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

The unusual part here is the combination: a private yacht is your floating hotel, while premium motorcycles carry you through Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. You avoid packing and unpacking each night, then switch from quiet bays and seafood dinners to curvy mountain roads and old towns.

I like the easy mix of comfort and activity, especially the chance to ride a BMW GS and return to the boat for a swim. I also like the food focus, from onboard meals to oysters in Ston and a seven-course dinner at Gastro Mare. The main consideration is pace: eight days packed with riding, ferries, border crossings, historic towns, and boat time will suit active visitors better than anyone wanting a slow yacht holiday.

Key points to know before booking

• Your yacht stays with you: Sleep aboard after the first night in Šibenik, reducing hotel changes and keeping your luggage in one place.
• The route crosses three countries: Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are linked by motorcycle roads, short sails, and organized transfers.
• BMW GS motorcycles are central to the trip: The riding includes coastal roads, mountain routes, and a gravel section toward Sveta Nedjelja.
• Food is part of the experience: Expect dinner each day, plus breakfast and lunch on many days, with seafood, wine, oysters, and Bosnian specialties.
• The Adriatic time is active, not passive: Swimming stops, kayaking, beach bars, and old-town walks break up the sailing.
• It is expensive but highly organized: At $10,909.64 per person, the price makes most sense for a private group that values a yacht, chef, motorcycle, and cross-border planning in one package.

A yacht holiday with a motorcycle engine

This trip is best understood as two holidays joined together. At sea, you have a captain, chef or hostess, meals, swimming stops, and evenings anchored near Croatian towns. On land, you ride motorcycles through wine country, along the Adriatic, over mountain roads, and into neighboring countries.

That arrangement solves a common problem with motorcycle trips. You do not need to carry your full luggage on the bike, and you do not need to find a new hotel after every ride. Your belongings remain on the yacht until the route moves inland toward Mostar, when the luggage is returned to the Desmo Adventure office in Split.

The private format matters. Only your group takes part, so the rhythm can be shaped around your riding comfort, swimming interests, and appetite for town visits. Still, this is not a do-nothing luxury cruise. Some days combine several hours on a motorcycle with boat transfers and sightseeing.

The company has used guides and crew named Boris, Gogo, Nina, and Duje on past departures. The exact team for your date should be confirmed before booking, but the setup includes a motorcycle guide, captain, and food service onboard. Beginners to sailing can ask questions and learn from the skipper, while experienced riders get a serious motorcycle route rather than a simple scenic transfer.

Day 1: Split pickup, Krka Waterfalls, and Šibenik

Your arrival day begins with pickup from Split Airport or another convenient Split location, depending on your flight time. The Desmo Adventure team then holds a short meeting at its office, explains the route, and introduces the motorcycle fleet.

That briefing is useful because the week crosses several borders and combines different kinds of roads. You also have time to get familiar with the bike before the first longer ride.

The opening route heads toward Krka Waterfalls National Park by country roads and curving coastal roads. A walk in the park takes about two hours, with famous waterfalls and a possible swim if water conditions and park rules allow it.

You finish at Marina Mandalina in Šibenik, where the yacht becomes your accommodation. Šibenik’s old town is also part of the first day, giving you an early dose of stone lanes and Adriatic architecture before the boat-based part begins.

The first day is full. Airport pickup, orientation, motorcycle handover, a national park visit, and the ride to Šibenik can feel like a lot after a flight. If you prefer to arrive rested, schedule your flight with enough time for the 9:00 a.m. start or ask how the operator will adapt the opening day to your arrival.

Day 2: Blue Lagoon swimming and the Pakleni Islands

After breakfast, you sail from Šibenik toward Hvar. The crossing takes about five hours, but it is broken up by time in the water and a stop at Krknjasi Bay, often called the Blue Lagoon, on Mali Drvenik Island.

This is a good day to settle into the yacht. You can swim, sit on deck, and watch the coast pass without having to navigate or plan a ferry. Meals and drinks are prepared around the preference list you provide to the operator, though you should confirm exactly which drinks are included in your booking.

Late in the afternoon, the yacht anchors in a cove among the Pakleni Islands, near Hvar. You have access to beach bars and restaurants such as Laganini, Hula-Hula, and Carpe Diem, while dinner is prepared on the boat.

You can also visit Hvar Town that evening. That choice creates a useful balance: the cove gives you a relaxed swim-and-dinner setting, while Hvar adds a more social old-town evening. If you want a quiet night, staying on the yacht is perfectly consistent with the plan.

Day 3: Hvar roads, a wine cellar, and Korčula

Day three is one of the most distinctive parts of the trip because the boat and motorcycles work together. You walk through Hvar’s old town, collect the motorcycles, and follow a gravel road toward Sveta Nedjelja.

At the village, you visit the Plenković winery and its unusual underwater wine cellar. This is not simply a tasting stop. It connects the island’s rugged interior with its long wine-making tradition and gives the riding day a local food-and-drink focus.

The route continues to Sućuraj, where a ferry carries you for about 45 minutes to Drvenik on the mainland. From there, you ride the coastal road toward Ston and the Pelješac Peninsula.

Wine and oysters are the main theme of this part of the route. The plan includes winery visits, a private boat ride to an oyster farm, and a tasting of fresh oysters in Mali Ston. The oyster stop is especially good for anyone who wants to understand where the food on the plate comes from, rather than simply ordering seafood in a restaurant.

You continue to Orebić, where the yacht waits. A short 15-minute sail brings you to Korčula Town, where dinner is served onboard. Later, you can walk through the old town, traditionally linked with Marco Polo.

There is a lot of riding and tasting packed into this day. The gravel section also means you should be comfortable handling a large motorcycle on an unpaved road. Ask about the bike choice and route difficulty if this is your first time on a BMW GS or your first off-road ride.

Day 4: Mljet National Park and a seven-course dinner

After breakfast and a morning swim, the yacht sails for about two hours to Mljet. The visit to Mljet National Park includes the island’s two salt lakes, with either a bicycle outing or a short hike.

You also take a kayak ride to an ancient monastery. The park stop gives the day a quieter rhythm after the long motorcycle-and-oyster route, although the visit lasts about two hours, so you should not expect a full-day exploration of the island.

In the afternoon, the yacht continues to Kobaš Bay on the Pelješac Peninsula. You can swim, relax at the beach bar, and then eat at Gastro Mare Restaurant.

The highlight is a seven-course dinner prepared by chef Antonio Bjelko. The menu uses fresh organic ingredients and seafood caught from the surrounding waters. The boat-based meal pattern is one of the strongest reasons to choose this tour over a standard motorcycle rental, since you are not searching for dinner after a tiring ride.

Breakfast at Gastro Mare is planned for the next morning. If food is a major reason for booking, tell the operator about allergies, preferences, and drinks well before arrival.

Day 5: Ston’s walls, Pelješac wine, and Dubrovnik by boat

After breakfast and a swim at Kobaš Bay, you head toward Dubrovnik by way of Ston. The town is known for its long defensive walls, often described as the second-longest man-made wall after the Great Wall of China.

The route also includes another oyster-farm visit, with a local explanation of oyster growing and a tasting in the Ston area. The repeated seafood focus is not accidental. Pelješac is one of the best places on this itinerary to connect the coast, farming, wine, and local cooking in a single day.

A stop at Miloš Winery adds a wine angle. The visit lasts about 30 minutes and covers the history of wine making in the area, followed by a tasting.

Before Dubrovnik, the route includes Mount Srđ for a view over the old town and the Adriatic islands. You then leave the motorcycles at ACI Marina Dubrovnik around 4 p.m. and return to the yacht.

The evening setting is memorable: dinner on the yacht with Dubrovnik’s walls in view, followed by a walk along Stradun and time in the old town. You can return to the boat afterward for a quieter night overlooking the city.

Day 6: Montenegro, Kotor Bay, Budva, and Cavtat

Day six is another long motorcycle day. You ride from the Dubrovnik area toward Montenegro, crossing the Croatian border and following the roads around Boka Kotorska Bay.

The route includes Tivat, where you stop for coffee at Porto Montenegro, and Kotor, where you walk through the old town. Kotor’s setting inside the bay gives this part of the trip a different feel from the open Adriatic islands.

You also ride the hills around Kotor and Boka Kotorska before continuing to Budva. The plan includes Budva’s old town and nearby beaches, so you get both a historic center and a seaside stop.

At the end of the day, you return to Cavtat in Croatia. The yacht waits there for dinner, swimming, and an evening onboard. Cavtat is a smaller coastal town and a well-known anchorage for large yachts, making it a calmer base after the border crossing and mountain roads.

Carry the required travel documents for the international crossing and allow some flexibility. Border time and road conditions can affect the schedule, and the tour depends on good weather.

Day 7: Leaving the yacht for Trebinje and Mostar

After breakfast and a final morning swim near Dubrovnik, you leave the yacht and continue by motorcycle toward Bosnia and Herzegovina. Your luggage is sent back to the Desmo Adventure office in Split, so you ride without the burden of full suitcases.

The route passes through Trebinje, Stolac, and Blagaj before reaching Mostar. These smaller towns help break up the trip and show a different side of the region than the well-known coastal ports.

Mostar is the main destination. You walk through the old town and see the famous bridge, which was destroyed during the war in the 1990s and later rebuilt. The tour also addresses the city’s divided past and the way different religious and architectural traditions meet along the Neretva River.

This is a valuable change of focus. The trip is not only beaches, wine, and motorcycles. It also asks you to pay attention to the recent past of the Balkans and the physical marks left on towns and villages.

Day 8: The Neretva canyon, Jablanica, and Blidinje Nature Park

The last morning begins early with a ride from Mostar alongside the Neretva River canyon. The road climbs toward Čvrsnica Mountain and Blidinje Nature Park, passing small villages affected by the war in the 1990s.

In Jablanica, you visit a war museum and learn about the conflict and its impact on the region. It is a serious stop, and it gives context to the damaged villages seen along the route.

At Blidinje, lunch is served at Hajdučke Vrleti. The meal features Bosnian specialties prepared using traditional recipes, a fitting final taste after the seafood-heavy Croatian portion of the trip.

The return to Split takes about 2.5 hours. Your luggage waits at the Desmo Adventure office, followed by arranged transportation to the airport or a nearby hotel.

Is $10,909.64 per person good value?

This is a luxury private trip, not a low-cost sailing holiday or a basic motorcycle rental. The $10,909.64 per-person price needs to cover the yacht, captain, chef or hostess, motorcycle use, route planning, transfers, guiding, and a large amount of coordination across three countries.

The listed meals include dinner each day, with breakfast on four days and lunch on five days. Personal spending money is not included, and you should clarify the status of drinks, restaurant extras, fuel, insurance, and any motorcycle deposit before paying.

For two people, the total cost is substantial. For a private group splitting the yacht and planning effort, the value becomes easier to understand. You are paying for time saved, a private setting, quality bikes, and an itinerary that would be difficult to arrange alone.

The strongest value comes from the variety. A normal yacht charter will not usually include Krka, Mostar, Blidinje, and motorcycle roads in Montenegro. A normal motorcycle tour will not usually give you a chef, swimming coves, and a yacht waiting at the next port.

Who should book this trip?

I would choose this for an active couple, a group of friends, or a family of adults who want comfort without giving up road time. It suits riders who like coastal bends, mountain routes, and a gravel section, but who also want good meals and a bed on the water.

It is less suitable if you want to spend most of the week sailing, if you dislike border crossings, or if you need a loose schedule. The itinerary has many moving parts, and several days combine riding, sightseeing, ferry travel, and meals at set locations.

You should also be honest about motorcycle experience. The bikes are described in past departures as new BMW GS models, including the BMW GS 1250, but a large adventure motorcycle still demands confidence. Ask about passenger arrangements, licenses, insurance, and route expectations before booking.

The tour offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes made within 24 hours are not accepted, and poor weather can lead to a new date or a full refund. Since the experience depends on sailing and riding, weather flexibility is important.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts in Split, with pickup available from Split Airport or another convenient location in Split.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately eight days, beginning at about 9:00 a.m.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

What countries does the route visit?

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

What is included for accommodation?

The yacht becomes your accommodation after the first day and remains your base for the yacht portion of the route. The inland portion includes a night in Mostar.

Are meals included?

Dinner is included each day. Breakfast is included on four days and lunch on five days, according to the listed meal plan. Personal spending is not included.

Which major places are visited?

The route includes Krka Waterfalls, Šibenik, Hvar, the Pakleni Islands, Mljet, Ston, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Tivat, Budva, Cavtat, Mostar, Jablanica, and Blidinje Nature Park.

Are motorcycles provided?

The tour includes access to the motorcycle fleet supplied by Desmo Adventure. Past departures used BMW GS motorcycles, including BMW GS 1250 models.

What happens if the weather is poor?

Because the experience requires suitable weather, a cancellation caused by poor weather offers you a different date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time.

Should you book it?

Book this if you want Croatia by sea and by road, and if you value a private yacht, a chef, and strong logistical support as much as the riding itself. The mix of Krka waterfalls, Hvar wine, Mljet kayaking, Dubrovnik, Montenegro, Mostar, and Bosnian mountain roads gives you far more range than a standard island cruise.

Skip it if the price is difficult to justify, if you prefer a slow sailing week, or if you are not comfortable spending long days on a motorcycle. For the right private group, though, this is a rare combination: premium bikes in the morning, a swim from the yacht in the afternoon, and a serious local meal at night.