THE FORESTS, LAKES AND VIEWPOINTS
OF GORSKI KOTAR
DAY 1:
FUŽINE
Arrival at Fužine, municipality situated 730m above sea-level, in the southwest part of Gorski kotar, surrounded by picturesque mountains. Fužine offers many sports and recreational activities. In the surroundings you can find nine marked walking and cycling trails, marked trekking paths, and the most popular is the walking path with trim trail around Bajer. Check – in and dinner in the hotel. Overnight.
DAY 2:
NATIONAL PARK RISNJAK
Breakfast. Departure for National Park Risnjak, a striking natural oasis. It boasts kilometers of hiking trails, one of them (the one we will take on this tour) leads to the top of Risnjak (1528 m a.s.l.). Althought it is a small park, you can see rich flora and fauna there. It is an important geographical barrier between the coastal and the continental parts of Croatia, but also it serves as a natural link between the Alps and the Balkan mountains. On the arrival, you will meet local mountain guide, who will introduce to you some interesting facts about National park but also about plan for the day. Accompanied by mountain guide you will take circular trail which is long cca 17,5 km (you need to be in good physical condition for this tour!). Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.
The massif of Risnjak, with the whiteness of its rocks, dominantly rose above the greenery of the mountain forests. Beautiful views that stretch from 1528 m above sea level to the Kvarner Bay, Istria and the Julian Alps in neighboring Slovenia, will remain in the memory of every visitor….
DAY 3:
ZELENI VIR AND VRAZJI PROLAZ
Breakfast. Accompanied by a local guide, you will walk along the educational botanical trail and visit one of the favorite excursion site of Gorski Kotar – Vražji prolaz and Zeleni vir. First you will visit Zeleni vir, water source – lake of beautiful green color. It is located behind an impressive 70 m high rock along which a waterfall descends. Interesting fact is that water from small lake enters into an underground channel that brings the water up to the water power plant named “Munjara” – the oldest hydroelectric power plant in Gorski Kotar. Accompanide by a local gide, you will reach next attraction: Vrazji prolaz (Devil’s passage) is hidden gem of natural beauty in Croatia. We can describe it as peace and adventure in one. It is about 800 m long and about 2 m wide. Afterr cca 20 minutes walking, you will reach the end of the canyon, where you will find another attraction – the cave Muževa hižica (Husband’s House). The cave is 200 meters long and it hides a small hall with a lake (the temperature of water and air in the cave is always the same, 8 °C so please dress well if you plan to enter the cave!). Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.
Highlight of the day: not only you will enjoy in amazing nature landscape and hidden gems of Gorski Kotar, but you will also have a chance to taste traditional food from Gorski kotar in mountain hut Zeleni Vir.
DAY 4:
DELNICE AND JAPLENSKI VRH
Breakfast. Accompanied by a local guide, today you will get a chance to visit Delnice, a town in western Croatia, the largest settlement in the mountainous region of Gorski Kotar. You will visit very popular excursion area of the residents of Delnice (and their guests) and a protected forest park – Japlenški vrh. People who love hiking and enjoy outdoors activities are fond of the forest park because of its many forest trails and paths, while naturalists and nature lovers admire its preserved beech and fir forests, numerous karst sinks, and its already solitary grassy glades in which butterflies and other insects flourish undisturbed in the summertime. Trail is only 3km long, but you will enjoy in splendid nature. Late afternoon, we suggest you to take a circular trail around lake Bajer in Fužine (6,3 km) or enjoy in food tasting of local product. Dinner. Overnight.
DAY 5:
OGULIN AND KLEK
Breakfast. Accompanied by a local guide, you will visit Ogulin, known as home of fairytales, and mountain Klek – cradle of alpinism in Croatia. Klek is one of the botanical reserves with a rich site of tertiary flora extensively preserved, and it is interpreted by the Klek educational botanical trail that is found alongside the hiking trail. An international footpath through the emerald heart of Croatia also passes over Klek – the green line of the Via Dinarica which stretches over a route from Kamačnik to Plaški. Due to its exceptional landscape and biological value, this area of around 850 ha was protected in 1971 as a significant landscape and a part of it is under protection as a geomorphological and botanical reserve. We will start from ”Bjelsko”, one of the shortest and most commonly used mountain trail; it is 2,9 km long (altitude: 577m). There are mayn interesting legends and stories about Klek. A Slovenian historian and scientist, Johann Weichard Valvasor, recorded in the 17th century a traditional belief (and also the most popular one) according to which on stormy nights, on the very top of Klek, at midnight, witches and elves from all over the world gather and dance, while their screams and laugh reach the town of Ogulin… After intersting day in Ogulin area, return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.
DAY 6:
LOKVE AND LAKE ''LOKVE''
Breakfast. Today, you will have a trip to Golubinjak forest park. Short and highly demanding trail will take you on a journey through wonderful natural sites and karst phenomena. With length of only 1.25 km, this trail lets you discover the seemingly hidden beauty of this protected forest. Heading to lake Lokve, an artificial lake, situated in an idyllic natural landscape, near a small village Lokve. Although Lokvarsko Lake is an artificial lake, it perfectly blends with the landscape of coniferous forests. This is the reason why this lake is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Croatia for sports and recreation lovers, but also for those who prefer just easy walks around the lake in untouched nature. Accompanied by a local guide, you will take a circular trail around the lake, cca 17,5 km long. It is easy one but you will enjoy in fresh air and amazing view. Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight.
DAY 7:
DEPARTURE
Breakfast. Check out and deaprture from Gorski Kotar.
Photos: ©123RF, ©Dreamstime (Mario Krpan, Twin5555, Viktoriya Kraynyuk, Rajko Simunovic, Xbrchx, Tcerovski, Ilijaaa, Oleg Bannikov)