Gorski kotar

Gorski Kotar is a large mountainous and rocky region in between the coast of Kvarner and the valley of Lake Kupe which runs along the border between Slovenia and Croatia.
This region is divided up into three parts; the northern part which includes the mountains of Obruc, Snjeznik, and Risnjak, the area towards the coastline with the mountains of Tuhobic, Medvidak and Kobiljak, and the southern part with Velika Kapela with the mountains of Burni, Bitoraj, Visevnica, Bjelolasica, the cliffs of Bijela, Samarska and Klek.
In the valleys of this large mountain range you will find the larger towns; Ravna Gora, Vrbovsko, Ogulin, Delnice, Brod na Kupi, Mrkopalj, Brod Moravice, Fuzine, Cabar, Begovo razdolje, Lokve, Skrad and many others.
The climate in Gorski Kotar is continental which means it has short, cool summers and long, cold winters with much snow.
Velika Kapela is a wide mountainous region which connects Gorski Kotar with the mountain range of Velebit. The natural parks of the Bijela and Samarska cliffs are located in the spacious region of Velika Kapela and, because it is so difficult to reach these nature parks, they remain well-preserved.
On the mountain of Bjelolasica lies the highest peak in Gorski Kotar – Kula (1534m). Bjelolasica is 5-6km long with steep sides and its peak is a high and narrow plain which is a beautiful botanical garden.

The National Park of Risnjak dominates the north-western region of Gorski Kotar and captures the central, highest and most interesting part of this mass of mountains. Throughout this area, a trail was made which is 3800m long and 690m above sea-level.

Cabar is a town which is very rich in vegetation and is one of the „greenest“ in Croatia. Near Cabar is Hrib, the mountain of „1000“ villages. The trail passes through this area and leads to the source and canyon of the river Kupe. Cabar is a great place to enjoy recreational excursions, hunting and sports.

Delnice is one of the largest and main towns in Gorski Kotar. Surrounding Delnice is a number of caves, forests and mountains which make Delnice a perfect location for hunting and summer holidays. Accommodation in Delnice can be found in private homes with apartments, pansions, and hotels.

The town of Lokve is known for its large man-made lake Omladinska, the lime-stone caves of Lokvarska, as well as the Natural Park and forest of Golubnjak.

Mrkopalj is known to be a wonderful winter recreational centre as well as a beautiful mountain summer resort. Mrkopalj is also the starting point of many excursions as well as a great area for hunting.

In the last few years, tourism in Gorski Kotar has grown and offers accommodation such as apartments, rooms, pansions, and hotels. Visitors can enjoy their holiday by taking part in rural tourism, visiting the many taverns and restaurants which offer traditional specialties such as wild game.
Gorski Kotar is an area where hunting is quite popular during the summer months, and, because of the mountains, it is an attractive destination for hikers and mountain climbers as well as skiing during the winter months. Its many rivers and rapids, picturesque valleys, lakes, caves, the unexplored flow of underground rivers, as well as its beautiful villages attract the most enthusiastic of nature lovers.

Situated in the central highland area, along the Lousiana road which runs through the town, you will find Skrad - a popular vacation spot since the end of the 19th century, primarily because of the climate characteristics of the area. Skrad and the surrounding villages occupy an area of 56,54 square km and are, according to the last population count, home to 1333 inhabitants.
Spread over the slopes of Skradski vrh, Skrad is situated at 700m above sea level. The highest point of Skradski vrh is at 1044 m above sea level, while the lowest point is at Zeleni vir, 302 meters above sea level. The Skrad area is surrounded by the valley of the river Kupa to the north, Cedanj stream and river Dobra to the east, Bukovska Dobra and highland plains to the south and Velika Sušica stream to the west. The most important georgaphical characteristic of this area is that it is easily accessible.