Trip Ref #10062
DURATION
5 nights
LOCATION
Croatia
ANNUAL LEAVE
3 days off work
SEASON
Jun, Jul
GROUP SIZE
Up to 8 people
MEETING POINT
Dubrovnik Airport
ACCOMMODATION
Classic
Guesthouse
DIFFICULTY
Challenging
Some previous sea kayaking experience is needed. You will need to be able to handle around 25km on the water each day.
Embark on an epic, self-powered journey by sea kayak across the azure waters of the Adriatic
Swim, snorkel and soak up the sun in-between paddling escapades
Discover some of the most beautiful islands in Croatia, many uninhabited and far from the tourist hotspots
Day 1
Dubrovnik and Zaton town
Meet your host in Dubrovnik and head you to your guesthouse in Zaton - a great location for snorkelling and swimming straight from the pebble beaches. Join the rest of your team for a sundowner and some traditional Dalmatian food in one of the cosy, seaside restaurants where you'll learn more about the expedition ahead.
Day 2
Koločep and the Lopud Islands
Kayaking
3-4hrs · 18km
Paddle across the channel to Kolocep Island, one of the most popular and interesting of the 13 Elaphiti Islands. Discover blue caves, huge cliffs, reefs and sandy beaches and then paddle to Lopud Island, arriving on its lovely sandy beach. Rest up, take a dip in the clear waters of the Adriatic and then grab some lunch, before jumping back in your kayak and finishing the day on Šipan Island.
Day 3
Jakljan and the Olipa Islands
Kayaking
4-6hrs · 28km
Fuel up with a big breakfast and then set off for the smaller islands of Jakljan and Olipa - mostly uninhabited and a perfect getaway from the crowds found in other parts of the Adriatic. Paddle to secluded beaches only accessible by kayak, swim in warm, clear waters and then have dinner in a small harbour village.
Day 4
The Peljesac Peninsula
Kayaking
4-6hrs · 27km
Today you'll paddle towards the Peljesac peninsula and its famous town of Ston. Ston is well known for its 14th century stone walls and its locally grown oysters. You’ll have some free time to have lunch (a chance to try the oysters!) and explore the small town. After lunch you'll paddle across to the island of Broce, where you'll have dinner and spend the night in a charming guesthouse.
Day 5
Swim, snorkel and sample wines
Kayaking
4-6hrs · 27km
Explore the coastline of the Peljesac Peninsula some more, including the sandy beaches of Kobas. As well as incredible kayaking, the Peljesac Peninsula is also known for its vineyards, so be sure to try some of the local wine. Soak up the sun, swim, snorkel and then return to Broce for a farewell dinner.
Day 6
Farewell Croatia
After a last Croatian breakfast, head back to Dubrovnik in time for your flight home.
Included
Guides
Expert, English-speaking local guides
Accommodation
5 nights in local guesthouses
Meals
All your breakfasts and dinners
Transfers
To and from the airport and everything in-between
Equipment
All your sea kayaking equipment
Permits
All permits and entry fees
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Some meals as described
Visas where required
Day 1
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 5
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Croatian food tends to be fairly heavy on meats, breads and pastries as well as pastas and dumplings. The Elaphiti Islands have soaked up Mediterranean influences, so there's also some great seafood, including locally sourced oysters and of course the local wine. Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request on your passenger info form. We also recommend that you bring some of your favourite protein snacks along with you.
What is the accommodation like?
On the adventure
You'll stay in small, independent and locally owned guesthouses in same-sex twin rooms.
If you arrive early or stay on after the trip, your host suggests booking your own hotel in Dubrovnik - the choice is huge so it's worth shopping around for what suits you.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price . Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability)
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Dubrovnik Airport, Croatia
Arrive anytime before 2pm on Day 1
Ends
Dubrovnik Airport, Croatia
Depart anytime on Day 6
Transfers
Private transfers between the airport and the hotel are included for any time you choose to arrive on Day 1 and depart on Day 6.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Croatia from airports across the UK and Europe.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's included?
- All your kayaking equipment
What do I need to bring?
Bags
- Soft overnight duffel bag or rucksack
- Daypack (35+ litres)
- Waterproof liner for kitbag/rucksack or drybags
Clothes
- Waterproof jacket
- Breathable wicking layers
- Lightweight trousers/shorts/skirts
- T-shirts, underwear & socks
- Swimwear
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat with neck cover
- Sandals
Other
- Universal travel adapter
- Spare camera batteries
- Passports (and visas)
- Travel Insurance documents
- Earplugs
- Insect repellent
- Suncream
- Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
- Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
- Quick-dry towel
- Alcohol hand-gel
- Headtorch or torch
- Reusable water bottle x1 litre (2 of these if you have room)
- Energy bars and snacks
- Water purification tablets/treatment system
Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
…
An amazing trip to enjoy the spectacular scenery & waters of the Elaphiti islands. You need to be physically fit & have decent kayaking skills. The winds can be strong & the swell very high! Paddling can sometimes be a battle, the the host, accommodation, food & scenery were second to none.
Excellent trip, one of the best I've done. MBA have chosen really good local guides. I think we were slightly unlucky with the strong wind - but it made an interesting trip that bonded everyone in the group. We only managed to complete around 80km, some stops had to be abandoned due to the strong current. At no point did I feel unsafe, but it was definitely challenging. Under normal conditions though this would have been a very pleasant, low-intensity exercise. Towlines are available in emergency :) We did kayak nearly the whole day, with a lunch break. Food was really good especially the home-made dinners. Croatia is a beautiful country, the colour of the water, the landscape were stunning - unfortunately I was mostly concentrating at pedalling hard to fight the current and not capsize! But I think what made my visit so memorable was the Croatian people. From start to finish everyone I met was very friendly. We stayed in local guesthouses with very lovely hosts. Last but not least, the two Luka's, our magnificent guides. Thank you for saving me from the waves. I'm forever grateful. Hvala / Koala!
A challenging but enjoyable trip around the islands near Dubrovnik. The scenery was beautiful and the group fantastic. Particular highlights were the caves and eating at a local home. I'd suggest getting some kayak experience or at least some time in the gym beforehand as paddling for several hours a day in the heat can be quite tough. Also recommend bringing water shoes as the majority of beaches are quite stony.
A straightforward trip for a kayaker with some experience. With a bit of wind and waves technique is required rather than fitness
A cleverly curated coastal adventure, which was accessible to beginners yet challenging enough for outdoors enthusiasts. Spectacular locations, great company, with great dining and accommodation all in the safe hands of our national kayaking champion guide - if you've not explored the islands of Croatia you're missing a magical Mediterranean experience
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 250kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2023 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
Some previous sea kayaking experience is needed. You will need to be able to handle around 25km on the water each day.
Highly versatile Prijon touring kayaks are provided on this trip: either the Poseidon double kayak model with its extra-wide base making it perfect for beginners or those who enjoy paddling in pairs, or the Seayak single model for more experienced paddlers who prefer to go solo.
Both options are available and you will be asked to confirm your preference shortly before arrival with your local host. For those with no prior experience of sea-kayaking, you are advised to go in a double kayak for your safety.
- For the Seayak single kayak: the paddler weight should not exceed 90kg.
- For the Poseidon double kayak: paddler weight per individual should not exceed 100 kg.
- We can accommodate tall paddlers who are 190-200cm in height (6ft3 - 6ft4) on the tour but beyond that, you might find some mild discomfort due to the leg space available.
Please get in touch with us before booking if you have any concerns about height or weight limits.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Croatian summers are typically warm and sunny. From May to October temperatures are comfortable for paddling and swimming, with average temperatures in the mid-to-high 20s. Rain is always a possibility, so it's best to bring a jacket just in case.
Your kayak can carry up to 50 kg of luggage, but we recommend packing relatively light for this trip. Excess luggage can be safely stored in your host's base in Zaton town until you return.
For current advice about travelling in Croatia, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
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