Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast – Walking Tour

Day 1: Zagreb – Plitvice Lakes National Park – Zadar
Independent travel to Croatia. Our trip will officially begin at 8 am in Zagreb. After gathering as a group, we’ll have a trip briefing over a morning coffee before heading to Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site. This is Croatia’s oldest National Park, known for its magnificent waterfalls and cascading lakes. The park boasts over 1200 plant species, including 50 orchid varieties, as well as a plethora of birds and animals. Our 2- to 3-hour walk will take us along a wooden walkway that connects 16 lakes and leads to a magnificent 200’ waterfall.

We’ll finish the day in the charming seaside UNESCO town of Zadar. Walking the streets of the old town reveals vestiges of architecture dating back to the Venetian and Roman eras. Zadar is also famous for its “Sea Organs,” an experimental musical instrument integrated into modern architecture. Tubes located underneath a set of large marble steps play music as the sea waves splash into them. Lunch, Dinner.

Hiking Time: 4 hours.

Day 2: Zadar – Paklenica National Park – Kornati Islands
In the morning, we’ll transfer to Paklenica Canyon and National Park, a world-renowned rock climbing area. A well-maintained trail will lead us to the Paklenica Hut, passing Anica Kuk Cliff, the largest cliff in the Velebit and considered by some to be the most spectacular rock formation in Croatia! As we walk through the narrowest part of Velika Paklenica Canyon, we’ll come across once-secret bunkers built by the Yugoslav Army during the Cold War as protection in the event of nuclear war.

In the afternoon we’ll board a ferry to Dugi Otok island, our base for exploring the Kornati archipelago National Park. Comprised of 89 islands and reefs, this is the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean. Arguably, Kornati offers one of the best marine landscapes in the world. Our base for the next two nights will be a private guesthouse in a small fishing town of Sali. We will dine on sumptuous Mediterranean cuisine, including daily fresh-caught seafood. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Hiking Time: 4 hours. 

Day 3: Kornati Islands National Park & Telašćica National Park
George Bernard Shaw, when he visited this part of the Adriatic Sea in 1929 proclaimed, “On the last day of the Creation, God desired to crown his work and thus created the Kornati islands out of tears, stars and breath.”

It is most likely that the derivation of Kornati Islands’ name comes from the Latin word corrimare, meaning scattered islands. This archipelago of islands, islets, and reefs, known also as the “nautical paradise,” offers timeless natural beauty, with an exceptionally rich and protected underwater world, picturesque cliffs, dry stone walls, and peaks that offer spectacular 360° viewpoints. Exploring the Kornati Islands by private boat, we’ll learn about their natural and cultural heritage, about their cultivation of olives, honey, and karst sheep pastures, and about what it takes to be a Kurnatar, a true inhabitant of these islands.

In terms of hiking, we climb to the highest point of Big Kornat Island for astonishing views over the archipelago. Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Hiking Time: 3-4 hours.

Day 4: Krka National Park – Split – Hvar island
Today we depart the Kornati Islands and head to Krka National Park, located in the middle-lower course of the Krka River in central Dalmatia. Over centuries, coursing its way through the limestone rock that lies between the Dinaric Mountains and the sea, the Krka River has created a delightfully beautiful landscape of deep gorges, crystal ponds, and terraced waterfalls. We will walk the more inland reaches of the park and follow a series of wooden walkways to Skradin buk, a riot of 17 waterfalls that descend from a height of almost 160 feet.

We will then travel to Split and board the late-evening ferry to the island of Hvar. The sunniest of Croatia’s islands, Hvar is regarded as the most beautiful island in the region. Influenced by ancient Greeks, Romans, and later on by the Venetians, this is an island of aromatic herbs, dramatic landscapes, emerald coves, and picturesque villages with surprisingly beautiful architecture. Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Hiking Time: 2 hours in Krka NP.

Day 5: Explore Hvar island
Departing directly from our hotel in the town of Hvar, our walk will take us along a white pebble beach perfect for a morning dip. Arriving at the seaside village of Milna, we’ll head inland to explore small medieval hamlets where locals still live the slow Mediterranean pace of life. Once we arrive in the village of Malo Grablje, we will enjoy our lunch.

Hvar is known for Plavac wine, a top-quality red wine native to the Dalmatia region and said to be a ‘father’ of Zinfandel. The afternoon treats us to a boutique wine tasting at the nearby town of Jelsa, leaving us time to enjoy the beach before dinner. Breakfast, lunch. Dinner on your own.

Hiking Time:  3 – 4 hours.

Day 6: Hvar island – Vis island
This morning we’ll meet a local guide for a walking tour of the town of Hvar and hear about the richness of Hvar’s local history. We’ll take in the town’s atmosphere as we wander small cobbled alleys adorned with bougainvillea, admire the old Venetian architecture, stroll the cafe-lined main square in front of the Venetian loggia, and breathe in the aromas of lavender and sage being sold from stalls overlooking the harbor.

In the afternoon, after time to explore and have lunch on your own, our adventure continues to the most pristine part of Dalmatia and for many local sailors, the most intriguing and beautiful island of all, Vis. Once closed to foreign tourists as part of the former Yugoslavia, Vis offers a peek at a more untouched corner of the Mediterranean. Our day ends in this beautiful town. Breakfast, dinner. Lunch on your own.

Hiking Time: 1 – 2 hours city walk in Hvar.

Day 7: Explore the Island of Vis
Vis is an island of captivating natural beauty and intriguing history. The island is a significant producer of carob and is also known for its excellent wines and fine brandies. During WWII, Vis was home to an important airstrip for the Allies transporting wounded pilots back from the Balkans.

Our day will be spent exploring the many facets of the island. We’ll hike up Mt Hum, the highest point on the island and the location of Tito’s cave, a secret stronghold where the partisan leader, and then president of Yugoslavia, was hiding until the end of the WWII. We will enjoy a scenic hike to a cove for relaxing and perhaps a swim. In the afternoon we’ll visit the local village. Our last stop will be the small but rustically beautiful settlement of Komiza on the sea.  An old fishing port dating back to the 12th century, a cluster of 17th and 18th-century buildings grace the harbor. Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Hiking Time: 3 – 4 hours

Day 8: Ferry back to Split – end of the tour
Unfortunately, every fairy tale has to end. We return to Split via ferry, arriving mid-day.