Hiking tours

 

 

This being a mountain park, nearly all of the proposed tours include a visit to at least one of the mountain peaks, either located in the National Park or the neighbouring Velebit Nature Park. All peaks provide spectacular vantage points, with those located in the western regions of the Park offering stunning views of both the Kvarner Riviera with the islands and some of the inland regions, and those lying further east providing better views of the inland regions with Lika. On sunny days, the peaks offer views of distant mountains: Učka, Klek in Gorski Kotar, and even the highest Velebit peak - Vaganski Vrh (1757 m) which is located in the Paklenica National Park.

 

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Before setting out on your hike, we strongly recommend that you read again our advice.

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Point of departure: mountain hut Zavižan

 

Up to two hours

 

Tour of Zavižan peaks

A ten-minute ascent from the mountain Hut Zavižan will take you to the Vučjak peak (1644 m). Simple to reach is also Velika (Zavižanska) Kosa (1620 m). From Velika (Zavižanska) Kosa, a somewhat steeper path will take you down to the Velebit Botanical Garden. Here you can take the circular trail to explore the Garden and then go back to the mountain hut by road or mountain path. This hike takes a little less than two hours to complete. A more difficult and longer option is the ascent from Velika (Zavižanska) Kosa to the Balinovac peak at 1622 m (at one point you will need to hold on to a peg wedged into the rock!), and then back from Balinovac down a scree to the Velebit Botanical Garden circular trail.

 

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Up to two hours

 

Veliki Zavižan

There are two paths leading to Veliki Zavižan (1676 m), the highest peak in the Northern Velebit National Park. The easier of the two paths starts at the entrance to the Velebit Botanical Garden and runs alternately through forest and grasslands, with its final stretch passing through Krumholtz (dwarfed) mugho pines grove. The other path, which starts in the Velebit Botanical Garden, is very steep and is best used for the descent from the peak. The peak is rocky and barren and offers a beautiful view.

 

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Up to four hours

 

Pivčevac

From the Zavižan mountain hut you can take a mountain path to the Veliki Pivčevac peak (1676 m). The peak, whose name derives from the local name for capercaillie („pivac“), affords magnificent panoramic views of the entire north Velebit, Krasnarska Jezera grasslands, Hajdučki and Rožanski kukovi and Mali Rajinac peak. The descent on a steep path ends on the Zavižan – Veliki Lom dirt road that will take you back to the mountain hut. In the immediate vicinity of the junction of the mountain trail with the road is Vukušić Snižnica, a small pit (1470-1450 m) located between rocks such that the sun never reaches it, which is why it retains snow into summer months. In the past, it was an important source of water and ice for the Vukušić family that gave the pit its name.

 

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A day hike

 

Mali Rajinac – Rossi's shelter

If you wish to spend a day’s hike on a loop tour, you can start off at the Zavižan mountain hut by taking the mountain trail that leads up to the highest peak of north Velebit – Mali Rajinac (1699 m) which lies in the Velebit Nature Park. From there, once having descended to the Zavižan – Veliki Lom road, you are to continue via Škrbine Drage and climb up to Rossi's shelter, and then follow the familiar Premužić Trail back to the Zavižan mountain hut, enjoying the scenic beauty of the surrounding crags.

 

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Point of departure: mountain hut Alan

 

Up to two hours

 

Buljma

From the mountain hut Alan, a ridge trail will take you to Buljma. From the peak, located at 1451 m, a path descends to the south section of the Premužić Trail. You can then follow the road back to the mountain hut. This short hike has no steep parts and provides a splendid view of the sea and the Mirovo valley. It takes about 1.5 hours to complete.

 

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Up to two hours

 

Alančić

From the mountain hut Alan, the Alančić summit (1612 m) is about an hour’s hike on the Premužić Trail towards the south. This grassy peak affords a spectacular view of a large portion of the north and central Velebit as well as the Adriatic Sea.

 

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Up to four hours

 

Zečjak

The ascent to Zečjak (1622 m) is about a 2 hours hike in one direction. The tour starts off at the mountain hut Alan on the road to Štirovača and further on along the Premužić Trail towards the south and then on an ascending path to Zečjak. To descend the summit, you can take the same path or via the Kita peak descend to the road near the Veliki Alan pass. Zečjak is the second highest peak in the central Velebit, second only to Šatorina.

 

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Up to four hours

 

Veliki Golić – Goljak

To reach Goljak (1605 m), on the road to Štirovača take a turn down the road for Veliki Lubenovac. After a short distance you will reach a mountain trail that leads to Veliki Golić and Goljak. Goljak offers splendid views of Veliki Kozjak, Kita, Bilenski Padež and other close or distant peaks. This circular trail is very attractive as it mostly runs through grassy areas and is not too demanding as there are no difficult ascents.

 

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A day hike

 

Veliki Lubenovac

To walk to Veliki Lubenovac, a beautiful grassland area with the remains of summer settlements, take the Premužić Trail at Alan heading north then turn right at the junction to Krajačev Kuk and start descending the mountain path. To return to Alan, follow the mountain path and then continue on a dirt (macadam) road leading along Tudorevo grassland. For those looking for a more challenging climb, we recommend an ascent to Veliki Kozjak that can be accessed by a mountain path from Veliki Lubenovac. This climb, leading to one of the most beautiful peaks in this part of Velebit, will take about two hours to complete. The peak commands a marvellous view of Veliki Lubenovac, Goljak, Hajdučki and Rožanski kukovi in the north all the way to Vučjak and the mountain hut Zavižan.

 

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Point of departure: Premužić Trail

 

A day hike

If you decide to take a hike on the Premužić Trail, we can recommend a number of options depending on your level of fitness and transport possibilities. For a day hike, we propose a visit to Rossi's shelter that can be reached either from the north (Zavižan) or the south (Alan) in two or three hours respectively. To return to your point of departure, you can take the same route or, if you are up to some mountaineering, you can descend via Fabin Dolac towards Lubenovačka Vrata. To return to Zavižan, you should take the route via Škrbine Drage, and to return to Alan the route via Lubenovac and Tudorevo. The route back is longer and will take 4 or 5 hours. Providing you can arrange for the transport of your car, we recommend to walk the entire stretch of the Premužić Trail between the two mountain huts, which will take 5-6 hours.

 

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