Most of it is enclosed inside the Northern Velebit National Park Croatia and the rest goes out to the nature reserve. The best way to get to the park is through the steep roads of Sveti Juraj. Sjeverni Velebit National Park was established in 1999 in the northern part of the mountain range (109 km2). In the area of Northern Velebit, especially in the strict reserve Hajduki and Roanski kukovi, a large number of speleological structures make the area of the Park a special locality. Whether you are choosing which ones to visit or planning to see all of them, you should definitely take a look at this Krka National Park Guide. This is true throughout the year so be prepared before your hike at the Northern Velebit Croatia. Northern Velebit National Park is situated in the largest mountain in Croatia, the Velebit range. [2] Lukina jama was named after him. To the south of the Velebit Nature Park you can also see the Cerovac Caves one of the best known and most important speleological features in Croatia. Dr. Fran Kuan who was a professor at Zagreb initialized the establishment of the botanical garden in National Park Northern Velebit. The trail starts from the Alan Mountain Lodge towards the Kita (1573 m) and Zejak (1622 m) peaks, which are located on the border of the North Velebit and Middle Velebit National Parks. By adding new areas to the World Heritage List the unity of an area with extraordinary universal value, which is also evidence of how postglacial expansion and the natural and free development of beech forest ecosystems within Europe was achieved. You should also take some time to stop by the botanical garden inside Northern Velebit National Park. Northern Velebit National Park is Croatia's newest national park, designated a national park only in 1999. Although the up-and-down-the-mountain patterns of seasonal migration are a thing of the past, there are still sizable communities dwelling in the Northern Velebits foothills. Within it there are two national parks the Paklenica National Park in the south (designated in 1949), and the Northern Velebit National Park in the north (designated half a century later). These trails have an average 4.3-star rating from 158 AllTrails community reviews. Northern Velebit National Park in Croatia Copyright by Croatiaitinerary.com 2016 - 2023. The national park is within the Velebit Nature Reserve which also contains Paklenica National Park. Northern Velebit National Park See all things to do Northern Velebit National Park 4.5 59 reviews #1 of 11 things to do in Krasno Polje Mountains National Parks Nature & Wildlife Areas Visit website Call Email Write a review About Features animals Learn more about animal welfare in tourism Suggest edits to improve what we show. This part of the Velebit Mountain is a true patchwork of the most diverse habitats that are home to countless plant, fungus and animal species - a wealth that is yet to be explored in its entirety. But it offers no less than stunning views and amazing outdoor experiences. Running along the landward side of the Kvarner Gulf, the Velebit mountain chain is one of coastal Croatias defining features, stretching for almost 150km from north to south. Frequently asked trail questions about Northern Velebit National Park. The path passes along Seravski vrh and continues towards the stone rock - Crikveni (1641 m). After some time of climbing toward the Vosak side of the mountain, hikers can take some rest and find shade inside the Zavian meteorological station which also serves as a mountain hut or lodge. Among all the national parks in Croatia, the one that is really made for the serious outdoor adventurer is the Paklenica National Park. Buses going there are available from Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Zadar, and Dubrovnik. 1,5 hours) visit to the Premui trail - hiking to the Rossi's hut and back (app. Home | Northern Velebit National Park: Top Things To Do & Entrance Fees. Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Northern Velebit National Park is. Where is the best place to hike in Northern Velebit National Park? Northern Velebit National Park - Croatia Traveller These remain from when Velebit was populated by shepherds and cattle farmers. You may also get a glimpse of the Krk island and Losinj. This is a 5-day mountaineering competition route. The Croatian Natura 2000 protected area network now covers 36.67% of Croatias land territory, and 16.39% of its coastal waters. On the southeastern flanks of Veliki Alan is Mirovo, an abandoned settlement of stone-wall enclosures and ruined cottages. Till today, what you will see in these parts are its natural landscape shape and all the living things that have survived with it through the ages even though its a recently opened national park. Each major human intervention in nature represents an insurmountable obstacle for species that need a wider area to move and spread. That may be a good thing because you will be able to enjoy nature without the crowd and just really be one with it for just a few hours. Though its not really unsafe, still be aware of your surroundings if you stay in this hut. The Northern Velebit National Park covers 109 km2 of the northern part of the Velebit Mountains, the largest mountain range in Croatia. The trail leads from the main entrance to the National Park (Babi Sia) to the Zavian Mountain Lodge (1594 m) along the Zviri trail. Not unlike a traditional Scottish Highland bothy, the koliba itself is a simple stone shelter with a stove and a sleeping platform lurking behind a permanently unlocked door. The villages themselves were still quite a distance away from the trail, and materials had to be transported by hand or by horse across difficult terrain. Velebit Nature Park is located along the Adriatic coast and is the largest protected area in the Republic of Croatia. Inside the dry stone wall enclosures, you will often find flocks of sheep huddled together. You can take hiking tours and join excursions, just consider that its best to spend the whole day in the park to make the most of your visit. The trail starts from the Alan Mountain Lodge towards the Zejak peak (1622 m), which is located on the border of the North Velebit and Middle Velebit National Parks. The entire Velebit chain is a Nature Park, and the Paklenica National Park is located in the southern part of Velebit. The first "kuk", Gromovaa (1675 m), is a two-and-a-half-hour walk from the hostel in Zavian. As you walk along the path going to the hut, the scenery changes with almost every twist and turn. [3], The park reserve is protected and visitors are restricted to designated trails. The special reservations in the park are many locales called Hajduki kukovi, Roanski kukovi, Lukina jama (one of the deepest caves systems in the world), botanical reserve "Visibaba", Borov vrh forest reserve, Zavian-Balinovac-Velika kosa botanical reserve and the famous Velebit botanical garden. Whatever you have planned for the day, you can find the perfect trail for your next trip to Northern Velebit National Park. Straddling two different climate regions, rare plants and animals live here. Keen hikers can complete this demanding, 62-mile-long trek in nine days. The Premui Trail runs through the most scenic hiking itinerary as described by those who have hiked in this range. The regions reputation as nature-trekkers Holy Grail was enhanced by the appearance of Prirunik za hodae (Walkers Handbook), by leading contemporary novelist Edo Popovi, a meditative travelogue published in 2010 that had many of its readers rushing to the nearest sports shop in search of a pair of hiking boots. They grow at altitudes of 1,200 to 1,500 metres, above the beech-fir forests and under the mountain pine belt. When you exit out of the highway, simply head to Krasno where the entrance to the park is. It is officially 16 km long, passing through the Northern Velebit National Park. The Park includes two national parks: the Paklenica National Park and the Northern Velebit National Park. Visit Northern Velebit National Park in Senj | Expedia Northern Velebit National Park - Tripadvisor This is an extension of UNESCOs previously protected natural heritage, i.e. Northern Velebit National Park - Alchetron This sight gives you a glimpse of the regions main source of income. The Hajduki kukovi peak, on the other hand, is described to be a beautiful route through a very wild nature. The Northern Velebit National Park is a national park in Croatia that covers 109 km2 of the northern section of the Velebit mountains, the largest mountain range in Croatia. Northern Velebit National Park is in a more remote region and is less visited than Paklenica and other national parks. The centre of the rocks begin immediately behind Rossijeva koliba (a mountain hut), also 2.5 hours' walk from the hostel. The garden aims to make the Velebit regions wealth of plant life accessible to the people who take interest in learning about them. We will update our site as they do. The park also serves as a great starting point for hikers of the Premuzic Trail which offers the most scenic treks in Croatia. The sheeps visibility depends on many factors such as the weather and the season. Maybe its because the Northern Velebit has remained relatively immune from the coach-tripping tourist industry that it has come to occupy such a significant position in the Croatian imagination. The area is surrounded by a circular path decorated with stones. The Mountain Lodge is easy to reach, it is also open in the winter months, and it is a very good starting point for numerous mountaineering tours on Velebit. Inside the reserve is the Visibaba (Galanthus) botanical reserve, with an abundance of the endemic Croatian subspecies of Sibiraea altaiensis, and the ZavianBalinovacVelika kosa botanical reserve, famous for its outstanding collection of mountain flora species. It is one of the most dramatic scenes in the country and is a nature lovers paradise. Toward the center of the park is the smoothly centered peak of Veliki Zavian. You will see the names of the plants on illustrated plates along with educational boards that provide information about the natural values of the garden. Northern Velebit National Park is situated in the largest mountain in Croatia, the Velebit range. In addition to protecting the living world and its habitats, Natura 2000 also supports the principle of sustainable development, aimed at achieving a good coexistence of man and nature. The best-known and most popular sights are Novotnijev kuk, Rossilijev kuk and Premuiev kuk. View the embedded image gallery online at: IZJAVA O ZATITI PRIVATNOSTI I SIGURNOSTI OSOBNIH PODATAKA, 2015 Your Company. Croatias coast is almost entirely pure and full of natural features with over 1,200 islands in nearly 2,000 kilometers area. The main activity what visitors do at Velebit national park is hiking, the park has over 30 marked trails, majority of the running to mountain tops with magnificent view on the Adriatic Sea. The Lukina jama cave is the deepest in Croatia and the 14th deepest in the world. Northern Velebit is the youngest national park in Croatia, open since 1999. They are primeval beech forests that grow on the edge of the European beechs ecological niche. Northern Velebit National Park - Wikiwand Other animals that you can observe in the park if youre lucky include wild cats, red deer and roe deer as well as several species of eagles. Northern Velebit National Park, together with Paklenica National Park and Velebit Nature Park, has been included in five European pilot-areas as part of the Rewilding Europe project. In an area of about 18km2 there are more than fifty stony peaks, all over 1600 m, some with bizarre shapes of towers, spires or obelisks. The Northern Velebit National Park (Croatian Nacionalni park Sjeverni Velebit) is a national park in Croatia that covers 109km2 of the northern section of the Velebit mountain, the largest mountain in Croatia. The bear sanctuary near Northern Velebit National Park fulfills an important role in raising public awareness of several environmental issues, not just of bears. Your group can also join the guided tours or programs which are paid individually. Abundance of species is a result of the palaeoclimatic conditions registered in this area and these beech forests are genetically interesting and priceless to phylogenetic research. What to do at national park Northern Velebit? It is the one park that you can enjoy even in the cold winter days because you will see the mountains transform into giant white-tipped chocolate kisses. The Zavian (1676 m) peak is within the park, the highest meteorological station in Croatia. 4-5 sati) modifications of schedule are possible according to the arrangement. Established in 1999, Northern Velebit is the youngest of eight national parks in Croatia. During the winter, these peaks become snow-capped. Northern Velebit National Park Public Institution. Zejak and atorin peak are the highest peaks on the middle Velebit. All you need to live and travel like a local in Croatia link Expat In Croatia The trail gets its name from Ante Premui, the inter-war forestry engineer who saw hiking as a means of boosting regional tourism. The smell of freshly-sawn tree trunks still fills the air at Krasno, a sprawling village on the approach road to Zavian that serves as centre of the local logging industry. Founded in 2002 by Zagreb-based biologist Dr uro Huber and largely staffed by international volunteers, the sanctuary provides a home for orphaned or abandoned bears that are too young to fend for themselves. The terrain is much wilder than around Roanski kukovi, and there are parts where even today no human foot has ever trod. National Park Sjeverni Velebit, Visitors guide The main types of beech forests within the Reserve include Sub-alpine Beech forest with Buttercups (Ranunculo platanifoliae-Fagetum) and Sub-alpine Beech Forest with Sycamore Maple (Polysticho lonchitis-Fagetum), which are characterised by its specific and highly recognisable trunk form. The park is a piece of nature that has been preserved with utmost authenticity. Adding to the Park's cultural value are the numerous ruins of so-called "summer lodges". Many would say it is quite a meditative experience. Same discounts and rules apply to citizen pensioners as well as senior citizens. The whole of the Velebit range is a "nature park", a lesser conservation category. [5] Lukina jama, the deepest mountain cave in Croatia and one of the deepest in southeast Europe, with a depth of 1392 m, was discovered in 1992 by a local caving enthusiast named Ozren Luki. It is also a smart idea because there, you can get a reliable weather report as well as hiking advice. Despite its relatively low altitude compared #4 - PD Zavian - The beginning of Premui's Trail. North Velebit National Park in a Page: Mountains, Hiking, Weather, Map Kornati National Park, Northern Dalmatia Kornati National Park is one of the unique things to do in Croatia, and will definitely leave travelers in awe. Because of the abundant variety of this part of the Velebit range and its authenticity, The land is decorated by beech trees and fir along with the iconic dwarf pines that sprout up from the most unexpected places in the mountain. In the Northern Velebit area, you will find some of the regions most delicious cheese, piquant sheep cheese. Each of the 8 parks have their own special features but Mljet National Park is quite extraordinary mainly because it is bordering on 2 saltwater lakes. The park centres on the smoothly rounded peak of Veliki Zavian (1,676m), where the Veliki Zavian meteorological station also serves as an all-year mountain hut beyond here tourist facilities are at a minimum and you are pretty much on your own. These are the best time to really enjoy the mountain ranges authentic beauty. A man named Ante Vukusic has been managing the hut for over thirty years and is the person you can rely on to get accurate hiking advice in these parts of the park. Entrance Babi Sia: Mon-Sun 8:00 - It borders the Adriatic Sea to the west, and is surrounded by the Gacka, Lika and Graac fields with the rivers Gacka, Lika and Otua on the inland side. Brijuni National Park is quite special because it is one of the sites where you can truly get up close with wildlife. With deciduous forests cloaking the eastern side and prickly Mediterranean scrub covering the slopes to the west, the full variety of Croatias diverse highland flora is on display. The wider area of Zavian, with Roanski and Hajduki kukovi, is one of the most beautiful mountain areas in Croatia. Protected areas play a crucial role in the preservation of wildlife whose existence is threatened due to habitat decline. All three major protected areas on Mt. The garden is one of the popular destinations for hikers who start from the meteorological hut paths. Watching the bears in the Kuterevo bear sanctuary is like swimming with dolphins. PARK - np-sjeverni-velebit.hr Tourists can enjoy plenty of. 18:00. If you're looking for elevation gain, Northern Velebit National Park has you covered. Velebit - A Fairytale Mountain - Visitteo Inside, you can use a simple traditional stove to cook a warm meal and sleep on the platform if there is space which there usually is. Practically the whole of the mountain is the nature park. This activity is not suitable for kids so if you want to experience going down the cave when you visit Northern Velebit National Park, you may want to have someone in your group or family watch them. With an estimated 400 brown bears spread across Croatias highland regions, your chances of seeing one in the wild are very slim although the bear sanctuary in the village of Kuterevo, 7km east of Krasno (Pod crikvom 103, 053 799 222,kuterevo-medvjedi.hr, open Easter-Oct), provides a not-too-be-missed opportunity to observe the creatures at close quarters. The two main peaks in this mountain range are the Rozanski peak and the Hajduki kukovi peak where you will find the breathtaking Lukina jama. Northern Velebit - Karst and rare plant species | Croatia.hr Lets wait and see is his usual answer, although he might ask you whether youve seen any horses on your way up if the Velebits wild horses are ambling downhill from the mountain-top pastures, its a sure sign that bad weather is on the way. The Northern Velebit National Park (053 665 380,www.np-sjeverni-velebit.hr), situated just inland from the Kvarner-Gulf coastal town of Senj, lies a fair climb above the main coastal road and is much less visited as a result. Visit Northern Velebit National park, how to get to Velebit - GetByBus Another national park on Velebit is the Paklenica on its southern side. tel: 053 665 380. fax: 053 665 390. email: npsv@np-sjeverni-velebit.hr OIB: 24661445515 All Rights Reserved. The path runs through the most beautiful and most interesting parts of the park. Due to its exceptional worth the Northern Velebit National Park has been included in the National Ecological Network and is listed in the proposal of the future Natura 2000 network of protected areas. Most travellers limit themselves to an admiring glimpse of the Velebit as they speed past it in their beach-bound cars and buses which is probably no bad thing for the bears, wolves and lynx who make the mountain their home. Infrastructural and other facilities are increasingly encroaching on natural areas tearing up and fragmenting the land into isolated islands that are insufficient for the life of many species. Although its at its strongest in winter, the bura can blow up at any time of year. Most fameous pits of the Northern Velebit National Park 18:00. You will pass by beech groves and that soon turn into boulder scapes and back again until you get to the ultimate view of the sea. Rather than waiting for an English-language version of Popovis exhilarating mountain-man prose to arrive in a bookshop near you, youd be best advised to head out and experience the mountain at first hand. visit to the Alpine Weather Station (app. It is truly a unique and breathtaking experience. Whenever there is a winter cold snap, it is usually Zavian that posts the lowest temperatures. A fenced enclosure near the sanctuarys entrance houses the youngest, most recent additions to the Kuterevo community. Or maybe Loinj? The first section Zavian - Alan is also the most popular part of the Premui trail. Staying in the park for 4 to 7 days would cost 50 kn and a whole year access pass is 100 kn. Dj vu! It was formed around Velebit, which is the largest mountain range in Croatia with a total length of 145 km and a width ranging from 10 to 30 km. These monuments of the past, such as the Inscribed Stone (Pisani kamen), many watermills, funeral monuments (mirila), and shepherds huts, reveal the customs and the way of life of the mountain inhabitants. VISITING - np-sjeverni-velebit.hr Enjoy hand-curated trail maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you. Inside the reserve is the well-known Velebit Botany Garden, founded by pharmacology professor and botanist Fran Kuan in 1967.[4]. Established in 1999, Northern Velebit is the youngest of eight national parks in Croatia. In this town, you can smell strong scents of freshly sawn tree trunks since the village is a center for local logging. The kukovi group has around 40 summits exceeding 1600 m. The area around Hajduki kukovi has a complex underground drainage system. Some visitors do not get the same luck as others and are not able to see the sheep during their visit. Most hikers prefer to start their excursions at the Zavian meteorological hut toward the northern end of the park. The following list major holiday destinations in Croatia is not really a list of all the best places to go next, as some of the locations are on par with some of the best. 5 best hikes in Croatia - Lonely Planet An individual visit ticket for all guests costs 30 kn and is good for 1 to 3 days. Velebit has long been recognized for its exceptional natural beauty and biodiversity. In it, you will find a meteorological station that also functions as a mountain hut or lodge for climbers all throughout the year. Where Is Northern Velebit National Park ? The Northern Velebit National Park is intersected by hiking trails, and the most famous is the Premui trail, built at the end of 1933.