Paklenica National Park

Paklenica National Park occupies a dramatic section of the southern Velebit mountain range along the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, approximately 55 kilometres north of Zadar. The park's most spectacular feature is a pair of river-carved limestone gorges: Velika Paklenica (Great Paklenica) and Mala Paklenica (Small Paklenica), whose walls rise to 400 metres and form the deepest canyon system in Croatia. The Velika Paklenica gorge is accessible by a broad gravel trail from the village of Starigrad-Paklenica on the coast; the path follows the dry riverbed between towering grey limestone walls draped in figs and karst vegetation for approximately 4 kilometres to the Lugarnica shelter, beyond which trails ascend to the Velebit plateau. The park contains over 400 marked rock-climbing routes on the canyon walls ranging from beginner grades to expert multi-pitch routes up to 350 metres tall, making it the most significant sport-climbing destination in Croatia and one of the top venues in southeastern Europe. A Yugoslav-era military bunker, Bunker Mate Markov, excavated into the canyon wall near the main path, is open to visitors and adds an unexpected Cold War element to the visit. Manita Peć cave, a karst stalactite cave 2.5 kilometres from the park entrance, requires a guided tour (booked at the entrance) and features formations up to 15 metres tall. The Velebit range visible from the canyon rim forms the backdrop to much of the Dalmatian coastal view from the sea; the summit of Vaganski Vrh at 1,757 metres is reachable from the park on a strenuous full-day hike.