One of the best national parks to explore in Croatia is Krka National Park, a beautiful natural wonder known for its spectacular waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, and lush landscapes full of colorful flora and fauna that cover an area of more than 109 square kilometers. If you love nature and hiking, this place is a must-visit, for sure, and makes for a great day trip from Zadar or Split.
Within this guide, I will take you through a step-by-step guide on how to get to Krka National Park with public transportation, the best hiking route to make for a one-day trip, what to pack, and all the information you need to plan an epic trip to Krka National Park. Without further ado, here's the ultimate travel guide to Krka National Park:
Krka National Park Itinerary Map
Quick Summary
| ๐ค๏ธ Best time: | June-August |
| ๐ Get around: | Hiking |
| ๐๏ธ Ticket: | 40 EUR |
| ๐ Time to spend: | 5 hours |
| ๐ถโโ๏ธ Difficulty: | Easy |
Best Things to Do in Krka National Park
1. Admire the Beauty of Skradinski Buk Waterfall
- ๐ Location: Skradinski Buk [Map Link]
The most famous waterfall in the Krka National Park that you should definitely visit is Skradinski Buk, a spectacular cascade of 17 steps with a total drop of 45.7 meters into a series of turquoise pools below.
The moment you arrive inside Krka National Park, you will come face to face with this stunning waterfall, and you will be able to walk to the waterfall on a wooden boardwalk that goes over the crystal clear pool of water, allowing you to have an up-close experience with Skradinski Buk waterfall.
The pool in front of Skradinski Buk used to be open to swimmers, but swimming here has been prohibited since January 2021 to protect the waterfall and its fragile natural formations. I understand why, although it is still a little sad when the water looks this unbelievably clear!
- Guesthouse Ivan (Budget)
- Vila Marija (Mid-Range) ๐ Top Pick
- Hotel Bonaca (High-End)
- Split: Krka Waterfalls Trip with Boat Cruise and Swimming (9.5 hours) ๐ Top Pick
- From Split: Krka Waterfalls, Food & Wine Tasting Tour (10 hours)
- From Split: Krka National Park, Skradin & Wine Tasting Tour (9 hours)
That said, you can still stroll around the waterfall and find a nice spot to enjoy the view of the waterfall. Keep in mind that the national park does get a lot of tourists every day so if you wish to take photos of the waterfall without people, I highly recommend you get to the national park first thing in the morning and make your way straight to the boardwalk to have the place to yourself before the crowds arrive.
2. Hike Around the Skradinski Buk Trail
- ๐ Location: Skradinski Buk Trail [Map Link]
One of the best ways to explore Krka National Park is to hike the 2 km loop around Skradinski Buk Waterfall, which starts from the boardwalk across the crystal clear pool of water in front of Skradinski Buk Waterfall. From there, as you cross the water, you will have to hike up along the side of the waterfall, which is easier and shorter than it seems.
From Skradinski Buk Waterfall, the path weaves in and out of the trees along a wooden walkway, and as you continue hiking, you will find several side trails you can take that will give you different views of waterfalls along Krka River.
I highly recommend you explore all of these side trails as you come across them, as they will take you to some of the best viewpoints in the national park and allow you to see just how impressive the waterfalls truly are in Krka National Park.
Along the way, you will also find all kinds of beautiful flora and faunas, as well as butterflies and all kinds of small wildlife that thrive in the beautiful forest of Krka National Park, so be sure to keep an eye out for them.
It should take you about 2 hours to complete the loop, including all the side trails you might stumble upon as you hike around the popular Skradinski Buk trail. There will be several rest stops along the way. You can sit and have lunch among nature, so be sure to take your time here.
3. Check Out Roลกki Waterfall
- ๐ Location: Roลกki Waterfall [Map Link]
- ๐ฐ Boat Excursion: 20 EUR per adult for Visovac + Roลกki slap, extra to park admission
There are also other notable attractions that are located deeper inside the national park, like Roลกki Waterfall, another impressive waterfall with around 25 meters drop and cascade over a series of steps along its 650 meters length.
It is a nice waterfall to check out, and you can reach it by road or join the parkโs boat excursion from Skradinski Buk. The combined trip visits Visovac Island and Roลกki Waterfall, takes about 4 hours, and costs 20 EUR per adult, in addition to park admission. An organized tour from Split can also be convenient, but check which stops and boat rides are included before booking.
You can ask for more details at the Krka National Park ticket office once you are there. When I was there, the schedule didn't fit well with my schedule, which relied on the limited bus availability between Zadar and Krka National Park, so I decided to spend most of my time hiking around the national park instead. If you decide to try it out, be sure you have enough time to get back to Skradin to catch the bus back to Zadar if you are basing yourself from there.
4. Visit Visovac Island
- ๐ Location: Visovac Island [Map Link]
- ๐ฐ Boat Excursion: 15 EUR per adult from Skradinski Buk, extra to park admission
Another attraction you should check out while you explore deeper into Krka National Park is Visovac Island, a small island located right at the center of Visovac Lake and is home to the picturesque 15th-century Visovac Monastery.
To get there, you can book a park boat excursion on site or choose an organized tour from Split that specifically includes Visovac Island. Not every Krka day tour visits the island or Roลกki Waterfall, so check the itinerary before booking.
The return boat excursion from Skradinski Buk to Visovac takes about 2 hours and costs 15 EUR per adult. The 4-hour trip combining Visovac and Roลกki Waterfall costs 20 EUR per adult. Both are extra to park admission; ask park staff about departures and buy the excursion ticket on site.
5. Hike Back From Krka National Park to Skradin
- ๐ Location: hike back from Krka National Park to Skradin [Map Link]
- ๐ Opening Hours: Not specified
- ๐ฐ Entry Fees: Not specified
One of the main problems I ran into when leaving through Skradin was the long queue for the boat back. In busy periods, you may have to wait a while, but the boat is not your only option: you can also walk between Skradin and Skradinski Buk.
That was the case for most of us who were trying to exit the national park but were deterred by the incredibly long queue at the pier. I ended up deciding to hike back from Krka National Park to Skradin, and it was surprisingly pleasant.
The hike is around 5 km long, and it will take you about 1 hour to get back to Skradin, but you will be walking along the river on a mostly flat trail which makes it much easier than it seems.
If you ended up having to wait one hour for the ferry back, I highly recommend you walk back and enjoy nature along the way. It will take the same amount of time either way, but with the walk, you will be able to enjoy the little beautiful details of the surrounding landscapes that you might have missed when you took the ferry in.
6. Explore Skradin
- ๐ Location: Skradin [Map Link]
Last but not least, if you have some time to spare while you wait for the bus back to Zadar, be sure to explore the little charming town of Skradin before you leave.
There are a few spots you should check out while you are in Skradin. There is a nice fortress located on top of the hill in Skradin where you can hike and get a view of the town and Krka River from above or you can visit the town's main church and check out its beautiful interior.
If you want to freshen up a little from the hike you just did, you can go for a swim at Skradin Beach located just outside of town, along the way to the hiking trail to get inside Krka National Park. The beach is spacious and wide, and the water is crystal clear, making it perfect to spend the rest of your time in Skradin.
When is the Best Time to Visit Krka National Park?
The best time to visit Krka National Park, especially if you want to rely on public transportation, is in the summer months between June and August when it is driest and you will have a much higher chance for clear skies, high visibility, and lovely sunshine making your hike a bit more comfortable.
That said, it is also the most crowded time of all, and Krka National Park does get many visitors every day, not to mention the narrow wooden walking paths you have to walk on, which can create a bottleneck and traffic jam, which is the last thing you want to experience in nature.
If you do not mind the cold but want to still experience Krka National Park without having to deal with the overwhelming crowds, I highly recommend you visit the national park during the shoulder seasons of late April to May or September to early October. The crowds are starting to thin during this time which makes visiting Krka National Park a little more enjoyable.
All in all, if you want the highest chance of great weather in Krka National Park, I highly recommend you stick to the period I recommended above.
How to Get to Krka National Park?
From Zadar
To get from Zadar to Krka National Park, you can either go on an organized tour which is pretty convenient as you will be able to visit Krka National Park without having to worry about the logistics of it all. Once you arrive at the park, the tour guide will provide you with a suggested hiking route that you can follow at your leisure, or you can spend 3 hours exploring this wonderful national park on your own.
If you wish to visit Krka National Park from Zadar independently, you are going to have to first book a ticket online and reserve a date and a time slot for the ferry to go inside the national park from their official website.
Be sure to pick Skradin as your entrance, as that is where the bus from Zadar will drop you off at. The ticket to enter the park with 2 ferry rides in and out of the park should cost you around 40 EUR from June to September, 20 EUR in April, May, and October, and 7 EUR in the remaining months. Be sure to book in advance as the ferry may get booked out fast, especially during the weekends. The ferry runs every 30 minutes from 8 AM to 7:30 PM every day in the summer months. Expect a reduced schedule outside of the peak season.
If you do not want to wait for the ferry to get in and out of Krka National Park, you can also opt out of the ferry rides, and when you arrive in Skradin, you can make your way towards the entrance from here.
Once everything is booked, you can book the morning bus operated by Flixbus from Zadar to Skradinsko Polje, which will take you straight to where you can catch the ferry to get inside Krka National Park. You can book the ticket here.
The bus leaves from Zadar bus station and it will take you about one hour before the bus drops you off in Skradin where you can then walk to Krka National Park pier and catch the ferry inside or make your way to Krka National Park on foot.
From Split
From Split, I highly recommend you go on an organized tour instead as public transportation to Krka National Park is pretty limited and the schedule doesn't quite work for daytrippers like us.
The organized tour will also be able to take you further into the national park, which is something you can't do on your own, so if you wish to see places like Visovac island and Roลกki slap as well as Skradinski Buk Waterfall, there is no better way to do it than with an organized tour. You can book the tour from here.
Driving Yourself
If you are planning to drive to Krka National Park, choose your entrance around the places you want to visit. For Skradinski Buk, the two main approaches are Skradin and Lozovac, and these are the ones I recommend focusing on for this itinerary.
From Skradin, you can reach Skradinski Buk by the seasonal park boat or on foot. Lozovac is particularly convenient if you have a car: you can use the seasonal park shuttle or follow the 875-meter forest trail down to Skradinski Buk. Keep in mind that you will need to climb back up if you return on foot.
You can also drive yourself to places deeper in the national park like Roลกki slap and Visovac Island viewpoint without having to rely on organized tour to get you there. If you wish to rent a car in Croatia, hit the link below:
How Difficult is the Hike in Krka National Park?
I found the hike around Skradinski Buk pretty easy, with a few ups and downs and plenty of places to stop. The main circuit is around 2 km, and I would allow about 2 hours to enjoy it with photo stops. There are stairs and uneven sections, though, so how comfortable it feels will depend on your mobility and fitness.
You will be hiking up quite a bit at the beginning as you ascend up a waterfall, but not for a long period of time, and the trail will flatten out into wooden boardwalks, which makes it quite easy to hike around in.
All in all, hiking around Krka National Park is pretty easy, with well-marked and well-maintained trails that gear towards anyone who is looking to explore the beautiful nature of this awesome national park.
How Long Does it Take to Explore Krka National Park?
When I visited from Zadar using public transportation, my bus connections gave me around 5 hours at the park and about 7 hours for the whole outing. That was enough for the roughly 2 km Skradinski Buk circuit, photo stops, and a relaxed break before heading back. Use your own outward and return bus times to work out how much time you will have inside the park.
On my trip, the bus times did not leave enough room for the 4-hour boat excursion combining Visovac Island and Roลกki slap, so I focused on Skradinski Buk instead. You may be able to fit in more with different connections, but allow time for the excursion departure, the ride back to Skradin, and your return bus.
If you really want to see those places, consider staying nearby or choosing an organized tour from Split that explicitly includes them. Set aside a full day, and check both the stops and total duration before booking, as a standard Krka tour does not automatically include Visovac or Roลกki slap.
Krka National Park Entrance Fees?
The entrance fee for Krka National Park is not exactly cheap, especially if you visit the park during the summer months between June and September, as the ticket will cost you 40 EUR per adult and 28 EUR per student/child. That is crazy expensive for a national park, in my opinion.
If you want to save some money, visit in April, May, or October, when the full-park ticket costs 20 EUR per adult and 12 EUR per student or child aged 7โ18. These are also the shoulder-season months I recommend above for avoiding the peak-summer crowds.
From November through March, the full-park ticket costs 7 EUR per adult and 4 EUR per student or child aged 7โ18. Children under 7 enter free. These quieter months are cheaper, but the regular Skradin boat and Lozovac shuttle are seasonal, so plan on entering on foot when they are not running.
The good thing is that the entrance ticket includes access to the entire park as well as a ferry ride into the park which we will be utilizing to get inside via Skradin Entrance, where the bus drops you off. You can book the ticket here or you can buy it from the ticket office at the Skradin entrance of the park.
How Much Money Do I Need For Krka National Park?
In total, I spent around 70 EUR for visiting Krka National Park excluding lunch and snacks. The roundtrip ticket from Zadar to Krka and back was around 22 EUR, and the national park ticket was 40 EUR (for the peak season), so in total, I spent 62 EUR for this trip.
Is it Safe to Hike Krka National Park?
The trails are well-marked and easy to navigate, so you should have no trouble getting around Krka National Park. Just make sure you hike responsibly and be mindful of others, as the place does get quite crowded in the summer.
Many of the trails that go above the water are made out of wooden planks, and they can be quite narrow at times. Stick to one side when you walk and look back before you decide to stop and take photos. You have no idea how many times I almost bumped into people as they decided to stop all of a sudden to take photos! Other than that, there's not much to worry about when it comes to safety for this itinerary.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Krka National Park?
With an eSIM from Airalo, I had internet access throughout my hike, and it worked well around Croatia with a steady 4G connection during my trip. If you are planning to spend more time in Croatia, an Airalo eSIM is a convenient option, provided your phone supports eSIM. Coverage can vary by location, but it worked well for me here.
If your phone doesn't support esim, you should be able to get a physical sim card at the airport in Zagreb or elsewhere in the country and you will be able to stay connected with your friends and families the entire time you are hiking Krka National Park.
What to Pack for Krka National Park?
- A Water bottle: At least 1.5 - 2 liters of water for Krka National Park. Croatia in the summer can be pretty unforgiving, so make sure you have enough water to stay hydrated for the hike. You can buy water inside the park at cafes and rest stops, but it can be quite expensive. I always carry my super lightweight Hydro Flast Insulated Water Bottle on all my trips around Europe, and I highly recommend you get one, especially if you like hiking.
- Walking Shoes: I love walking around new cities or going on small hikes, so I highly recommend you take a good pair of comfortable shoes with you on this trip. My go-to pair of shoes is the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that I always wear when I am out and about, even on long hikes.
- Layers: Always carry at least one layer in case the weather changes all of a sudden. I was there in late September, and it was getting pretty windy and cold at times. Here are the jackets I recommend you get for the trip: a fleece jacket and the beautiful orange Columbia outer-shell jacket.
- Snack Bars: Since you will be spending all day traveling and hiking, I highly recommend you pack a few snack bars for the trip. They are delicious, nutritious, and cheap, and they are great for when you want to quickly replenish your energy while hiking. I highly recommend CLIF BARS.
- Lunch: There are a few small restaurants here and there in the national park where you can get lunch, but it can be quite expensive. Thankfully, there is a small Studenac Market in Skradin where the bus will drop you off. You can get sandwiches for lunch there, or you can prepare and pack your own lunch prior to your visit.
- A Daypack: This is what you will use to carry all your essentials like water bottles, jackets, snack bars, etc. Any backpack with around a 25L capacity, like Herschel Supply's Little America bag, should be enough for most use cases. However, if you have lots of camera gear like I do, the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Backpack is my go-to camera bag for the hike.
- Power Bank: In case your phone or camera runs out of juice while you are hiking, it is always recommended to have a backup power bank just in case you need it.
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