2 stops in walking order

Cave

Ninety minutes' steep hike above the mouth of Velika Paklenica canyon, at 570 m elevation on the south slope of Velebit, Manita Peć is the only fully show-caves inside Paklenica National Park and one of the most rewarding in Croatia. The single 175-metre horizontal gallery is a compact but richly decorated chamber of stalactites, stalagmites, columns and delicate calcite drapery in ochre and cream, illuminated for guided tours only on set days from April to October. Discovered in the mid-19th century and opened to the public in 1937, the cave was surveyed by the pioneering Croatian speleologist Josip Poljak, whose original iron ladder still hangs in one alcove as a museum piece. Constant year-round temperature is around 9 °C, so bring a light jacket even in August. The hike up from the visitor centre is spectacular in its own right — a scramble through the pine-scented lower canyon with views across the Velebit Channel to the island of Pag. Tours run only three days a week (typically Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday), last around 30 minutes, and must be timed with the guide's schedule; booking on arrival at the park kiosk is essential.

~3 h at this stop

Mountain

The 712-metre limestone tower of Anića Kuk rises like a stone monolith straight out of the Velika Paklenica gorge and is the most iconic natural feature in the national park — and one of the most famous big-wall climbing venues in southeast Europe. Over 100 marked climbing routes of every grade thread its 350-metre south face, drawing serious alpinists from across the continent since the 1930s; the classic 'Klin' route (V+, 350 m) was first climbed in 1938 and remains a rite of passage. For non-climbers, a well-marked hiking trail loops behind the tower via the historic Josip Poljak path and delivers you to the summit ridge in about three hours from the park entrance, with jaw-dropping views over the whole Velebit Channel, Pag, and on clear days as far as the Kornati. The name — Kuk means 'hip' in local dialect — refers to how the tower juts sideways from the ridge. Come early morning: by 11 am the south face is a furnace of reflected heat, and the return is best done in shade. Fixed water is not available on the trail so carry at least two litres in summer.

~4 h at this stop