Croatia & Slovenia small group holiday
Highlights
Split | Zadar | Pag Island | Plitvice Lakes National Park | Pula | Rovinj | BledDescription of Croatia & Slovenia small group holiday
This eight day Croatia and Slovenia small group holiday starts in the ancient city of Split, on the Dalmatian coast, where we have time to take in some of its fine sites as well as soak in the Adriatic atmosphere of this, Croatia’s second largest town. Heading north, you will see that this coastline is not only peppered with islands, but also with other medieval beauties, as we spend a day and a night in Zadar, Croatia’s oldest town, with a Roman forum and pre-Romanesque St. Donat's church. It is also gateway to the Zadar and North Dalmatian archipelagos, and we take a day trip out to the island of Pag to enjoy its idyllic swimming spots.Croatia isn’t all about the coast, however, as we discover on our day in Plitvice Lakes National Park, where we can hike along some of the walkways that lead to at least one of the sixteen freshwater lakes and ninety waterfalls that make up this extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage Site. So, don’t think that because we have moved inland you can put your swimwear away. Plitvice is for plunging into.
Continuing north, Pula is the capital of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula and, with more Italian influences, it is also a wonderful place to see Roman remains. We take our Croatian farewell in Rovinj, an idyllic peninsula with beaches and ancient villages.
We spend two days in Slovenia, where the landscape changes from marine to mountains, as we travel through the Julian Alps en route to Bled. Many of our guests extend their trips to enjoy the vast array of outdoor adventures on offer around Bled. Most famous for its lake, enveloped by the Alps, gorges and gushing rivers, this is the perfect landscape for hiking, biking, rafting, swimming or just chilling on a boat ride across the lake. Believe us, Slovenia always leaves you wanting more.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
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Small group adventure
What is a small group adventure?It's a great way to travel! Whether you are travelling on your own, with a partner or with friends, a small group trip is a fantastic way to see the world. You'll travel on a fixed itinerary that has been designed to help you discover the best of region. From the known highlights, the hidden gems that you won't find in the guidebooks.
Itineraries run on set departure dates, accompanied every step of the way by an English speaking local group leader. You chose the itinerary and the date that suits you best and you book on.
Why travel on a small group adventure?
Small groups allow us to explore where larger tour groups can't. Our maximum group size of 16 travellers allows us to use local transport to get from A to B, to visit rural villages, spend time with the locals and even stay at a local home overnight, and it allows us to give our travellers genuine, real life experiences of the countries we are visiting; what you'll be doing and how you'll travel depends entirely on your chosen itinerary.
Is an adventure right for me?
The word adventure means something different to everyone, and our range of trips reflects that. Whether you want to explore local markets, visit out of the way temples and meet local people or go on an early morning safari drive searching for the 'big five', we'll have a trip for you. If you are looking for a physical challenge such trekking the Kokoda Track or summiting Kilimanjaro, we can help with that too.
So what can I expect on this trip?
This is a classic style of small group adventure. You'll find your trip combines a good mix of included activities and free time, with some meals included as per your itinerary. We don't want you to feel chaperoned, it's your holiday not ours. Your group leader will be on hand to assist with organising anything you might wish to do in your free time, but how you spend it is up to you. Anything listed as included in your itinerary will be included in trip price; whereas anything listed as optional will be at an additional cost should you wish to take part.
These trips are great value, including things that you would struggle to organise independently, such as a night at a homestay in a remote village, or local guides around a remote place of interest. Transport will be a combination of private vehicle and public transport, whichever is the most appropriate for the route we are travelling; this might include train, plane, camel, tuk tuk, bicycle, boat…
On a majority of these trips you'll stay in 2-3 star accommodation, locally owned and reflective of the region you are travelling through. All solo travellers will be automatically roomed on a twin share basis with another group member of the same sex, unless you opt to pay for your own room at time of booking. There are no compulsory single supplements for solo travellers willing to share. Single rooms aren't available on camping trips, and you will be expected to help out with camp tasks such as setting up and breaking down your camp.
Can I book my flights with you?
Yes! We are a fully ATOL bonded tour operator meaning that we can book flights from the UK as part of your holiday package. Just ask us for a quote including flights when you make your enquiry.
Responsible tourism
Croatia & Slovenia small group holiday
Carbon reduction
Your holiday will help support local people and conservation. We must also reduce CO2. Learn about the CO2 emissions of this holiday and how to reduce them.
Environment
As a global operator, we take our role in the tourism industry very seriously. We recognise the impact that tourism has on local communities and the environment, and we plan and operate all our tours with this front of our minds. We believe that every tour operator must be responsible in the way they conduct their business, to ensure the welfare of all people and the conservation of the environment.
We are committed to operating in a responsible manner, incorporating the principles of sustainable development in the way we provide our travellers with real life experiences. These values are more than just words on a page; they are ingrained in our culture and the daily operations of every office and every trip. In addition, we expect our staff and travellers to demonstrate the principles of responsible travel - respecting people, cultures and local environments; in the distribution of wealth; in good will and cross-cultural sharing; and in contributing to sustainable development.
We believe that responsible travel is about the attitude you take with you and the choices you make when travelling - to respect and benefit local people, their cultures, economy and the environment.
We take care to use local transport throughout, including Ferries and buses and stay in small, locally owned hotels and guesthouses. This trip also includes a stay in a family run guesthouse on Pag Island. This overnight stay is a great opportunity to learn more about the local farming community and the way of life from the perspective of our hosts.
We source produce locally throughout the trip, eat at local restaurants and encourage our travellers to purchase souvenirs from local artisans. You will get the opportunity to taste one of Croatia’s most renowned and prized cheeses, paški sir or Pag cheese. This distinctive cheese with its, salty, sharp and tangy flavour comes from Pag island's sheep, who roam the rocky island eating aromatic herbs and grass on slopes coated in salt deposits by strong sea winds.
Recruitment of our ground team comes from the local community. This not only gives a fantastic insight into the country and a snap shot of day to day life, but it also puts valuable financial resources back into the local economy, creating jobs and supporting local businesses.
As company our responsibilities don’t stop when our tours end. Our own in house foundation has been in operation for over 10 years; a not-for-profit fund that has distributed over AU$3 million to more than 70 non-government organisations since 2002, from health care, education, human rights, child welfare, sustainable development and in environmental and wildlife protection. Donations come from our travellers and are then matched by us dollar for dollar.
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