Locations

For all active tourism, hiking, walking, trail and trekking enthusiasts, Life on Mars Trail is an unique experience. All it takes is to come to Metajna, just 12 km from Novalja, bring the appropriate equipment and footwear and follow the marked routes to embark on an inexhaustible adventure along the paths of Mars, which combines its stone surfaces exposed by bora and salt in the same picture with the beauty of Velebit, seas and beautiful bays and beaches where you find true beauty and peace.

In 2020, Life on Mars Trail was upgraded with the first Via Ferrata above the sea in Croatia, which makes a bridge between the sea part which connects Slana bay and Sušac cape. It is intended for more daring active athletes, and it requires the use of mandatory and adequate equipment (gloves, climbing harness, absorber and climbing helmet). It is among more demanding Via Ferratas due to its difficulty. It takes 10 to 15 min to pass it, and it is 1 to 2 m above the sea. It’s a demanding climb, and access to the sea Via Ferrata starts from Slana Bay, marked by a hiking trail 2 km from Ručica beach in Metajna.

In the shallow sea next to Beriknica (Beritnica) beach, there are three rocks, and above the beach, the spectacular rock Stogaj rises, which with its unusual shape awakens climbers’ adrenaline and represents a real challenge! The Stogaj rock formation seems to have been created by a miracle of nature itself, and it has two climbing routes: Stigma (difficulty 5b and 5a) on the southeast side of the rock, and La vida Loca (5b, 5c, and 5a), both 6 meters long. Along with the mentioned route, you can find a first-pitch variation called Halfmoon (grade 5b) and 25 meters long. Therefore, it is a favorite destination for climbing adventurers and one of the most photographed motifs on the Life on Mars Trail, offering nearly 70 marked routes. If you’re a beginner, try a short and easy ten-meter climb, and for experienced climbers, we recommend more challenging routes called Scorpion or Spyder.