Adventures along the Dalmatian Coast
Croatia Private Journey
Overview
Explore the glorious Dalmatian Coast, with its legendary islands, fascinating walled cities filled with the echoes of the Venetian Empire, fresh-caught seafood, and burgeoning wine scene. We've created a Private Journey with an array of options that let you choose among guided hiking, kayaking, and biking options. Explore Hvar Island, with its charming white-stone villages, enjoy Korcula Island, birthplace of Marco Polo, hike through beautiful coastal villages and lush hillsides with panoramic Adriatic vistas, and paddle sea kayaks in the inviting turquoise waters of the Adriatic. Your grand finale is magnificent Dubrovnik, the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” whose Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Arrive: Hvar, Croatia
Depart: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Highlights
- Explore Dubrovnik on fantastic hiking, kayaking, and biking options with your private guide
- Enjoy a countryside hike and a cooking class on gorgeous Hvar Island
- Stroll the cobbled streets of Korcula's Old Town, hike in Mjlet Island's national park
- Travel the unspoiled Peljesac Peninsula from historic villages to secluded Adriatic coves
Itinerary
Arrive in Split, Croatia, and the next day ferry to gorgeous Hvar Island, with its Venetian-style architecture, pedestrian-only lanes, and laid-back Mediterranean atmosphere. Enjoy a hike from the stunning coast up into Hvar's lush hills, brimming with fields of lavender, or take a half-day private sea kayaking tour for incredible views along the Adriatic Coast, then enjoy a cooking class in the Hvar countryside.
Ferry to Korcula Island for a walking tour amid its crenellated walls and cobbled streets. Visit an organic farm and olive oil producer, then hike in a lovely vineyard, followed by wine tasting. Ferry to Mjlet Island, with its carpet of native Allepo pines, for a hike to two saltwater lakes, with time for a swim at the beach.
Traveling the beautiful Peljesac Peninsula, visit a winemaker, cruise by small boat to an oyster farm for lunch, visit the beautiful Trsteno botanical garden (where scenes of Game of Thrones were filmed), and arrive in dazzling Dubrovnik for two days of optional activities, including sea kayaking and countryside biking.
Hike in Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia's largest national park, with its 16 crystalline lakes that flow into each other by way of spectacular waterfalls. More than 10 miles of wooden bridges and hiking paths make it a wonderful place to explore, and you'll also enjoy a tour of ancient Zagreb, whose streets are alive with history, from the Roman Forum to the 9th century St. Donatus Church.
- Day 1 (pre-trip): Zagreb
- Day 2 (pre-trip): Plitvice Lakes National Park
- Day 3 (pre-trip): Zadar / Split
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated a Level 2 (Easy to Moderate) according to our trip grading system. It features several walking tours and hikes, a day of bicycling country roads, and an optional sea kayaking excursion, with comfortable hotel accommodations throughout. We recommend you make a special effort to get in good physical condition for the trip, as it will greatly increase your enjoyment.
Review Trip Level Details
The terrain can be hilly and rocky with many sets of stairs on both ascents and descents.
Spring and fall are the best times to visit, when the crowds of summer are absent and the temperatures are cooler. The climate is typically Mediterranean. Cooling breezes and an occasional shower is always a possibility. The weather is variable so be prepared: it can be cool and pleasant, hot and muggy, or damp and chilly.
Our accommodations are in charming inns and hotels. Since they are often in historic buildings, the rooms are not always of uniform or international size.
Our lunches are in restaurants, on boats, or picnic-style. Dinners are at local restaurants or our hotel. The cuisine is typical of the Mediterranean with salads, vegetables, pasta, meat, and seafood. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US so please plan accordingly for dinners on your own.
Depending on the group size, a car or van will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need for the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if you are not transferring that day).
Client Testimonials
"It was wonderful to have a private hour of Croatia. All the locations we visited were different and very interesting."
Bobbie P.
Glen Ridge, NJ
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.