Croatia Adventure trip FAQ’s
Raftrek Adventure Travel
We have divided our Croatia Adventure trip FAQ’s into sections. Starting with general questions, then gear and safety, followed by questions regarding booking and payment, and to finish our Croatia Adventure trip FAQ’s with the two most popular activities, Mreznica and Zrmanja River kayaking/rafting.
Q: Where is the starting point ?
A: At our base camp in a village called „Kaštel Žegarski“. You can find it by clicking here: Raftrek Adventure Travel | Rafting & Kayaking Zrmanja
Q: What should I bring for the trip ?
A: You should bring drinking water, swimwear, rashguard or a plain T-shirt that can get wet, sun cream, dry clothes, something to eat on the trip if you need and water shoes if possible. Once you arrive at the start, one of the guides will meet you and explain everything regarding the trip. From us, you will receive everything else that you need to be able to go on the river which includes safety equipment (buoyancy aid, a helmet and a paddle). At the start, you will also get a „waterproof barrel“ for all the stuff you want to bring with you on the water so that it doesn’t get wet.
Q: Why do I need dry clothes ?
A: Before the trip you leave the dry clothes in a separate container which we then bring to the finish for you to take and change into. It is mandatory to have dry clothes when you finish with the trip to be able to sit in the van with which we bring the drivers back to their cars at the start where you left them before going on the trip.
Q: What is the difference between a kayak, raft and a packraft ?
A: Kayak is a 2-seated (1 person in the front and 1 in the back), inflatable boat in which you paddle and steer using a 2-sided paddle. A raft is a much bigger version of a kayak and can fit up to 8 people at once and instead of a 2-sided paddle every person has a 1-sided paddle with a so-called „T grip“. In a raft, you sit on 1 side and paddle on that side only with every raft having 1 guide (skipper) who is responsible for steering the boat and giving simple commands to the people within that raft. Finally, a packraft is the smallest option fitting one-person per boat.
Q: How many people will be in my group ?
A: It all depends on the booking and the time of the season, but an average KAYAK group in peak season (July, August) consists of around 25 people. While for your average RAFT group it is hard to tell since rafting is usually only available outside peak season (April, May) and during that period, bookings vary from day to day. A packrafting group is up to 8 people max. If more people want to join in one group, please contact us.
Q: Is it safe for non-swimmers ?
A: It is, you will get a buoyancy aid (a personal life jacket) which keeps you afloat and helps you swim. Even though it is perfectly safe, you should still inform your guide about it before going on the water.
Q: Is there anything to eat/drink when you finish the trip ?
A: We finish the trip at a small village called „Muškovci“, where you have a bunch of small restaurants/bars in which you can take a seat and order from a variety of options.
Q: Can kids under the age of 6 go on a trip ?
A: We put the minimal age of 6 years old as our recommendation. Although, if you want, kids under the age of 6 can also go on a trip with you have to take into consideration that the trip can last up to 5, 6 hours sometimes and usually there is a lot of sun and very little shade since you are on a boat most of the time so it can be a challenge. For a packrafting trip the recommended minimum age is 12 years.
Q: How do the trips work in case of bad weather (wind, cold, rain etc.) ?
A: Usually, if there is just light rain or we think it could get a little bit cold on the trip, we have rain jackets and neoprene suits that we hand out to everybody at the start and explain how they work so that everyone can be nice and cozy during the trip. In case of very bad weather (that includes heavy rain, strong wind etc.) we closely monitor the weather changes in advance and contact each booked person as soon as we can for a chance that the trip might have to be cancelled. If the trip ends up being cancelled because of bad weather, we will offer you a reschedule or a complete refund.
Q: I want to cancel the trip, how does that work ?
A: Read everything about the cancellation fees through this link from our website 🡪 https://raftrek.com/terms-and-conditions/. You can also alway contact us for further info.
Q: Is drinking alcohol allowed during the trip ?
A: Alcohol is not allowed during the trip. Also, intoxicated guests will be denied service with no refund. If you end up causing any unnecessary trouble for the guide and/or other people in the group, the guide has all the right to stop the trip and if possible bring you back to the start (no refunds).
Q: Is there any public transportation available from Zadar to your starting point ?
A: No. There isn’t any that goes directly to our starting point in Kaštel Žegarski. The closest you can get to is Obrovac City via a bus, which is then 20 km away from the starting point. Alternatively, you can contact us and we can organize transport for you if you are located anywhere around Zadar, Šibenik area. The price goes from 30 € (from Zadar to the starting point and after the trip back to Zadar). That price is only valid for a minimum of 4 people. If there are less than 4, we can still do the transfer but you have to pay extra to cover the minimum.
Q: Is drinking alcohol allowed during the trip ?
A: Alcohol is not allowed during the trip. Also, intoxicated guests will be denied service with no refund. If you end up causing any unnecessary trouble for the guide and/or other people in the group, the guide has all the right to stop the trip and if possible bring you back to the start (no refunds).
Q: What is the best time to visit and do the trip ?
A: Our season is May to September in most areas. We start operating selected trips and tours in April and continue until October. May is usually warm enough for swimming in Dalmatia. Croatia (especially the coast) gets very busy in July and August during school holidays. September tends to be warm and sunny and the crowds are usually gone by then. On the other hand, if you are more interested in rafting and higher/faster water, then your best bet will be April and May.
Q: How can I book and pay for the trip ?
A: Bookings are done by email or online directly if you find a suitable trip for you. It is possible to pay online by credit card. You can also make a payment by bank transfer. Please let us know your preferred payment method and we will send you the details. In case of any questions, please contact us.
Q: How will we get back to our cars since we leave them at the start before we go on the river? Is this transfer included in the price ?
A: We have our vehicles and drivers waiting for you with all of your dry luggage at the finish point. We transfer the drivers (1 person per car) back to the start to pick up the vehicle. This transfer is included in the price of the trip.
Q: Can I pay by credit or debit card at the starting point ?
A: No. Only cash is possible at the starting points of our trips, but there is an option to pay with Revolut or via our website and use your card. We recommend booking in advance to secure your spot.
Q: Can I bring my phone, camera etc. ?
A: Yes. At the start, before the trip, you will receive a waterproof barrel in which you can store any valuables that you don’t want to get wet.
Q: Can I buy snacks and drinks for a picnic at the start of river trips ?
A: No, you should buy your picnic before you come to the starting point. You can only buy water at the starting point if you forgot to do so before. The closest store is in the town of Obrovac, about 20 minutes from the starting point by car.
Q: Is tap water or the water from the river drinkable ?
A: Tap water is drinkable in Croatia but please ask your local guides before consuming it. We do not recommend drinking water straight from the river unless it is from the spring. You can ask your guide for the locations of every spring during the trip where you can potentially refill.
Q: Is our car safe at your starting point ?
A: Yes, we have our secure parking places and Croatia is a relatively safe country.
Q: How many people can be in a single raft at once ?
A: 4 – 8 people in one raft (+guide).
Q: Is rafting possible all the time ?
A: No, it all depends on the river’s water level. While making the reservation for your trip you can contact us to make sure if the water level is suited for rafting or kayaking. Usually. rafting is available in the springtime only (untill June 15th).
Q: What type of shoes should I wear for rafting ?
A: Any shoe that doesn’t slip from your feet easily. And that you don’t mind getting wet. Alternatively, you can always rent water shoes from us before the trip.
Q: Is rafting dangerous on Zrmanja ?
A: No. You are perfectly safe with us in a raft. The rapids are exciting and yet very safe. All the guides are professionals with verified licenses.
Q: How many people fit in a kayak ?
A: 2 adults fit in a single kayak with the exception that small kids (approximately up to 30kgs) can go and sit on your lap if needed.
Q: Is kayaking possible all the times ?
A: Kayaking is possible for most of the season except for times when the water level should get too high. In those cases we continue with the trip, only we switch to a raft instead of a kayak if possible.
Q: What if our family/group is an odd number of people? Does one person get to go solo in a kayak ?
A: No. That person either goes with another person in the group that doesn’t have a pair or the person can go with the guide.
Q: Do I need to know how to paddle or have any experience to be able to make this trip ?
A: No experience is needed for this trip. Before the trip, our guides explain everything that you need to know, including how to paddle and everything related. Zrmanja is perfect for beginners who want to have fun and learn a couple of things about kayaking on the way.
Q: How many people can we book for packrafting ?
A: For packrafting, we usually go for a maximum of 8 people in a group, but we can arrange a bigger group on request if possible.
Q: Is packrafting safe ?
A: Even though the chance of flipping out of the boat is much higher than the other trips, packrafting on Zrmanja is very safe. Our guides are all professionals with verified licences with the river rapid being extremely safe. Also, we are constantly looking and the water level and if any point it comes to an extreme level so that it could get dangerous we will reschedule the trip.
Q: Can kids do the packrafting trip ?
A: Only kids above the age of 11 can do the packraft trip. This age limit is different from the kayaking and rafting trips since with packrafts everybody is solo in a boat.