Zagreb to Dubrovnik: 3-Day Private Tour & Plitvice Lakes

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (4 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/8

Duration3d

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Three Days Across Croatia: Waterfalls, Roman Ruins & Medieval Walls

You travel by private minivan from Zagreb through Plitvice Lakes National Park — with entry included and a boat ride across the turquoise water — then to Split for a guided walk through Diocletian's Palace and a free afternoon. On day three you cross into Bosnia to see Mostar's Old Bridge and finish in Dubrovnik at your hotel by evening. Hotel pickups, a local guide, and all transport are arranged; you just pack and show up.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Zagreb to Split via Plitvice

Visit Rastoke Village waterfalls
Explore Plitvice Lakes National Park
Travel to Split and check in

Day 2 — Guided Split tour and free time

Guided walking tour of Diocletian's Palace
Free afternoon in Split

Day 3 — Mostar visit and Dubrovnik arrival

Travel from Split to Mostar
Guided tour of Mostar and Old Bridge
Enjoy Bosnian lunch in Mostar
Travel to Dubrovnik and check in

The Experience

"So we're really doing this in three days?" That's what most people ask when they see the route — Zagreb to the Adriatic coast, with Plitvice Lakes, Split's ancient palace, a border crossing into Bosnia, and Mostar's famous bridge all squeezed in. It sounds impossible until the minivan pulls up at your hotel and you realize the whole thing is already mapped out. The private tour runs from Zagreb south to Dubrovnik, and the pacing is tight but not rushed. Day one takes you through Rastoke Village first — a small place where waterfalls actually run through the old houses — then into Plitvice Lakes National Park, where you walk the trails yourself and ride a boat across the turquoise water. The park entry is included, which saves time at the gate. By evening you're in Split, checked into your accommodation, watching the sun drop over the Adriatic.

Day two stays in Split. A local guide walks you through Diocletian's Palace in the morning — it's a UNESCO site, 1,700 years old, built right into the city center so you're standing in Roman walls while people eat lunch at outdoor tables around you. After the tour you have the afternoon free. Some people hike Marjan Hill for the view. Others just sit on the promenade with seafood and a drink. There's no schedule pushing you. The third day is the long one. You cross into Bosnia and Herzegovina, stop in Mostar for a guided tour of the Old Bridge — Stari Most — which was rebuilt in 2004 after the war. You'll see the 24-meter arch and probably watch local divers jump from it if the weather holds. Lunch is ćevapi, the grilled meat rolls, at a place near the river. Then it's the final drive to Dubrovnik, where the medieval walls come into view as you arrive in the evening and the driver drops you at your hotel.

What makes this work is that you're not arranging transport between cities, buying park tickets separately, or figuring out which guide to book in each place. The minivan is air-conditioned. Your guide is there from the start. The Plitvice entry is done. Hotel pickups and drop-offs are handled. You show up at your accommodation, and the rest unfolds. The tour is private, so it's just your group — no bus full of strangers. If you want to linger at a waterfall or skip the afternoon hike, that flexibility is built in. The only real constraint is that three days moves fast, so you're not spending a week in any single place.

What’s included

Your three days include hotel pickup and drop-off in Zagreb and Dubrovnik, private air-conditioned minivan transport throughout, entry to Plitvice Lakes National Park with boat rides, a guided walking tour of Split's Diocletian's Palace, a guided tour of Mostar's Old Bridge and Ottoman heritage sites, a local guide for the entire journey, bottled water, and accommodation in Split and Mostar (you arrange this separately, but the tour coordinates pickups and drop-offs). The tour skips the long entry lines at Plitvice Lakes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Zico Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Croatia's main highlights — lakes, Roman ruins, medieval walls, and a border crossing — without renting a car or coordinating separate guides in each city. The fixed three-day route and private transport mean you travel at a steady pace and arrive each evening knowing where you're staying.