TOURS TO CROATIA

Years after civil unrest and bloodbath, a peaceful Croatia is now opening up to tourists inclined to adventure tours. The country offers many locations that are ideal for adventure sports as well as relaxation. Here is a lowdown on the different types of adventure sport awaiting enthusiasts.

Cycling: Turn the wheels of your prized holiday as leisurely as you want with languid cycle trips through this beautiful country. Drive through the village roads, forest tracks, meadows and vineyards; inhale the fragrances of meadows and the freshness of waterfalls; listen to the singing of birds and the wonderful taste of spring water. Enjoy encounters with the local populace, colorful ethnography, home-cooked food and delectable wines. If you want to get lost in the wilderness of the woods, enter the national parks and nature parks where circular cycling routes are marked. Try out Plitvice lakes for the most beautiful cycling routes to be found anywhere in the world. All areas are open to cycling tours. Also try out the cycling routes through the valleys of sunny Istria, trails through the forests of Gorski kotar, the green and undulating hills of Hrvatsko zagorje dotted with vineyards, the fertile plains of Slavonia and Turopolje. Enjoy villages of timber and stone-built houses, vineyard cottages, historical burghs, castles and manor houses, churches and chapels - all these provide picturesque resting points and of sites cultural interest.

Take your bicycle to the different islands surround by the blue sea. The shipping lines between the islands run on a regular daily basis, and the cost of transporting your bicycle is minimal. Your cycling adventure across the islands must include the national parks of Mljet and the Brijuni Archipelago, or indeed the larger islands - Krk, Cres, Rab, Pag, Ugljan, Pašman, Dugi otok, Brac, Hvar, Vis and Korcula.

Horse Riding:

Want to travel through the country the way Kings and Queens did? Just read on: There are equestrian centres in northern Croatia, Slavonia, Istria and Dalmatia that organize riding horseback expeditions. Equestrian skills, as well as breeding horses for sport, hunting and work, have a very long tradition in the valleys of the Rivers Sava, Drava and Danube. Take a leisurely ride through the plains and forests. Learn about habitats of birds, fish and game, the traditional popular architecture of rural communities and homesteads.

In Dakovo (Slavonia), you can visit the best-known breeding and selection stud farm for Lipizzaner horses, the half-blood Tulipan Croatian line, an average height, well balanced, high stepping, sturdy and strong horse. In Istria we have the Istrijanac, a locally bred, high-spirited thoroughbred horse.

Your tour should include the slopes of Papuk, where you will get excellent wines of Kutjevo to savour, as well as fresh spring water, and spas in which to relax. The silent wilderness of Žumberak offers just the same opportunities. With the Alkars of Senj, in the valley of the River Cetina, you will discover the natural, cultural, historical features and specific characteristics of this picturesque area. And while roaming freely, sample local specialties including grape brandy, cheese, bread baked under a "peka" (a baking lid), as well as lamb or kid meat prepared in the same way as bread.

Those who want some more adventure and keen admirers of cycling legend Lance Armstrong and can opt for a ride down the rugged tracks of Mount Velebit. Your reward: a staggering range of natural phenomena and magnificent views of the sea and the islands.

Check out Sinjska alka, a tournament in which competitors on horseback, dressed in ceremonial folk costume, riding at full gallop, tilt at an "alka" (two small concentric rings joined by three, equally bars suspended over the end of a run. This tourney has taken place every year since 1715, to commemorate the victory of a small number of Senj's citizens against Turkish armed forces.

Skiing:

The ski slopes are primarily located on the northern slopes of Medvednica. The runs begin at its peak, Sljeme. Take advantage of the diverse configuration of the terrain and try out the various degrees of complexity: the White Run, Red Run, Green Run, Blue Run and Tree Run. The orientation of all runs shifts between northeast and northwest. The "White and Cinovnicka Meadows" descend towards the east.

Bjelolasica, the Croatian Olympic Center, situated at 620m above sea level, has much to offer. There are seven groomed ski runs.

Platak: This resort is situated only 30 km from Rijeka, with well prepared ski runs, six cable cars, two mountain lodges and other facilities for visitors.

Fishing

Before you dip that fishing rod into the water body near you please remember: You have to obtain a license. You can get it by presenting a proof of identity (passport, driver's license etc.) Licenses, issued for issued for recreational angling, underwater spear-gun fishing, hand trolling, long lining and tuna fishing, can be got from offices in all towns along the coast. The whole Adriatic Sea is open for fishing and special limitations are applied in aquatoria of national parks (Kornati, Brijuni, Krka, Mljet), and for some smaller locations. The cost of a license varies according to whether one requires a daily, weekly or monthly license.

Rafting The country is blessed with beautiful waterways and rafting has been a part of tradition. However, white-water rafting as adventure sport began only in the late 1980s and helped to attract notice to the amazing beauty of Croatian rivers. Today it is a hugely popular sport though the rivers are not abound with savage rapids and high waves. Yet tourists come here in droves to ride through the rivers and enjoy the scenic beauty of the riverside. Rivers that run through the continental parts of the country are flanked by dense forests and by mountains, while those closer to the sea boast broad green banks and deep and shady mysterious canyons. They all have greenish clear waters that one can see through right down to the riverbed. If we go by the technical classification of Croatia's white waters it is on the category III list; only on the Rivers Dobra and Una can you are on category IV. River Kupa, which flows from the Risnjak National Park, offers sufficient water for rafting only in spring and after heavy rainfalls. River Dobra has a surface course and an underground course and offers first class rafting conditions at all times.

River Mreznica abounds with waterfalls, but between them the water flows calm. Rafting through the upper, canyon course involves elements of canoying. River Korana begins from the Plitvice lakes. After heavy rains the section below the picturesque site of Rastoke is particularly attractive. River Una, which forms the border between Croatia and Bosnia, provides excellent rafting conditions downstream of the 20 metre-high Štrbacki buk waterfall, when the waters are running high, although the experience is somewhat less exciting when water levels fall. River Zrmanja has plenty of with water in spring while in summer smaller craft - canoes and kayaks - must be used to travel this, the most beautiful of Croatian canyons. River Krka can be negotiated through the upper part of the national park due to the inflow from its tributary, the River Butišnica, which is controlled by a dam. Rafting is the only way to really get to know this undisturbed area of the park, and the only place where a detour by land is necessary is the 12 metre-high Bilušica buk waterfall. River Cetina waters are directed via a tunnel towards a power plant on the coast, which means that there is not much water for rafting in its natural canyon bed. The experience is still worth undertaking if only because of thick and lush vegetation along its banks, the clear waters, high cliffs, waterfalls and caves.

White-Water Kayaking

The beauty of Croatian rivers is unparallel. Kayak through the crystal clear and warm waters of the rivers and negotiate though canyons. However, if you are not an expert, avoid high waterfalls and dangerous rapids, opting instead for the shore. High water levels in springtime offer a true and exhilarating white water experience, while summer tours are ideal for beginners. All major tourist centres have kayaking opportunities down the Kupa, Gacka, Zrmanja, Trebizat.

However, as you negotiate those tricky rapids, don't forget to enjoy the pristine beauty of the shores. Enjoy the green landscape dotted with watermills, wooden bridges, churches and monasteries. During these trips don't forget to bond with nature and its inhabitants.

The best time for kayaking adventures on the Rivers Dobra, Mrežnica, Una, Kupa, Korana, Cetina, Krupa and Zrmanja are in the spring and early summer. The rivers flow in one steady flow, waterfalls are numerous and the difficulty category of the waters ranges from III to IV.

Canoeing

The Karstic areas have an abundance of in limestone barriers and waterfalls and thick growth of vegetation. During the dry season the waterfalls retain sufficient water among the limestone barriers to ensure pleasant sailing by canoe and kayak. You can also enjoy refreshing dives. If you happen to be in the area during the much warmer summer months try and discover the impressive caves beneath the curtain of a gushing waterfall.

While canoeing on the rivers of Croatia, you can also have a memorable cultural experience. The monasteries of Visovac, Holy Archangel and Krupa are located amid the green environs of the Rivers Krka and Krupa, while the Radman Mills [Radmanove mlinice] on the River Cetina represent an interesting entity of popular architecture, as do the mills on the River Krka.

Dotted along the rivers are the remains of old castle, burghs and fortifications. Some like Trakošcan Castle, fortress of Knin and the remains of Roman Burnum are well preserved.

Just a word of caution: most rivers and lakes are subject to certain restrictions in order to ensure protection of plant and animal communities or geological formations. The management teams of protected areas and organizers of trips can provide reliable information.

Speleology Discover the hundreds of caves and holes in Karstic area of Croatia. Some of the more attractive caves, for instance those in Istria, Gorski kotar, on the mountains of Medvednica (rising above Zagreb), Papuk, in the regions of Kordun, Lika, Dalmatia and Zagora - are open to visitors with no experience in speleology. These caves have stalagmites and stalactites, curtains and other fascinating features. Many underground spaces are protected as geomorphological monuments, such as Modra špilja [Blue Cave] on the island of Biševo; Cerovecke špilje [Cerovac Caves] near Gracac; Manita pec [Furious Furnace]; Veternica, near Zagreb and many others. Also protected are all denizens of the underground world, relics and endemic species - bugs, shells, sponges, olm (or proteus), a cave leech discovered in Luka's Hole on Velebit. Among a number of interesting features on the island of Brac are Zmajeva špilja and the cave altars close to the Blaca desert. The caves have lighting, pathways to ensure safe passage. Guides are responsible for protecting the caves.

Speleo-diving is slowly gaining in popularity. Many speleological sites reveal their most interesting features and links with other underground channels and only diving can reveal these to you.