8-Day Private Sailing Tour from Split with Meals and Pickup

Sea, roads, and three countries. This private 8-day journey combines a luxury yacht, premium BMW motorcycles, Croatian islands, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in one carefully arranged route. I like the unusual mix of sailing and motorcycling, and I like that a captain, chef, and local adventure team handle the moving parts while you focus on the trip.

The yacht removes the daily hotel shuffle, and meals are a real part of the experience, from onboard breakfasts to a seven-course dinner at Gastro Mare. The main consideration is the price, $10,909.64 per person, plus the busy pace: several days pair hours on a motorcycle with boat transfers and sightseeing.

Key details before you book

• A yacht becomes your hotel: You sleep aboard from Šibenik through Cavtat, avoiding repeated check-ins and packing.
• Motorcycles carry you inland: Ride premium BMW GS bikes through Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Three countries in eight days: The route links Adriatic islands with Kotor, Budva, Mostar, and Blidinje Nature Park.
• Food is central: Expect dinner each day, with breakfast and lunch on most days, prepared around your preference list.
• The best tip is about order: One booking party specifically preferred riding first and sailing afterward, so discuss the daily rhythm before departure.
• This is fully private: Only your group takes part, with pickup from Split Airport or another convenient Split location.

Why this trip is different

Most Croatian holidays make you choose between a sailing itinerary and a motorcycle tour. This one joins the two. You might spend the morning on a curving road through wine country, then finish the day swimming from the yacht or eating dinner beside a quiet bay.

That change of pace is the strongest idea here. Long rides can leave you ready for a shower and a bed, while several hours at sea can feel repetitive if you need constant activity. Here, the two modes balance each other. One day puts you on a motorcycle from Hvar to Pelješac. Another gives you a morning swim, a visit to Mljet National Park, and a fine dinner in Kobaš Bay.

The private format matters. You are not adjusting your holiday to a large coach group or strangers with different interests. The route can be discussed with the Desmo Adventure team, and the crew can prepare food and drinks around your preferences. That is a high level of service, but it comes at a luxury price.

The setup also has a practical edge. Your belongings remain with the yacht for much of the trip, then are returned to the Desmo Adventure office while you ride through Bosnia and Herzegovina. You avoid hauling luggage between hotels, marinas, and border crossings.

Day 1: Split pickup, Krka, and Šibenik

The trip begins at 9 a.m., with transport arranged from Split Airport or a convenient location in Split. At the Desmo Adventure office, you meet the team, go over the route, and see the motorcycle fleet. This briefing is important because the tour combines riding, sailing, international borders, and several changes of transport.

The first motorcycle route heads toward Krka Waterfalls National Park and Šibenik. The ride uses country roads and curving coastal roads before reaching Marina Mandalina in Šibenik, where the yacht and your belongings are waiting.

Krka provides an easy first stop. You walk through the park to see its famous waterfalls, with about two hours set aside. If the water is warm enough, swimming beneath the falls may be possible. That qualification matters: do not treat the swim as guaranteed.

Šibenik gives you a first taste of Croatia’s old stone towns before life shifts to the yacht. From this evening onward, the boat is your accommodation. You can swim in small coves, relax on deck, and avoid another hotel reception desk.

Day 2: Blue Lagoon and a night near Hvar

After breakfast, the yacht sails from Šibenik toward Hvar, a passage of about five hours. The route includes a stop at Krknjasi Bay, often called the Blue Lagoon, on Drvenik Island. Two hours is enough for a swim and a break from the boat.

This is a relaxed sailing day rather than a sightseeing marathon. The captain and crew manage the boat, while the hostess or chef prepares meals and drinks according to the preference list supplied before the trip. If you care about particular foods, beverages, or dietary needs, this is one detail to clarify early.

The yacht anchors in a cove near the Pakleni Islands in late afternoon. You have about eight hours here, with access to nearby beach bars and restaurants such as Laganini, Hula-Hula, and Carpe Diem. Dinner is prepared on board, and you can later visit Hvar’s old town.

The tradeoff is simple: this day favors swimming, social time, and the sea over a long list of historic sights. That is ideal if you want breathing room. It may feel slow if you prefer a packed schedule.

Day 3: Hvar, wine, oysters, and Korčula

Day 3 switches firmly to motorcycles. You begin with a walk through Hvar’s old town, then take a gravel road toward Sveta Nedjelja. This is an off-road section, so you should be comfortable on a motorcycle and ready for a less polished surface.

At Sveta Nedjelja, the stop is Plenković Winery, known for an underwater wine cellar. The visit lasts about an hour and gives the ride a strong local-food angle rather than making it only about roads and scenery.

From Sućuraj, you take a ferry of about 45 minutes to Drvenik on the mainland. The route continues along curving coastal roads toward Ston and the Pelješac Peninsula, then onward to Orebić. Your yacht waits there, and a short 15-minute sail takes you to Korčula.

The food theme continues with wine visits, oyster farms, and a private boat ride to the oyster beds around Mali Ston. Fresh oysters are not an afterthought here. They explain why the Pelješac section is worth the time.

Dinner is served on the yacht, followed by time in Korčula’s old town. The town is traditionally linked with Marco Polo, and its narrow streets make a pleasant evening walk after a full riding day.

Plan for a demanding day. You have a town walk, gravel riding, a winery, a ferry, coastal roads, oysters, a yacht transfer, and an evening in Korčula. It is memorable, but not restful.

Day 4: Mljet National Park and dinner in Kobaš Bay

After breakfast and a morning swim, the yacht sails for about two hours to Mljet. The national park visit lasts about two hours and can be done by bicycle or on foot.

The park centers on two salt lakes, with a kayak ride to an ancient monastery. This stop gives you a different side of the Adriatic: less about resort towns and more about water, trees, and a protected island setting. The short visit means you get a taste rather than a full exploration.

In the afternoon, the yacht heads to Kobaš Bay on the Pelješac Peninsula. You can swim, relax at a beach bar, and have dinner at Gastro Mare Restaurant. The featured meal is a seven-course menu by chef Antonio Bjelko, built around organic ingredients and seafood caught locally.

This is likely the culinary high point of the week. The meal is not simply fuel between activities. It is an evening set aside for local cooking, a bay setting, and time with your group. Breakfast the following morning is also prepared at the restaurant.

Day 5: Ston walls, Pelješac wine, and Dubrovnik after dark

After breakfast and another swim, the route moves toward Dubrovnik. Ston is the key stop, with time to see its famous defensive wall, often described as the second-longest man-made wall after the Great Wall of China.

You also visit an oyster farm with a local guide and taste oysters from the Ston area. If you prefer food tied to place, this is one of the most convincing parts of the tour. You see where the oysters come from, then eat them close to their source.

The day includes a visit to Miloš Winery in Pelješac. The half-hour stop covers the history of winemaking and includes a tasting. The route then returns to the mainland and continues by motorcycle toward Dubrovnik.

Before reaching the city, you climb Srđ hill for views over Dubrovnik and the Adriatic islands. The viewpoint is a smart addition because it lets you understand the city’s setting before walking inside its walls.

At about 4 p.m., you leave the motorcycles at ACI Marina Dubrovnik and return to the yacht. The boat then sails to a position in front of Dubrovnik’s city walls, where dinner is served. Later, you walk Stradun and explore the old town’s bars before returning to the yacht.

Seeing Dubrovnik from the water is a special touch, but the city can be busy and intense. Your visit is an evening introduction, not a full Dubrovnik program. If the old town is a priority, you may want to add extra nights before or after the tour.

Day 6: Montenegro by motorcycle

After breakfast beneath Dubrovnik’s walls, you ride toward Montenegro. The route includes Srđ hill, then crosses the Croatian border and enters Montenegro. Bring the required travel documents and allow patience for border procedures, even though the exact crossing time is not specified.

In Montenegro, the motorcycle route follows Boka Kotorska Bay and visits Tivat and Kotor. Tivat includes a coffee stop at Porto Montenegro, the polished marina district. Kotor brings a walk through the old town, with time to see its compact streets and dramatic bay setting.

The ride continues through the hills around Kotor and Boka Kotorska, then reaches Budva, a well-known beach town. You visit the old town and surrounding beaches before returning toward Croatia.

The yacht waits in Cavtat, where dinner and an evening swim are planned. Cavtat is a small coastal town and a popular anchorage for large yachts, giving the final yacht night a quieter feel than Dubrovnik.

This is another full day. You have an international border, long riding sections, two Montenegrin towns, a hill route, and the return to Cavtat. The reward is range: in one day, you see a marina district, a medieval old town, coastal hills, and a beach resort.

Day 7: Leaving the yacht for Mostar

Day 7 is the final morning aboard the yacht. After breakfast and a swim, you leave before noon and begin the motorcycle journey through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Your luggage is sent back to the Desmo Adventure office, so you continue without carrying everything on the bike.

The route passes through Trebinje, Stolac, and Blagaj before reaching Mostar. These smaller towns make the day feel less like a direct transfer and more like a look at the region beyond the coast.

Mostar is divided by the Neretva River and brings together Catholic and Muslim communities, with different architectural styles and traditions on opposite sides of the river. You walk through the old town and see the Old Bridge, which was destroyed during the war in the 1990s and later rebuilt.

This part of the tour asks for attention, not just photographs. The war history is part of the modern story of the region, and the route gives you a chance to consider it while visiting towns and villages affected by the conflict.

Day 8: Neretva Canyon and Blidinje Nature Park

The final day begins early with a ride from Mostar along the Neretva River canyon. The road climbs toward Čvrsnica Mountain and Blidinje Nature Park, passing small villages damaged during the 1990s war.

In Jablanica, you visit a war museum for about an hour. That stop adds context to the road you are riding and connects the countryside with the recent history discussed in Mostar.

At Blidinje, lunch is served at Hajdučke Vrleti. The meal features Bosnian specialties made from traditional recipes. After lunch, the return drive to Split takes about two and a half hours.

Your belongings wait at the Desmo Adventure office, where arranged transport takes you to the airport or a nearby hotel. The final transfer is useful, but keep your departure plans sensible. The day includes an early start, mountain riding, a museum, lunch, and a long return to Split.

Food, crew, and the luxury value

Food receives unusual attention throughout this experience. You get dinner every day, while breakfast and lunch are included on most days. The supplied details list seven dinners, five lunches, and four breakfasts, though the package description also describes meals as prepared according to your preferences. Confirm the exact meal count and what optional means before paying.

The crew is another major strength. Captains Boris and Gogo received especially warm praise, with Boris described as patient with new sailors and willing to explain the basics. Nina, the hostess, is also singled out for making the group feel well cared for.

The yacht is not just transport. It provides your sleeping quarters, dining room, swimming platform, and evening base. The reviews repeatedly praise the boat, the food, the wine, and the new BMW GS motorcycles. One person especially loved a BMW GS 1250, while another said the motorcycles worked perfectly.

At $10,909.64 per person, this is not a cheap way to see Croatia. It can offer value if you would otherwise book a private yacht, captain, chef, motorcycle rental, guided rides, meals, airport transfers, and several cross-border excursions separately. The value is in the coordination and privacy, not in low cost.

Ask about the number of people sharing the yacht, cabin arrangements, motorcycle model, fuel, insurance, border requirements, and the exact drinks policy. Those details are not provided here, and they affect the real value of a luxury package.

Who should book this Adriatic combination tour

I would recommend it to couples, families, or close friends who want a private trip with plenty of variety. It suits confident motorcycle riders who also enjoy swimming, seafood, wine, old towns, and relaxed evenings on a boat.

You should be comfortable with long days, gravel roads, ferry travel, boat life, and changing countries. The yacht gives you comfort, but this is not eight days of lounging. Hvar to Korčula, Dubrovnik to Montenegro, and Mostar to Blidinje all require energy.

It is less suitable if you want a slow island holiday, a serious motorcycle mileage program, or several full days in Dubrovnik. It is also a poor fit if your group does not enjoy seafood, wine, or shared meals, since those are woven into the route.

The experience requires good weather. If poor conditions cancel the trip, you are offered another date or a full refund. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time, with no refund for later cancellations or changes.

Should you book it?

Book this if you want Croatia by sea and by road, and you value having the difficult planning handled for you. The strongest features are the yacht as a floating base, the excellent BMW motorcycles, the food, and the access to places that are hard to combine on your own.

Before committing, confirm the yacht’s cabin layout, meal inclusions, motorcycle and insurance details, and your group’s riding ability. If those answers suit you and the price fits your budget, this is a rare, polished way to connect the Adriatic coast with Montenegro and inland Bosnia and Herzegovina.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

The tour begins in Split at 9 a.m. Pickup can be arranged from Split Airport or another convenient location in Split.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately eight days, from the initial Split pickup and motorcycle briefing through the return to Split on Day 8.

Which countries does the route visit?

The route visits Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Is the yacht used as accommodation?

Yes. The yacht becomes your accommodation after you reach Marina Mandalina in Šibenik. You stay aboard through the Croatian coastal section and the night in Cavtat.

Are meals included?

Dinner is provided each day. Breakfast and lunch are provided on most days, with the supplied details listing seven dinners, five lunches, and four breakfasts. Meals and drinks can be prepared around your preference list.

What places are visited in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The route includes Trebinje, Stolac, Blagaj, Mostar, Jablanica, and Blidinje Nature Park. It also includes a walk through Mostar’s old town, the Old Bridge, and a visit to the war museum in Jablanica.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

Because the experience requires good weather, a cancellation caused by poor conditions offers you a different date or a full refund.