Dalmatia and its national parks

Flight to Zagreb and welcome by your French-speaking guide. Transfer and hotel check-in in Zagreb.
Transfer time: 30 minutes.
Dinner and overnight in hotel or guesthouse 3* in Samobor.

Drive to the village of Klake (45 minutes). Walk along the ‘educational trail’ circling the impressive mountain where Okić fortress stands, with panels presenting the site’s history. You will cross a lovely forest to reach the mountain refuge, then a short, slightly adventurous climb takes you to the summit, where the ruins of Okić fortress stand (altitude 411 m). The fortress served as a strategic defensive point, notably against the Turks, from the 12th to the 17th century, when it was abandoned. From the summit, magnificent views extend over Zagreb and the entire region. Descend from Mount Okić, then follow the trail through the forest. We then set off to visit Samobor, a charming small town in the Zagreb region (20 minutes by bus). Lunch on site.
Return to Zagreb in the afternoon for a free tour of the city; it is a green city with many lively parks. We particularly recommend its naive art museum, typical of Croatia.
1.5 hours of walking, +/- 100 m. Transfer time: 1 hour 45 minutes.
Dinner and overnight in hotel or guesthouse 3* in Zagreb.

Drive to Plitvice National Park, protected since the end of the 19 century and one of the most beautiful natural sites in Croatia. Discover the travertine waterfalls of the upper lakes, the large central lake, Kozjak, and the lower canyon with its grand waterfall. The Plitvice Lakes are located in the Lika region, in the mountains of Croatia. This natural phenomenon, classified by UNESCO, comprises 16 lakes with crystal-clear water that flow into one another through magnificent waterfalls. A natural paradise. Picnic. Transfer to the hotel in the park area, dinner.
4 hours of walking, 12 km. Transfer time: 3 hours.
Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel or guesthouse 3* in the Plitvice region.

Packed lunch for the picnic, prepared by the guesthouse. Drive to the Zavižan site, one of the entry points to Velebit National Park. The Velebit massif is the largest in Croatia. It extends for almost 200 km and has peaks reaching up to 1800 m. It separates the Kvarner Gulf from the mainland and offers exceptional views of the gulf’s islands. Its botanical richness is considerable, thanks to steep slopes that create a large number of different habitats over short distances. Brown bears, wolves, lynx, deer, grouse and otters are commonly found there. Walk along the Premužić Trail, named after the forester who designed it at the end of the 19th century. It offers unforgettable views of the Kvarner Gulf, winding between “dolmens with surfaces carved by water”. The trail is a true feat of human engineering. Picnic on the way. Return to the hotel.
5 hours 30 minutes of walking, 15 km, +/- 300 m. Transfer time: 2 hours 25 minutes.
Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel or guesthouse 3* in the Plitvice region.

Packed lunch provided by the guesthouse for the picnic. Today we hike in the heart of Paklenica National Park. It is formed by the Mala and Velika Paklenica rivers, which have carved two impressive gorges into the slopes of the Velebit massif, rising to more than 1750m. The park also contains unusual karst formations, remarkable caves, and very diverse flora and fauna. A pleasant trail leads you through the wild Velika Paklenica gorge, which women from the mountain villages once used to carry sacks of salt and wheat on their backs. Climb to Manita Cave to visit the underground cathedral created by stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone. Drive to Trogir and free time to visit the town. It stands on a small island very close to the mainland, to which it is connected by a bridge. Trogir was an ancient Greek colony founded in the 4th century BC. Its commercial past is evident in the rich architecture of its palaces and its Cathedral of St Lawrence. Drive to Split and check in to the hotel in the historic centre of Split, inside Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The location is ideal for visiting the old town. Dinner nearby and overnight at the hotel. 3 hours of hiking, +/- 350m. Transfer time: 3 hours. Dinner and overnight stay in a 3* hotel or guesthouse in Split.

Breakfast at the hotel. Walk up Marjan Hill, a protected park with ideal views over Split, Kaštela Bay and the islands of Brač and Šolta. Free time to discover the city of Split. As you stroll through the old town, you travel through the ages, admiring remarkable examples of ancient architecture such as the Peristyle, small Romanesque and Gothic medieval churches, Renaissance portals of patrician residences, Baroque facades, and even modern architecture wonderfully integrated into a rich historical heritage. Lunch is free. Board a scheduled catamaran to Hvar. 2 hours of hiking, + 180m. Dinner and overnight stay in a 4* hotel or guesthouse in Hvar.

Breakfast at the hotel. Hike to Napoleon’s Fortress, which overlooks the town of Hvar at 227m above sea level. Continue along the chain of hills bordering the fields of Hvar, then descend to Borča Bay. The path then follows the coast to Hvar. Picnic during the walk, with the possibility of swimming.

Free time to visit Hvar. The island enjoys a very mild climate and plenty of sunshine, and shows Venetian influences while preserving the character of Dalmatian ports with their stone architecture. These conditions have led to the development of tourism.

Board a fast catamaran to the island of Korčula. Short transfer to the guesthouse.

5 hours of walking, 15km, +/-450m. Transfer time: 1 hour

Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel or guesthouse 3* in Korčula.

Breakfast at the guesthouse. Picnic bought by the guide. Hike to the hilltop village of Žrnovo, which sits in a sinkhole and is organised into typical family hamlets. The ascent offers lovely views. Walk through Kočje Nature Reserve, famous for its impressive rocks, between which the path winds. Picnic in the countryside. Return to Žrnovo through the scrubland and the sinkhole fields, then on to Dominče. Break at the Hajduk guesthouse, then continue on foot along the sea to the town of Korčula. Free time to explore Korčula.

We recommend visiting, at your own pace, the icon museum, the town museum, the cathedral and the bishop’s palace, passing by the ruins of Marco Polo’s house. Korčula reflects the spirit of the Dalmatian islands, shaped by the Venetian presence. Its history is particularly marked by the confraternities, which are still active today. It was the birthplace of the great merchant and traveller Marco Polo. Return to the guesthouse at your leisure.

4 hours of walking, 9 km, +/-270 m.

Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel or guesthouse 3* in Korčula.

Warm-up hike in Korčula, then a speedboat to the village of Pomena on the island of Mljet. The crossing takes approximately 2 hours. Then hike in the island’s National Park, including a visit to the islet of Saint Mary, with its ancient 11th-century monastery set in the middle of the large lake. This is the island of the Odyssey, where Ulysses is said to have lingered in the arms of the nymph Calypso for seven happy years. The island is completely covered with pine and oak forest, one-third of which lies within the National Park. Its main feature is two interconnected lakes, linked to the sea by a narrow channel. The largest lake has an island of its own, so it is an island within an island! Picnic. Return by boat to Korčula at around 6:00 PM, then walk back to the guesthouse.
4 hours of walking, 9 km, +/-200 m. Transfer time: 40 min.
Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel or guesthouse 3* in Korčula.

Transfer to the pier, then take the ferry to the village of Orebic on the Pelješac Peninsula (approximately 20 minutes). Continue to the village of Kucište and hike to the Church of Our Lady of the Angels, which offers magnificent views over Korčula and its archipelago, followed by a chance to swim. Continue along the Pelješac Peninsula, known for its wines, among the best in the south of the country, to the municipality of Putnikovići. Wine tasting. Hike from Putnikovići to the village of Ston on the path built under Napoleon. Free time to explore Ston.
Ston is known for having the second longest walls in Europe and is famous for its mariculture, as it is one of the few places where the original Mediterranean oyster has been preserved. You will also see the ancient salt pans of the Republic of Dubrovnik, still in operation! Transfer to the hotel in Dubrovnik.
2 to 3 hours of walking, +200 m, -250 m. Transfer time: 2 hours.
Dinner and overnight in a hotel or guesthouse 4* in Dubrovnik.

Transfer to the starting point of the path climbing Saint Serge Hill. Ascend to the Imperial Fort, where you can enjoy views of Dubrovnik and its archipelago, one of the most famous views in Croatia. You can visit the Museum of the Croatian War of Independence (entrance not included). Descend to the old town, passing through the village of Bosanka. Free time to explore Dubrovnik; lunch on your own. Dubrovnik was a Mediterranean city-state that preserved its freedom and avoided conflicts through skilful diplomacy. The extent of its trade can be read in every stone of this city, which is among the best-preserved medieval towns in the world. “The Pearl of the Adriatic” is the main tourist destination in Croatia and is UNESCO-listed. A French-language guided tour can be booked through your accompanying guide (who is not authorised to guide in Dubrovnik). Ask your guide about availability and the current price before arranging a visit. Return to the hotel by minibus. 2 hours of walking, +400 m. Dinner and overnight in a hotel or guesthouse 4* in Dubrovnik.