Europe > Croatia

Adventures in Istria

A unique horseback adventure along the coast of Croatia, in Istria. This six-day trip offers excellent riding in an area where nature remains unspoilt and untamed. You will explore a variety of beautiful Croatian landscapes, from lush forests to white shingle beaches, hidden coves olive groves. Explore this little piece of Eden on beautiful horses with knowledgeable guides, staying in comfortable authentic accommodation along the way. This is the perfect riding holiday for competent riders interested in the rich local culture and excellent Istrian gastronomy.
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Trail Riding
8 days/ 6 days riding
From £800

Itinerary

Highlights

- A relaxed itinerary from the sea to the hinterland
- Ride across traditional villages and learn about their history
- Discover the Croatian culture and history with knowledgeable and passionate guides.
- Try out the Croatian cuisine, with homemade hearty meals throughout your riding trail.

  • Day 1 1: EUROPE - PULA - MEDULIN - No riding

    Arrival at Pula Airport. Flights are not included but can be booked on request. You will be met on arrival and transferred to your first hotel, located directly on the Adriatic coast. Just before dinner, you will meet the person in charge of logistics who will brief you on the programme for the week ahead.

  • Day 2 2: MEDULIN - ADRIATIC COAST - VALTURA - 3 hours riding

    Agroturizam Marina Valtura
    After breakfast, you will be transferred to the ranch, where you will meet your guide Sandra and the horses. Sandra will make sure to assign you a horse that matches your riding ability before you start your riding adventure.
    You start off from the ranch, riding through lovely forest tracks and lush meadows. You head towards the sea, riding along the beach with stunning views of the Adriatic. Everywhere, the countryside remains extraordinarily intact. Arriving to a quiet bay, both riders and horses get some rest and a well-deserved picnic right next to the sea.
    After lunch, the trail takes you to the traditional Istrian village of Valtura, known for its rich cultural and historical heritage. Sandra will be pleased to share her knowledge of this region with you. You will stay at a local family farm - with a fantastic opportunity to try out the Istrian specialties and desserts!

  • Day 3 3: VALTURA - NEZAKCIJ - MANJADVORCI - 3h30 hours riding

    Irena Cottage
    This morning, you will explore the ancient town of Nezakcij on horseback. Its architecture dates back to the Bronze age. Back then, it was a political and religious centre and the capital of the tribal federation of Histrians. A decisive battle took place here in 177. B.C. between the Romans and the Histrians, after which Nezakcij became a roman military outpost.

    You will head to some cool forest tracks before riding through vineyards and olive plantations. On the way to your next destination, Manjadvorci, there should be excellent opportunities for a canter. This is one of those places where you will simultaneously feel the closeness of the sea and the magic of continental Istria. Take a minute to relax and enjoy the peacefulness of your equestrian escape.

    After settling in your guesthouse, those who want will be taken to Pula, Istria's largest city, for some sightseeing (optional - if there is time). Pula teems with antique beauties, such as its Roman amphitheatre. Heading back to the cottage, your hosts will prepare a delicious meal accompanied by some Malvasia wine. Good company, good food and good wine make for a very pleasant evening in Istria.

  • Day 4 4 : MANJADVORCI - RASA BAY - GOLOGORICKI DOL - 6 hrs 30 riding

    Agroturizam Dol
    After breakfast, get ready for a long day in the saddle. You head out looking for one of the best viewpoints of the region with sensational views over Rasa Bay, where the river Rasa flows into the Adriatic. Together with the lime background, this gives the unique turquoise blue colour of the sea. After a short break, your trail takes you back to the valley, where you will ride along the river's bank until you reach the perfect picnic spot.

    After your meal, you will ride along the river valley, surrounded by some impressive canyons before you arrive in the mountainous area of Istria. In the valley, among the beautiful hills of Istria, you will find Gologorički dol, a place of authentic Istrian agronomic tourism, where the hosts grow their own fresh products for the dishes they offer. Make sure to save some space for dessert: the delicious “fritula”, the sweet-smelling “cukerancic” , and a special little beverage named “pasareta”.

    Overnight at the Agriturismo.

  • Day 5 5: GOLOGORICKI DOL - BERMA - SV PETAR U SUM - 5 hrs 30 riding

    Agroturizam Dol
    After breakfast, you set off on horseback to explore the estate. A clear spring flows through it, creating a natural waterfall with water descending into a clear pond. Animal lovers will be delighted to see geese and ducks enjoying the clear waters!
    Your ride takes you uphill, offering thrilling views over the neighbouring hills and villages. Riding along the hill you reach Berma, a place known for its chapel with rich medieval frescoes and St. Martin's church. Dine in a local tavern, then ride to Sv. Petar u Šumi, your home for the night. At the end of the day, those who wish can also visit the impressive St. Peter and Paul Church, dating all the way back to 1755.

  • Day 6 6: SV PETAR U SUMI - KAZUN HOUSE - STANCIJ - 5 hrs 30 riding

    House Bozac
    You are now riding across the central part of Istria, where you should start noticing typical little Istrian houses, called “Kazun”. They are round-shaped, built with dry-stone walls using local stones, without any binding material or windows. These houses were initially built as tool sheds and shelters for shepherds during storms.

    Take a short break at the restored Istrian “stancij” (resting spot). Riding along the hundred-year-old olive gardens, you will reach another traditional farm where you will be able to taste sheep cheese and home-made cottage cheese before settling in for the night.

  • Day 7 7: STANCIJ - MEDULIN - 4 hours riding

    After a hearty breakfast, it's time to tack up the horses one last time. You head back to the ranch in Medulin, galloping through the green meadows and protected forest of the Park. It is as beautiful in the spring, when the ground is covered with cyclamen, as in the autumn, when various mushroom caps stick out of the carpet of fallen leaves. Revel in their natural habitat, but do not pick anything! All the flora and fauna in this forest is protected - the only things you are allowed to bring back home are the fond memories of these natural beauties.

    Upon arrival at the ranch and unsaddling, have a late lunch before returning to the hotel for dinner and your last night in Istria.

  • Day 8 8: PULA - EUROPE - No riding

    After breakfast, you are transferred to the airport on time for your flight. This transfer is payable locally - see dates and prices.

Dates & prices

Price details

- Flights to your destination (international/domestic) are not included, but can be booked on request - please contact us for rates.     

- Rates are per person, based on two riders sharing a double or twin room. 

- Groups are composed of a minimum of 4 international riders and a maximum of 10 riders, plus guides. 

- Transfers from Pula airport are not included - €20/c. £18 return.

- There is a single supplement of €100/c.£85 if you end up in a single room. This is refunded if we find a sharer for you.

- Accompanied riders under 18 yo are welcome on the ride.

- There is a maximum rider weight of 90kg/ 14st/ 198 lbs.
Please Note
The itinerary may be modified at anytime for security reasons, meteorological or events beyond our control such as blocked roads, rivers in flood, drought, strikes and local holidays. Equus Journeys, our local partners and their local guides will always strive to find the best solution and will alter the itinerary as needed.
The names of the hotels and accommodation are given for information only and depending on availability, they may be modified without notice and replaced by another of a similar standard.

Price includes

Support Team

1 English-speaking horse guide

Logistics

1 horse equipped with saddle and bridle
1 support vehicle

Accommodation

Double room in local guesthouses, agriturismo or hotel.

Meals

Full board from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on the final day
Water, soft drinks and wine at dinner

Additional equipment

First aid kit

Price doesn't include

Meals

Other beverages and personal extras

Transport

Return airport transfers

Extra

Tips to local team

Extras

Park, museum and other site entry fees

Insurance

Cancellation and travel insurance are not included in the above listed price. Please note that insurance is mandatory. We recommend taking out an insurance policy as soon as your trip is booked to cover you in case of cancellation

Optional

Accommodation

Single room supplement

Extras

Visit of Pula on day 3 with the other riders

  • September - October 2020

    Departure Return Price without flights Price including flights Status
    26/09/2020 03/10/2020 £800 Open Book now

Equestrian info

Horses

A lovely herd of 13 horses, all well behaved and well looked after - appaloosas, German horses, Croatian TB and Croatian draught horses, used to English and Western riding. They are quiet and easy to handle, used to the great outdoors.

Minimum riding ability

Minimum riding ability

You should be a capable rider and comfortable at all three paces in open spaces, with good control of you horse in an outside environment.


There is a maximum rider weight of 90kg/ 14st/ 198 lbs.

Pace

Most of the trail is at a walk, with trots and controlled canters when the terrain allows, mainly across open fields.

Tacking ability and participation

You are expected to assist with grooming, tacking and untacking your horse each day. You may also help with feeding and watering if you wish.

Trip conditions and Requested experience

Some sections of this ride are both narrow and steep so you need to have a well-balanced seat. The riding hours can be longer than anticipated so please be ready for long hours in the saddle.

Previous experience of riding trails over several days is an advantage but not required.

Equestrian equipment

English or Western tack.
Saddlebags are not provided - you are welcome to bring your own.

We recommend our riders to wear a helmet to the correct standard and you should bring your own to ensure a proper fit

Travel info

Comfort

2 nights at the hotel on the Adriatic Coast (single, twin or double bedrooms, ensuite). Wifi, AC, TV.
5 nights in lovely guesthouses or agriturismo in simple single or double bedrooms. Bathrooms may shared. On day 2 and 6, you will have access to a pool.

Meals

Continental breakfast - coffee, juice, eggs, bread, fruit, diary products.
Lunch: picnic (bread, cheese, meat, fruit). Water.
Dinner: traditional meals, homemade and hearty. Mineral water, sparkling water, soda, and wine in reasonable quantities is included at dinner.

Climate

In central Croatia the climate is very mild in spring, ideal for trail riding, with plenty of flowers dotting the landscape. The summers can be hot with temperatures climbing to 25 - 30c.
Along the coast the climate is Mediterranean with mild winters and hot, dry summers (temperatures around 30c).

Guide and local team

Sandra is an experienced rider with a background in showjumping and dressage. She has been leading trail rides for over 10 years, she speaks perfect German and has a good level of English. Riders always appreciate her warm bubbly personality, and her great sense of service.

Tips

Tipping is not common in Croatia, but you may tip in restaurants and cafes if you feel the service is particularly good.

Packing list

Head
- We recommend that you bring your own helmet to ensure a correct fit. There are many lightweight options available nowadays.
- Sunglasses - with a cord attached so they don't fly off when riding
- Buff or bandana

Upper body
- Long sleeved shirts provide protection from the sun and are an extra layer
- T-shirts
- Lightweight fleece or jumper
- Warm fleece or jumper (and a spare in case one gets wet)
- Warm and waterproof jacket - it can rain at any time of year and the evenings can be particularly cold

Legs
- 2 Lightweight, comfortable riding trousers or jodhpurs - we recommend riding in them at home before taking them on holiday to ensure they don't rub
- Casual trousers for the evenings, such as jeans or tracksuit bottoms
- Bathing suit and towel

Hands and Feet
- Comfortable riding boots. We recommend short boots with half chaps but you may wish to take long chaps as an extra layer against inclement weather. We don't recommend taking your favourite long leather boots in case they get damaged
- Waterproof shoes/boots can be useful for abundant dew in the mornings or when it rains
- Trainers or equivalent light shoes for the evenings
- Several pairs of socks
- Gloves - your hands are particularly exposed to the sun, cold or rain whilst riding. Waterproof gloves can be particularly useful

Our Recommendations
- Please don't take a hard sided suitcase. Your luggage should be soft sided with a capacity of 60-80 litres. We recommend taking a backpack or similar.
- Backpacks cannot be worn whilst riding. We recommend a small bumbag or a coat with pockets so that you can carry small items with you during the day (passport, camera, sunscreen, lipbalm etc)
- We recommend travelling in your riding boots and carrying your hat and some riding clothes in your hand luggage - then if your luggage goes astray you are still able to ride!

Other useful items
- Camera and high capacity memory card. Spare battery
- Bumbag for carrying your camera and small items whilst riding
- Headtorch or small torch for moving around camp at night - bring spare batteries and bulbs
- Water bottle (2 litres or 2 x 1 litre)
- Swiss army knife (or equivalent)
- Small plastic bags for rubbish
- Ear plugs (for light sleepers)

In your hold luggage
- take any liquids, such as shampoo, moisturiser, deodorant unless they are less than 100ml and all bottles can fit in a small, clear, plastic ziplock bag. We recommend biodegradable washing products where possible.

In your hand luggage
- Any valuables, such as your camera, ipod, ipad etc.

Medical kit
- Any medication you regularly take
- Sunscreen and lip balm - should be high factor
- Insect repellent, preferably containing deet
- Blister plasters in case of any rubs
- Antiseptic cream, plasters, aspirin, anti-histamine, insect-bite salve etc...
- Spare prescription glasses/contact lenses
- Eye drops
- Imodium or similar anti-diarrhoea medication
- Antiseptic wipes
- Handwash gel

Miscellaneous
- We recommend taking a copy of your passport and insurance documents with you in case you lose your originals

Visa & Health

Formalities

British citizens: other nationalities, please contact us.

Passport validity
Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you don’t need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this.

Visas
If you hold a British Citizen passport, you don’t need a visa to enter Croatia.

The rules on travel will stay the same until 31 December 2020.
Please visit for the FCO website for up-to-date information - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/croatia/entry-requirements

Addresses of consulates

  • Ambassade de Croatie
    7, square Thiers
    75 116 Paris
    Tél. : 01 53 70 02 80
    Fax :
    vrh.pariz@mvpei.hr
  • Ambassade de France en Croatie
    Hebrangova 2
    Zagreb
    Tél. : +385 1 48 93600
    Fax : +385 1 48 93660
  • Ambassade de Croatie
    Avenue Louise 425
    1050 Bruxelles
    Tél. : +32 (0) 2 639 20 36
    Fax : +32 (0) 2 644 69 32

Health

If you’re visiting Croatia you should get a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC isn’t a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but it entitles you to state provided medical treatment that may become necessary during your trip. Any treatment provided is on the same terms as Croatian nationals. If you don’t have your EHIC with you or you’ve lost it, you can call the Department of Health Overseas Healthcare Team (+44 191 218 1999) to get a Provisional Replacement Certificate. The EHIC won’t cover medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment or non-urgent treatment, so you should make sure you have adequate travel insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment and repatriation.

If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 112 and ask for an ambulance. You should contact your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if you are referred to a medical facility for treatment.

Source and more information: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/croatia/health

Insurance

It is a condition of your booking with Equus Journeys that you have travel insurance which covers you for the riding activities to be undertaken. Your travel insurance should cover you for medical expenses and repatriation. Your guides will require your travel insurance details before they allow you to ride and may refuse to let you ride if you cannot provide them. You should take your insurance documents with you.

Voltage

In Croatia the standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. You will need an adapter.

Budget and money

The currency of Croatia is the Croatian Kuna. Major credit and debit cards are accepted in most banks and hotels. Sterling, US Dollars and Euros are easily exchanged for local currency.

Telephone and jetlag

Country code: +385