South Velebit hike-thru

The last day of the hike is more of a connecting sort; we don't really climb any peak, although there are options on the way for Veliki Sadikovac (1286m) or Sladovačko brdo (1241m) that wouldn't be a big challenge. The path goes mainly through the forest, with occasional views of the surrounding mountains. According to the map, parts of the trails are more technically challenging, and one section is rated as T3. Although relatively short, the path takes a lot of time to complete. The path is well-marked. Enjoy, as these are the last moments of this beautiful thru-hike in South Velebit!

Baške Oštarije from Šugarska Duliba shelter via Ramino Korito:

This stretch runs mostly through the mountain forest, with fluctuating altitude, although the general trend is downwards. That does not mean we won't get sweaty when going up. The path is difficult to walk at times, steep, with roots, and zigzagging around. That's where the overall time for this section comes from (7 hours according to the signpost). There are two paths we can take from Šugarska Duliba that join again below the Ždrilo branch-off; however, I was advised to take the one through Ramino Korito, which is more passable. This is part of the Via Adriatica trail. The other option is using the Via Dinarica trail. In terms of walking statistics, I think these two are comparable. I can't say anything about the final section of the trail to Baške Oštarije because we finished the hike at the southern side of Riljev kuk peak.

Tips and author's comments:

The section from Šugarska Duliba shelter to Baške Oštarije turned out to be the least interesting part of the whole Velebit hike. It might be partly due to the weather that day, as we were facing drizzle and wind for most of the hike. For us, the key factor was time, as we planned no more overnights in Croatia that day and needed to get back to the car as fast as possible. Not to mention our astonishment when we read the hiking signpost in front of Šugarska Duliba stating that to cover 13.5km to Baške Oštarije we would need 7 hours. Since I was traveling with a 9-year-old kid, running short on supplies, and it was a pretty windy, drizzly day, we took an opportunity from fellow hikers and rode in a 4x4 car with them from the area around Riljev kuk peak. Those 7 hours never materialized, and I think the correct time would be around 5 hours maximum with a steady but not overly hasty pace.

Transportation:

There is no bus connection running from Baške Oštarije. To get back to Karlobag, ask for the taxi service from the hostel. We were lucky enough to get a ride thanks to hitchhiking, and it didn't take longer than 15 minutes.

Accommodation:

Baške Oštarije provides limited accommodation options, but if you plan to continue the hike to North Velebit I would check out Hostel Baške Oštarije. They also run a restaurant which seemed to be pretty full on Sunday.

Links:Hostel locationHostel webpage