Dubrovnik Kayaking Short Break

A Short Break based out of Dubrovnik, kayaking around the Elaphite Islands of Lopud and Kolocep. Staying in a local guesthouse, you'll have a chance to sample the very best in local cuisine, as well as explore an untouched and stunning coastline, complete with caves you can only swim into and clear seas perfect for snorkelling.

Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is based in Southern Croatia. For years it was a prosperous independent principality, relying on sea trade as its main income. Nowadays, the city's riches are mainly driven by tourism, with both independent and cruise ship tourists visiting in their droves every year. The walled city is an intriguing place to visit, but the islands and coastline offer a welcome respite from the madding crowds, with laid-back hospitality and stunning coastlines within easy reach.

The Elaphite islands of Kolocep and Lopud lie about an hour's ferry journey from Dubrovnik. Kolocep, the closer of the two islands is also the larger. The middle of the island is covered with cherry, walnut, fig and almond trees which offer welcome shade when exploring by foot. Numerous chapels and picturesque houses dot the landscape in the middle of the island, while closer to the shore, pine trees dominate the cliffs and the sound of chirping cicadas fills the air.

Lopud is smaller than Kolocep and despite their proximity to eachother, is very different. The island itself is dominated by a large hill which is home to a crumbling fortress, offering fantastic panoramic views of the coast and islands. The island also hosts one of the few sandy beaches in the region, making it a popular destination for day trippers. The coast around both islands is rocky, dotted with interesting inlets and caves to explore.

For this short break, you are based for the duration on the island of Lopud. After an initial afternoon in Dubrovnik where you leave your bags after your flight and explore at leisure, you transfer in the evening to Lopud by ferry. The following morning, after a leisurely breakfast and meeting your group, you head out for a safety briefing and introduction to kayaking. Once you are all confident in the water, you kayak leisurely around half of the island to the beach on the other side, where you spend the afternoon relaxing and swimming. The next day, you kayak over to the island of Kolocep, which you circumnavigate, stopping enroute to sample some of the very best of the locally caught fish. Your next day, your final day of kayaking, is spent kayaking to the mainland to visit an old summer house and botanical gardens. That evening, you have the chance to go for a very special meal at a small holding on the island. The following day is departure day. You can either return to the mainland and spend some more time exploring Dubrovnik, or you can catch a ferry to Split, further up the coast.

This short break is ideal for those visiting the Dubrovnik area and wanting to experience some of what the islands have to offer. This trip is ideally combined with a couple of nights staying in Dubrovnik itself, or with a trip up to Split, which is easily accessible by boat or car.

This trip is as much about experiencing the food and way of life on the islands as much as as the kayaking. Accommodation and restaurants have been chosen for their authenticity and local ownership, so don't expect 5* ratings. That said, the warmth and friendliness of your hosts will easily compensate for the lack of a marble bathroom.

The suggested minimum age for this trip is 16. If you have younger children, you might want to consider the family kayaking holiday.

This is a group holiday. The minimum group size for this trip is 4 and the max is 20. The guide to kayakers ratio is 1/8

You don't need to have previous experience of kayaking for this holiday. Your guides will give you a full briefing before you head off on your first full day. A reasonable level of fitness is, however, recommended. On each of the days, there is the possibility to be more / less active. Additional paddling can be added for those wanting more of a challenge, likewise you can opt out of some of the longer trips if you want.