Gacka river - 5 bridges tour (06/2022)

Technical difficulty: 1/5
Physical difficulty: 2/5

Note #1: This is a kayaking tour organized by "Velebit aktivnosti" (https://www.velebit.info). They are an adventure agency offering many popular outdoor activities in the area: kayak, quad, e-bike, etc. They have a parking lot near their offices. The staff is extremely nice and helpful, the prices very affordable. They also take you to the start of the route and they pick you right at the finish and bring you back to the car park. Truly a hassle-free experience, and highly recommended. Aim for the morning departures as there's more chance that you'll be alone, rather than in a larger group. The experience is more enjoyable then.

Note #2: Gacka river is one of the calmest rivers in Croatia. Kayaking in Gacka is family friendly, and suitable for complete beginners (such as us!).

Note #3: This tour is available in a shorter and longer version. They start at the same place, but the shorter route goes from bridges 1 - 3 and takes about 1-1.5 hours to complete. The longer tour goes from bridges 1 - 5 and takes about 2-2.5 hours to finish.

Note #4: The bridges are not officially named. You'll have to count them yourself.

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The route starts just before the so called 1st bridge, around the Matašići hamlet, and the 5th bridge is roughly near Vivoze hamlet, both near Otočac. It goes through several other smaller hamlets along the Gacka river, for about 8 km. The river is full of vegetation: moss, algae and woody plants. There are also plenty of ducks and ducklings, swans, and other birds.

The river is nicely cool, about 9.5 °C, and the water is safe to drink through its entire length if you need a quick refresher.

Due to its slow flow, you can basically just rest at any time, though you will have to hunt for shade under an occasional big tree at the riverbanks.

Recommended as an unique experience for people of all ages!