Žumberak – Samobor Hills Nature Park

Žumberak Nature Park is located in the Samobor Hills in Zagreb County. It was declared a park in 1999 and covers 350 square kilometres. The park extends over part of the hilly area of the Žumberak and Samobor Hills, about 30 km southwest of Zagreb. The Žumberak Hills are further west and higher, forming a natural border with the Republic of Slovenia, while the Samobor Hills are lower. The park's rocks are around 250 million years old, and almost 90% of the park is covered by karst rock. As a result of this geomorphological development, the park is full of caves, pits and sinkholes. Humans have been present in this area since prehistoric times, so there are also many archaeological sites dating from all historical periods.

The park's plant diversity includes species such as Daphne blagayana, early purple orchid, holly, peony, iris, carnation and other species. Among the animal species there are bears, wolves, the goshawk, the fire salamander, the horned viper, the grass snake and many other snake species.

Among the numerous archaeological sites, there is the archaeological Budinjak Park and a 4 km educational trail that introduces tourists to the remains of old settlements and an ancient cemetery in the area. There is also the old town of Okić, a medieval town near Samobor. In addition, there is also the old town of Žumberak, which was built in the Middle Ages, and the Jazovka pit, which, besides its natural beauty, is also known as a mass grave from the Second World War.

Sporting activities in the park area include cycling, winter sports, horse riding and hiking. The trails leading through the hills are ideal for hiking and walking. The park also has 4 cycling trails set up, each about 50 km long, running through the whole park. There are no developed ski slopes in the park area, so that sport is not possible, but on the Plešivica hills a sledging competition and a sledging track have been held for a century. The park's developed trails also enable recreational horse riding as well as a riding school, and riding on a pony for children. For the more adventurous, the park's rich cave network has led to the popularity of speleology and climbing in the park area, where the Samobor Speleological Club is also active.


Photo: parkovihrvatske.hr