ITINERARY

DAY 1: Arrival to destination – Zvecaj

Arrival in Croatia. Our guide will be waiting for you at Zagreb or Rijeka airport, bus or train station. If previously arranged, the pickup may be at Karlovac or Zvecaj bus or train station. You will be transferred to your accommodation 70 km from Zagreb in Zvecaj village, by the Mreznica River. After settling into your room, you can have a drink on the terrace overlooking the Mreznica and its waterfalls, walk by the river, go for a swim or just relax. Meet the other members of the group over dinner and discuss the upcoming itinerary with your guide.

Accommodation: 3*** hotel; Meals: D; Drive: 1h 30min from the airport. 

DAY 2: Kayaking and SUP on the Mreznica River

The day of water activities on the Mreznica starts with kayaking in front of the hotel. We use two-person sit-on-top kayaks which are easy and safe to navigate. After a short introduction to paddling, we push off upstream for refreshing fun on the clear, warm, and emerald waters of this river with numerous waterfalls. Due to its biological diversity and variety of habitats, the Mreznica area should soon be categorised as a Croatian Nature Park. It is home to many endangered and protected plant and animal species that you may get a chance to observe. These include 4 species of birds from the “red list” of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature – the Golden Eagle, the Lesser Spotted Eagle, the Western Capercaillie, and the Great White Egret. After a light picnic, we’ll paddle back to the hotel. In the afternoon we will change our kayaks with stand-up paddleboards and discover the river bed from a different perspective. Starting with a short introduction you will have an active yet easy afternoon to start off the week. The day will be filled with swimming, jumping off the waterfalls, and enjoying beautiful nature. Later in the afternoon we will have some free time to rest and will end the day with a group dinner on the restaurant terrace.

Accommodation: 3*** hotel; Meals: B; Activity: Kayaking, 2-3 hours, class I-II; Stand up paddleboarding (SUP), 2 hours, easy/moderate. In the case of high water levels, we use rafting boats (2 hours of rafting). 

DAY 3: Walking in Plitvice Lakes National Park

Early in the morning we start our ride through lovely countryside roads towards Plitvice Lakes, Croatia’s first National Park. Once at Plitvice, we have the day to explore it on foot. Plitvice Lakes National Park is a spectacular geological and hydrogeological karst phenomenon, a sequence of sixteen turquoise lakes linked together with cascading falls and travertine pools. The lakes are surrounded by beech and pine forests and are home to extensive wildlife. The richness of flora and fauna attracts visitors and scientists from all over the world. UNESCO has declared it with all rights as a World Natural Heritage site. We’ll walk through the National Park following narrow paths, crossing over wooden bridges, and even taking a boat ride on Lake Kozjak.

Accommodation: 3*** hotel; Meals: B and D (picnic lunch on your own); Walking: 4-5 hours; Terrain: easy, well-marked paths; Drive: 1 hour 45 minutes each way 

DAY 4: Cycling in the Mreznica River area

A well-paced bike tour through villages and along country roads is a great way to experience Croatia much more closely than from a vehicle. There are many trails in the Mreznica area well-adapted for cycling tours. We’ll start from the hotel and meander past numerous small family farms and homesteads. There are great places to take breaks along the road and look out over the valleys and fields. You will be able to go for a swim in the river and enjoy a picnic lunch on the bank. Those who still want to explore the area after the tour, are free to cycle to other places of interest on their own, with directions given by the guide.

Accommodation: 3*** hotel; Meals: B 

DAY 5: Optional trip day

For those who chose a 5-day trip, this is the end of your holiday. You are welcome to schedule your homeward transport for any time. The rest of the group continues the trip. Today you can be as active as you wish. You can relax by the river, swim, play beach volleyball or even take another optional bike tour on your own. Several optional trips will be proposed in case you are keen on discovering more beauties that Croatia has to offer: a day on the Adriatic Sea, hiking in national parks, river canoeing, and sightseeing.

Accommodation: 3*** hotel; Meals: B and D (picnic lunch on your own;) Drive: maximum 2h each way 

DAY 6: Hiking in Risnjak National Park

On this day we travel to the green heart of Croatia – Risnjak National Park. Our goal is to reach Veliki Risnjak – the highest peak of the mountain range. We will be rewarded with a beautiful view of the Adriatic Sea, the Istria peninsula and the Kvarner archipelago, as well as the Julian Alps in Slovenia. We will rest at the Schlosser Klekovski mountain hut before returning to the village of Vilje where we first started in the morning. After an amazing day on the coast, we will return to our base in Zvecaj village for dinner.

Accommodation: 3*** hotel; Meals: B; Activity: Hiking – easy/moderate, 2-3 hours; Drive: 1.5 hours each way. 

DAY 7: Kayaking in the Mreznica River canyon

We return to the river this morning in the upper Mreznica canyon. Our route takes us from the hotel to a point approximately 45 minutes away from where we’ll start our expedition into the canyon. We travel through a gorge so narrow and deep that the sun enters for only a few hours each day, around noon, creating spectacular light effects. Paddling past cliffs of carved white rocks, lush vegetation, and cascading waterfalls, we will arrive at a strong freshwater spring. We continue our journey to the second highest waterfall on the Mreznica (8m), a magical place ideal for swimming and a picnic. After a break, we continue and finish the adventure and finally return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: 3*** hotel; Meals: B and D (picnic lunch on your own); Kayaking: class II-III, moderate, 2 – 3 hours; Drive: 45 min each way. In the case of high water levels, we use rafting boats (2 hours of rafting). 

DAY 8: Departure

Depart from Zvecaj Village to Zagreb or Rijeka airport and flight home. If you decide to spend more time in Croatia, our guides will be happy to recommend other beautiful places to visit – especially those you won’t find in tourist guide books.

Meals: B; Drive: 1h30min to the airport 

Note on itinerary:

This itinerary is subject to change due to group abilities and preferences, weather, water levels, special events of interest, etc. Raftrek Guides and Trip Leaders will do their utmost to ensure the best possible experience for their clients without compromising safety at any time. This may mean changing the original itinerary to avoid discomfort or risk which could be caused by exceptional situations. Raftrek reserves the right to alter the itinerary without prior notice.

TRIP NOTES

What’s included

• 7 nights accommodation (3*** hotel, en suite bathroom)
• 7 breakfasts, 4 dinners
• use of bicycles, kayaks, SUP, paddles, life jackets, helmets
• 5 days of organised activities
• use of neoprene shorts and booties in case of cold weather
• Plitvice Lakes National Park entrance fee
• local taxes
• Saturday transfers from/to airport or meeting point in Zagreb
• ground transportation (private transport throughout)
• skilled English speaking guide and assistance
• basic insurance

Not included

• international airfare to/from Croatia
• optional trip on day 5
• items of a personal nature and optional gratuities to your guide(s)
• beverages and meals not noted in the itinerary

Group size:

Min 4 – max 16 people per group; larger groups are on request. Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund. In case the minimum number of participants is not met but the guest/s still want to do the trip, the price increases by a percentage depending on the final number of participants.

Accommodation

The accommodation is a friendly, family-run, 3*** hotel on the bank of the Mreznica River, approximately one hour drive from Zagreb and Rijeka airports. The restaurant overlooks an old mill close to a small waterfall and serves freshly caught fish, as well as home-grown vegetables. Barbecues are also a specialty of the house. All rooms are equipped with en-suite bathrooms, TV, mini bar, telephone and have Internet access.

Air Travel

Please check with us before purchasing your airline tickets to ensure your trip has the necessary minimum number of participants required to operate. Early arrivals / Extended stay notes – we include two transfers with each trip. These are usually the transfers on the first and the last day of the trip. In case you are arriving a few days earlier or extending your stay in Croatia after your trip with us, we can provide additional airport transfers.

Arrival transfers: Zagreb (Rijeka on request). Arrivals are recommended by 3 pm. Transfers for arrivals by 6 pm are included, but you may miss group dinner and orientation. Arrivals after 6 pm may be subject to a surcharge of 30 euros per person.

Departure transfers: Drop off is possible in Zagreb (Rijeka on request). Airport drop off can also be arranged but we advise flights after 2 pm.

Meals

Meals tend to be heavy on the meats and sausages, bread and pastries, pasta and dumplings. If you have special dietary needs, please let us know as soon as possible. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated but we recommend that you bring along with you some of your favourite protein snacks.

PRICES

All prices are per person in EUR.
Minimum age: 8 years if accompanied by parent(s)
Children discount 10%, 8-12 years of age at the time of travel
Single use rooms are available upon request, with 20% surcharge. Sharing a room with another person of the same sex is possible.

High: June 3rd – September 1st
Low: May 6th – June 2nd, September 2nd – 30^th