Reinvigorate body, mind + soul on our coastal mountain bike tour Croatia
Experience the full glory of Istria in green and blue on our mountain bike tour Croatia.
From heavily-scented mountain pine forests, through medieval hilltop villages, to quiet coastal singletrack, you’ll get away from the crowds as you pedal off-the-beaten-track and go island-hopping in this beautiful corner of the Adriatic.
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Fitness level: 4/7
- 7 nights / 8 days
- £2,599 / $3,509 / €3,119
- Max. group size: 10
Top photographer Ross Bell joined us on our maiden voyage over the hills and around the coastline of Istria to inspire you to join us to experience the beauty of Croatia in green and blue. You can also read our Croatia photo story.
“Wow this was one of the best trips I have taken. I don’t have words to describe how amazing an experience this has been for me. Danijel and Matej were the just BEST!” Adi C., India
Trip Highlights
- Wander through charming Venetian towns of blond stucco and terracotta
- Hop over to Krk island to ride the otherworldly landscape of Moonbay
- Watch the sun set over the Adriatic with a glass of local wine in hand
- Multiple singletrack descents in one day around Grožnjan
- Relax in the modern spa of your medieval accommodation
- Feast on local delicacies, such as freshly-caught seafood and truffles
Tour Dates 2023
- 3 – 10 June (TRIP FULL)
- 10 – 17 September
- 20 – 27 September (2 PLACES)
- 1 – 8 October (6 PLACES)
Private groups
Travelling as a group of friends or family? Contact us to create your own private trip.
Is this mountain bike tour Croatia for you?
We want you to have the best experience in Istria, so it’s important to be sure that this is the perfect mountain bike adventure, with the right level of challenge, for you.
You ride your mountain bike on average once per week, and would be comfortable riding a variety of trails including: rooty singletrack through forests; gravel double track climbs; steep, flowing descents; rocky trails on the coast and islands. Read more on our intermediate skill level.
Mountain bike tour Croatia Itinerary
This mountain bike tour Croatia will immerse you in the laid-back way of life in this lesser-known corner of the Mediterranean. Riding your mountain bike on wooded singletrack, and on the rocky moonscape of the Istrian coastline, followed by a relaxing massage at your hotel, will reinvigorate your body, mind and soul!
- +Arrival in Zagreb - refresh + prepare for your adventure
We recommend arriving into Zagreb, Croatia a day or two before the start of your Croatian adventure to allow your body to adjust and to make sure any flight or luggage delays don’t spoil your trip.We have a handy guide to spending 24 hours in Zagreb, with recommendations of things to do and places to stay. If you’re travelling with your own bike it’s worth staying as close to the train station as you can.
- +Day 1 - The Parenzana trail
Your guide will meet you at Glavni Kolodvor train station in Zagreb at 9am, then you’ll make the 3 hour transfer through beautiful scenery to your first stop of the tour.We will arrive in Buje, a small town that has its own charming brewery, where we’ll have a delicious lunch, build and fit bikes, then your guide will take you through the all-important pre-trip briefing.
We’ll then start our Istrian adventure on the famous Parenzana trail, which used to be a 123km-long narrow gauge rail road between Trieste and Parenzo (Porec). It is now a mountain biking and hiking trail, and we’ll ride one section of it to the town of Grožnjan.
You’ll warm up your legs and start getting into the relaxed pace of life here, as you pedal through farmland and olive groves, with the aroma of abundant trailside herbs and flowers filling your senses as you pass.
It’s not all gentle doubletrack, however, and after an hour or so we’ll join some technical, fast singletrack trails through the forest near Grožnjan that will take us all the way down to Mirna valley.
We’ll then rejoin the Parenzana trail for the final push that will deliver us at the foot of Motovun, and our breath-taking hilltop accommodation.
Motovun is one of many spectacular, medieval fortified villages, perched high on the hilltops around Istria. With a population of just 531, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
To earn our dinner at our family-run hotel dating back to the 17th century, we need to cycle all the way to the top of Motovun, where only the church tower overlooks our hotel. The views are absolutely worth the effort! If we have time, you can enjoy a swim in the hotel pool, before dinner on the terrace.
Distance cycled: 35km (app. 4 hours)
Accommodation: Small hotel in Motovun
- +Day 2 - Karst plateau and ancient trade trails around Cicarija
After a hearty breakfast, including scrambled eggs with truffles, we’ll make the short transfer to Buzet, considered the Istrian truffle capital.You’ll have an easy start today, with a van transfer to the plateau of Cicarija that affords views over the entire day’s ride and all the way to the coast. After traversing the clifftop and taking in the views we will descend to the outskirts of Buzet before picking up a rocky singletrack, with a few short, challenging climbs, that will deliver us to the medieval town of Hum – officially, the smallest town in the world.
Riding into the old town of Hum, you’ll be forgiven for expecting to see knights in full armour, brandishing swords and shields; it really is that kind of a place!
We’ll stop for lunch in the only (but very good) restaurant in Hum, then descend to the valley floor and follow the aromatic smells of thyme, wild garlic and rosemary as we head back towards Motovun.
Today’s trails are hugely diverse: from rocky singletrack through the forest, to high plateau riding, to fast double track descents and riverside singletrack at the bottom of a beautiful gorge. We’ll end our first big day on the mountain bike in Istria with an ice-cold beer at the local brewery.
After freshening up, and enjoying a relaxing massage in the hotel spa, we’ll share another delicious meal ‘al fresco’ on the hotel terrace.
Distance cycled: 40km (app. 6 hours)
Accommodation: Small hotel in Motovun
Meals included: Breakfast
- +Day 3 - Multi-descent day around Grožnjan
With strong Italian history Istria is like the Croatian Tuscany. As far as your eye can see there are rolling hills dotted with vineyards and olive groves, with hilltop fortresses keeping watch over these valuable crops.Today we’ll use one of these historically-rich towns as our base for enjoying a day of multiple fun descents.
The hilltop town of Grožnjan dates back to the early 12th century, and is the only town in Croatia to have an ethnic Italian majority. It is known as a village of artists as almost every door leads to an art studio or gallery, and with the smell of coffee in the calm warm air, it is a place you’ll want to spend a lot of time in.
We will be riding a selection of singletrack descents that peel off from this enchanting town, dropping you to the valley floor with ever-increasing smiles. We’ll be passing through the town a few times today and have lunch here, so if you feel like resting and taking in the atmosphere, you can opt to sit out a run or two and sip on a cappuccino whilst looking over the vineyards, instead.
After we finish today’s riding, we’ll leave this inland region and head to the turquoise coast and our accommodation for the night in the charming town of Bale.
Again, you’ll have the option to ease aching muscles in the hotel spa, or have a wander round the village, before dinner in the hotel restaurant.
Distance cycled: up to 25km (app. 4 hours)
Accommodation: Small hotel in Bale
Meals included: Breakfast
- +Day 4 - Kamenjak Peninsula
Now that we’ve arrived on the coastline of the Adriatic sea, we’ll spend today weaving in and out of coastal bays, skirting the outline of the Kamenjak Peninsula, which is also a nature park. Remember to bring your swim suits, the beaches of Cape Kamenjak are the best in Istria, from small, pebbled bays to rough cliffs above the turquoise sea.Your guide will show you the way through a tangle of singletrack trails, snaking through pine forests all the way to some beach bars where we can stop for lunch and a swim in the Adriatic.
As the trails turn back towards the town of Premantura we’ll be riding along a ridge high above the rocky coast below, with the sun setting on the horizon. We’ll bask in the last golden light of the day, committing to memory (and memory card!) this glorious Istrian sunset.
After packing the bikes into the van we’ll return to the hotel for a quick shower and change of clothes before heading to the attractive fishing town of Rovinj for the evening.
Rovinj dates back to the time of the Venetian republic and was an important trading port in the Adriatic sea. Still a working harbour today, we’ll walk along the seafront and then stroll up into the narrow cobbled alleys, full of cafés, restaurants and antique shops.
After exploring Rovinj for a while, we’ll settle down in our favourite seafront restaurant to enjoy the catch of the day, landed right outside the door of the restaurant.
Distance cycled: 30km (app. 5 hours)
Accommodation: Small hotel in Bale
Meals included: Breakfast
- +Day 5 - Transfer to Krk - intro to island riding
This morning we’ll leave Bale, heading eastward to the island of Krk. After a couple of hours we’ll arrive at Krk island, one of 1180 Croatian islands. Krk is one of the Kvarner islands that offer a totally different landscape from the inland forests and the coastal trails we have ridden so far in Croatia.We’ll settle into our beachfront accommodation and have lunch looking over the bay, ready for our first island ride.
You also have the option of having the afternoon off to explore Krk, or just lie on the beach reading a book and re-charge your batteries for the last two days riding in Istria.
We’ll shuttle to the second highest mountain on the island and start climbing to the summit on rocky singletrack, to survey the archipelago that surrounds us; each island separated by glistening turquoise waters in the warm afternoon light.
As we push off from the top in warm orange light, we’ll enjoy a selection of flowing and, at times, very rocky trails that weave their way through one-meter-high drystone walls that protect the crops from the wind and any hungry animals.
As we blast out of the downhill trail, we peel onto a singletrack that sees us hug the coastline for ten kilometres, past secluded bays and harbours filled with fishing boats as well as pleasure boats.
If time allows we will drop in on some local ham and cheese producers, taste, chat and take a bit of time to relax and absorb life on the islands, as they have a different perception of time here.
We’ll ride back to our beachfront hotel and get freshened up for dinner on the terrace, watching the sun set over the Adriatic.
Distance cycled: 20km (app. 3 hours)
Accommodation: Hotel on Krk Island
Meals included: Breakfast
- +Day 6 - Coastal riding on the 'Happy Island'
It’s an early start today as we’re leaving Krk behind for the day and heading by ferry to Rab Island, known as the ‘Happy Island’. The ferry will take around one and a half hours, and we’ll have breakfast on deck, soaking up the views along with the morning sunlight.Upon arrival at Rab we will swing by the island bakery to grab lunch for our backpacks, before setting off on a coastal trail that takes in the northern part of the island weaving in and out of secluded bays, with some of the only sandy beaches in Croatia.
As we start the return leg of our loop we’ll stop off at a little-known beach, your guide’s favourite, and dive in for a swim. We’ll stretch out on the sand to soak up some sun as we wait for the ferry to come back to collect us. We’ll head up on deck, grab a coffee and sail off back to Krk island in the fading summer sunlight.
Distance cycled: 30km (app. 5 hours)
Accommodation: Hotel on Krk Island
Meals included: Breakfast
- +Day 7 - Krk Island - 'Moonland' Trail finale
To round off an incredible mountain-to-island exploration of Croatian mountain bike trails, food, people and culture, we have saved one of the best for the last.Today we’ll be riding the ‘Moonland Trail’, for reasons that will become obvious. We’ll start the ride from Baška bay where we will take on a 400m ascent. The climb is gradual as it was built for horse and cart in the time of the Austro-Hungarians as a military road, so we can ride at a relatively easy pace.
Once we reach the plateau you’ll feel like you’ve just arrived on the moon, with bleached-white limestone rocks strewn in every direction. Before pushing on to ride the length of the plateau, we’ll take a ten-minute detour on foot to a truly breathtaking view over to the mainland and the surrounding islands, perfect time for pictures and a snack stop.
We’ll then continue along the plateau, criss-crossed by hundreds of drystone walls, built to mark land and keep animals in, but also out of necessity; it’s the simplest and most sensible place to put all of these rocks! As we pedal on towards Veli Vrh peak, we catch a panoramic view all the way to the mainland and Velibit National Park, which is punctuated by a number of islands scattered around the deep blue sea.
As we crest the saddle we’ll be rewarded by a long, winding singletrack descent that feels never ending. As we weave the bike in between large rock walls, we’ll stop to inspect the make up of the rock and find it is stuffed full of fossils, indicating that this area was once the sea floor.
The ride finishes with a sedate riverside trail that delivers us with ease to the seaside town of Baška, where we will sit on the beach front taking in the view and sampling the local seafood dishes before heading back to pack up for our return journey home tomorrow.
Tonight we will head out to a special secluded farmstead to enjoy a final celebratory dinner of a classic slow cooked meal and local homemade brandies, cheeses and prosciutto.
Distance cycled: 40km (app. 6 hours)
Accommodation: Hotel on Krk Island
Meals included: Breakfast
- +Day 8 - Departure
Sadly today we leave Croatia behind, say our farewells and transfer back to Zagreb (around 2.5 hours) for around midday.
Please note: this mountain bike tour Croatia is a living thing, being influenced by multiple factors such as changing weather conditions, group riding abilities, trail damage, to name a few. Your local guides are experts in guiding mountain bikers in Croatia and will be continually assessing these factors and making tweaks to the itinerary where necessary to ensure that every member of the group has the best possible experience.
- +Tour price
Mountain biking tour Croatia Price
£2,599 GBP/ $3,509 USD/ €3,119 EUR per person (ex. flights, based on two sharing a room)
Price includes:
- Services of fully-qualified, English speaking expert mountain bike guide(s) for the duration of the trip
- Transfers from/ to Zagreb on day 1 and day 8
- 7 nights’ accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- All transport as required by the itinerary
- Ferry tickets to From Rab Island
- Global Rescue emergency evacuation services
Price excludes:
- International/ domestic flights
- Lunches and evening meals
- Spa treatments
- Bike rental – we can arrange bike hire for you at a cost of £370/ $500/ €444 for the duration of the trip
- Travel and activity insurance
- Single supplement:* £570 / $770 / €684
- Alcoholic/ non-alcoholic beverages
- Personal safety and cycling equipment
- Any other items not mentioned as included
*Single supplement is only applicable if you are travelling solo and do not wish to share a room with another rider of the same sex. If you’re happy to do that, you need not add the supplement.
H+I Adventures is bonded by the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT), so you can be sure that when you book with us your money will be safe.
- +Skill + fitness levels required
Does this sound like you? Your vacation time is precious and we want to be absolutely sure that you’re making the most of it, by finding the perfect adventure for you. Be honest with yourself, if this adventure isn’t right for you, we have other tours that may well be a better fit for your mountain biking experience and ability.Please note: The skill level required reflects an overall rating for the trails on the trip but you should expect to find sections and obstacles that push your ability levels.
Skill level: Intermediate
- You have been mountain biking regularly for at least two years
- You can brake, use gears and corner with confidence
- You have good bike handling skills, and are confident riding rough double track and non-technical singletrack
- You are competent at riding undulating trails with moderate climbs and descents on both double and singletrack, but tend to get off and walk technical singletrack sections
- You mountain bike approximately once a week throughout your biking season
Fitness level: 4/7
- You have a reasonable level of mountain bike fitness, exercising at least twice a week for one hour or more, throughout the whole year
- You can ride a mountain bike for up to five hours per day at a moderate pace, with snack and photo stops, for three consecutive days
- You are capable of tackling one or two moderate mountain bike climbs per day, of up to 400 metres each
Typical trails you’ll be riding
- Double track: undulating forest and coastal tracks made up of hard-packed dirt, gravel, and rocks of varying sizes – some loose, some embedded
- Singletrack: rooty singletrack through pine forests; open, flowing singletrack across plateaux and on the coast; rocky, rough singletrack climbs and descents
- The trails in Istria are largely old hiking paths, with some purpose-built mountain bike trails. The trails are mostly very dry, sometimes loose
- +Arrival + departure details
Your mountain bike tour in Croatia will start and end in Zagreb, Croatia. You should arrive the day prior to your tour start date and spend a night or two in Zagreb, ready for your guide to meet you on day 1 of your adventure. We have created this handy guide to spending 24 hours in Zagreb before the start of your Croatia adventure.If you are driving to/ from Zagreb, you can park your car securely at Petrinjska or Langov trg.
Your local guide will meet you in Zagreb at around 09:00 on the first morning of the tour at the train station.
On the final day we will transfer you back to Zagreb train station or airport, which is a 2.5 hour drive, so you should book your return flight departing no earlier than 2pm that day (if flying out of Zagreb).
- +Travelling to Croatia
To travel to Istria we recommend arriving in Zagreb, Croatia, which is served by Franjo Tuđman Airport Airport (ZAG). Airlines flying to Zagreb include: Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and British Airways.Here are some handy tips and video on how to pack your bike for travel.
Visas
US, Canadian, New Zealand, Australian, and European Citizens do not require visas to visit Croatia. You must have your passport as proof of citizenship.
- +Preparing yourself + your bike for your adventure
Please read the full kit list before you start packing for your mountain bike tour Croatia, so that you have everything you need!Our mountain bike tour Croatia is for intermediate riders with level 4 fitness.
The ideal bike for your mountain bike tour Croatia on the Istrian trails is a good quality full-suspension bike with around 140mm of travel front and rear.
If you’re new to mountain bike travel, here is some advice on making your first mountain bike tour a huge success.
To get the most out of your mountain bike tour Croatia you should plan some training in advance of your tour, and it is essential that, if you’re bringing your own bike, you ensure that it has been properly serviced, including suspensions and brakes, before the trip.
- +Your mountain bike guides in Croatia
Our mountain bike guides in Croatia are of the highest level. They are qualified in first-aid and they have the knowledge and experience to lead a group safely in these wild and beautiful parts of Croatia.Our guides have years of experience in the saddle on the trails around Istria and will be able to enhance your holiday with facts and fables on local history, flora and fauna. They’re also genuinely nice people and will do their best to make sure that everyone in the group has a great time.
- +Accommodation + food
One of the things that sets our mountain bike tour Croatia apart from others is the unique local accommodation we use.We aim to use the best, locally-run accommodation in each country, and accommodation that is traditional to that specific area, whether it be city or mountain.
On our mountain bike tour Croatia you’ll be staying in traditional hilltop hotels in medieval villages, and a beach-front hotel on Krk Island, all with spectacular views of the mountain or coast.
Your first two accommodations have the added bonus of a beautiful spa and wellness centre, which you can take advantage of to pamper yourselves post-ride!
You will enjoy fabulous, home-made, locally-sourced dishes in Croatia, specific to Istria, with some of the key ingredients including truffles, seafood, wine and olive oil.
- +Health + safety
No vaccinations are required for visiting this part of Croatia; however some online resources like MD Travel Health have a list of suggested precautions. You can drink water from the taps (faucets) in Croatia.Also, please let us know if you have any special food requirements, allergies or pre-existing conditions your guides should know about.
You should always consult your own doctor or physician before travelling to new countries to seek their advice on matters concerning your health abroad.
Your health and safety is on tour our top priority so when you travel with us you also have the peace of mind knowing that you will be covered by Global Rescue emergency medical and evacuation services.
- +Currency + foreign exchange
The official currency of Croatia is the Euro. It is the only currency accepted in Croatia. ATM machines are readily available in most of the towns you’ll be passing through, but you should always carry enough cash to see you through two days, just in case.Tipping
It is not compulsory to tip your guides or drivers in Croatia, but if you feel that you have had a tremendous service or experience on your mountain bike tour Croatia, you can tip at your discretion; as a rough guide, around 5% of your tour price for your guiding team. It is not compulsory to tip in restaurants, however should you wish to tip your servers, 10% of your meal cost would be acceptable.
- +Holiday insurance
You are required as a condition of booking to be insured against medical and personal accident risks. In this policy you must include cover for mountain biking and we recommend that you take out a policy which covers cancellation and baggage.We work closely with WorldNomads whose policies are specially designed for mountain bike holidays and you can arrange your insurance cover directly with them.
Please note: this mountain bike tour Croatia is a living thing, being influenced by multiple factors such as changing weather conditions, group riding abilities, trail damage, to name a few. Your local guides are experts in guiding mountain bikers in Croatia and will be continually assessing these factors and making tweaks to the itinerary where necessary to ensure that every member of the group has the best possible experience.
Submit your review | |
H+I have an amazing itinerary in Croatia. The guides have selected remarkable trails and remarkable accommodations. The riding, the food, and logistics were 100% perfect. Looking forward to our next trip with H+I!
Maybe? First, all the bags + bikes arrived on time in Istria (amazing for 2022). No surprise the group had a good vibe + the guides were awesome but I’ll give that to truffles too. The kicker was the forecast literally said 100% chance of rain day after day after day and we didn’t get a single drop. Eerie!
Seriously though, Croatia is another H+I winner. A nice change of pace was most days having an XC feel. By that I mean 150-250 meters up then down, repeated a few times over the day. A nice change of pace from Slovenia which is often one big up + down.
Some of the ride highlights are the optional bits. Short story is if the guides give a chance to ride more - do it! Bonus runs on day-3 were sweet, the downhill on the first day on Krk Island a highlight, same goes for the 2nd half of the ride on Rab Island.
After almost 3 years of planning, scheduling and rescheduling this trip, we finally managed to make it to Croatia – and it was totally worth the wait! Awesome trails, stunning views, delicious food, lovely weather, great guides, relaxed atmosphere, and lots of fun! Couldn’t have wished for more - once more H&I have hit it off! Thank you all, I’ll be back for sure…
This is the first organised trip I have taken and it was epic, great riding, amazing hotels, fantastic food and the most incredible guiding! Marko and Matej were first class, knowledgeable, supportive and inclusive.
The whole trip from start to finish was unforgettable
Looking forward to the next trip we take.
This was quite a different trip to the others i have done in Morocco and Nepal. But - let me start by saying it was brilliant.
This is about great hotels, good food, chilled rides and a damn good laugh. We were a group of four and we all loved it.
Special shout to Marko & Matej who were the best guides, great bants, good chats, fantastic knowledge - spot on.
Slovenia next - their homeland!
Second trip with H+I, this time to Croatia, and once again it was superb.
In 7 days, we covered a wide range of riding terrain from forested and rocky terrain, to beautiful ocean side scenery.
There are not many parts in Europe where you can still ride and come through old, abandoned villages, past ancient ruins and have no large crowds to deal with.
As is tradition with H+I, our guide Dani was great, and the choices of accommodations and culinary dining was fantastic.
This trip was the best for so many reasons! Loved the trails and the beautiful coastal scenery. The accommodations and towns we stayed in were so great, along with the cuisine and wine. The riding schedule was excellent and appreciate the flexibility for choosing to keep on a long ride or a bit shorter choice.
Of course, Danijel and Matae mtb guides were fantastic on the trail and being social with our group. Really had fun with our group, too.
Looking forward to booking my next trip in 2022!
Croatia is a hidden gem for mountain bikers. It surprises at every turn, and has so much variety. One day you feel like you’re in the midst of some picturesque Tuscan painting, the next day, you’re riding on the moon.. Its rocky, but what mountain biker shies away from a few pebbles and boulders! The food is a real plus… tasty, affordable, and tons of variety… and there’s a lot more good wine than bad. It’s a given that the guides are amazing.. but, yep, they really are. Great trip.. superbly put together.
Had an absolutely wonderful time on this tour - from the beautiful and fun trails to the scenic medieval towns and coastal villages. Dani and Matej were awesome guides and so helpful and kind. This tour is perfect for seeing parts of Croatia (and of Europe) not as well known, but not to be missed. We had fantastic people in our group and really enjoyed everyone and learning about their lives and countries.
Dani and Matej, thank you for all your patience and teaching on the trails, and for making sure we were always enjoying the adventure. Victoria, thank you for all your help in getting us on the trip, keeping us Covid-informed, and just being in general an awesome person. Can't wait to join H+I on a future trip!
Croatia was H+I trip #4 and as always, the riding was perfect, accommodations great, and food was amazing. H+I always find the perfect locations for dinner that the locals try and keep secret.
Danijel and Matej were the perfect team to lead the group. It is amazing how they can tailor each day’s ride to accommodate the different abilities of the people on the trip to allow everyone to be satisfied with the level of challenge and distance covered.
I love working with this company and I am already planning H+I trip #5 for 2022.
This trip was simply amazing! Awesome riding, excellent food (and wine), and great places to stay. Danijel and Matej were the perfect guides both on trail and off. The amount of area we covered, with lovely towns, amazing sea views, cool lunch stops, and so much more, was crazy to pack into just one week, but so fun that we are ready to do it again, maybe after a few days of rest!
A fantastic and challenging trip, for a seasoned road cyclist! Guided beautifully by Danijel and Matae, with professionalism, patience, skill, and great coaching. Super accommodations, food and company!
A lovely group of people to ride with, fantastic place to visit with a nice variation of trails. Both guides truly excellent, a credit to H+I. The cream carrots for breakfast was interesting!
Wow this was one of the best trips I have taken. I don't have words to describe how amazing an experience this has been for me. Danijel and Matae were the just BEST!! They were incredibly organised and super patient. They really helped me pushed thru all challenges and come out much stronger. I feel I'm a much better rider ONLY thanks to them. The days were organised very well and the food + Stay was great!!! Can't wait for my next trip 🙂
Just got back from a private tour in Croatia. I was celebrating my 70th birthday. What a fantastic trip. Incredible scenery, lots of challenges and successes, lovely accommodations, yummy food, and guides who were superb in every way. My second trip with H+I and I look forward to the next.
Their trips are excellent in every way. Call me satisfied beyond expectation!!!!
Going to be difficult to keep this short... BUT, I can happily say that I had a wonderful time. The food and drink delicious. The trails are beautiful. They are a bit technical but all ridable for the most part. Few areas they ask you walk (and they should). The guides were excellent. Knowledgeable, respectful and fun to ride along side.
I would highly recommend this adventure to any intermediate rider. Just know that the climbs are challenging and the technical aspects are rewarding, but most of all the scenery is amazing!
Matae, Dom and Daniel Thank you for a bucket list adventure!! Hope to see you in Slovania next year!
This was a great and spectacular trip. From the beginning to the end, everything was very well planned out and seamless... the guides were great, amazing and knowledgable.... and Domen was basically an encyclopaedia of knowledge about the area and history.
The riding was tough and hard, but enjoyable and the scenery was spectacular... not to mention the food and wine also...
this is is highly recommended trip...
Mark and I had a great time on this trip and this was one of our favorite parts of our honeymoon!
Ziva + Domen where great guides and we thank them for sharing a great week with us. The food and views were outstanding, thanks for an amazing time.
Cheers,
Emily + Mark
We loved our Croatia Trip. The terrain was definitely intermediate level and a bit challenging for a road bike rider who only occasionally mountain bikes but Dani and Janez were terrific guides and they took a special interest in really teaching us technique and keeping us riding safe.
I felt comfortable riding the challenging terrain by the end of the ride. I really enjoyed them and the wonderful terrain of Croatia. The food was great, especially if you like truffles with and scenic eating spots that were often breathtaking.
The people were warm and very accommodating. The days were warm and sunny, perfect for mountain biking.
Scott
This was our 3rd trip with H+I and yet again they did not disappoint.
Croatia was a nice mix of fun trails, great accommodations, and excellent food! The guides did a good job of assisting and challenging our skill set, bike repairs, and keeping all things running like a well oiled machine.
Thank you again for an excellent trip. We will be doing another, we just have to decide which one.
Just got back from a week in Croatia. Had a great time, and I’m already missing the daily adventures. As usual, accommodation and food was all top notch. It was great to see Dani again, after meeting him in Slovenia in 2015. Plus, a couple of other riders that I met in Slovenia turned up in Croatia, so that was another unexpected bonus. Thanks again for another great trip, I’m already looking forward to the next one!
My 1st trip with H+I. And it was great. Great crew, well organized and beautiful trails. Already planning for the next trip. Thank you, crew and fellow riders, for a fantastic week!
Just returned after another amazing week with H+I in Croatia. The trip couldn't have been more perfect. Each days rides were well thought out and presented a challenging yet doable experience. We had a great group and the guides were one again (my 4th trip with H+I) the very best.
Danijel + Mitja along with Domanic worked hard to make everything go smoothly. The accommodations were outstanding along with the breakfasts + dinners. Croatia is fabulous and I am looking forward to heading out again with H+I. 10 out of 10!
This was my first trip with H+I and it was an absolute pleasure. The fellow riders were an interesting, like minded and humorous bunch which was important as I was travelling solo.
The hotels and restaurants used were of a very high standard. I liked the multi centre itinerary as you got to see more of the country and also to ride hugely diverse terrain.
The staff to client ratio of 3 staff to 9 clients was great as there was support when you needed it. Amazingly no punctures as we were mostly on tubeless as advised.
I will be riding Slovenia with H+I in 2019.
This was my second trip with H+I and once again totally satisified with the experience! Before I got back I was already thinking of where to go for my next trip with them!
The trip itself was amazing, I felt it had a nice mix of different trails to ride from pine forests to coastlines to rocky descents and more! When the riding has finished for the day you get to return to the superb accomodation and then enjoy the excellent meals in the evenings. All this without having to worry about any logistics yourself or arranging meals ect. everything has been taken care of!
So once again thank you to the H+I team that operates behind the scenes to make these trips happen! and also to the wonderful and knowledgeable guides who go that extra mile to ensure you are taken care of.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) mountain bike tour Croatia
- Q. How many people will be in the group?
We only run small group adventures to ensure that everyone has the best experience possible, and there will generally be between four and eight people in each group. We can stretch to a maximum of ten if it’s a group of friends. The minimum number of people we require to run this mountain bike tour Croatia is four.
- Q. What’s the age range of people who come on this holiday?
Our mountain bike tour Croatia caters for a wide age range; typically between 30- and 65-years-old. As long as you have a good level of physical fitness you will enjoy this mountain bike holiday no matter what your age.
- Q. What style of mountain biking tour is it?
This European mountain bike tour Croatia is a guided mountain bike tour, ideal for intermediate mountain bikers. The terrain you’ll be riding on consists of double track and singletrack through pine forests, medieval villages, and rocky coastal trails on the mainland and islands. You’ll encounter some steep climbs and more technical rocky sections, as well as fabulous, swooping descents.
- Q. How far will we be mountain biking each day?
The distances we cover each day range from 20km to 40km, in accordance with the technical difficulty of the trails and height gain/ loss on each stage. Each evening your guides will chat with you about the following day’s mountain biking and give you an idea of the sorts of trails you can look forward to. If there’s anything you feel anxious about, your guides will be happy to discuss it with you.
- Q. Do we have to carry all our gear with us?
No, you only need to carry a 16 litre day pack with you whilst riding. Your main luggage will be left at your accommodation during the day. You will however be required to carry a ride bag of 16 litres. The reason for this is we are out on the trails, we are self-sufficient in a mountainous environment.
- Q. What if I come across a section of trail I can’t ride?
Your guide will be very happy to give you some bike skills training during your trip to help improve your confidence and your enjoyment of your mountain bike tour Croatia. If there is a section that you would prefer not to ride, then you can simply hop off your bike and walk. You won’t be the only one to walk certain sections and it’s not a competition in biking ability; it’s a mountain bike holiday!
- Q. Who will be guiding us?
Your mountain bike guides are local to Croatia and experienced professionals who have a real passion for mountain biking and for the culture and landscape of Croatia and surrounding Balkan countries. Your safety is their number one priority, closely followed by your enjoyment of the tour. They will always be on-hand to answer any questions or requests you may have throughout your mountain bike tour Croatia. Meet your mountain bike guide in Croatia…Dani.
- Q. What sort of accommodation will we be staying in?
On this mountain bike tour Croatia you will be staying in small, locally-owned accommodation, varying in look and feel as we ride our way through the green mountains, to the turquoise coastline and islands of the Adriatic. You’ll stay two nights in beautiful medieval hilltop hotel, with wellness centre and swimming pool; two nights in a hotel in a coastal village, also with spa; and three nights in a beachfront hotel on Krk Island.
- Q. Which meals are included in the tour price?
Breakfast is included each day. You should budget $60USD per day for food and drink, and of course souvenirs.
- Q. What type of mountain bike is best for the trip?
A good quality full suspension mountain bike with 140mm travel front and rear will be ideal for this mountain bike tour Croatia. The terrain you will be riding is rough in places and you will feel more comfortable on a full suspension bike for the duration of the trip. To avoid punctures we recommend that you bring tubeless tyres or tyres with thicker walls and extra thick inner tubes.
- Q. What clothes and kit should I bring?
The daytime and nighttime temperatures can vary significantly in this part of the Adriatic, so you must make sure that you have plenty of layers of breathable clothing to ensure that you are always warm enough and can remove a layer if you get too hot. You should also bring cycling shorts/trousers, gloves, padded undershorts, waterproof jacket, flip-flops, specific shoes for cycling, sun cream, insect spray, and Advil or Ibuprofen. Read the full kit list to find out what you need to pack for your mountain bike tour Croatia.
- Q. Can I bring a drone with me?
Unfortunately not. We are working hard to provide each and every customer who rides with us, an unparalleled mountain bike experience in every destination we ride. This takes years of experience, riding and planning to get right, and I am afraid a drone just adds a very real danger to customers fun, riding experience and health and safety.
- Q. Can I take a day off from riding?
Sure, it is your mountain bike vacation. Just chat things through with your guiding team and they will arrange your day for you. Depending on the day you wish to take off, depends on what else is available for you to do, but they will gladly advise you.
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