Krka National Park or “slapovi krke” was one of the most wonderful experiences of my trip. I am fortunate that I was able to spend three weeks in Croatia and in that time I managed to visit many cities along the Dalmatian Coast. Among these was Krka National Park which is the second most famous national park in Croatia after Plitvice Lakes. Both parks have incredible lakes and waterfalls. The major difference between them is that you can actually swim at Krka! Here is what you need to know if you only have one day to spend at Krka National Park.
1. Arrive Early
In the summer months the early bird really gets the worm. If possible, I would suggest arriving early, especially earlier than the tour buses. Anytime after 4pm is good too because most of the tour groups are out of the park by late afternoon. If you’re there by 4pm in the summer time there is a discounted rate as well!
Park Hours in July/August are 8:00 to 20:00.
2. Bring your swimsuit
The best part about seeing the waterfalls is discovering that you are able to swim in the water. Be sure to bring you swimsuit and take a dip in the beautiful turquoise waters. I cannot stress this enough. If you are going to Krka in the summer time it’s going to be very hot out and busy. The last thing you want to do is hike a crowded trail for several hours. I made this mistake, we did the hike around the waterfalls which was way too crowded and it was extremely hot. I would cut the hike short and just spend most of the time swimming amongst the beautiful waterfall.
3. Rent a car
I rented a car in Biograd Na Moru and it only took one hour to get there by car. I would recommend this option because the busses get very full during peak times (July/August) and are very unreliable. However, you may have to pay for parking (about $10 CDN for the day). Croatia is still developing their tourism industry and in my view they still have a lot of work to do in terms of integrating a reliable bus system. An alternative option is arranging an organized tour in advance, both are available from Biograd Na Moru or from many booths located at the entrance to Zadar’s old town. This is a great option because the cost of entering the park and transportation are covered in one price and you avoid any hassles on the day of. Lastly, if you absolutely cannot rent a car I would recommend taking a bus from Zadar to Krka. Zadar is good hub for transportation which can take you to many neighbouring cities – the larger cities tend to have better transit systems in place.
Click here for directions from Biograd Na Moru to Krka National Park
4. Pack a Lunch and bring a backpack
Although once you get to the waterfalls there are places to buy food you save a lot more money bringing you lunch and water with you. I would also recommend bringing a backpack as it is the most practical for the day. I’d pack a change of clothes and shoes too and any other hiking essentials.
5. Entry Fees
One thing I wanted to note is that since Croatia’s only industry is tourism they tend to hike up their entrance fees during the summer time. Not only is it more expensive but it gets so busy that it’s hard to really enjoy the beauty of the waterfalls. With that, I myself went in the summer and it was still really beautiful. My personal advice would go outside of peak times. The adult individual prices for entrance into Krka National Park are as follows:
January to March & November to December – 30 Kuna or $6 CDN
April to June & September to October – 110 Kuna or $23 CDN
July to August – 200 Kuna or $41 CDN
The entrance ticket includes:
- One-time visit to all the terrestrial localities of Krka National Park
- Skradinski buk, RoÅ”ki slap and OziÄana peÄina cave
- Access to all walking trails in the park
- Boat transport on the route Skradin
Note that: If you have your student card you may receive a discounted rate, it’s always a good idea to have your student ID on hand.
You can also visit the website for a complete list of entry fees here.
I hope this article was useful for those considering to travel to Krka.
Sara Habibovic 