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Walk Idyllic Coastal and Mountain Paths in Croatia May 8, 2023 - May 22, 2023 Join Carla Nelson on this small group adventure tour! MAY 8 - 22, 2023 Enjoy the very best of Croatia: the coast and islands, the beautiful towns, near-perfect national parks and spectacular mountains. Starting in the fascinating Unesco-badged city of Dubrovnik, we begin our journey along the coast where the crystal-clear sea forms the backdrop for many of our early walks, followed by the peaceful sound of waterfalls as we head into the national parks of Paklenica and Krka. Here we have a chance to visit Skradinski buk waterfalls and enjoy walks through spectacular gorges, forests and mountain scenery. The majority of the walking routes are on clearly defined paths. The paths can get steeper in places and some sections can be rocky. No specific technical experience is required but we recommend that you are comfortable walking in hilly and mountainous areas. Anyone with a reasonable level of fitness should be comfortable with the daily distances and height gained. Hosted by our very own Carla Nelson! $2,995 CAD per person Includes: Exodus walking tour of Dubrovnik to Zadar, plus 2 nights pretour in each of Zagreb & Dubrovnik, and 2 nights post-tour in Zadar. To book or for more information contact: Maritime Travel - Carla Nelson 10419 80 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T6E 1V1 Phone: (780) 429-6752 Email: cnelson@maritimetravel.ca Price quoted is per person, based on double occupancy, Land Only, and includes all hotels and Exodus walking tour Dubrovnik to Zadar, plus 2 nights pre-tour in each of Zagreb and Dubrovnik, and 2 nights post-tour in Zadar. To reserve your spot, a non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is due at time of booking. Final payment is due on February 8, 2023. Single rates are available on request. Airfare is extra. A passport is required and must be valid at least 6 months past return date. Minimum: 8 pax. Maximum: 12 pax. Excludes international & domestic flights, travel insurance, airport transfers, meals not specifically included in the itinerary, local sightseeing (included in Exodus tour), and personal incidentals/items. Itinerary Day 1 - Arrive Zagreb Overnight hotel. Day 2 - Zagreb Overnight hotel. Day 3 - Dubrovnik Overnight hotel. Day 4 - Dubrovnik Overnight hotel. Day 5 - Start Dubrovnik The tour starts in the fascinating old city of Dubrovnik. Situated right on the Adriatic Sea, the fine religious buildings surrounded by heavily fortified walls and the jumble of red-tiled roofs make this a truly enchanting place. In the evening, we take a walk around the city and go out for an optional group meal where we will have a briefing about the tour. Day 6 - Walk from Gornji Obod to Strazisce Peak; transfer to Dubrovnik, explore the old town After breakfast we take a short transfer (about 25 minutes) to the village of Gornji Obod. From here we follow a path that zig-zags up to the village of Velji Do. After a break, the walk continues up to Strazisce Peak; at the top we are rewarded with spectacular views back over Dubrovnik and can see the commemorative cross in memory of the US aircraft that crashed delivering aid in 1996. We return to Velji Do and then transfer back to Dubrovnik where we have the afternoon to enjoy the city. The shelling of Dubrovnik by Serb troops in 1991 and 1992 outraged the world. Fortunately, great care has been taken over the last decade to rebuild and the city has now returned to its former glory. The cobblestoned streets of the old town, or Stari Grad, feature fountains, churches, palaces and museums – all built from the same light-coloured stone. There are no motor vehicles in the city, but at night the streets come alive as people take an early evening stroll along the Stradun – this is the main street and is covered in smooth shiny marble. Ascent: 2,133ft (650m); descent: 656ft (200m) Meals Included: Breakfast Day 7 - Transfer up the coast to the Biokovo Massif; walk above the town of Makarska; transfer to Bol on the island of Brac After breakfast, we will transfer by bus to Tucepi. This transfer takes about 3hr 30min, including a coffee break en route. Once in Tucepi we begin our walk to Makarska, through the Biokovo mountains. The Biokovo massif rises steeply above the Makarska Riviera in three spectacular shelves, providing hiking for all levels and fabulous views. Our destination of Makarska is a small but lively town, tastefully restored in stone after a devastating earthquake in 1962. It has a fantastic 1.2mi (2km) stretch of beach, so if we have a bit of time we can take a refreshing dip before we head for the island of Brac. We will catch the ferry from Makarska and transfer to Bol, by far the biggest draw on Brac. Ascent: 1,148ft (350m); descent: 1,148ft (350m) Meals Included: Breakfast Day 8 - Climb Vidova Gora for views over Bol and Zlatni Rat, the Golden Beach; afternoon to relax on the beach We start today with a 20-minute transfer to the small village of Gazul, where we begin our walk to the peak of Vidova Gora (2,559ft/780m above sea level). The first part of our walk will take us through woodland for around 90 minutes as we gradually ascend 755ft (230m) to the summit of the highest point on Brac. The views from the top of Vidova Gora are spectacular; we can see all the way to the island of Hvar in the distance and the 1,640ft (500m) long spit of Zlatni Rat jutting out to sea in the foreground – this view is one that features on many postcards in Croatia, so make sure to bring your camera. From here, our walk is downhill for around two hours towards the town of Bol. In the afternoon you can make the most of the glorious beach of Zlatni Rat. It is south-facing – ideal for an afternoon of rest and relaxation. Ascent: 755ft (230m); descent: 2,625ft (800m) Meals Included: Breakfast Day 9 - Catch the ferry to Split and explore the old town before transferring to Krka National Park; visit the Skradinski Buk waterfalls We begin with a morning ferry transfer to Split, the second biggest city in Croatia. The old centre is compact and easily explored on foot; many make a beeline to the best-known attraction, Diocletian’s Palace. The town as a whole is a lively and friendly place with a cafe culture. Stop, have a coffee and soak up the atmosphere. We then have a transfer (approximately 52mi/84km) by bus to Krka National Park. Here we begin our walk to Skradinski Buk, a series of waterfalls dropping down in 17 dramatic steps. The area is accessed by wooden walkways and forest paths. It’s also a fantastic spot for wildlife – an important sanctuary with several endemic species, some now extinct elsewhere in Europe. The walk will take around 2hr 30min and all on easy paths. In the late afternoon, we transfer to Starigrad Paklenica. Ascent: 492ft (150m); descent: 492ft (150m) Meals Included: Breakfast Day 10 - Velika Paklenica National Park gorge walk via Ramici Village Today we have a walking tour of Paklenica National Park. It’s home to Velika and Mala Paklenica, two canyons vertically cut into the mountain where climbers from across Europe test their skills. In a relatively small area of the national park, there are several unusual karst forms and caves, and the area is extremely rich in flora and fauna. Our 7hr 30min walk starts with a short 4WD ride up to Veliko Rujno (2,789ft/850m), and from here we climb 984ft (300m) for fantastic views over the park. Our walk is then mostly downhill as we have 3,773ft (1,150m) of descent through the quietest areas of the park, the village of Ramici and finishing in the main canyon itself. In the afternoon we return to Starigrad Paklenica. Ascent: 984ft (300m); descent: 3,773ft (1,150m) Meals Included: Breakfast Day 11 - Another day in Paklenica National Park; walk to a meadow beneath Bojin Kuk peak before returning to Starigrad Paklenica in the afternoon Today we have another opportunity to explore the wonderful wilderness of Paklenica National Park and complete the most challenging hike of the trip. We walk to the saddle of Pod Jaginim Kukom, which has a great view up to Bojin Kuk. The Bojinac group is made of a vast area of limestone, with the karst scenery forming towers of rock, furrowed limestone cliffs, caves and green meadows creating a contrast against the severe rock. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty and a walker’s paradise. Today's walk takes about five to six hours, the terrain is quite challenging and rocky and requires concentration, steady footing and good balance. En route, we pass the unusual Mirila graves. This afternoon we return to Starigrad Paklenica in time for a swim and relaxation before leaving Croatia tomorrow. Ascent: 1,969ft (600m); descent: 656ft (200m) Meals Included: Breakfast Day 12 - Zadar Overnight hotel. Day 13 – Zadar Overnight hotel. Day 14 Depart for Canada.