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Multi activity holidays in Croatia guide

Our multi activity holidays in Croatia are about trying one or two different activities every day under the expert guidance of qualified local guides and instructors. Base yourself away from the crowds as part of a small group and dive into Dalmatia’s lesser-known waterways, forests and mountain trails.

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Multi activity holidays in Croatia guide

Our local activity experts have been white water rafting and canoeing on Croatia’s inland rivers their whole lives. They’re activity holiday pioneers. However, these scenic stretches are tricky to keep quiet and have even started to get a little crowded, especially in summer. That’s why activity guides, like Matko, Marko and Igor, are always searching for new river routes and other land-based tracks for cycling, hiking and canyoning. They understand what travellers want because they want it too: untouched areas for awesome activities that no one else knows about other than the local folk.

Get away from Croatia’s crowded coast and into the Dalmatia hinterland where the rivers, lakes and mountains make magical adventure playgrounds.

Our multi activity holidays offer employment to local people as instructors and group leaders, as well as giving isolated Croatian communities the chance to supplement their income through home cooked meals and accommodation. This has led to improved road and path access for villagers but without impacting on traditional lifestyles. Some of the islands, too, are, as yet, untouched by mass tourism; Sipan, an hour’s ferry from Dubrovnik, and Vis, the furthest inhabited island from the mainland, both make brilliant bases to explore by bike, on foot and around the coast by sea kayak.

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Multi activity holidays in
Croatia are...

about doing something different every day in a natural environment that’s been unspoiled by mass tourism.

Multi activity holidays in
Croatia aren’t...

about staying at a five-star health and fitness resort; they’re much more authentic than that and encourage you to explore rather than stay put.

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Go on a multi activity holiday in Croatia if…

… variety’s the spice of life. If you’d prefer to cycle every day then check out our Croatia cycling holidays; we also offer walking holidays in Croatia, too. However, our multi activity holidays let you try something different every day in an untamed, yet safe, outdoor environment with pro instructors and top-notch gear. … you’re happy to listen to instructions. Our holiday companies' expert tour leaders and specialist local guides and instructors know what they’re doing and the environment that they’re doing it in. Most will have grown up in the area and will have been pedalling and paddling in Croatia all their life. Even if you’ve kayaked, rafted or ridden a bike before, it pays to listen to instructions because you never know what’s coming up around the next bend. … you like being part of a small group. Practically all of the multi activity holidays that we offer place you in a small group (maximum 16 people). You can join other families or become part of an adult group or a combination of both. Whichever you choose, small group holidays are about socialising, supporting each other and trying new things with new friends. They’re fun and help to inspire esprit de corps.

Don’t go on a multi activity holiday in Croatia if…

… you want to lie on a beach all day. There is absolutely no pressure to take part in each and every activity, especially if you’re not feeling it for whatever reason. But the more you get involved the more you’ll get out of the experience. There will be plenty of times to laze on a grassy hillside or kick back at the beach, if you’re nearby – just don’t expect sun loungers and flip-flops all day, every day. ... you want five-star all-inclusive. Although accommodation on our activity holidays often includes breakfast and an evening meal, it won’t be five-star all-inclusive. We opt for locally owned small hotels and guesthouses where food is cooked by grandma, served by grandson, and eaten next to guides and instructors. There might be a swimming pool and local options for eating out. Just don’t expect evening cocktails and canapés; it will be more like a glass of reijkia fruit brandy and a bowl of nuts.

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Best time to go

Get set for spring on freezing freshwater rivers; cool off in summer in the sea and under waterfalls; or just enjoy the ambience of autumn after the kids are back at school.

Our small group tours make the most of Croatia’s climate from April to October when the Adriatic is ideal for sea kayaking, snorkelling and SUP (stand up paddle boarding). Although inland rivers are fast and freezing either side of summer, you’ll be fully kitted out, and half the fun is the bracing shock as you plunge into the water before or after rafting the rapids. Summers are hot but there are plenty of ways to keep cool, including canyoning, waterfalls, or snorkelling in coastal caves. Spring or autumn are the best times to go on a multi activity holiday in Croatia, but even in the summer there are shaded pine forests and river canyons to avoid the heat and crowds.

Call us for the best time to go on a Croatia multi activity Holiday

January, February and March are great times to visit Croatia without the crowds but not so good for multi activity holidays, as local tour operators aren’t open for business until April, at the earliest. As soon as May is under way, it’s all systems go. Sea temperatures are fine for kayaking, and rivers, such as the Cetina River, will be flowing a lot faster for white water rafting. Land-based activities, especially mountain biking and hiking, are great at the start of the season as it’s not too hot and there’s hardly anyone else around other than local folk getting ready for the summer. The Vis Regatta takes place at the beginning of May and is a very local island event which not only includes sailing, but also concerts, local food and an environmental day. Well worth a Vis visit. June is warming up, but rivers are still cold as the water comes from deep underground. This is one of the best months to go on a multi activity holiday in Croatia and a world away from the crowds and temperatures associated with peak summer season in July and August. Summer in Croatia can equal cruise liners, packed public ferries, and traffic jams from Trieste to Split via Istria. The best way to avoid all of the above is to escape to the Elaphiti Islands near Dubrovnik or the inland national parks closer to Split. There’s a reason why Croatia is jam-packed in summer and that’s because of the sun, sea and school holidays. Expect high prices in high season. Most Italian, Slovenian and Croatian children go back to school in the first week of September, which is good news for any multi activity seekers hoping for sunshine and sublime sea temperatures without the crowds. Early October is one of the best times to enjoy outdoor activities in Croatia, as the weather is still warm and there aren’t the tourist numbers associated with summer. Although several activity centres and island ferries will be slowing down in October, there’s still plenty of fun to be had against a backdrop of grape harvesting and fiery forest foliage. This is a good time to get to know islands like Vis, as it’s really, really relaxed at this time of year and everything is starting to get back to normal. November is very quiet on the Croatian coast and our multi activity instructors and guides will already have departed for the slopes of Slovenia. Zagreb in December is delightful, but the only activities you’ll find there are strolling around the Christmas markets and making the most of the gingerbread hearts, huge hot dogs and ladles of mulled glögg.

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