Island Hopping: The Elaphiti Archipelago

Trip Details

Trip Length: 8 days/7 nights/ Days 1 & 8 are transit days/ tour starts at 4 PM on Day 1 and ends early on Day 8.

Arrival/Departure Point: Dubrovnik

Accommodations: Island guest house rooms with private bathrooms, towels and linens, refrigerators, and A/C. Guesthouses are chosen for their character, friendly owners, and easy access to the sea, village restaurants, shops, and kayak base. 

Tour Inclusions: 7 nights accommodation, kayak & snorkeling gear, instruction, guiding, airport & ferry transfers, meals as specified per meal plan

2025/2026 Standard Tour Price*:  € 1.650,00   Includes 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners (orientation dinner, closing dinner, 1 additional dinner)

2025/2026 Full Meal Plan*:  € 1.755,00  Full meal option includes dinner all 7 nights. Meal plan does not have to be chosen in advance.

Single Supplement*:  € 230,00 

2025 Departure Dates:  October 15 

2026 Departure Dates:  April (upon request), May 4/12/27, June 3/8/22/, July 6/20/27, August 3/17/24, September 7/21/28, October (upon request)

Island Hopping Tour

Our most popular tour begins in Dubrovnik, the “Pearl of the Adriatic“. Stari Grad (Old Town), perhaps the best preserved Medieval city in the world, is Croatia's biggest tourist draw. Old Town, completely encircled by towering stone walls, is now a crowded and chaotic destination. We happily board a 4 PM 1960s era ferry to the Elaphiti Islands. The Elaphiti Islands are a group of 13 islands north of Dubrovnik, a quiet little oasis of untouched nature. Only three of the islands are inhabited. Our base for the week is Lopud, the middle of the three inhabited islands.

The 50-minute ferry ride immediately gives you a feeling of open space and tranquility, surrounded by the calm, blue Adriatic Sea and views of the mountainous coastline and green islands. The small village of Lopud, the only village on the island, is a charming town without roads and cars, with a year-round population of roughly 150 inhabitants. The pace of town life follows nature- it awakens just like nature in springtime, in early April, when our tours begin. 

Lopud was inhabited from ancient times. Through the centuries it has acquired an interesting combination of old stone houses, palm tree parks, and 15th century aristocratic mansions surrounded by orchards of olive, lemon, orange, and kiwi trees. There are many small stone chapels, two general stores, and 10-12 restaurants, ranging from pizza to fancy seafood. Lopud town is set in a wide bay. A 15-century monastery with a stone defense system dominates the northeast entrance to the bay. The ruins of an ancient fort, Utvrda Sutvarac, sit on top of one of Lopud's two main hills; an 11th century chapel on the other hilltop.

Our guesthouse rooms are located in stone guesthouses near the walking promenade that runs the length of the U-shaped bay, with easy access to small shops, cafes, ice cream stands, and swimming spots.

Meals are a tour highlight: long and leisurely in lovely outdoor settings with views of the sea and nearby islands. Seafood is local and freshly caught; produce is organic and likely grown on the island; dairy and packaged products arrive daily by ferry. Postira, the local ferry, is a focal point of life on the island. Locals swarm to the pier to meet incoming ferries to unload baskets of fresh bread, cases of beer and wine, and packaged goods. Dinners rotate among the 10 plus restaurants on the island. Lunches are at small family owned restaurants while kayaking.

Lopud is the perfect base for kayaking and exploring the Elaphiti Islands. We take in the island's relaxed way of life and old traditional customs. We explore ancient ruins and feast on fresh seafood and home-grown garden delights. Our surroundings for the week: the brilliant, blue sea and the island's pristine nature of limestone cliffs, citrus and olive groves, and pine forests.

Itinerary

Day 1: Transit day

Arrive in Dubrovnik / airport transfers. Explore Old City independently / 4 PM ferry to Lopud Island. Explore Lopud town/ swim/ orientation dinner at an island restaurant.

Day 2: 15 km sea kayaking

Equipment issue/ basic paddling and rescue instruction in Lopud Bay/ paddle the outer side of Lopud along limestone cliffs to Kolocep island/ relax, swim and lunch on Kolocep. Hike untouched nature of Kolocep before setting off to the South side of Lopud. Land on Sunj becah, pack your kayaks to bed and walk back to town for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: 15 km sea kayaking

Morning hike to kayaks at Šunj/ kayak from Šunj beach to Sipan Island; home of olive trees. Sipan is a proud member of Guinness records- hosting biggest number of olive trees in ratio to it's size. We stop for a swim and norkel in the Green cave (weather permitted)/ paddle to lunch to Sudurad village; a charming fishermen's village on the South side of Sipan. Paddle past Ruda island on the way back to Lopud.

Day 4: 12 km biking*

We’ll take the ferry to Sipan and gear up for a day of biking. Paved roads take us through rural Dalmatian scenery and unspoiled nature. We'll share traditional Sipan cuisine at a charming village of Sipanska Luka, home of distinguished sailors from Dubrovnik Republic era and their successors. Pebble beach with a view on the outer islands is spectacular for a relaxed swim. We’ll stop for a memorable taste of olive oil on the way back! The day is concluded by a special closing dinner at a family-owned traditional restaurant on Lopud.

*Biking is optional; group or individuals can choose to kayak or hike beautiful Lopud's trails instead.

Day 5: 20 km

We start with a scenic paddle past the steep, dramatic cliffs on the open side of Šipan Island. We'll dock at Šipanska Luka for a picnic lunch and a swim break, 
followed by a paddle back to Lopud for dinner.

Day 6: 12 km

Kayak to Šipan Island, this time to paddle into Šipan's Arch cave and and swim in Green Cave. The Arch cave, carved by exposure to the sea and wind, is dramatic, set in towering limestone cliffs. Green cave, on the inland side, is the opposite, a small opening barely discernable. Swim and snorkel into Green Cave/ cliff jump into the sea/ lunch in a family home in Suđurađ.

Day 7: Free Day*

Go to the beach/ ferry to Dubrovnik to sight see/ kayak or hike on your own/ farewell dinner at an island restaurant.

Day 8: Transit day**

Early morning ferry to Dubrovnik/ transfer to the airport for departure flights.

* The "free day" is purposely placed at the end of the week so kayaks may be used independently,  or it may be moved to another day to take advantage of the most favorable weather and sea conditions for paddling.

** The early ferry departs Lopud at 6:20, arriving in Dubrovnik at 7:10. You may make a departure flight at 9 am or later. You  may opt for a later ferry, 12:10 pm, if you don't have immediate onward travel plans.