Croatia family kayaking holiday
| country: | Croatia |
| departures: | 2010: 17 Jul, 24 Jul, 31 Jul, 7 Aug, 14 Aug 2011: 23 Jul, 30 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug, 20 Aug |
| price: | From £899 - £969 (8 days) per adult and from £849 - £889 per child including flights from the UK. From £679 - £719 per adult and from £679 - £719 per child excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Croatia family kayaking holiday
An active coastal trip with plenty of sea kayaking based around Dubrovnik’s beautiful Elafiti islands in the safe, crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea
Sea Kayaking
After gaining confidence in your sea kayak, explore the local beaches, islands and also kayak around the fortified walls of Dubrovnik. Occasionally kayakers are even escorted by friendly dolphins or tuna fish!
Stunning Islands
The Elafiti Islands, lying just off the coast, invite exploration and you will visit two of these beautiful wooded havens. Each has a unique character and, being car-free, are very peaceful.
Historic Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is one of the world’s most attractive and best preserved fortified cities. A walk around the city walls is a highlight not to be missed, offering panoramic views over the city’s roof tops and across the Adriatic sea.
Cycling
The Konavle Valley is picturesque and tranquil. You will cycle and explore the numerous irrigation channels and water mills that dot the plain. This is an area renowned for its fruit and vegetables so you might be able to try some of the local produce!
Sea Kayaking
After gaining confidence in your sea kayak, explore the local beaches, islands and also kayak around the fortified walls of Dubrovnik. Occasionally kayakers are even escorted by friendly dolphins or tuna fish!
Stunning Islands
The Elafiti Islands, lying just off the coast, invite exploration and you will visit two of these beautiful wooded havens. Each has a unique character and, being car-free, are very peaceful.
Historic Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is one of the world’s most attractive and best preserved fortified cities. A walk around the city walls is a highlight not to be missed, offering panoramic views over the city’s roof tops and across the Adriatic sea.
Cycling
The Konavle Valley is picturesque and tranquil. You will cycle and explore the numerous irrigation channels and water mills that dot the plain. This is an area renowned for its fruit and vegetables so you might be able to try some of the local produce!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London Following your flight to Dubrovnik you transfer to Zaton Bay, a charming and picturesque bay stretching over two kilometres. Located 10 kilometres north of Dubrovnik, the beach is pebbly with rocky crags which you can explore on foot or by kayak. There are many cosy restaurants beside the sea where you can savour local Dalmatian specialities. Your accommodation throughout the holiday is in a traditional stone house. Traditional Stone House – 7 nights |
| Day 2: | Sea Kayaking You begin the day with some sea kayaking instruction in the safe, warm waters of Zaton Bay. Then in the afternoon, to build some confidence, you will kayak along the local beaches to the islands of Daksa and Lapad Bay. There is no pressure to go fast; you kayak along at your own pace. (B) |
| Day 3: | Kayaking/Kolocep Island Today you will be kayaking in the area of Kolocep Island. During paddling breaks you can enjoy swimming, sightseeing and snorkelling before returning to Zaton in the afternoon in time for an evening promenade walk followed by dinner. (B) |
| Day 4: | Elafiti Islands Today you begin to explore the beautiful Elafiti Islands. You take a ferry to Lopud Island, the second smallest of the Elafiti Islands and a haven of peace and tranquillity. Its landscape is typical of many around the Mediterranean with pine forests, olive groves, towering cypress trees and even palm trees. The warm climate is ideal for growing grapes, figs, carob, pomegranate and a variety of citrus fruit. Its many beaches provide a perfect playground for you and the kids. You could have a go at playing “Picigin” volleyball in knee-deep water with an egg-sized ball! Alternatively you can become familiar with life on the island by walking through the lovely pine forests and traditional stone built Mediterranean fishing villages. In the evening you return to Zaton. (B) |
| Day 5: | Biking in the Konavle Valley This morning you transfer to the south of Dubrovnik to an area previously ravaged by the war. The Konavle Valley was occupied by enemy forces and life is only just returning back to normal. The valley itself is flat-bottomed with a large number of natural and man-made streams flowing through it. The area is fertile agricultural land with fruit and cereals being the main products. There is a lot of water in the valley and this has been channelled over the years to ancient mills still functioning today. The area is beautiful and the riding is not too challenging although you may get your feet wet! (B) |
| Day 6: | Kayak, Dubrovnik Bay After a day off the water you transfer from Zaton to the beach just south of Dubrovnik city. From here you paddle around the city walls and see Dubrovnik as marauders from the middle ages would have seen it. Depending on how strong a kayaker you have become, you can either paddle out to the islands near to Dubrovnik or head down the coast to Betina Cave, a delightful cave with its own beach which can only be accessed from the sea. After lunch you paddle along the coast back to Dubrovnik and transfer back to Zaton. (B) |
| Day 7: | Free in Dubrovnik This morning you again transfer to the south of Dubrovnik. From your start point you walk along the cliff tops in the Cavtat region. There is a quiet car-free path along the top of the cliffs with tiny paths that lead down to secluded coves and beaches below. The views are stunning especially back towards Dubrovnik. If you are feeling a little tired and would prefer a more relaxing day, the bus can drop you off in the city on the way through to the start of the walk. Lunch is not included if you decide to do this. Please pre-arrange your pick up time with the rest of the group. There are many wondrous monuments in this city including the 15th century Rector’s Palace, monasteries with cloistered gardens and fine baroque churches with copper domes. The main pedestrian promenade, once a shallow sea channel, is now paved with glistening white limestone in stark contrast to the warm red terracotta roofs. It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful city. A walk around the city walls (2km) is a highlight not to be missed, taking about an hour and providing panoramic views over the city’s roof tops and out across the Adriatic Sea. The walls are on average 24m high and 3m thick on the seaward side. It is rare for such features built centuries ago to have a modern use but the eight-month siege of the city in the early 1990’s proved their worth. Thankfully most of the damage done has now been repaired. Later you return to Zaton. (B, L if doing walk) |
| Day 8: | Fly to London The trip ends in Dubrovnik for Land Only clients. Those on our group flights to London take an early morning transfer to Dubrovnik airport for the flight home to London. (B) |
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip: Your visit brings much-needed income to this area where people are still trying to recover from the war torn years that disrupted their lives so badly. By visiting you are contributing directly to this recovery and helping local people rebuild their future.
Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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