvice Lakes National Park (approximately 4 hours)
- Walking on wooden boardwalks through the lakes and waterfalls
Landmarks Plitvice Lakes National Park 
- Day 3
Northern Velebit National Park
After breakfast, you're heading to Northern Velebit National Park, which takes about an hour and a half of driving. Once there, you'll start on the Premuzic Trail, a famous 57km path that was first mapped out in the 1930s. The landscape changes as you go, mixing lush forests with pine woods and rocky sections. It's not too steep, so the gradients are gentle. You'll pass the Zavizan mountain refuge which has a small botanical garden. By evening, you'll be staying in the Starigrad-Paklenica area.
Included Activities
- Transfer to Zavizan mountain refuge (approximately 1.5 hours)
- Walking through the botanical garden at Zavizan
- Hiking on the Premuzic Trail in Northern Velebit National Park
Landmarks Northern Velebit National Park Premuzic Trail Zavizan Mountain Refuge 
- Day 4
Veliki Rujno to Ramici village
After breakfast you'll drive to Starigrad-Paklenica to drop off your main bag, then transfer for an hour to reach Veliki Rujno, which sits at 900m elevation on a high grassy plateau. From there, you'll walk to the Church of Our Lady of Rujno built in 1930, which was made from stones from an earlier church that stood there. Your hike continues to Ramici, a small remote village where you'll spend the night in a simple house with shared rooms. They'll give you home-cooked dinner and the hospitality is genuine.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Packed lunch), Dinner (Home-cooked dinner)
Included Activities
- Transfer to Veliki Rujno plateau (1 hour)
- Visit Church of Our Lady of Rujno
- Hiking to Ramici hamlet (approximately 3-4 hours)
- Home-cooked welcome dinner at mountain hut
Landmarks Church of Our Lady of Rujno Veliki Rujno 
- Day 5
Paklenica Canyon
This morning you're hiking through Velika Paklenica canyon with its massive rock walls towering on both sides. Along the way, you'll see old water mills from the 19th century, some still pretty well preserved even though they stopped operating in the 1960s. The locals have kept them up as cultural monuments. After you finish the hike, you'll head back to the coastal town of Starigrad-Paklenica. The rest of the afternoon is free, so you can relax by the water or just sit at a cafe with a drink.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Packed lunch)
Included Activities
- Hiking through Velika Paklenica canyon (approximately 5 hours)
- Visit to historic water mills in the canyon
Optional Activities
- Afternoon walk beside the sea in Starigrad-Paklenica
- Relax at pavement cafes or local bars
Landmarks Velika Paklenica Canyon Paklenica National Park 
- Day 6
Krupa Canyon to Zadar
After breakfast, a 45-minute transfer takes you to the Krupa River and its canyon area, sitting right below Velebit Mountain. You'll walk starting from Golubic village and head toward Kudin Bridge, which dates back to the 18th century and has twelve arches (at least that's what local tradition says). Later you'll drive about an hour to Zadar, a lively town with Venetian city walls still standing. There's the Sea Organ and Sun Salutation if you want something quirky, plus St Donatus' Church is worth a look. People's Square has good energy in the evenings.
Included Activities
- Transfer to Krupa River area (45 minutes)
- Hiking in Krupa Canyon (approximately 3 hours)
- Visit to Kudin Bridge
- Transfer to Zadar (1 hour)
Optional Activities
- Explore Zadar's Venetian city walls and four historic gates
- Visit Sun Salutation art installation (22m circle with 300 glass plates)
- Enjoy the Sea Organ (unique water-powered musical installation)
- Visit St Donatus' Church (9th-century Byzantine circular church)
- Explore Franciscan Monastery with Gothic church from 1280
- People watch at People's Square with pavement cafes
Landmarks Krupa River Krupa Canyon Kudin Bridge Zadar City Walls Sun Salutation Sea Organ St Donatus' Church Franciscan Monastery People's Square 
- Day 7
Krka National Park to Split
After breakfast, you're driving from Zadar to Krka National Park to see the karstic river that runs through it. You'll hike around to reach Skradinski Buk waterfall, then take a boat over to see Roski Slap. There's also a Franciscan monastery on Visovac Lake that you'll visit. After that, you'll hike from Roski Slap through to Ozidana Cave and then on to Stinice. It's a full day with a lot of water features and scenery. By evening you're driving to Split for your final night, and dinner happens in the old town where there's plenty of character.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in Split's old town)
Included Activities
- Hiking in Krka National Park to Skradinski Buk waterfall
- Boat ride to Roski Slap waterfall
- Visit to Visovac Lake and Franciscan monastery
- Hiking from Roski Slap to Ozidana Cave and Stinice (approximately 4-5 hours)
- Transfer to Split
- Dinner in Split's old town
Landmarks Krka National Park Skradinski Buk Roski Slap Visovac Lake Visovac Franciscan Monastery Ozidana Cave - Day 8
Split Departure
After breakfast, the group transfer takes you to Split Airport to head home, wrapping up your Croatian hiking trip.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Group transfer to Split Airport
