2 islands escape | 2 days
Discover an unexplored part of Croatian coast during this sea kayaking trip in Croatia!
Toursummary
- Tour type: Multi day trips
- Activity type: Cliff jumping, Sea Kayaking, Snorkeling
- Distance: 20 Nm / 38km
- Duration: 2 day
- Suggested minimum age: 12 years old
- Difficulty: Easy
- Point of special interest: Culture, Hiking, kayaking, Nature, Sea Kayaking, Snorkelling
Tour Summary
Why choose this kayak trip in Croatia? You are in Split and you have two days to spare. Let us ask you, where would you rather be? Standing in line to see those 5 things everyone get to see once in town or head into the wild, and create a memory to hold onto for many years to come, while you paddle between the islands, swim in untouched lagoons, and camp under the stars, leaving the buzzy area behind. Well, if you are still with us, let us spill some more info about this particular tour.
TOUR STYLE
This two-day kayaking adventure takes you directly to undiscovered islands of Drvenik Veli and Ploca. After a day of paddling, we will be on the lonesome beach preparing our overnight site for camping. If you prefer guest-house over camping let us know, the tour can be organised in such a way also!
The first day of paddling is generally around 15km, while the second day is about 20km long. In addition, for private groups each day can be reduced or extended per your wish, all depending on the group and guides agreement. We travel with our kayaks loaded, carrying gear and food with us. Experienced and BCU certificated Red Adventures local leaders are there for you at any time. Improve your kayaking skills and have a blast during this thirlling Sea Kayak trip in Croatia.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Camping under the stars
- Drvenik Veli old fashioned fishermen village
- Blue lagoon bay
- Vela Rina sandy beach
- Cliff jumping and snorkelling
Day 1Drvenik Mali)
Your adventure starts by meeting your guides, they are a bunch of fun guys, we are sure you will get along. After the brief introduction, they will take you to the starting point in Vinisce village. Once there you will get a detailed route introduction and briefing on the gear, kayaking technique, microclimate opportunities and safety on the sea. Nothing overly boring, but your safety is still our top priority.
After you finish with kayak fitting you are ready to start living your adventure.
Kayaking starts from a beach in the small coastal village of Vinisce located in a deep protected bay. Once out of the bay we will paddle across the channel to Drvenik Veli (Big Drvenik) island and the village of the same name. This old fisherman village unattached by tourism is still living a slow pace of life, just like you would imagine it some 100 years ago. Hidden from touristic buzz this island with only 150 people living there is a perfect first station on our kayaking journey. From here we continue to Drvenik Mali (small Drvenik) island to its north side and to the beach where we will have wild camping overnight. This small island is an important part of Trogir archipelago and it has a unique charm with its sandy beaches and a small fisherman village called Borak. Island second name is ”Tile” as it has so much flat and smooth rock surfaces that remind us of tiles.
A perfect lonesome beach isolated from any people with just a narrow path connected with civilisation will be our overnight location. If you are not much of cook, don’t worry, our guides will jump into that role as well, as you go through the dinner prep together, sharing knowledge underneath the million stars, we promise this will be a perfect ending of your well-spent day
- Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner
- Distance: 8 Nm
- Overnight: Unofficial camping
Day 2Drvenki Veli
After breakfast we will pack our gear and continue the journey towards the enchanting Vela rina beach (transl. the great sand) with stunning white sand and perfectly crystal-clear sea. A perfect place for a refreshing swim and snorkelling. Also, a great spot to get those perfect photo ops. After that, we will head back to Drvenik Veli island and visit a couple of nice little beaches where it is possible to cliff jump, snorkel or just relax on the sun.
As we reach the south side of the island, we will get to the famous “Blue Lagoon” or Krknjaši where we will stop and take a rest in amazing place of nature. Krknjaši is one of the most popular nautical bays on the Adriatic Sea with two islets enclosing the sandy bottom bay. The combination of crystal clear sea and sand gives the lagoon an amazing turquoise colure. Small head’s up, once you get home make sure you update your social media with photos from Vela Rina first, you can guess why, trust us, we’re all about planning and statistics.
We finish this two day – two island kayaking adventure with a channel cross back to Vinisce villa, the same spot we started from. Make sure you take this adventure into consideration, we can’t wait to meet you!
- Meals: breakfast, picnic lunch
- Distance: 12 Nm
The tour runs all year round, but the best weather conditions can be expected from May till October.
Departures are available on request on any day suiting you best. Below prices are applicable for groups of 4 and more:
| May | June | July | August | September | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAMPING | 369€ | 399€ | 449€ | 449€ | 399€ | 369€ |
| ROOM | 419€ | 459€ | 529€ | 529€ | 459€ | 419€ |
For smaller groups please ask for a quote.
The price includes:
• Transfer from Split/Trogir to the start point
• Accommodation depending on the selected package (camping or room)
• Picnic lunch on both days
• Dinner prepared by the guide or at a local tavern
• Breakfast on the second day
• High-quality Prijon sea kayaks with choice of a single or double kayak
• Full sea kayaking equipment including paddles, buoyancy aid, dry bags, spray deck, etc.
• Experienced & licensed kayaking guide (BCU qualified, English speaking)
• Sea kayak handling/safety briefing
• Sea kayaking technique instruction (on request)
• Photos from the tour
• Snorkeling equipment
• Storage of excess luggage at our office during the tour
• Transfer to Split/Trogir after the tour
Optional upgrades:
• Single room supplement: subject to an additional price depending on the season
• Carbon paddle: 5€ per day (30€ for the whole program)
The price does NOT include:
• Airfares & other travel expenses to arrive to meeting point in Split
• Accommodation before and after the tour
• Travel insurance that covers sea kayaking
• Tips for your guide
• Personal expenses
MEALS
Croatia and Mediterranean offer great food and we always make sure that you try local dishes, delicacies, and products having a memorable gastronomic experience.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and we make sure you have a rich one. It is prepared by our guide in a self-service arrangement at a guesthouse terrace and generally includes some of the following: eggs, cheese, ham, cereals, bread spreads, fruits, milk, yogurt, coffee, tea, etc.
Each day during the lunch breaks our guide will offer you snacks such as sandwiches, pastries, fruits or energy bars.
Dinner is prepared by your guide or organized in a local tavern. Charming terrace of our local guest house or campsite (depending on your package) will be a perfect set up for you to taste a traditionally prepared dish. You can have a glass of wine while waiting for your dish by the sea and enjoying the sunset.
Drinks are at your own cost if eating at a tavern. If our guide is preparing dinner he will provide you some drinks.
Upon your booking, we will send you a simple online questionnaire making sure that your preferences, wishes and needs are met to the maximum. Based on your feedback we will organize the most suitable meal arrangements making sure any of your dietary restrictions or needs are accommodated.
For ecological reasons, we encourage our clients to bring their own reusable water bottles that will be filled out whenever needed.
ACCOMMODATION
Your accommodation depends on the package selected:
If you prefer CAMPING accommodation, you will be provided camping package that includes a two-person tent, camping mattress and sleeping bag. The night will be spent in a camp located just by the sea enjoying a real “into the wild” experience.
In the case of ROOMS package, you will be staying in the picturesque village of Drvenik Veli. This lovely settlement hidden from beaten touristic paths provides peace and tranquility perfect for your relaxing vacation. You will be accommodated in a local guesthouse just a step away from the sea. The package includes double room occupancy, meaning two people being accommodated in a room with a two-person (double) bed. Twin beds are rarely available and should be specifically requested upon booking. Each room has its own bathroom.
Single room occupancy is available upon request and subject to additional supplement that depends on the tour season ranging between 25€ and 45€ per night. Please contact us for more details.
Sea Kayaks
We choose to use German high-quality Prijon brand kayaks for our touring expeditions because of several reasons:
– Wide range of Prijon kayaks can accommodate any type of paddles. We have models for light, medium and high weight, short and tall paddles. Kayaks can be adjusted for each person individually thanks to their comfortable touring seat-system, lightweight 3D-thigh braces and slide footrest. Therefore, you can easily find and adjust your individual seating position.
– High storage capacity enables you to take a lot of luggage and gear with you on your multiday expedition. Being such a great load carrier, our expeditions are much more hassle free.
– HTP material is perfect for Dalmatian rough coast and can tolerate some contact with sharp rocky coast, which makes our kayaking more trouble free.
– Their fast and safe shape is designed for typical wind/wave situation on Adriatic Sea, especially choppy waves during summer.
– Each kayak is equipped with rudder which can come handy for beginner’s paddler especially in windy situations. It makes tracking and turning much easier. If you don’t need it you can simply take it out of the water and paddle without it!
All kayaks in Red Adventures fleet are not older more than 3 years. We renew our gear regularly and keep them in a good shape.
Which kayak model to choose?
You have a chance to choose between single and double touring kayaks depending on your preference and experience.
We have various single kayak models available that are usually distributed based on your weight, height and previous experience. If you are experienced paddler with specific preferences, please let us know and we will do our best to meet your needs.
Double or single?
For those with lack of extensive kayaking experience or questionable physical fitness, we strongly recommend double kayak use for comfort and safety. Our double kayak Prijon Poseidon offers great performance while providing great comfort and stability. The reasons for using tandems are as follows:
Speed – Length equals speed. Therefore, the longer waterline of a tandem kayak makes it considerably faster than a solo kayak.
Stability – The extra width of a tandem kayak provides excellent stability. You’ll appreciate this most in choppy water, and when observing or photographing nature. The greater stability of tandems allows us extra freedom to travel in a greater variety of sea conditions.
Support- In case of rough weather conditions two paddlers are always stronger than one. Two paddlers make a team and always better handle rough weather situation. Also, double kayak gives a chance for one paddler to take a small break to relax, drink water or take a picture during kayaking.
Usual gear we are providing for your kayak trip:
– Paddle (TNP aluminium)
– Buoyancy aid (Aquarius MQ Pro PFD)
– Spray skirt (Prijon polyester)
– Dry bags, etc.
Carbon paddle (Prijon Stream) upgrade is available at the price of 5€ per day.
What do I need to bring with me for kayaking?
The only thing you need to take with you are swimming wear, water shoes and sun protection (lycra shirt, cap, sun glasses, sun cream). Kayaking gloves can be helpful too!
How big will the group be?
The trip generally runs with minimum of 4 people and maximum of 8. In exceptional cases the number can be up to 12 in which case second guide is provided. Bigger groups can organized in private arrangement only, with up to 20 participants.
How fit do I need to be?
The level of kayaking is moderate. Each day involves 4-5 hours of paddling so it is recommended you are in good physical condition. In case of windy weather, the difficulty level can go up and extend kayaking time. You must be able to swim.
What are the sea conditions there?
Islands Drvenik and Ploca are generally in a safe area. During the summertime, winds are generally light and easy to predict. Never the less, if some bad weather occurs a good geographical position of the Islands usually allows us to the plan or some alternative kayaking.
Is previous kayaking experience necessary?
Previous kayaking experience is recommended but not mandatory. Good physical fitness level can substitute lack of experience.
What is the closest airport?
Split airport (SPU) is just 20 km away from our base. There are bus and taxi connections to the downtown.
You can also consider alternative airports Zadar (ZAD), Dubrovnik (DBV) and even Zagreb (ZAG) from which it takes 3-5 hours to reach Split by bus. Please contact us for more details if you consider alternative airports.
Where do we meet?
Meeting point is in Split, Croatia. We recommend coming to Split one day before as we generally have a briefing at our office the day before the tour.
As this tour takes place in Trogir area, if you are accommodated near Trogir, we can set up a meeting point in Town of Trogir on the day of the tour start.
Single or double kayak?
We strongly recommend double kayaks for beginners for speed, stability, comfort and safety. Please see Equipment info for more details on this. Feel free to consult our team for recommendations.
What should I pack?
We recommend bringing your swimsuit, long sleeve Lycra shirt, water shoes, towel, plenty of sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunblock). A book is recommended for your time off. Recommended clothes depends on the season, however we recommend taking a long sleeve even during the summer in case of chilly night. Bring your running/hiking shoes too. Please bring your own re-usable water bottle for water refill.
We will provide you suggested packing list to help you. Keep in mind to pack light due to limited space in the kayak.
What is the weather like?
The Mediterranean climate here provides a lot of sun and pleasant temperatures. From May to October the air temperature ranges from 20 to 32 degrees Celsius, while during July and August it often exceeds that number. Sea temperature usually exceeds 20 degrees in early June and reaches 26 degrees in July. During this period it is mostly sunny and it rarely rains.
| Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air (°C) | 15-25 | 20-30 | 23-33 | 25-35 | 25-35 | 23-30 | 15-25 |
| Sea (°C) | 17 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 20 |
| Rainy Days | 8 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
What about payments there?
Kuna is official currency in Croatia. During the tour we recommend having some cash with you. ATMs are rearly available on the islands.
Can my special dietary restrictions be accommodated?
Absolutely, upon reservation you will receive questionnaire through which we receive your dietary restrictions and preferences.
What about water?
Tap water is absolutely fine to drink here. During the kayaking, our guide will have water for re-fill. We encourage you to bring your re-usable water bottle for environmental reasons.
Any other questions?
Feel free to contact our team for any further questions