Islands and mountains of Central Dalmatia

Duration / level / type: 8 days / moderate / guided

Season: Makarska, Brač

Price: from 500€

Highlights

Climb Vidova Gora – the highest peak of Adriatic Islands

Discover the solitary life in Desert Blace

Swim at the famous Golden Cape (Zlatni Rat)

Walk the Biokovo mountain range

Rarely do mountains come so close to the sea, as it happens in Central Dalmatia. The Dinaric Arc, starting from Slovenia and going all the way to Albania, has some of its most splendid „moments“ in this area.

On the tour, we will first walk the Biokovo mountain range, with views of the coast and islands from more than 800m altitude. On day 4 when we climb Omiska Dinara, we will get a glimpse of the high mountains of Bosnia & Herzegovina, miles into the inner lands. Later we will cross to the island of Brac and enjoy the Mediterranean spirit of the fishing village of Bol. During our stay on this island, we will also visit the valley and monastery of Blace, learning about its 500 years old history. On the last day, we will again enjoy a stunning view, from the top of Vidova Gora (780m), the highest peak of all Adriatic islands.
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Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival
Arrival to Split airport and transfer to Makarska.
Day 2 – Biokovo mountain range – botanical walk
After breakfast, a hiking tour on the slopes of the Biokovo mountain, one of Croatia’s 11 areas protected as a Park of Nature. On our walk, we will enjoy the distinctive and varied flora of Biokovo, while visiting the open botanical garden in Kotišina village. We will end the walk back in Makarska, with a swim in the beautiful Adriatic sea or an ice cream on the beach.
Day 3 – Biokovo mountain range
Morning transfer to Bast village and a second walk on the slopes of the Biokovo mountain Park of Nature. During the walk, we will enjoy the views of the coastal riviera and Central Dalmatian islands. Descent to Makarska and afternoon free to relax on the beach or absorb the easy-going ambiance of this relaxed coastal city.
Day 4 – Omiska Dinara (863m)
Today we hike to the top of Omiska Dinara, the northwest end of the Biokovo mountain range. During the hike, we will have splendid views on the Dalmatian coast and when we reach the top (863m), we will be rewarded with a view of the mountains of Croatia’s inner lands and Bosnia & Herzegovina, often still covered in snow, at the same time while we are bathing in sun on Omiska Dinara. We end the walk on the banks of river Cetina, known for being a refuge for Omis pirates in medieval times.
Day 5 – Bol, Island of Brac
Morning ferry MAKARSKA-SUMARTIN (on the island of Brac). Transfer to Bol village and accommodation in a hotel. Free time for swimming and discovery of this cozy little fishing village, on the south coast of Brac.
Day 6 – Blace monastery, Brac island
Transfer to the plateau at the middle of the island. The descent towards the hidden valley of Blace, dominated by medieval monastery built in solid rock. Here we learn about more than 500 years of history of this monastery and its influence on the local community. Later on, descent to the south coast of the island of Brac, where we enjoy a picnic at the beach and a swim at the clear blue Adriatic. Walk back to the town of Bol.
Day 7 – Vidova Gora – the highest peak of Adriatic islands (780m)
In the morning, we start our walk directly from the hotel and climb the highest peak of Brač and all Adriatic islands – VIDOVA GORA (780m). At the peak, we are rewarded by a stunning view of the surrounding islands of Hvar, Vis, Korcula, etc. In the afternoon, the boat transfer to the island of Hvar, a town of Jelsa. Accommodation in hotel.
Day 8 – Departure
Transfer to Split airport. Departure.

Walking profile

Number of days walking: 5
Level: moderate
Average daily distance: 12 km / 6,25 miles
Terrain: medium altitude differences (up to 800m); quiet mountaineering paths, mainly rugged rocky terrain

WHAT'S INCLUDED
ACCOMMODATION
ADDITIONAL INFO

INCLUDED
– 7 nigths, bed & breakfast
– all transports starting from arrival to the airport, until the departure
– tour leader throughout
– entrance ticket to Blace monastery

NOT INCLUDED
– flights to/from Croatia
– travel insurance
– 4 nights in hotel 3* in Makarska
– 3 nights in hotel 3* in Bol, Brac island

All rooms have en-suite facilities.
Eating & drinking
All breakfasts are included throughout. Croatian cuisine is a mixture of fine seafood, grilled lamb, pizza, pasta and salads, with influences from Central Europe, Italy and the Balkans.

Vaccinations and Visa
Visas are not required by the following nationalities: British and other EU countries, Nationals of Australia, New Zealand, United States and Canada. Other nationalities should check with the relevant authorities. There are no specific health risks.

Holiday style
This program is dedicated to discovering the coastal mountains and island of Brac.

The walks are well balanced, starting with the easy botanical trail on day 2, after which we do the second Biokovo walk, going a bit higher. On day 4 we do the toughest climb of the tour, to the top of Omiska Dinara, with a little bit over 800m altitude difference. The trail offers the possibility to pause and wait for the group at approximately 700m altitude, in a very nice, relaxed and shaded bellevue point. After that we will have a relaxed rest day discovering Bol and then do another 2 walks on Brac, ending the program on the highest peak of all Adriatic islands at 780m,.

The paths are well maintained but we recommend taking good, sturdy walking shoes, due to the rocky limestone terrain we cross through.

Some hiking experience is desirable but anyone with a reasonable level of fitness can do the program.

Guides:
Our nature experts will be your guides through the wonders of the Croatian national parks. Their love for pristine wilderness takes them often to hikes far away from the cities and crowds, where they can feel one with nature. They will try to convey this special connection with nature to you and will make you feel like a part of the Croatian wilderness while learning at the same time about local traditions, customs and old ways of life. Find out more about your guide here.

Weather & seasonality
Croatia boasts one of the sunniest climates in Europe, and some regions are notoriously free from rain. We generally travel off-season, so you should expect some variation in temperature and possibly some rainfall. Temperatures can be high, particularly on the July departures and can reach the mid to high 30s (degC).

If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to call us.

Who is guiding the tour?

29 years of experience in the organization of hiking programs in Croatia and around the world, combined with a team of well-versed tour guides who are passionate about nature and cultural and historical heritage, this is the recipe that results in every tour concocted in the VMD adventure lab being a successful ‘experiment’. Let us introduce you to the secrets of adventurous Croatia in a safe and interesting way! More about our tour leaders and the office crew here: VMD GUIDES

Contact

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