| Option | Price per person | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Half-day guided kayak tour | €75 – €98 | Guide, sea kayak, paddle, life vest, snorkel gear, dry bag; caves, cliffs and swim stops |
| Full-day guided kayak tour | €115 – €120 | The longer route with more cave time and a beach lunch break — the one I'd pick |
| Ferry Gaženica–Brbinj (return) | €6.40 each way | Never included in tour prices; 1 hour 40 minutes each way from Zadar's Gaženica port |
| Zrmanja river kayak (alternative) | €50 – €55 + €30 transfer | Inland option: canyon kayaking near Obrovac; the €30 transfer from Zadar is separate |
Note: Budget the ferry on top of every Dugi Otok kayak price, and check the sailing times before choosing morning or afternoon. I confirm the full logistics and total on WhatsApp.
The ferry fine print, decoded
Kayak tours on Dugi Otok start from the island, which means getting yourself there on the car ferry from Gaženica (Zadar's ferry port, ten minutes from the centre) to Brbinj. The crossing takes 1 hour 40 minutes and costs €6.40 per person each way — and it is never, ever included in the tour price, whatever the listing's silence implies.
The logistics are manageable: morning ferries align with morning tours, and your guide will tell you the meeting point on the island. But miss the return sailing and you're waiting hours. When you book through me, I send you the exact ferry times for your date alongside your confirmed tour price — the total day cost, not just the headline.
Half-day or full-day on the water?
The half-day at €75 – €98 covers the highlights — typically the Golubinka sea cave, a cliff section and a couple of swim stops — in three to four hours of paddling. The full-day at €115 – €120 adds distance, remoteness and a long beach lunch stop, and it's the version guides themselves recommend. You don't need experience: sit-on-top sea kayaks are stable, and groups move at a gentle pace with plenty of floating rest.
Bring water shoes, a hat, suncream and nothing that can't get wet — dry bags are provided for phones.
A word on fitness, honestly: the half-day suits anyone who can paddle gently for an hour at a stretch; the full-day asks a bit more of your shoulders and rewards it with emptier coastline. If anyone in the group is unsure, start with the half-day. The sea will still be there tomorrow, and so will I, ready to book the longer one.
Prefer to skip the ferry? The Zrmanja option
If the ferry logistics feel like a faff, the Zrmanja river offers a completely different paddle: a green canyon inland near Obrovac, with small waterfalls and travertine rapids gentle enough for beginners. Tours cost €50 – €55, plus a €30 transfer from Zadar if you don't have a car. Sea caves and open coast on Dugi Otok, or canyon water on the Zrmanja — both excellent, honestly different. Tell me what appeals and I'll steer you right.
Whichever you choose, the booking rhythm is the same: message me your dates and group size, I confirm the guide, the meeting point and the full price including transfers or ferry, and you pay on the day. No deposits vanishing into the internet, no 'from' prices that triple at checkout.
FAQ
Half-day guided tours cost €75 – €98 per person and full-day tours €115 – €120. On top of that, budget €6.40 each way for the Gaženica–Brbinj ferry, which is never included. I confirm the total day cost on WhatsApp.
No — never. The ferry from Zadar's Gaženica port to Brbinj costs €6.40 per person each way and takes 1 hour 40 minutes. I send you the exact sailing times for your date so the logistics are painless.
No. Tours use stable sit-on-top sea kayaks, include a full briefing and life vests, and move at an easy pace with swim stops. Reasonable fitness and the ability to swim are all you need.
An inland alternative: guided kayaking down a green river canyon near Obrovac, with small waterfalls and easy rapids. It costs €50 – €55 plus a €30 transfer from Zadar — a good option if you'd rather skip the ferry.
Water shoes, swimwear, hat, suncream, a refillable water bottle and cash for the ferry. Dry bags for phones and valuables are provided, as are snorkel masks on most tours.