Highlights of Istria MTB

Question 1

Where does the tour start and end? How do I get to the port of embarkation?

Answer

The tour starts and ends in Omišalj, Croatia.

The embarkation harbor for the tour is in the Kvarner Bay is Omišalj, situated on the island of Krk, which is connected to the Croatian mainland by a bridge.

Embarkation, will take place between 2:00 and 2:30 pm. The boat will leave from
Omišalj at 3 pm. Please do not book a flight that arrives after 2 pm without first
consulting with us.

Arrival by car
A secure parking space can be arranged in advance on a private property in Omišalj for an additional fee.

Arrival by plane
Arrival to journeys in the Kvarner Bay is possible via the Rijeka Airport (RJK), which like your port of embarkation Omišalj, is on the island of Krk. Please keep in mind, that your ship leaves the port at about 3 pm for the first cruise.

Another arrival alternative is to fly to Zagreb (ZAG) (transfer time to Omišalj: 2 hours). On embarkation and disembarkation day, a collective transfer from/to Zagreb airport or Zagreb cityis available.

Question 2

How long is the tour? How many days cycling?

Answer

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.

Question 3

What's the tour like? What sort of ability should I have?

Answer

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.

Question 4

Are helmets compulsory?

Answer

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.

Question 5

Can I bring my own bike?

Answer

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.

Question 6

What's the deal with food?

Answer

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.