Experience unforgettable off-road ride across Velebit Nature park. In this 5-hour tour you will hike to one of the most beautiful peaks in Croatia and discover untouched nature of Velebit mountain. Admire over 200 meters deep Zrmanja canyon where some of the most famous Winnetou movie scenes were shot.
AVAILABILITY: From April until October
SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS:
Velebit Nature Park is the largest protected area in Croatia. Impressive mountain range 145 km long creates natural barrier between inland and coastal Croatia. It is included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Majstorska cesta is a macadam road 41 km long built in 1832. It was the first road that connected continental and coastal Croatia. It took entire 11 years to built it trough wild and rocky terrain. Nowadays, this road is in its original condition as it was in 19th century and it is inscribed in the Croatian List of protected cultural goods.
Tulove grede (Tulo’s Rafters) are conglomerate of white limestone cliffs looking like crown rising from the body of a massive peak. Its unique landscape and rough beauty served as filming location for many movies, definitely the most famous are those about Winnetou – fictive Indian chief, based on Karl May’s novels. Velebit is known as a mountain where movie character Indian chief Winnetou died, and after the death of famous actor Pierre Brice, his wife spilled its ashes across this magnificent mountain.
Zrmanja river flows through wild and rocky landscape and creates magnificent Canyon more than 200 meters deep.
PLAN OF THE TOUR:
START: 14:00 (1.04. – 01.06.) / 16:00 (2.06. – 01.09.)
END: 19:00 (1.04.-01.06.) / 21:00 (2.06. – 01.09.)
Duration: 5:00 hours
Departure from Zadar at 8:00 am or 3:00 pm. After 40 minutes long drive, you will arrive to the first location, magnificent viewpoint overlooking steep canyon and emerald green river Zrmanja.
Ride will continue along old macadam road towards Velebit mountain’s most attractive peak, Tulove grede (Tulo’s rafters in eng.). Once you reach the foothills of the mountain top, you will hike for 1,5 hour to get to the top. At the top, you will have 30-40 minutes long pause to rest and enjoy in unforgettable panorama view of Zadar archipelago and hinterland from 1.100 meters height. After that follows downhill hike to the bottom of the peak. From there you will depart and this tour will end at the same place where it started.
PRICE: for 2 persons 1.500,00 HRK or 200,00 EUR
Price for each additional person is 550,00 HRK or 75,00 EUR
INCLUDED IN PRICE:
- off-road ride in a Jeep
- experienced guide
- admission for Velebit Nature Park
- insurance for consequences from injuries
- VAT
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE:
- lunch
- personal consumption
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION FOR HIKING:
Difficulty: moderate (medium demanding)
Effective climbing time: 1:20 hours
Effective descending: 40 minutes
Distance climbing: 1500 meters
Distance descending: 1500 meters
RECOMMENDED AGE: kids older than 12 years and adults
GUIDE: licensed Croatian, English and/or German speaking guides
WHAT TO BRING: hiking boots or sneakers without plastic sole, small backpack for your stuff, rain coat, sun cream, lightweight jacket, energy bar, 1 bottle of water (1,5 liters), cell phone, money. ID