We have spent at least a month of our total lifetime exploring Biokovo Nature Park and discovering some of its best-kept secrets. We envisioned this article to be the ultimate guide to visiting Biokovo nature park with all the relevant tips you might want to know before you embark into the embrace of this magnificent mountain of southern Croatia.
When you are visiting Makarska Riviera or just passing through southern Croatia, then Biokovo nature park is a place that has to be on your ‘must visit’ list. Whether you have heard about it or not, we’re going to give you some useful information about a visit to this beautiful mountain landscape in Croatia.
Biokovo Nature Park is one of Croatia’s most spectacular natural protected areas and it offers an unforgettable adventure for everyone. With its beautiful mountain peaks that offer panoramic views, diverse wildlife, and thrilling activities, Biokovo is a must-visit destination if you are staying on Makarska Riviera or just traveling through it.
No matter if you’re a hiker, nature enthusiast, or casual visitor who just wants to drive through the park and enjoy the views, this ultimate guide has all the information you need to make the most of your visit to Biokovo Nature Park.
About Biokovo Nature Park and Mountain
Biokovo Mountain is the largest mountain in the coastal part of Dalmatia. We often hike to some of its numerous peaks and this mountain never ceases to amaze us. Biokovo Nature Park does not cover the area of the whole Biokovo mountain but only its smaller part located near the city of Makarska. When in Makarska or driving through Makarska Riviera, you can’t but enjoy Biokovo mountain and it almost feels like it’s calling you to visit it.
The Biokovo Nature Park was founded in 1981. and it has been one of the most popular places for hiking in Croatia for a long time. Vosac Peak which rises right above the city of Makarska is one of its most visited peaks although it’s not the highest one. Sv. Jure (St. George) is the highest peak of Biokovo mountain with a height of 1762 meters. The highest point of Croatia is located on the Sv. Jure peak and it’s the top of the TV relay that’s been built on top.
There are many endemic species in the Biokovo Nature Park since the park itself is somewhat isolated. You can learn all about the park’s biodiversity from a booklet you’re going to get at the entrance to the park area. Let us just say that it’s a place with a significant animal and vegetation kingdom and you’re likely to encounter some animals during your visit to the park.
- Highlights:
- Stunning karst formations and unique geological features.
- Rich biodiversity, including endemic plants and animals.
- Historic sites, such as ancient shepherds’ huts and chapels can be found all across the park.
- The Biokovo Skywalk, a glass platform offering panoramic views and probably the single most famous location in the Biokovo Nature Park
Our List Of Suggested Tours and Activities
Here’s the list of the activities we suggest you book if you want to experience the Biokovo mountain through the guided tours and have a stress-free experience of this unique mountain. We suggest you book them as soon as you decide which one you want to try since the number of people who can join each tour is limited.
- Wildlife Tours: Discover the park’s diverse species, including birds of prey and wild goats.
- Skywalk and Sveti Jure Jeep Safari: A great guided tour taking you to the park’s most famous landmarks.
- Hiking Tours: Explore Biokovo’s trails with knowledgeable guides who provide insights into the park’s flora and fauna.
- Cycling Adventures: Rent a mountain bike or join a cycling tour to experience the park’s landscape.
Park Entrance and Entrance Fee
Like many other protected areas in Croatia, Biokovo Nature Park has an entrance fee too. It’s rather cheap compared to some other similar locations in Croatia and lets you explore all the amenities this mountain has to offer. No additional charges whatsoever, unless you want to buy some local products that can be found along the way and these are usually locally sourced products made and sold by locals.
Please visit the official website of Biokovo Nature Park before your visit for the latest updates on pricing and visiting rules. We’ll do our best to update the information provided here regularly.
- Fees:
- Adults: 8-10 EUR
- Children (under 12): Free or discounted tickets
- Hours:
- Summer: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Winter: Limited access, depending on weather conditions. Officially closed but the visit is possible
- Tickets:
- Available online or at park entrances. We suggest buying online and reserving your spot if you want to enter with a car.
- Consider purchasing a guided tour for a comprehensive experience (check platforms like TripAdvisor or GetYourGuide).
Ways to Explore Biokovo Nature Park
There are numerous ways you can enter and explore the Biokovo Nature Park. Hiking trails are our favorite way of exploring the park but a car drive through it might be more convenient for you (although usually crowded and we don’t advise it in peak season). Most of the tourists visiting the park choose to use Biokovo Road. There are a few reasons for that. First of all, it’s easier to drive in an air-conditioned car than to hike in the heat for 4+ hours. Second, by using the car, you can see and experience most of the park’s offers, especially if you combine car driving and hiking.
But, driving the car through the Biokovo nature park has some great disadvantages and we’ll mention them in one of the further sections. However, we will also give you some tips if you plan to enjoy the Biokovo nature park in your car.
Here are the most convenient ways to explore the Biokovo Mountain:
- Hiking:
- Over 40 marked trails ranging from easy walks to challenging climbs.
- Popular trails include Sveti Jure and Vosac Peak.
- Cycling:
- Scenic routes for mountain bikers, offering stunning views and fresh air. Very nice cycling route and we suggest using e-bikes for easygoing experience
- Driving:
- Drive the Biokovo Road, one of Croatia’s highest roads, leading to Sveti Jure peak, the highest peak of Biokovo mountain.
- Be cautious; the road is narrow and winding and often too crowded so steel nerves are a must.
- Guided Tours:
- Book a guided hiking, cycling, or off-road jeep tour to learn about the park’s history and biodiversity from a tour guides
What Driving Through the Park Looks Like
This is when things get a little bit tricky. Biokovo nature park road is narrow and it requires some extra driving experience to safely pass it. The road was made because of the TV relay station on the top of Biokovo mountain we mentioned earlier. It’s a paved road but its narrowness might prove challenging for many drivers.
You’ll almost definitely have to drive in reverse at least once while driving through the park. Sometimes you might wait in queue for an hour or more, especially now the Biokovo skywalk attraction has been opened and more and more people are visiting the park because of it.
All this mentioned might spoil your experience of this beautiful place and we’re sorry about that. There are some plans for the road to be made to the other side of the mountain so it becomes a one-way road but we’re not sure when nor if it’s ever going to happen. The other thing you can do if you don’t want to drive a crowded narrow road is to book a guided tour at some of the local agencies. That way you don’t need to worry about driving anymore and can enjoy the Biokovo mountain carefree.
- The Biokovo Road:
- A 23-kilometer route starting near Makarska.
- Winding roads with hard bends and breathtaking views.
- Tips for Drivers:
- Use a smaller vehicle; larger vehicles may struggle on narrow sections.
- Drive slowly and cautiously, especially near cliff edges.
- Avoid peak hours to minimize traffic. Start very early to avoid traffic going up the mountain, although you’ll pass it when returning
How we hacked the system once
Although driving through the Biokovo Nature Park might be challenging, there was a way to make it a lot easier. For 1 season we had a guided tour through the Biokovo nature park (never doing that again) and we would take people with us in a van and had hiking stops and visited some of the most famous places of the park. But driving a van through the Biokovo nature park? Losing a lot of nerves, that’s for sure. But one time, and this one time only, we happened to have the easiest ride through the Biokovo mountain ever.
We already mentioned local agencies that organize a tour through the park. Some of them have minibusses and in front of these minibusses, there is a person on a motorbike that stops the coming traffic for the bus to pass. One day we happened to get to the park entrance at the moment the tour was starting, we started driving behind the bus and as the scooter person was clearing the way for the bus to pass so he cleared our way too. Most carefree ride in the Biokovo nature park ever.
We still decided not to organize tours in the park anymore and stick to the rest of our adventure tours in the area.
What to Visit Inside the Park
The newly opened Biokovo Skywalk is the most famous attraction of Biokovo nature park and we recommend you visit it. It’s a plexiglass walking trail with 100 meters of air below your feet. Since it was built it has become one of the most visited places of the Biokovo mountain. It’s located on the road going through the park so you can’t miss it.
Sv. Jure, the highest peak of Biokovo mountain, is another one of the most visited places inside the park. The road ends there and the last part of the road toward this peak is the most challenging part of the road in the whole park. Also, there are limited parking spots on the top. And a large TV relay station which you cannot enter.
With all that being said about Sv. Jure, we recommend you visit Vosac Peak instead. You’ll see the road signs toward a parking lot below this peak. Leave your car there, hike for 30 minutes and you’ll be on top enjoying one of the most beautiful views there is. There is a mountain hut on this peak and you can have your cold drink or coffee there if you happen to visit during the summer months. Imagine drinking a hot coffee or a cold beer while enjoying the beautiful landscape and stunning views.
There are a few restaurants and taverns in the park, you if you feel like you want to eat something traditional, we suggest you visit one of them. There is an option to buy local products at a few places in the park and you’ll easily spot them when traveling through the park.
- Biokovo Skywalk:
- A glass-bottomed platform suspended over a cliff edge.
- Offers incredible views of the Adriatic Sea and islands.
- Sveti Jure Peak:
- The highest point in the park, is accessible by car or a challenging hike.
- Botanical Garden Kotišina:
- A beautifully preserved garden showcasing Biokovo’s native plant species.
- Vosac Peak:
- A less-crowded alternative to Sveti Jure with equally stunning views.
- Historic Sites:
- Discover old shepherds’ huts, chapels, and ancient stone walls.
Filming, Camping, Making Fires, and Other Rules
Like any other protected place, Biokovo Nature Park has some of its own rules. Make sure you obey those. If you want to do some commercial filming inside of the park area, you need to obtain a special permit. You’ll get the permit in most cases, but you’ll need to pay for it. You can find more info about this matter on the park’s website. Drone flying is not allowed in the Biokovo nature park unless you obtain a permit too.
No camping is allowed inside the park. If you want to spend a night in the mountains, you need to use one of the mountain huts or shelters. There are many of these scattered all across Biokovo mountain and they are usually well maintained either by park authorities or local hiking clubs. Making fire and littering is strictly forbidden, and we mean strictly. Always follow the Leave no Trace principles when visiting any natural landscape in Croatia.
Officially, hiking in the Biokovo Nature Park is permitted only on the hiking trails. There are many of them and they will lead you to places you need to see. Don’t walk outside of them. In the case of an accident, don’t hesitate to call 112.
- Filming:
- Professional filming requires permits; recreational photography is allowed.
- Camping:
- Overnight camping is prohibited within the park boundaries.
- Nearby campsites are available in Makarska and surrounding areas.
- Fires:
- Open fires are strictly prohibited due to wildfire risks.
- Use designated picnic areas with provided facilities.
- Other Guidelines:
- Do not disturb wildlife or remove plants.
- Stay on marked trails to avoid damaging the ecosystem of Biokovo Mountain.
Visiting Biokovo Nature Park in Winter
Biokovo Nature Park is officially closed during the winter months and there is usually a lot of snow in the higher parts of the park. However, Biokovo mountain still can be visited and hiked. We did it on numerous occasions and these hikes are among most favorite ones in our lives.
- Access:
- Some roads and trails may be closed due to snow or ice.
- Check park updates before visiting.
- Activities:
- Snowshoeing and winter hiking are popular during this season.
- Avoid driving unless the road conditions are safe.
- Preparation:
- Wear warm, layered clothing and winter hiking boots.
- Bring hot drinks and emergency supplies for colder conditions.
Tips for Visiting Biokovo Nature Park
Here are a few more tips for you to have the best possible experience.
- Start Early: Arrive early to enter the park before the crowds and enjoy cooler temperatures.
- Pack Essentials: Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and a map or GPS device.
- Wear Appropriate Gear: Hiking boots and weather-appropriate clothing are a must.
- Respect the Environment: Follow Leave No Trace principles to preserve the park’s natural beauty.
- Check Weather Conditions: Biokovo’s weather can change rapidly, so be prepared for sudden shifts. Summers usually bring stable weather but you never know with mountains
Before you Venture into the Biokovo nature park
And this is the end, my friend. Biokovo Nature Park is a place that provided us with many great memories and it’s a place we are often returning to with joy. We have hiked almost each of its peaks and tasted all of the seasons, snow, winds, and summer heat. And each time we have visited, we had a great time.
We hope you will follow our bits of advice from this guide and have a great time on Biokovo mountain.