Harvest, Taste & Hike Croatia

Guided Hiking, Harvesting and Culinary Tour

Did you know that black and green olives all come from the same three? Do you know that famous strong alcoholic drink “Rakija” is produced from winemaking leftovers? Do you know how many tastes of Rakija there are? Did you know Croatia owns forests where black and white truffles grow? Have you tasted truffle Nutella? Do you know that there is smallest town in the world in Croatia?
Joining on our new program Harvest taste and hike Croatia will give you all the foodie answers you didn’t know and enable you to experience Croatia as it really is. Harvesting season in autumn done with locals, hiking through old villages, magical green waterfalls and hunting truffles in hidden forests of Istrian peninsula. Taste fresh produced extra virgin olive oil produced from olives which you picked up just minutes ago directly from the three! Feeling of complete relaxation and going back to nature while getting to know Croatian mountains and our biggest part of culture – food! Understanding Croatian culture means understanding our deep connection with nature through being in nature, producing, cooking and eating high quality homemade food!

Day 1 – Zagreb arrival

One – time airport transfer to your Zagreb hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you will have free day in Zagreb to explore the city. (-)

Day 2 – Hike & Chestnuts picking in Medvednica Mountain

After breakfast, transfer to the trail start of your todays hiking and harvesting.
We will hike up to local forest, privately owned and listen to all about how chestnuts are here traditionally grown and how they are preserved and cooked.
Depending on conditions, there will be a chance to cook and try our chestnuts.
Return hike and transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day free to explore Zagreb.
Visit Zagreb upped old town if you haven’t yesterday! (B)

Day 3 – Cooking classes & market visit in Zagreb

After breakfast in your hotel, a walk through city centre to local market Dolac. Visit Zagreb central market - always live and colourful - and choose the ingredients for your lunch.

You will prepare traditional Croatian three courses meal. After hard work, and great cooking experience – enjoy what you have prepared – with a glass of Croatian wine!

Rest of the day free. Visit Zagreb tunnels if you haven’t already! (B, L)

Day 4 – Truffle hunting in Istria & hike near Hum town

After breakfast, transfer to Istria for truffle hunting. Here, our hosts will expelain you all about truffles, and you will be able to taste all kind truffle specialites – truffle cheese, truffle olive oil, truffle sausage and truffle Nutella! You will try truffle “fritaja” (omelette) and some local “rakija” and wine. Professional hunters will show you specially trained dogs (no pigs, sorry) and we’ll go for our truffle hunting adventure!
After truffle hunting we will got and visit Hum – smallest (and cutest) town in the world! Near Hum we can enjoy 6 km / 3,7 mile hike to old Bencici village and finish our day with late lunch in local tavern. Transfer back to Zagreb. (B, S, L)

Day 5 – Hike NP Plitvice lakes and transfer to Tucepi

After breakfast, transfer to most famous and UNESCO protected Croatian National Park. Plitvice lakes! If lucky with weather, your will experience the park in its most colourful state of yellow red and brown leafs, contrasting green magic of lakes it makes you as entering Pandora planet and you just want to walk and enjoy more and more waterfalls and lakes. Hiking the Plitvice includes an electric boat and train ride, and it is always beautiful, no matter the rain, snow or sun. Transfer to Tucepi and dinner.
(B, L, D)

Day 6 - Ride "lada” boat and Tangerine harvesting on Neretva delta

After breakfast, transfer to deta of Neretva river. Also known as fruity Neretva valley, where lost of Croatian fruits are grown. First we do the hard work and we go in field with tangerines and harvest our own tangerines – we are allowed to take some with us! After hard work, we board a traditional wooden boat from Neretva and we drive through swampy area of Neretva delta. This boat ride is ideal for bird watchers! There are many birds hidden in the bushes and high grass that grows around channels that we will be driving in. We enjoy local lunch in tavern and transfer back to Tucepi. Dinner in Tucepi.
(B, L, D)

Day 7 – Hike Biokovo old villages & Olive harvesting Podgora

After breakfast, we start our hike to old villages of Biokovo.
As we climb higher in mountain, we can see more and more beautiful views on Croatian islands and coast.
We hike from Tucepi to Podgora where we meet with local olive oil producers. We hear the very personal story of how to pick up olives and join in the harvesting to help! Lunch – picnic in olive groove. Tired but extremely happy we return to our accommodation.
Depending on the timing in olive oil factory – we visit on our way back or later in evening to see how we get oil from olives that we have picked up.
Dinner in Tucepi.
(B,L,D)

Day 8 – Ston, Napoleon trail hike & wine tasting on Pelješac with Oyster experience

After breakfast, transfer to peninsula Pelješac in town Ston. In Ston we can observe salt factory and magnificent Ston walls, but first we join to a hike on the Napoleon trail to our fist winery. As we walk, we observe local wine yards and after 7,5 km / 4,6 miles hike we reach our wine tasting site. Here we have a chance to taste several wines, cheese and oil before hiking one more km to next winery. Here we observe curious wine cellar and taste some more wines and oil. Transfer back to Mali ston to board boat and find out more about how oysters are grown! We enjoy oyster tasting on the boat and – depending on weather conditions – we have lunch on the small island. After lunch there is some free time to have a walk around Ston and transfer to Dubrovnik. Goodbye to your guide. (B, L)