TOURS TO CROATIA

KRKA National Park

The KRKA National Park is situated in the Sibenik region, known as one of the Mediterranean's quietest corners. The park was established in 1985 and follows the Krka river from its source in the foothills of the Dinaric mountains through the Karst landscape into the Adriatic. The Park is dotted with limestone mountains and are located against the archipelagos of the Adriatic Sea. This area has warm and dry summers but coupled with cooling sea breezes and the temptations of the Adriatic. Within the park, the river and the waterfalls neutralize the heat. In winter it is mild and wet, but the park is likely to be closed around that time.

The National Park shows the Croatian Karst at its best. Karst environments are formed by the dissolving action of carbon dioxide and water on carbonate rock. Over thousands of years this process has resulted in fascinating geomorphologic features. The area is rich in Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean flora and fauna. The surrounding forest is mixed with hornbeam, cypress, poplar, oak and willow. More than 200 bird species including golden eagles are found and the river is home to Visovac trout and Adriatic salmon. There are only two falls in the park - Skradinski Buk and Roski Slap. The former is the more impressive of the two with a 46m-drop over 17 limestone steps.

Risnjak

The Risnjak National Park is at the northern end of a Gorski Kotar, a Karst plateau and covers over 30 sq km rising from the tableland at 620m to the main peak, Risnjak, at 1, 528m. Easily accessible, owing to its proximity of the Zagreb-Rijeka road, the area is a popular destination with Croats for walking, climbing and mountaineering.

The park's varied climatic influences - the sea from the south-west, the Dinaric mountains from the south-east, the continent from the north-east and the Alps from the north-west - have enabled over 4, 000 plant species to prosper. In addition to this there are hundred brown bears, lynx, wolves, wild cats, boar, deer and chamois and 500 species of butterfly.

Outside the park there is more to see. Lokvarska is one of several caves open to visitors in summers. The cave is full of stalactites, stalagmites and calcified columns. Don't miss the Vrazji Prolaz or the Devil's Passage at Skrad. It is a narrow gorge with a steep path winding its way through it to the 90m Zeleni Vir waterfalls at the far end.

The Cicarija mountains are just to the west of Gorski Kotar. A 40km long barrier that blocks Istria off from the rest of Croatia, the chain peaks at Platnik (1, 273m). Being nearer to the sea the climate is considerably milder than at Risnjak.

For the serious walkers there are four major routes: One of them, the Rijeka mountain traverse, is a six to seven day walk through the important peaks. Starting from near the Cicarija mountains in the west, the route passes through Risnjak and then turns south over Velika Kapela to finish at Crikvenica on the coast. Paths are well marked and mountain huts provide overnight accommodation.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvicka Jezera is listed in UNESCO's Register of World Natural Heritage and is one of the most well known national parks. Plitvice Lakes is a group of sixteen small lakes -Proscansko Jezero, Labudanovac Lake, Ciganovac Lake, Galovac Lake, and Kozjak Lake. These lakes are mutually connected with large and smaller waterfalls. The national park is surrounded by dense forests of beech, fir and spruce, watered by various springs of the Korana River. The Park has several caves and flower meadows. Brown bear is found here among other animal species. The Lake areas are lovely and cool in summer, icy and calm in winter, yellow and ochre in autumn, green and fresh in spring.

Plitvice Park is conveniently located near the main road that connects Zagreb and Croatia Adriatic Coast. It is easily accessible by public transport as well as by bicycle, from Karlovac, Zagreb or Split.

MLJET Island National Park A couple of hours boat ride from Korcula towards Dubrovnik will take you to MLJET, a tranquil island of the Adriatic Coast. The national park is located in the western part of the island. The Park is characterized by two deep bays, which are called lakes due to their narrow passages to the open sea (Veliko and Malo Jezero or the Great Lake and the Small Lake). Both lakes are surrounded by dense Mediterranean vegetation. There is a tiny island in one of the lakes, called Melita (Mljet), with 12th century Benedictine monastery. Legend has it that Mljet was holiday destination of Greek hero Ulysses. The Park was established in the Sixties. The Veliko Jezero (Large Lake) covers the area of 1, 5 square kilometers while Malo Jezero (Small Lake) is about 1/4 of square kilometers. The salinity of the water in the lakes is bit lower than in the sea, due to intake of fresh waters. The temperature of the Lakes is usually higher then open sea temperature by about four degrees centigrade. Both these lakes are popular places with visitors for swimming. Both lakes are surrounded with dense old pine forest. Walking and cycling are allowed in the Park.

Paklenica National Park

This national park is located in the most attractive part of southern Velebit. The main attractions of the park are two canyons --- Velika and Mala Paklenica, vertically cut into the mountain from the sea to the Velebit's highest peaks.

The park has several unusual Karst forms, caves, and varied flora and fauna. Throughout the park, one can see game species such as roe deer, red deer, chamois and wild boar. Large predator species include the brown bear, the wolf and the lynx. Anica kuk - the steep rocks in the park is popular spot for hikers and climbers.

Brijuni Islands

The Brijuni archipelago forms an attractive group of islands near Istria Peninsula. The fact that this island was visited by the Austrian, Hungarian and German aristocracy when Istria was part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy speaks of its beauty and charm. Brijuni was also the residence of late President Tito of Yugoslavia.

The islands are rich in natural beauties, flora and fauna. There is an attractive archaeological site - Byzantine castrum and luxurious Roman villa, Ethnographic collection plus collection of frescoes, Archaeological Museum and natural history museum.

The archipelago is separated from the mainland by the two-miles-wide Fažana Channel to the northwest of Pula. The archipelago stretches over 736 hectares and forms a 30-mile long coast. It is a place where spectacular wildlife thrives. There are 680 different local and exotic plants and 150 bird species coupled with a wealth of historical traces ranging from a Neolithic settlement and Illyrian ruins, to monuments dating from the Byzantine period and the Middle Ages, as well as from Austro-Hungarian architecture to a more recent time.

Sjeverni (North) Velebit

Velebit is an untamed mountainous ridge located adjacent to the Adriatic. It occupies over 2, 000 sq km - 145km in length and 30km in width. It is a designated UNESCO biosphere reserve. Velebit is perfect for those who want to explore a fascinating area in solitude. It is possible to hike the whole length of the ridge following Premuzic's path and staying in mountain huts, while the more compact Paklenica National Park also offers excellent walking opportunities.

Despite its proximity to the coast and the pleasant climate of nearby island archipelagos, Velebit's size ensures that only on the coastal slopes is it typically Mediterranean. On the top of the ridge the climate is consistently continental, with intense summers exacerbated by the scarcity of surface water and then followed by cold, harsh winters.

Kornati Islands Kornati Islands is a group of about 130 islands, islets and reefs sprinkled in the deep blue sea of the Adriatic covering an area of about 64 sq km. The Kornati archipelago is in Dalmatia. The largest island is Kornat from which the archipelago takes its name. Apart from a tiny area of cultivated land with fig trees, olives and vineyards, Kornati islands are rocky, covered with thin grass, rare trees and Mediterranean scrubs. The landscape of chalk limestone is covered with bushes of rosemary, juniper, lavender, thyme, myrtle and sage. Pathways leading to steep and huge cliffs facing the open sea and others gently decline towards the sea, ending in a small bay with a jetty and one or two fishermen's cottages surrounded by pine, olives and fig trees. This stupendous natural beauty moved authorities in 1980 to notify the area as a national park. There are 89 islands, islets and reefs within the area of Kornati National Park and this makes it the most indented group of islands in the Mediterranean. The Kornati submarine area has the richest biocenosis in the Adriatic Sea. The magnificent geomorphology of the seabed attracts divers from all over Europe to come and enjoy in unforgettable submarine adventures.