A visit to the Krka waterfalls is one of the highlights of a visit Croatia. Whether you're with the camper a tour through Croatia Whether you visit one of the nearby cities of Zadar, Split or Sibenik, Krka is definitely worth a visit. I have now been to the park four times, twice in the summer and once in the spring and autumn. Each visit was beautiful in its own way, from hot summers to colorful autumns. As a child in the 1s I could still climb and even jump off the falls. Nowadays that is really unthinkable. It is now completely different but certainly no less beautiful. It's still beautiful National Park to walk. Nature is well protected here and you notice that in everything. Crystal clear water, many waterfalls and bright green nature. What else do you want?
About Krka National Park
Krka National Park is a busy park, especially in high season. It is the seventh national park in Croatia and the park covers an area of 111 km². The river Krka rises at the foot of the Dinara Mountains. The length to the sea is about 70 km and an average of 55 m³ of water flows per second! In the national park you can enjoy various hiking trails, countless waterfalls, green nature, caves and monasteries.
Also read: Highlights of Croatia | Itinerary for car, motorcycle, caravan or camper!
What makes the Krka river and associated waterfalls extra special is that it is not fed by water from the mountains, but by various natural 'springs', or sources of water that are pushed up from the bottom. The water is so incredibly pure that it can even be drunk directly from the springs!
Tips for Krka – What to see and do
1. Jaruga . Hydroelectric Power Station
De Jaruga hydroelectric power station (Location herelisten)) is a hydroelectric power station on the river Krka. The Jaruga is one of the oldest power generating plants in the world, dating back to 1903. It was designed at the time to power the street lighting in Šibenik, making it the first city in the world is with street lighting powered by a multi-phase alternating current (AC) system.
All a bit technical, but the building and associated history is absolutely unique and you actually sail past it without knowing it. That's why I like to give you that piece of knowledge. If you sail past it during your visit to the falls, you will at least know what you are looking at.
Tip:: Want to discover more great places in Croatia? Then read our blog about the most beautiful beach in Croatia, Pasjaca Beach. Of course one can city trip to Dubrovnik Also don't miss or read our articles about it Sibenik, Krka National Park, Advent Zagreb (Christmas markets), the new Peljesac bridge or plan a great one tour of all the highlights of Croatia. Need more inspiration? Then read our article about it free camping in Croatia.
2. Skradinski Buk
Whoever enters the park from the southern entrance, actually immediately runs into the most beautiful waterfall, the Skradinsky Buk (Location here). Those who go early can admire the waterfall without too many other tourists. The only thing you hear and see is the roaring sound of the waterfall and the singing of the many birds in the trees.
Fortunately, Skradinski Buk is not one big waterfall, but a succession of beautiful waterfalls. Follow the hiking trail and be treated to the best that mother nature has to offer. Take your time and sit quietly at one of the beautiful viewpoints with a cup of coffee and listen to the roaring water and the singing birds.
3. Roski Slap
This beautiful waterfall is located in the northern part of the park and can be seen from the hiking trails and walkways. It is actually a collection of cascading waterfalls that flow into each other with a large waterfall at the end. It is wonderful to see how the water meanders through nature here. Crystal clear water and bright green nature alternate.
For the best experience of the large waterfall you can take the boat (more about boat tours at the bottom of the article). The boat will bring you close to the waterfall so that you get the roar and mist up close, a very cool experience.
4. Krka Monastery
The spiritual center of the Orthodox believers in Dalmatia, the Krka Monastery (Holy Archangel) is located in a place called Carigradska Draga in the northern part of Krka National Park (exact location here). The monastery is still in use and you literally walk between the students. Take a look at one of the various outbuildings and admire the beautiful, colorful murals.
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4. Boat trips in Krka National Park
The most popular boat trip is the boat trip from Skradin to Krka. The boat trip takes about half an hour. It is wonderful to get a breath of fresh air on the boat. The sun shines over the water and takes you further across the water in the wonderful world of Krka. Arriving in Krka you will have time to admire the picturesque town. We saw our chance and settled down at a nice cocktail bar on the beautiful water. We liked how versatile our day in Krka was; it consisted of walking, swimming, a boat trip, viewing historic buildings and visiting a nice cafe / restaurant.
If you want to escape the crowds a bit, you can go to the Krka Monastery (official name: Krka) in the northern part of Krka. Srpski pravoslavni manastir Krka) also get on the boat. You can find the exact location on Google Maps here find.
5. Visovac Monastery
The Visovac Monastery is located in the middle of the Krka River on a small island and is therefore only accessible by boat (exact location here). This monastery + museum is also still in use. Walk among the priests flowers and peacocks and sit down on a bench with one of the priests to enjoy the peace.
Some priests speak a little English or German. Have a chat with them, they are absolutely open to it! With a bit of luck you will have a nice conversation and you might even be treated to a delicious local drink. This is how you experience the real Croatia!
6. Swimming in Krka after a long walk
The Krka National Park officially starts as soon as you pass under this bridge. Swimming is no longer allowed in the park. Just outside the park you can swim freely. That is why you see many locals and tourists who take a refreshing dip here! After a day of brisk walking and sweating in the sun, we were ready for some cooling down. There were many young people on and around the bridge, because jumping off is super cool! It's quite high, I estimate about 10 meters.
You can also choose to jump from the iron sleepers, which are less high. It is super fun to do, the water is deep enough and in that sense it is also safe to jump. Just keep an eye out for a boat full of tourists arriving.
Practical information Krka
Visit the official website for the most up-to-date admission prices and information (e.g. adjusted opening hours during holidays). You can also go there for a lot of historical information.
1. Walking routes and entrances
You can discover the park via a network of hiking trails that meander along the most beautiful spots of the Krka National Park. In total there are in Krka National Park 22 different walking routes to walk. Krka National Park has in total 5 inputs: Skradin, Lozovac, Roški Slap, Krka Monastery and Burnum, but the Skradin and Lozovac entrances are the two most obvious.
During the walking routes you pass the turquoise water surrounded by greenery of trees and grass and this gives a fairytale feeling. With the sun shining over the water, it's like you're in a beautiful dream! You don't have to worry that you will get thirsty from the heat, because you can fill your water bottle with crystal clear water from the natural springs in many places in the park.
2. Official website with information about the park
To make it as easy as possible for you, I have listed the most searched pages below for you. Use the links to go directly to the relevant page.
- Hiking trails and viewpoints – Click here
- Cycling routes – Click here
- Entrance fees – Click here
- Opening times per season – Click here
- Park and tourist maps – Click here
- Boat excursions – Click here
3. Culture and history
There are several historical and cultural attractions in the park. It is recommended to do a walking route led by a guide. In this way you will get to know the rich culture and history of the Krka National Park. There is enough time to walk around on your own and explore the area. So you are really not tied to someone who is telling/showing around all the time. The guide makes clear time agreements with you and leads you along the most beautiful places. You can also see how people used to live in the park and how, for example, they washed their clothes in the old-fashioned way.
3. Get to Krka as early as possible
If you have the opportunity: go as early as possible. We have already been to the park four times and it really pays to go extra early. Especially in the summer it can be very hot here and if you go early, there are also far fewer other tourists.
4. Helpful Tips
- Wear good walking shoes, it's a long walk!
- Visit the monastery? Then make sure your shoulders are covered, don't wear swimwear.
- Do not leave any waste. Use the available containers.
- Dogs are allowed in the park provided they are on a leash. Dogs are not allowed on the island of Visovac.
- You can also get to the park by bus, from Sibenik, Split and other places. More info here.
More Croatia?
This blog is part of a series of blogs about Croatia† Visit our Croatia page for more information about Croatia, its people, climate and much more. See you there!
