Kupa river and Ozalj on two wheels

Duration / level / type: 1 day / moderate cycling (B2-3) / with guide

Season: Gornje Pokuplje - Ozalj/ own transport, VMD can transport bikes from Zagreb to destination and back.

Price: From 45 € (320,00 HRK)

Highlights

Old towns Ozalj and Ribnik

Kupa river valley

Underground world of Vrlovka cave

Traditional cuisine of continental Croatia

From old fortified towns and rural areas in the surroundings of Ozalj, passing Kupa river valley and the underground world of Vrlovka cave all the way to delicious dishes of traditional Croatian cuisine – all this you will encounter during an exciting cycling adventure in the region of Ozalj.

Itinerary

09:00h – Meetup of a group and VMD bike tour leader at the boarding house ‘Kod mosta’ in Gornje Pokupje (Karlovac)

09:00-09:30h – Introductory briefing, learning about the bikes and rules on the road

09:30h-11:30h – the first bit of cycling tour through the rural part south of Ozalj

11:30h-12:00h – cave Vrlovka with local guide (optional)

12:00h-14:30h – the second part of the tour, north of Kupa river, optional lunch in an agrotourism restaurant, where we get to enjoy traditional Croatian meals

14:30h-16:00h – the third part of the cycling tour, along the Kupa river valley

End of program and return to Zagreb.

Start in the morning traveling from Zagreb to Karlovac and meet up with the VMD bike tour guide in Gornje Pokuplje, in the boarding house ‘Kod Mosta’. After a morning coffee, our guide will explain the rules for riding with a group, give advice on what to wear and what we can expect from the upcoming ride.

After the introduction, we are off to our e-bike Ozalj region adventure! In the first part we use the quiet paved and gravel roads of the rural region of Ozalj, and visit the old fortified town Ribnik. The journey continues towards Kamanje where we will have the opportunity to visit Vrlovka cave, one of the oldest known caves in Croatia (optional, entrance tickets purchased locally). For 150 years it is attracting historians, archaeologists and naturalists as well as hikers, nature lovers or just plain excursionists. For its natural characteristics, the cave is protected as a geomorphological monument since 1962, explored to the length of 380 meters (330m of which set up for visitors).

A local guide will introduce us to the secrets of the underworld and the archaeological, geological and bio-speleological heritage of the Vrlovka cave. After that, we continue our ride in the Pokuplje region towards Ozalj and Karlovac.

During the tour, we will get acquainted with the local cuisine in one of the agrotourism facilities near Ozalj, where we will stop for a lunch (ordering is optional). We will also have time to visit the town center of Ozalj and then enjoy the ride along a quiet road that follows the Kupa river down all the way to Gornje Pokupje, our starting point.

Old fortified towns, the rural countryside around Ozalj, the Kupa valley, the underground world of Vrlovka and then the delicious meals of traditional Croatian cuisine – all this is to be had in this exciting bicycle excursion in the region of Ozalj.

Come with us and enjoy, it’s recreational, fun, educational and tasty!

Price

320,00 kn per person*
*min 8 pax

What’s included?

cycling through Ozalj region and Kupa valley
educated VMD tour guide with years of experience in leading bike-tours
rental of bike and helmet from our partner Fumić bicikli
transfer of bicycles from Zagreb to Gornje Pokupje and back
support vehicle for the duration of the tour
organization expenses, transfer for tour leader, VAT and the like
should you wish to use your own bike and helmet the price is 220,00 HRK per person, which includes taking over your bike in Zagreb (only) early in the morning and transporting it to Gornje Pokupje and back, to an agreed-upon place in Zagreb. If you have a bike but no helmet the rental is 20,00 HRK per person.
if you have your own bike and helmet and can transport the bike to Gornje Pokupje, the price is 150,00 HRK per person. Helmet rental is 20,00 HRK per person.

Discount:

if you apply 4 persons or more, the price is reduced by 10%
if you apply 10 persons or more, the price is reduced by 20%

Optional add-ons (info upon request):

rental of electric bicycle: 130,00 HRK per person
visit to Vrlovka cave – 40,00 HRK
Old town Ozalj (history museum)
lunch in an agrotourism restaurant during the tour

Cycling profile

Duration: 5h activity + visit to Vrlovka cave and Ozalj
Difficulty: moderate bike tour (B2-3)
Length / elevation: 55km (depends on fitness of group)
Road configuration: mostly paved road, some gravel in the first part

The tour is suitable for recreational cyclists, the pace will be adapted to the group; since we are using electric bikes the harder uphills should be light work. The length is 55-70 km, depending on group fitness, previous experience and wishes of the group.

TRANSFER
FOOD AND BEVERAGES
WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU?
WHAT TO VISIT OR TRY?
USEFUL INFORMATION

– transfer of bicycles is taken care of by VMD

– Own means of transport to Gornje Pokupje or one of the following options:

– group transfer – if there is a larger number of request, the VMD team will offer group transfer by mini-bus
– the program does not include a picnic or lunch, however, there is the possibility to have lunch in a local agrotourism restaurant.
– cycling clothing and shoes (the everyday gear can be left in the support vehicle)
– weather jacket (rain and windproof, GoreTex or similar)
– sunglasses and hat, in case of hot and warm weather (March-September)
– min 1,5l water per person
– warm clothes for visiting Vrlovka cave (8-10 ⁰C)
– historic center of Karlovac
– Aquatica – freshwater aquarium in Karlovac

*for more info on optional activities and visits in the area contact our experts in the VMD Adventure Laboratory
The temperatures in the cave are around 10°C so warm clothing is advised for the visit, for the walk comfortable sports shoes are recommended.

Weather conditions

Ozalj region has a typical continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Spring and autumn may be rainy, especially because of the vicinity of the Kupa river, it is, therefore, necessary to have appropriate clothing handy at the start of the tour as well as a change of clothes which you can leave in the support vehicle during our activity.

Our adventure team is actively following weather forecasts as well as other elements that may influence the implementation of the tour. In case of severe weather conditions (strong winds, rain, etc.) or any other inconvenience (road and transfer conditions) the team will inform you in time and advice you about equipment and the like. Furthermore, our experienced tour leaders will be free to suggest alternative activities nearby in case of such adverse conditions which would make the original tour significantly less enjoyable. With the broad experience and drive for exploration of our team of tour leaders, there will be no shortage of ideas for alternative adventures – hopefully, there will be no shortage of your enthusiasm for them! The famous saying proved to be true time and again ‘THERE IS NO BAD WEATHER, ONLY BAD EQUIPMENT’.

Our adventure experts in the Zagreb office will give you advice and answer questions you might have in connection with appropriate outdoor gear, literature and similar. Give us a call, we are here for you!

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

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