HOLIDAY CODE IST Sea views, medieval towns, charming walks and tasty dishes on this walking holiday through Istria - the Tuscany of Croatia. Walk to Lovran on the coast and visit the hilltop gems of Grožnjan and Motovun Rolling vineyards, the Mistletoe Way and Hum, the smallest town in the world See the superb Dance of Death frescos and sample mouthwatering local cuisine Enjoy the Istrian Mountain Path, the ancient Parenzana Trail and Učka Nature Park Croatia, Trek & Walk, 8 Days 2 nights hotel, 5 nights guesthouse, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners, max group size: 14, 6 days walking and sightseeing VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE
PAGE 2 Introduction Croatia s charming Istrian peninsula is dotted with Venetian towns, medieval villages, sparkling azure seas, rolling hills, lush vineyards, and rich olive groves alongside sweeping views of the Adriatic Coast. With its traditional wines, world famous truffles, fragrant olive oils and tasty cuisine, Istria is a wonderful region for a walking holiday teamed with delicious local dishes. Starting in the pretty area of Buje we ll walk through the heart of Istria on a hiking journey which takes us towards the coast. Lovely trails will take us through chestnut forests and vineyards up to Hum, the smallest town in the world and across to the hill-top villages of Motovun and Grožnjan. With their cobbled streets, old stone houses, hidden galleries and luxury truffles, these medieval gems offer the opportunity to experience a timeless side of Istria. We ll walk along a section of the Parenzana, a wonderful trail that was once a historical rail link between Italy and Croatia. We'll explore Ucka National Park with its rich flora and fauna and visit some of Croatia's most famous medieval frescos before ending our walking and culinary journey on the coast. During each day there will be time to relax with an ice cream, a chilled glass of Malvazija or the delicious honey brandy. Lunches will be picnic style whilst in the evening we ll get to taste a lovely variety of traditional Istrian dishes. If you re looking for a walking holiday through Croatia s prettiest peninsula with easy walks, tasty food and wonderful coastal views, then this is the perfect choice. Explore International. This holiday is part of our Explore International range. Participants on these trips can book through KE or through one of our international partners. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of like-minded adventurers to get your holiday up and running quickly. Led by an English-speaking guide, the cosmopolitan nature of these groups can be an important part of the experience! Is this holiday for you? This holiday is designed for you to enjoy the best of Istria with a variety of walks each day ranging from 3 to 5 hours and some time to explore the lovely places along the way. We'll good tracks and trails plus sections of public footpaths. Istria is famous for its rolling hills and hill-top towns, therefore each day has a reasonable amount of ascent and descent. During the walks there will be time for sightseeing and exploring the towns and villages along the way. As you ll only need to carry a small day pack, this holiday is suitable for regular weekend hikers looking for a walking holiday in a wonderful area of Croatia alongside tasting the excellent food of the region. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at group hotel in Buje. A single timed transfer from Pula Airport is included. There will be a single timed group transfer from Pula Airport to the group hotel in the area of Buje. This pretty region is known for its fertile soil, vineyards and olive groves and depending on our arrival time we may be able to enjoy a stroll before dinner. We'll be staying here for two nights and during dinner the guide will brief us on the week ahead. GUESTHOUSE MEALS D Day 2: Walk from the hidden gem of Brtonigla to the quaint town of Buje. We start today with a brief transfer (10mins) to Brtonigla, a small Istrain village almost hidden from view and home to an interesting church and quaint architecture. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves we'll follow trails which
PAGE 3 take us through meadows and woods to the hilltop town of Buje. Located at 220m, Buje was known as the Guard of Istria and is a great place to see the traditional landscape of Istria including terraced fields. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, Buje has a rich history and its bell tower dominates the countryside. After wandering round the little centre we'll finish today's walk near the Parenzana, the old railway track that was a lifeline for the rural communities of Istria. In the afternoon we return to our hotel in Buje. GUESTHOUSE DESCENT 270M ASCENT 300M TIME 3-4 HRS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 13KM MEALS BLD Day 3: Visit the charming village of Grožnjan and hike the Parenzana heritage line. Today we leave the area of Buje and transfer (10mins) to the pretty town of Grožnjan located on the Parenzana heritage line. Perched on a hill and surrounded by lush scenery, Grožnjan is beautiful due to its abundance of sandstone houses, art galleries, castle, colourful doors and pretty courtyards. After exploring the town we join the Parenzana for today's walk. Once a narrow gauge Austrian railway connecting Trieste in Italy with Porec in Croatia, the Parenzana meanders for 123 kilometres linking the small towns of Istria. In use from 1902 until 1935, the unused track is perfect for cycling and walking through the rolling hills. We'll pass through several tunnels, hike over old bridges and enjoy the view. Next we reach Livade, one of the most famous truffle centres of the world. Spread out over the hillside we finish our walk at Livade and we'll have time to visit the small shops that sell Istria's wonderful truffle oil. On the neighbouring hill sits the charming town of Motovun and our base for the next two nights. Over the next two nights we'll head out and sample a couple of the local restaurants. *Food for thought - Scrambled eggs may sound simple but in Istria they are lovingly cooked with truffles, wild asparagus or wild mushrooms and are absolutely delicious. Cevapici are seasoned minced meat sausages which are extremely popular across Croatia and across the whole of Former Yugoslavia. Often grilled or pan fried they come served with raw onions and ajvar - a fiery red paste of peppers, chilli, aubergines and garlic. GUESTHOUSE DESCENT 515M ASCENT 250M TIME 5-6 HRS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 21KM MEALS BL Day 4: Hike from Pazin to the Dance of Death medieval frescoes in Beram. This morning after breakfast we transfer (30mins) Pazin and the start of our walk. Known as the Heart of Istria, Pazin is the region's capital and home to a wonderful medieval castle. Today's walk takes us initially past the castle and over the Pazin cave bridge before we ascend Gortan hill. As we make our way back to Pazin we'll wander through traditional hamlets and visit the wonderful St Mary's church in the hamlet of Beram. This unspoilt hill-top village is home to moss covered stone walls and some of the most famous medieval frescos in Croatia. The amazing Dance of Death scene is a fascinating work of art about the bubonic plague and is meant to educate that everyone is equal in death as they walk towards an open grave. Skeletons blow trumpets accompanied by a king, queen, a bishop and a beggar in a richly decorated procession led by the pope. From Beram we'll make our way back to Pazin before driving (30mins) back to Motovun. Tonight we'll head out for dinner to another one of the local restaurants. *Food for thought - Istrian pasta is freshly made and traditionally either fuzi (quill shaped) or pljukanci (thin and hand rolled) and served with a range of sauces. Why not try blitva - Swiss chard and potatoes? You'll find blitva on almost every restaurant menu and it's delicious. Described as a comforting side dish and cooked with a generous amount of olive oil and garlic, it goes really well with grilled fish and shouldn't be missed.
PAGE 4 GUESTHOUSE ASCENT 420M DISTANCE 13KM MEALS BL DESCENT 420M TIME 4 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 5: Walk the The Istrian Mountain Trail to Buzet in the land of the truffle. Today's walk begins in the picturesque little town of Oprtalj and the official start of the Istrian Mountain Trail. Initially we head through rich forest which leads us to the pretty villages of St. John and St Lucija. St Lucija has a beautiful church and along the way we'll be rewarded with wonderful views over the Mirna Valley, which is home to the atmospheric castle of Pietrapelosa. Hidden in lush vegetation, this 10th Century ruined fortress is a great place to explore and has a fantastic location. We'll walk through Mali Mlun and pass a host of traditional villages and an aqueduct. Towards the end of the walk we hike through lush forest and traditional fields to reach Buzet and our hotel for the next two nights. Buzet was first settled by the Romans but achieved real prominence under the Venetians, who built great walls, gates and churches. With its cobbled streets, Buzet is a lovely place to stay. GUESTHOUSE DESCENT 860M ASCENT 620M TIME 5 HRS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 18KM MEALS BLD Day 6: Walk to Hum, the smallest town in the world passing springs and watermills. This morning's walk starts by a river which meanders through forest before passing waterfalls and lakes. Next we reach Korita, which is home to natural springs and an old watermill. Our trail follows a river and takes us through a wonderful abandoned village where we'll be able to see some examples of traditional Istrian stone houses. From here we'll be able to see Hum and its church tower in the distance. On reaching Hum there will be time to explore the smallest town in the world before enjoying lunch in an Istrian Konoba. These small local restaurants specialise in simple but typical Istrian dishes and are popular with locals. After lunch we pick up a lovely trail called the Way of Mistletoe which leads us back to Buzet for a second night. HOTEL DESCENT 180M ASCENT 420M TIME 4-5 HRS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 14KM MEALS BLD Day 7: Walk through oak and chestnut forests to the Lovran on the Adriatic Coast. For our final day of walking we start with a brief transfer to Poklon which is nestled between hills and trails to the top of Ucka (1401m), the highest mountain. Our mountain trail takes us from the mountain of Ucka all the way to Lovran on the beautiful Adriatic Coast. We'll be surrounded by rich oak and chestnut forests and will have fantastic views over the bay of Kvarner and its coastal towns. Behind us sits the mountains of Obruc, Snjeznik and Risnjak whilst the complete Istrian peninsula lies in front of us. If we are lucky we'll be able to see as far as Venice and the Slovenian Alps. Today is a wonderful grand finale to the week as we reach the coast and get to enjoy our last night on the wonderful Istrian coast. HOTEL DESCENT 1300M ASCENT 450M TIME 4-5 HOURS HOURS DISTANCE 11KM MEALS BLD
PAGE 5 Day 8: Departure Day. A single timed airport transfer to Pula airport is provided. After breakfast there will be a single timed group transfer to Pula airport. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included English-speaking local guide A single timed airport transfer on Day 1 and 8 All accommodation as described Meals as detailed in the Meal Plan All land transport required by the itinerary What's Not Included Travel insurance Visas Airport transfers other than group transfers Some meals as detailed in the meal plan Tips for local staff Miscellaneous personal expenses (drinks etc) Meal Plan All breakfasts, 6 lunches and 5 dinners are included. Food Croatia has a fantastic variety of food due to the rich influence of the Mediterranean and Central Europe, which means that there is something for everyone s tastes. Breakfasts are continental in style with bread, cheese, meats, jams, tea and coffee etc. Due to its close proximity to Italy there is usually pizza and pasta on a menu which are always simple, reasonably priced and excellent. Whilst on the coast fresh seafood is extremely popular and should be sampled. Croatians love their fresh vegetables and side salads with dinner, alongside turkey, pork, chicken or fish. Cevapcici are very thin sausages, or kebabs, made from minced meat and a popular local dish. There will always be a choice for vegetarians too with risottos, gnocchi and pastas on most menus plus an abundance of salads, vegetables and dairy produce. Alongside the excellent food, Croatian wine is fantastic and very reasonably priced. Good quality wines are available by the glass and Croatians prefer to buy wine by the glass, half litre or litre. After dinner digestifs are extremely popular in Croatia and worth a try, ranging from the warming and delicious honey, walnut and blackberry brandies to the fiery pear, herb and plum schnapps! Joining Arrangements & Transfers A single timed group transfer is provided on day 1 of the trip itinerary from Pula Airport to the group hotel. This transfer will depart from Pula Airport approximately midday after the arrival of the Ryanair flight from Stansted
PAGE 6 and Jet2 flights from Manchester, Leeds and Stansted. If you are arriving earlier than this, there are cafes and restaurants at the airport plus an ATM until the transfer departs. On day 8 there will be a single timed transfer which will arrive at Pula Airport before 08.30am. Hotel contact details together with an emergency telephone number will be provided with your booking confirmation. Accommodation Accommodation on this holiday is in a variety of traditional guesthouses and hotels on an en-suite basis. Rooms are based on twin sharing and if you are travelling by yourself, you will be paired up with another single client of the same sex. Please note that the accommodation used on this holiday is smaller and more traditional than the large hotels usually associated with Croatia and its coast. Single rooms can be arranged for a supplementary charge and are dependent on availability at the time of booking. Single rooms are available for a supplementary cost. Group Leader & Support Staff The group will be accompanied throughout by a professional English-speaking local leader. Spending Money 250-300 should be sufficient to cover all non-included meals and reasonable personal expenses such as wine or beer with dinner. ATM s are available on arrival at Pula airport and in some of the towns along the way. The local currency in Croatia is the kuna, which can be obtained from exchange offices, banks and ATMs. The leader on arrival will offer advice on obtaining local currency but we recommend withdrawing some kuna on arrival at the airport. Free KE Gift We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for 24.95. Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and
PAGE 7 visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Visa Europe UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations. UK residents should obtain a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is still vital when travelling overseas. Currency The unit of currency in Croatia is the Kuna. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/ Preparing For Your Holiday Getting some additional exercise before coming on an active holiday makes a lot of sense. The fitter you are, after all, the more enjoyable you will find the experience. Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Books Croatia Istria - Rough Guide Snapshot (Kindle addition)
PAGE 8 Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Flight Inclusive Notes The FLIGHT INCLUSIVE dates and prices are based on UK flights from London Heathrow or Manchester to Zagreb via Frankfurt with Lufthansa. Outbound flights depart from the UK in the morning and arriving in the afternoon of the same day (day 1 of the Land Only itinerary). Return flights depart Split in the early evening of the last day of the itinerary, arriving in the UK the same evening. Regional departures and/or alternative carriers are available on request. Please be aware that there are often only a limited number of seats available at the advertised price. To avoid paying flight supplements, we recommend that you book as early as possible, especially during peak times. If we are unable to secure seats at the price shown, or you have requested regional departures or flights with an alternative carrier, we will contact you with an alternative quote. Note that if you book a package including flights with KE you will benefit from full financial protection. Land Only Notes The LAND ONLY dates and prices are for the itinerary joining in Pula and ending in Pula. For clients making their own flight arrangements, these airports are the most convenient for transfers to the group hotel. Please refer to 'Joining Arrangements and Transfers' for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. Flight Options From The US For help and advice with booking your flights, we recommend you consult our friends at Exito Travel, airfare specialists since 1994. The air team at Exito are familiar with our destinations and know the airports, best airlines and potential pitfalls. If there is ever a flight change, cancellation or air-related issue before or during your travels, it's nice to know you have someone on the Exito air team looking after you. Visit their website at: www.exitotravel.com or contact the team on: keadventure@exitotravel.com &/or via phone at: 800.655.4053 ext. 8507. Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 31 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, mule-
PAGE 9 herders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or e-mail, or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at www.keadventure.com, and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: www.junipertrust.co.uk. KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too! Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly
PAGE 10 recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.
PAGE 11 Equipment List The following checklist should help you with your packing. You Should Bring The Following Items: Hiking boots/shoes Trainers or sandals Socks Underwear Walking trousers / pants Windproof/waterproof jacket Waterproof overtrousers / rainpants A thermal baselayer shirt T-shirts and/or casual shirts Fleece jacket or warm jumper Sunhat Warm hat Eyewear - sunglasses Daypack 25 litres Sun protection (including for lips) Water bottle 1 litre Washbag and toiletries Antibacterial handwash Swimwear Small towel Basic First Aid Kit including: Antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium), painkillers, plasters (band-aids) and blister treatment, insect repellent, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). Glucose tablets and multi-vitamin tablets. The Following Items Are Optional: Walking poles Shorts Insect repellant - (DEET) Camera, media, spare batteries Notes During this holiday there are a number of occasions when you will need to carry your main bag for short distances. Some clients have found that a piece of luggage with wheels makes sense for this holiday. Please note: This document was downloaded on 27 Nov 2017, and the trip is subject to change.
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