QUICK VIEW:
Krka National Park is one of Croatia’s biggest attractions. The waterfalls are easily accessed using a well-developed network of walkways. A boat ride on the Krka River and a visit to Skradin are a must.
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We are Rainman and Tricia ... and we are the Road Hackers! As Road Hackers, we specialize in building itineraries that allow us to discover diamonds in the rough all over the world.
These amazing places are usually well known to domestic travelers, but tend to be overlooked by most international tourists. Our Croatia itinerary was no exception, yielding several gems.
Krka National Park is one of these lesser-known diamonds in the rough we discovered on our Croatia trip!
Croatia is blessed with eight National Parks, and has an impressive conservation reputation.
In fact, Croatia has over 400 protected areas, covering about nine percent of the country!
Both Krka National Park and Plitvice National Park were high on our itinerary wish list. Decisions needed to be made. We didn't have the time or budget to visit both.
Both parks have spectacular waterfalls and natural vistas. Plitvice National Park is bigger than Krka, but lies some 150 miles/240 km from our small home base town near Split.
Krka National Park, on the other hand, is easily accessible from Split, and has one of the largest waterfalls in Croatia.
Beautiful Krka National Park is home to one of Croatia's largest waterfalls
Researching our potential Krka National Park itinerary also revealed a long list of very interesting experiences and sites:
Sixteen Notable Waterfalls ... Skradinski Buk ... Nicola Tesla Connection ... Visovac Island Monastery ... Krka-Skradin River Cruise ... Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary ... Skradin Old Town ... Skradin Waterfront ... Turina Fortress ... Wine Tasting Experiences
For us, it was an easy decision. Destination ... Krka National Park!
Join us as we share why Krka National Park is such a special place.
Getting to Krka National Park
Krka National Park and the ancient village of Skradin are about 60 miles/100 km from Split. Staying true to our mission to explore the Dalmatian coast, our choice of Krka instead of Plitvice was also due to its Dalmatia location.
In researching the various options for an escorted tour to Krka, we chose to book a tour with Airbnb Experiences (AE). Gray Line Tours was another serious contender. But, the AE reviews and pricing were too good to ignore.
Our excursion bus left from Split at about 8:30 am, and we were scheduled to be back by 5:30 pm that evening.
To our surprise, more than 50 travelers joined the tour--mostly European. Our modern bus was very comfortable, with a lot of space and great air conditioning.
The bus for our Airbnb Experience excursion was modern and comfortable, shared with 50 fellow international travelers
Our Split-Krka travel time was scheduled to take about eighty minutes.
Here's the most direct routing from Split to Krka National Park (requires tolls):
The excursion bus departed right on time!
The excursion bus rounded up the travelers and departed right on schedule
About fifteen minutes out of Split, our guide, Lovro (Lawrence in English), pointed out that we were passing the famous Klis Fortress (7 miles/12 km from Split).
The fortress has an almost 2,000 year history, serving valiantly as a buffer between Mediterranean Europe and invaders crossing the Balkans.
The original fortress was built by the Illyrian tribe of Dalmatia, and lies at a key point in a critical mountain pass. Many of the Croatian kings used it as their seat of power.
The Klis Fortess high atop the mountain on our drive to Krka National Park
Kliss is most famous for being a part of the strategic defense of Europe during the Ottoman European Wars.
The fortress also has a notable fictional history: The Game of Thrones series used the Kliss Fortress as a backdrop for scenes of Meereen City.
We entered Krka National Park at the Lozovac entrance (most popular entrance). There was quite a bit of traffic, even at 9:50 am. Luckily, our tour bus was allowed expedited access to the park.
Our guide headed to the ticket office to buy park tickets for the group.
Our guide bought the tickets, and we were ready to go!
Krka National Park Fast Facts
Here's a quick orientation to Krka National Park (KNP):
Krka National Park has seven waterfalls located within its boundaries
Our Krka National Park Hike
Tickets in hand, we were off to the hiking trail. Once at the trail head, our guide provided a short orientation to the park, and what to expect on our upcoming hike.
The most popular tourist trails are the Lozovac-Skradinski Buk (875 meters) and the Skradinski Buk Trails (1,900 meters). Our group followed the Skradinski Buk Trail.
Our group followed the popular Skradinski Buk Trail
Ease of access from the main Lozovac entrance, and their great views of the Skradinski Buk waterfall, make these trails the perfect choice for visitors on a tighter schedule.
Avid hikers are in for a real treat! The park has 22 well-groomed trails available:
This scenic Skradinski Buk Trail wound its way through a maze of small islets and water channels in the general direction of the spectacular Skradinski Buk waterfall.
We were all amazed at the mesmerizing blue waters of the Krka River.
The water of the Krka River was a beautiful blue
The area is covered in limestone that causes calcium carbonate to dissolve in the water, creating gorgeous layers of travertine as evaporation occurs.
Along the waterways of Krka, vibrant vegetation is home to 1,186 species/sub-species. The sights and sounds of abundant life surrounded us we made our way along the trail.
Beautiful wooden walkways kept us close to the water and the lush ecosystem. We crossed paths with several minor waterfalls, each with their own remarkable context. Pictures... pictures... everywhere!
The wooden walkways kept us close to the lush ecosystem, with views of minor waterfalls along the route
We were headed for the star of the show: The Skradinski Buk waterfalls, which have notable historical significance.
The falls are world famous for being the location where distinguished Croatian Nicola Tesla pioneered the Krka Hydropower Plant in 1895. The second hydro electric plant in the world opened two days later at Niagra Falls.
Our tour guide, Lovro, filled us in on the significance of Skradinski Buk
Finally, we got our first views of the Skradinski Buk waterfall, and were in awe of its spectacular beauty. As we inched our way along the crowded bridge, we joined the mass of people already gathered to see this wonder.
The pictures can't quite tell the story. It was really special to be in the presence of such a powerful force of nature! The waterfall cascades about 140 ft/45 m as it splashes through several travertine ledges before crashing into the river below in grand style.
The stunning Skradinski Buk waterfall in Krka National Park
Our Skradin Adventure
Our Krka River adventure wasn't over just yet. We discovered that our park ticket also included a nice boat ride to the ancient town of Skradin.
The boat ferry departs roughly every half hour. The one-way trip takes about 25 minutes.
The excursion included a boat ride to historic Skradin
The boat was very crowded, but it was nice to relax in the shade after our hike. The cruise passed by lush green forest coverage on both sides of the river. Along the way, we also saw quite a few wild swans feeding near the water's edges.
Five minutes into the trip, we saw something we've never seen before--a strange rainbow-colored shape in the sky! It had to be a reflection off the moisture rising from all the falls. It was a magical sight!
Rainbow colors in the sky, but not a rainbow!
A taxi boat services the Skradin-Sibenik/Sibenik-Skradin route on a regular basis. Sibenik is located on the Adriatic Sea on the banks of the Krka River estuary. The taxi boat takes about an hour to make the trip (approximately 20 km).
Adding a side excursion to Sibenik would have been a wonderful complement, but our time was limited. Sibenik is one of only five cities in the world to have two UNESCO World Heritage Sites--St. Nikola Fortress and St. Jacob's Cathedral.
As we entered the ancient village of Skradin, we saw row upon row of beautiful yachts. Skradin is clearly a popular stop for boaters exploring coastal Croatia. There was plenty of boat traffic near the marina.
Yachts were lined up along the marina in Skradin
The little village of Skradin also has quite the history!
At one point, Skradin was the capital of Croatia and Bosnia (13th Century AD).
The hill above the town still has ruins of an ancient fortification called the Fortress of Turina. The fortification structures were mostly built during Roman times.
Archeologists have speculated that Turina may have been built on top of an older hill fort constructed by a local Illyrian tribe (pre-730 BC). The Illyrians were eventually eclipsed by the Corinthians (Greek) before the rise of the Roman. Empire.
The Fortess of Turina at the summit of a steep climb above Skradin
The hike from the village up to the fortress took about 15 minutes--accessible from the town center. The opportunity to see this archeological site was well worth the climb!
The panoramic views from Turina Fortress were simply spectacular! The panorama covers most of Skradin village, the harbor with all its fancy yachts, and an inspiring view of the Krka River.
Most tourists miss this gem, instead opting for a wine-tasting experience and a tour of the Old Town. That was an easy choice for us!
Climb the steep trail to the Fortress for views of Skradin village and harbor
On our way back down into the village, we came across a few beautifully decorated restaurants away from the waterfront. They appear to be local homes that were turned into restaurants. Potted plants and flowers line the walls and terraces.
As we reached the waterfront, it was time for a refreshing ice cream. The prices were very reasonable here. A single scoop was priced at about $1.40. What a nice treat after a warm hike to the fortress!
There were some fancy choices, but we opted for a simple scoop
The waterfront promenade was lined with picturesque small outdoor restaurants, just feet away from million dollar yachts and boats. Considering the location, the prices are very reasonable--about 80% of American restaurant rates.
For the more budget-oriented traveler, there were also many grab-and-go options away from the waterfront.
Restaurants lined the promenade along the waterfront, with yachts and boats only a few feet away
From the waterfront, we headed up Main Street toward the town center. The street was lined with Venetian-style houses and all kinds of small local shops.
Reaching the southern end of Main Street, we entered Mall Gospa Square, one of the central gathering points for the community. Our eyes were immediately drawn to the baroque Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The church was built by the Venetians (1758) on top of the ruins of an old Turkish Mosque. Once inside, we were treated to ornate paintings on the vaulted ceilings. The organ at the back of the church dates back to 1776 and is considered a national treasure.
Inside the baroque Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Skradin
Our visit to Skradin and the Krka National Park left us wanting more. Ideally, we would have had more time to explore these special places. Sadly, the tour was at an end.
The park had so many interesting hikes and lookout points we didn't get to experience. One could also spend a whole day exploring all the nooks and crannies in Skradin. A taxi boat excursion over to Sibenik would have been superb.
As they say, so many things to do, yet so little time!
Any which way, Skradin and Krka National Park will always be great travel memories for us.
We were left with great memories of our day exploring Krka NP and Skradin
If you're looking for beautiful scenery and historical charm in a special natural setting, then a visit to Krka National Park is the place for you!
As drove home, we shared our best pics and videos, and reminisced about our experience. What a fun day!
Needless to say, we highly recommend the Krka National Park experience to anyone touring central Croatia.
'Safe travels ... see you all on the road!
