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Private Driver in Zadar

Hire a local driver from Zadar to explore Plitvice Lakes, Kornati Islands, Krka National Park, and the stunning Northern Dalmatian coastline at your own pace.

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Zadar & beyond
Private Driver · Zadar
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Door-to-Door Service
Local Knowledge

Why hire a private driver in Zadar?

Zadar is Northern Dalmatia's quiet star — a Roman and Venetian old town on a peninsula, famous for its Sea Organ and Sun Salutation installations. But its real power is as a gateway. Plitvice Lakes National Park is 90 minutes northeast. Krka is an hour south. The Kornati archipelago (89 islands) is right offshore. And the Ravni Kotari hinterland has Roman ruins, monasteries, and family wineries that almost no tourists visit.

Self-driving to Plitvice means navigating mountain roads, paying for parking that fills early, and not being able to stop at the viewpoints and villages along the way. With a driver, you're dropped at the entrance, picked up when you're done, and shown the spots between Zadar and Plitvice that make the drive part of the experience.

Local insight: Zadar's old town peninsula has very limited parking — one garage and street spots that max out at 2 hours. The main tourist car parks at Jazine and Foša fill quickly in summer. From June to September, even locals park at the Gaženica ferry terminal and take the bus in.
Explore

Popular day trips from Zadar

Each itinerary is fully customisable. Tell your driver what interests you and they'll adjust on the fly.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

8–10 hours
Route: Zadar → Plitvice Lakes (Entrance 1 or 2) → Rastoke village (optional) → Return

Croatia's most famous natural wonder — 16 interconnected lakes cascading through forest in shades of turquoise, emerald, and sapphire. The boardwalk trail takes 4–6 hours for the full circuit. Your driver drops you at the entrance, waits, and on the return can stop at Rastoke, a fairy-tale village built around waterfalls and water mills.

Insider tip: Buy tickets online in advance (mandatory in summer). Entrance 1 starts at the top (lakes cascade downward), Entrance 2 starts at the bottom. Entrance 2 is usually less crowded.

Krka National Park & Šibenik

7–9 hours
Route: Zadar → Skradin → Krka waterfalls → Šibenik Cathedral (UNESCO) → Return

Take the boat from Skradin up the river to Krka's main waterfall, Skradinski Buk — a wide curtain of 17 cascading pools. Then to Šibenik, where the Cathedral of St. James is a masterpiece of Renaissance stonework, built entirely without mortar. The old town's stone alleyways are quiet and atmospheric.

Insider tip: The Skradin boat ride is included in the Krka entry fee and adds a scenic river approach that most visitors miss.

Nin, Ravni Kotari & wine tasting

5–7 hours
Route: Zadar → Nin (historic town & beaches) → Ravni Kotari wineries → Benkovac → Return

Nin is tiny but historically enormous — Croatia's first royal capital, with Europe's smallest cathedral and a sandy beach (rare in Croatia). The Ravni Kotari plain behind Zadar produces excellent wine that almost nobody outside Croatia knows about. Visit family wineries producing Pošip, Debit, and Maraština whites in centuries-old stone cellars.

Insider tip: The 'Queen's Beach' in Nin has medicinal mud that people slather on themselves — free spa treatment on a beautiful sandy beach.

Paklenica National Park

6–8 hours
Route: Zadar → Starigrad-Paklenica → Velika Paklenica canyon → Manita peć cave (seasonal) → Return

For hikers and nature lovers. Paklenica's two canyons cut deep into the Velebit mountain range with 400-metre cliffs that attract rock climbers from across Europe. The main trail through Velika Paklenica is accessible for moderate walkers and leads to a mountain hut. The Manita peć cave (open April–October) has impressive stalactites.

Insider tip: Wear proper walking shoes. The canyon trail is rocky but well-marked. Your driver drops you at the entrance and picks up whenever you're done.
Included

What’s included in every hire

Flexible timing

Minimum 4 hours. Add extra hours as you go at the same rate. No fixed schedules.

English-speaking driver

Local professionals who know the history, the restaurants, and the hidden spots tourists miss.

Door-to-door service

Picked up at your hotel, cruise port, or airport. Dropped off wherever you want.

All costs covered

Fuel, tolls, parking, and driver's meals included. The price you're quoted is the price you pay.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much is a private driver from Zadar?

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Sedan hire from €35–45/hour. The Plitvice full-day trip typically works out to €250–300 total for the car, which splits well between 2–4 passengers.

Is Plitvice doable as a day trip from Zadar?

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Yes, and Zadar is the best base for it — only 90 minutes vs 2+ hours from Split or Zagreb. You'll have plenty of time for the full lake circuit.

Can you combine Plitvice with a transfer to Zagreb?

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Perfect option. Visit Plitvice in the morning, then continue to Zagreb by evening. One-way hourly hire means you get sightseeing and a transfer in one.

What about the Kornati Islands?

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Kornati requires a boat, which we can help arrange from Murter or Biograd. Your driver takes you to the departure point and picks you up when the boat returns.

Where do you pick up in Zadar?

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Anywhere in the Zadar area: your hotel, the airport, the ferry port, or the edge of the old town peninsula (cars can't enter the pedestrian zone).

Is Zadar a good base for exploring Croatia?

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Excellent. It's equidistant between Split and Zagreb, close to both Plitvice and Krka, and less crowded and cheaper than Dubrovnik or Split. Many travellers use it as a quiet base for day trips.

Reviews

What our riders say

★★★★★

“Zadar to Plitvice and back with stops along the way. Driver knew the best entrance, where to park, and a village restaurant on the return that served the best lamb we had in Croatia.”

— James & Clare, Newcastle, UK
★★★★★

“The wine tasting in Ravni Kotari was incredible. Family cellars you'd never find without a local. Our driver translated and the winemaker opened bottles he doesn't sell commercially.”

— Nina & Stefan, Berlin, Germany

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