The Velebit Botanical Garden is located not far from Zavižan, so it is easily accessible even for those who cannot walk for long periods. Here you will discover all the beauties of this mountain in one place.

Velebit is a beautiful, powerful mountain, considered by many to be the most beautiful in Croatia. Some parts of it are accessible only to experienced mountaineers, but some parts are more gentle and accessible to everyone. The beautiful Premužić Trail is one of the attractions that visitors should not miss, but it does require some fitness and a willingness to walk.

Those who cannot or do not want to walk can experience the beauty of this mountain in a special place. The Velebit Botanical Garden is located not far from Zavižan, surrounded by beautiful peaks and full of fragrant herbs, and is an ideal way to get acquainted with the beauties of this mountain, and a trip is not difficult to organize!

YOU CAN REACH ZAVIŽAN BY CAR, AND FROM THERE TO THE GARDEN IT TAKES ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO WALK

Zavižan is a mythical place for every mountaineer and nature lover. The mountain peak in the northern part of Velebit is named Zavižan or Veliki Zavižan, and the mountain lodge located not far from the peak also bears that name, as does the meteorological station that records the most snow in the entire country.

You can reach Zavižan by car, park at the foot of the mountain lodge and have a coffee there before setting off for a walk. The Velebit Botanical Garden is only a 15-minute easy walk on a flat surface from Zavižan, and after that the path continues towards the beginning of the Premužić Trail.

THE VELEBIT BOTANICAL GARDEN AND THE SURROUNDING PEAKS ARE PROTECTED AS A SPECIAL BOTANICAL RESERVE

The garden is located at an altitude of 1480 meters, its area is 50 hectares, and together with the surrounding peaks it is protected as the Zavižan – Balinovac – Velika kosa Special Botanical Reserve. Today, it is home to around 300 plant species, some of which are wild, while others have been brought from other parts of Velebit.

Take a slow, thorough tour, breathe in the clean mountain air and study the plants, some of which are quite rare. Among them are, for example, Velebit degenia, Croatian siberia, karst edelweiss and some others that you will hardly see anywhere else. It will take you about an hour to tour the entire garden, but you can dedicate yourself to it for longer, walking slowly, studying the plants, taking photos... The garden is at its most beautiful in June and July, when most of the plants are in bloom, but in other seasons too, although less colorful, it has its own charm.

IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1967 TO MAKE THE RICHNESS OF THE FLORA OF VELEBIT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE

The Velebit Botanical Garden was founded in 1967 on the initiative of Dr. Fran Kušan, and the idea that guided it is still relevant today. The founder's wish, according to the website of the Northern Velebit National Park, was to make the richness of the Velebit flora available not only to scientists, researchers and Velebit enthusiasts, but also to all visitors who come to Northern Velebit.

MOUNTAINEERS LOVE TO EXPLORE THE SURROUNDING PEAKS

The central part of the garden is the Balinovac Sinkhole, around which a circular rocky path about 600 meters long leads. Hikers enjoy exploring the surrounding peaks, such as Balinovac, Velika Kosa and Veliki Zavižan, and many, after a walk through the botanical garden, continue on to hike at least part of the beautiful Premužićka.

All of this is located in the area of ​​the Northern Velebit National Park, the youngest in Croatia, which you can learn more about before climbing Zavižan, at the Velebit House in Krasno, where you can also buy tickets for the national park.

A TRIP TO THE VELEBIT BOTANICAL GARDEN IS IDEAL FOR SHOWING THE BEAUTY OF VELEBIT TO ELDERLY PEOPLE AND CHILDREN

As I often visit Northern Velebit, and return to Premužićeva almost every year, I often think about how I would like to take older or younger family members on a trip, who love nature but can't walk all day. A visit to Zavižan and a tour of the Velebit Botanical Garden seemed like the ideal solution. The views from Zavižan are beautiful, the nature is magnificent, and the walk to the garden and the tour are just easy enough for anyone to handle. I'm sure they would enjoy this trip!

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