Truffle Hunting and Brunch in Motovun: Hunt with Dogs

Hunt truffles with dogs, eat them fresh an hour later

Truffle hunting and 3-course brunch in Motovun pairs a 1-hour forest hunt with trained dogs (Bella and Lila) against a three-course tasting of your own truffles, truffle spreads, and homemade chocolate cake in a family summer kitchen. The experience runs about 2 hours and includes welcome rakija, white wine, and stories from local hunters and a food anthropologist who speak six languages. Guests drive their own cars to the grove; specialized infant seats are available.

The Experience

The morning starts with three homemade rakijas and elderflower water at the family home, then a 5-minute drive to the truffle grove overlooking Motovun. You walk into the forest with two trained dogs—Bella and Lila—and an expert hunter who shows you how truffles grow underground and how the dogs signal when they find one. A 1-hour hunt means you're actually digging and learning, not watching from a distance. The dogs do the finding; you do the work of uncovering what they've located.

Back at the summer kitchen, the three-course tasting unfolds in front of you. First course is a truffle platter: spreads, cheeses, salami, bread, and black truffle carpaccio dressed with truffle olive oils. Second course is scrambled eggs with the fresh black truffles you just hunted, cooked right there so you see them go in. Third is homemade chocolate cake with truffle honey and grated black summer truffle on top. Malvazija white wine and rakija flow throughout. The hunters and a food anthropologist share stories about the region, the dogs, and why truffles matter to Istrian culture—they speak six languages, so the conversation doesn't stop at translation.

You'll need your own transport to reach the grove, though the operator can arrange a pickup for an additional cost if you ask when booking. Families with infants can request specialized seats. Service dogs are welcome, though the operator asks you to mention which kind ahead of time because the forest dogs may not mix well with working animals.

What’s included

• Welcome rakija and elderflower water.
• three-course truffle brunch with truffle platter, scrambled eggs with fresh black truffles, and homemade chocolate cake with truffle honey.
• Malvazija white wine.
• 1-hour guided hunt with trained dogs and an expert local hunter.
• stories and cultural insights from the hunters and a food anthropologist.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Truffle hunting and Truffle Brunch

Is this one for you?This works best for small groups or families who want to do the hunting themselves rather than watch—you're digging in the forest and eating what you find within the same morning. If you're traveling without a car, arrange the pickup when you book so the logistics don't get in the way.

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Top questions

How long does the actual truffle hunt last?

The hunt itself runs 1 hour through the grove and forest with the two trained dogs and an expert hunter. The full experience, including welcome drinks and the three-course brunch afterward, takes about 2 hours total.

Will I actually find truffles, or is this more of a demonstration?

You hunt alongside the dogs and the expert hunter, and you do the digging when Bella or Lila find one. Whether you find truffles depends on the season and the day, but the kitchen has fresh truffles on hand so your brunch includes them either way—scrambled eggs with truffles you hunted or truffles from the grove's stock.

What exactly is served in the three-course brunch?

First course is a truffle platter with spreads, cheeses, salami, bread, and black truffle carpaccio with truffle olive oils. Second course is scrambled eggs with fresh black truffles, prepared in front of you. Third is homemade chocolate cake with truffle honey and grated black summer truffle, plus Malvazija white wine and rakija throughout.

Do I need to drive myself to the truffle grove?

Yes, you follow the guides in your own car for a 5-minute drive from the family home to the grove. If you don't have transport, the operator can arrange a pickup for an additional cost—ask when you book.

What languages does the guide speak?

The team speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and three additional languages, so interpretation is available for most travelers. A food anthropologist is part of the experience and helps explain the cultural side of truffle hunting in Istria.

Is this suitable for families with young children?

Yes, the experience is suitable for all fitness levels, and specialized infant seats are available. The hunt is 1 hour on foot through a forest, so older children who can walk that distance will manage well; very young children can stay at the home during the hunt and join for the brunch.