Hiking adventure in Croatia
| country: | Croatia |
| trip type: | Moderate walking |
| departures: | 2008: 20 Sep, 4 Oct |
| price: | From €559 (8 days) excluding flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Through hidden valleys and caves to mountain peaks with a spectacular 360-degree view.
Experience the joys of the hills and countryside with other like-minded walkers, in the hands of an experienced guide. Expert guides, who will turn into real friends and adventure mates, will lead you along the itineraries that alternate seaside and mountain excursions.
The tour includes hiking, sea kayaking and sailing. Level: moderate - tour is created for averagely fit person. Daily activity: 3 - 5 hours
Experience the joys of the hills and countryside with other like-minded walkers, in the hands of an experienced guide. Expert guides, who will turn into real friends and adventure mates, will lead you along the itineraries that alternate seaside and mountain excursions.
The tour includes hiking, sea kayaking and sailing. Level: moderate - tour is created for averagely fit person. Daily activity: 3 - 5 hours
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival on Hvar - Jelsa. We will organize a transfer from ferry port Stari Grad to Jelsa. Welcome drink in the afternoon/evening where you will be introduced to your guide and as well as get the opportunity to get know better all members of the team and the group, be informed about the program and make arrangements for the following day. Dinner at the pension. |
| Day 2: | Humac & Grapceva cave. 9:00 Breakfast. 10:00 – Transfer to Humac, once a shepherds' settlement, which is located 7 km east from Jelsa, 350 m above sea level and offers a bird’s eye view of the valleys and headlands on the west side of the Island, yet also providing a view of the Island of Brac and the coastline of Makarska. The houses of Humac are well preserved, simple and made of stone. They belong to a unique rural type of architecture and are therefore considered as being an ethnographic monument. From Humac we will hike to Grapceva Cave, the cradle of Hvar's culture and civilization. The cave is one of the prehistoric findings dating back to the New Stone Age (Neolithic Period) 5000 - 4000 years BC and one of the oldest discoveries in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. It is situated 239 m above sea level and was the cultish place of a Neolithic Islander. The cave consists of a small hall (13,5 x 5 m) and a larger one (22 x 23 m) surrounded by hallways and chambers. The towering stalactites and stalagmites that decorate the cave resemble an ancient organ and along with the absolute silence and solitude of the cave offer a magnificent and unforgettable sight. Dinner at the pension. Hiking: 3 h |
| Day 3: | St. Nikola - highest peak of the island. 9:00 Breakfast. 9:30 trekking tour to the peak of St. Nikola. We will transfer you to the starting point of the hiking tour. The hiking tour leads you through olive groves and vineyards following ancient paths treaded by locals who still cultivate their land in the same way their ancestors used to do. It is difficult to imagine how much effort and hard work is required to grow grapes in vineyards on steep slopes going all the way from the sea surface to the top. The trail takes us along the old road made of stone blocks which was once the only communication between the South and the North side of the island. When you reach the peak of Sveti Nikola at 636 m above the sea level, you will have a wonderful view of all the surrounding islands. On the way down you will stop at beautiful cave and finally arrive in the village of Sveta Nedjelja. Since we continue along seaside there would be chance for swimming in one of beautiful bays on the way. Dinner at the pension. Hiking: 5 h |
| Day 4: | Hvar town and sailing to Pakleni Islands. 8:00 Breakfast. 9:00 Transfer to Hvar. We will spend our morning exploring Hvar town. At 12:00 we sail out on our sailing boats, to the group of small islands called the Pakleni. The origin of the name goes back to old days when the islands were the main source of rosin for local shipbuilders. Today, just like then, the islands are covered with thick pine woods providing refreshing shade even during the hottest summer days. Besides the well-known beach of Palmižana, the route through narrow straits and along the islands reveals to you small hidden pebble beaches where you can enjoy the privilege of having, at least temporarily, a beach of your own. Dinner at the pension. sailing: 4 h |
| Day 5: | Vela & Malo Grablje. 9:00 Breakfast. 10:00 transfer to starting point of our hike. We would visit Velo Grablje - Once a rich and advanced township of industrious people who, other than production of good wine, olive oil and honey, were known as the greatest lavender oil producers in Europe. Today Grablje is almost abandoned with only a dozen permanent residents. We would visit Motokit – highest peak of western part of the island, Babina cave and Malo Grablje. Beautiful scenery of deep canyon and architecture of Malo Grablje certainly will make you to come there more than once. Dinner at the pension. Hiking: 4 h |
| Day 6: | Tor & Grod. 09:00 Breakfast. 10:00 we start our today's hike from Jelsa. We will walk through old part of the town to the Greek Tower of Tor a square tower built of megalithic (Cyclopean) blocks (230 m above sea level), which dominates the picturesque valley from Stari Grad to Jelsa up to Vrboska as well as over the channels of Hvar and Split and the Makarska coastline. After we continue to Grod which was built to the east on the hill in the late ancient times. This fortification was the base of mighty family Slavogost, who rebelled against the Venetians who destroyed this town. Dinner at the pension. Hiking: 4 h |
| Day 7: | Sea kayaking day. 9:00 Breakfast. 10:00 We start from Jelsa to Vrboska the smallest place on the island. But even if it is the smallest, Vrboska is the treasure of the island. Founded in the 15th century, due to numerous small bridges that it's connected with it is often referred to as «Little Venice». After exploring Vrboska we will kayak back to Jelsa. Dinner at the pension. Kayaking:2- 4h |
| Day 8: | Breakfast and transfer to the port of Stari Grad. Ferry to Split. |
travelling with a local operator
This holiday is operated by a company based in the holiday destination and they will be able to provide expert local knowledge. They will be able to tailor make your holiday to suit your requirements not only concerning the dates of travel but also typically the standard of accommodation, and thus price. It is rare for local operators to be able to help with the booking of your flights.how this holiday makes a difference
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We employ local guides. Beside the fact that this kind of employment brings benefits to the local community, local guides are very familiar with the area and they know local people. We direct our travellers to local private accommodation providers. Overnight in private accommodation enhances the visitors' experience, since they get an opportunity to be welcomed by a local host and thus get better insight in everyday life of local people on Croatian islands. Also, in this way our travellers are contributing to the local economy. While on tours we stop for a lunch in local restaurants. Thus the guests have an opportunity to taste some of the typical specialties of the region and at the same time help the local economy.
On this trip you will stay with local family who will also prepare the food. By staying with them and eating in their home, not only you will get closer view on life on the island, but you will also support local community and economic growth. You will also help financially to the owners of the accommodation to continue with that work. All guides are aware of their surrounding and they are constantly providing the travellers with suggestions of how to minimize potential negative impacts to the environment and marine ecosystems. We always collect our litter and encourage people to help us collecting litter from beaches and other beautiful places we visit. Our guides emphasize on the importance of leaving the environment as it is. We observe nature but we do not disturb it. We choose our activities because of the minimum impact they have on the nature. While sailing we use only power of the wind, for kayaking and walking we use our body and muscles – our strength. We do not cause any form of air or water pollution and we try not to produce noise that could be disturbing for marine life or wildlife. |
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. |