HOW TO VISIT KRKA NATIONAL PARK IN CROATIA
Updated: Apr 16
MAR 7, 2022
This article is meant to assist anyone interested in visiting KRKA National Park in Croatia. KRKA National Park is a UNESCO Heritage Site located in the Dalmatia region of Croatia and is a short 15 minute drive from the coastal town of Sibenik.
Why should you visit KRKA National Park?
This park made my jaw drop. It looks like nature's water world. It is mostly unaltered, except for the wooden walkways built for humans to enjoy hovering above the water. But if you take one look, you will understand that this national park is a force of nature. I have never been so close to so much running water in my life. During the summer, the weather is warm enough and you are even allowed to swim here!
When to visit?
I thoroughly enjoy visiting national parks when they are less crowded. I was able to visit in November and was probably one of only 5 people visitors in the park. Note that some entrances are closed during winter season, but the Lozovac entrance is open year round. The park gets busy from the months of June to September. It's best to visit at the beginning or tail end of these months to avoid the busy crowds. However! You are allowed to swim in the waterfall's waters, and it is warmest in July and August, so you may want to add that to your consideration when planning.
Entrance fees vary throughout the season, and prices are less for children. When entering Lozovac, the price of the boat ride is included in the ticket, but there were no boats running when I went in November.
Adults:
April - October: 200 Kuna / $28.70 USD
November - March: 30 Kuna / $4.31 USD
Park hours vary throughout the year. I've learned that in the low tourist season from October to April, most parks close quite early before the sun sets and the temperatures drop, so it is best to check before you go.
KRKA's hours throughout the year can be found here:
https://www.np-krka.hr/stranice/working-hours/144/en.html
How to get there?
Motorcycle, Car, Bus or Guided Tour.
I rode my motorcycle from Sibenik here which was very convenient. I parked at Lozovac which had a gigantic parking lot with free parking, public restrooms, and a snack bar. Driving or renting a car would be easiest so you can hop to the next entrance as you please, but there is also an option of taking the bus or purchasing tours from neighboring cities.
Here is Croatia's bus tickets purchase website:
Here are the KRKA boat routes and times of operation:
https://www.np-krka.hr/stranice/scheduled-routes/692/en.html
How to get in?
There are five entrances:
Lozovac (the main entrance where I entered from to hike Skradinski Buk)
Skradin
Roski Slap/ Laskovica
Kistanje/ Manastir KRKA
Burnum/ Puljane
More information about the entrances can be found here:
https://www.np-krka.hr/stranice/park-entrances/28/en.html
What to hike?
I only hiked Skradinki Buk, so can only speak on that one. The scenic views are impressive and I highly recommend it. I would call it a stroll. Most of it is flat and easy and sprinkled with some moderate uphill areas. It is 9.3 km or 5.8 miles. The areas of the wood planks that hover above the water do not have railings, so one must pay attention and look forward while hiking or they may end up in the water. This hike is also the most popular, so go right when the park opens to avoid crowds or select one of the other park's less crowded hikes.
There are over 20 hiking trails with varying mileages and difficulties which can be found here:
https://www.np-krka.hr/stranice/hiking-trails/342/en.html
How much time should I spend here?
I honestly did not do any research beforehand, so I assumed there was only one entrance and all the hikes were connected and branched off, just like any other national park. You need to exit and drive to the next entrance to see the rest of the park. Realistically to go through every entrance and breeze through a hike a day would take at least one week. I only allotted myself one day. Looking back, I wish I could have spent more time in KRKA, but I needed to keep moving South because winter was getting too cold riding for me. If you have limited time like I did, and only have a day or two, I recommend entering through the Lozovac entrance, hiking Skradinski Buk and taking a boat ride so you can see more of the park on boat. This would give you a good mix of both experiences.
Amenities
The Lozovac entrance has public restrooms, free parking and a snack bar. Further into the park, there was a souvenir shop, more restrooms and more shops and cafes. These were closed in November, but I'm sure they are open during busy season with delicious food and snacks as well.
Accomodations
There are many hotels sprinkled all around the different entrances of KRKA. If you are not staying in a hotel adjacent to KRKA, I recommend staying in Sibenik so you can explore the local area as well. The old town is very interesting and amazing to walk through.
For more information on KRKA, visit their website:
If you'd like to watch my experience through KRKA, here's a little video I made of my visit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhlu7-wSpFg