Highlights of Istria MTB

The embarkation harbour for the tour in Kvarner Bay is Omisalj. Situated on the island of Krk, it is connected to mainland Croatia by a bridge.

Embarkation is betwwen 2:00 and 2:30pm with the boat leaving Omisalj at 3:00pm.

Arrival by Car
A secure parking space is available on private property in Omisalj. This must be arranged in advance with fees to be collected on site by the tour operator. Fees are between EUR40-120/week depending on the type of vehicle.

Arrival by Plane
Kvarner Bay is accessible via Rijeka Airport (RJK) which is located on the island of Krk. An alternative is Zagreb Airport (ZAG) which is 2 hours away from Omisalj. On embarkation and disembaraktion days, collective transfers are available from/to Zagreb Airport or Zagreb City.

Arrival by Train
There is no train connection to Omisalj. The closest station is in Rijeka where on embarkation and disembaraktion days, collective transfers are available to and from the train station. Transfers are by request and note that bikes are not allowed onboard.

The tour is 8 days long with 6 days of biking. Most days are spent cycling in the mornings with a cruise in the afternoon. See the itinerary for specifics.

MTB Level 1 - 2

Easy to moderate daily tours with stages about 15 - 31mi (25-50km) and 980-2952ft (300-900m) of elevation gain. Istria is mountain biker's paradise with a range of trails from easy to moderate to choose from. You'll ride mainly on unblocked flow trails, wide natural paths, and quiet asphalt roads.

Single-Track Classification

So that you are well prepared for your bike tour and that you know which technicality grade you should choose, the following classification applies. The difficulty levels included in our classification coincide with the Singeltrail-Skala found at (http://www.singletrail-skala.de/).

Blue (easy, S0 – S1): small obstacles such as small roots, small stones, some  erosion, gradients of up to 40 %, loose surfaces, tight corners but no hairpins, skilful braking and weight shift required, riding while standing, obstacles can be rolled over.

Red (medium, S2): loose surfaces, larger stones and roots, steps and shallow stairs, gradients of up to 70 %, light hairpins. Constant readiness to brake, shift of centre weight to overcome obstacles, accurate braking, consistent body tension required

Black (heavy, S3 – S5): blocked single trails, many large boulders and roots, smooth/slippery surfaces, loose scree slopes, large steps/drops, extremely steep gradients of over 70 %, tight hairpins, expert level of bike control/handling.

The itinerary shows S0-S2 on most days.

Helmets are mandatory on the bike tour. It is advised to bring your own, well fitted, helmet with you as the rental helmet numbers are limited (reservation required). Furthermore, the tour operator recommends riders carry arm and leg protectors during the bike tours.

Yes. Should you, however, wish to bring your own MTB with you, please make sure to check the condition of your brakes, gears, and tires and don’t forget to bring along a puncture repair kit and the essential spare parts for your bike (e.g. brake pads and tubes). Your bike should be in perfect mechanical working order.

The tour operator does not allow private e-bikes on board of the boats. This decision has been made due to health and safety regulations. If you wish to ride an e-bike for the duration of your tour, please select the rental option.

The tour operator does not allow private road bikes as well since the thin tires are not suitable for some of the road surfaces encountered on the tours.

Liability disclaimer: The tour operator will not be held liable for any damages caused to private bikes during loading, unloading or other logistical handling thereof.

Special dietary requirements (lactose free/gluten free/vegan) can be accommodated for an additional fee of EUR70. This must be communicated in advance and payable on board the ship.

The on-board chef is a member of the crew and prepares the breakfast and one or two warm meals a day.The catering consists of 2x full board and 5x  half board. Catering starts with dinner on the arrival day and ends with breakfast on the departure day.