The Beautiful Waterfalls at Krka National Park in Croatia

One of the draws to Croatia (before I had been) were the photos of gorgeous waterfalls I had seen on the internet. There are two famous national parks in Croatia for waterfalls. Plitvice Lakes is the larger of the two and probably the most well-known. But the Krka National Park in Croatia should not be overlooked!

Krka National Park is one of eight national parks in Croatia. The series of waterfalls at Krka is a beautiful backdrop to the turquoise water below. While it isn’t as big as Plitvice, it does have one major draw that the other park doesn’t. Read on to find out more information about visiting!

How to Get to the Krka National Park in Croatia

The Krka waterfalls are a short day trip from either Split or Zadar. It’s about an hour drive from either city and you can find day trips easily. They’ll take you in an air-conditioned car to the park and you’ll have several hours to explore.

Whether you go on a tour or take a bus, you’ll end up in Skradin, which is the closest town to the park. Some people choose to stay in Sibenik, a bigger town a little further out from Skradin. Either way, Skradin where you can buy a ticket and take a boat over to the park. The boat ride is free with your ticket purchase.

Since we were on a bit of a schedule and didn’t want to waste any time, we chose to get a bus from Zadar to the waterfalls and then a bus on to Split. This worked just fine but you have to make sure you catch the buses at the right times or you’ll be stuck in Skradin. (You also have to account for the boat ride back to the town).

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What Can You Do at Krka National Park

The Krka National Park in Croatia has 7 waterfalls that you can admire and includes some hidden gems in Croatia like Manojlovački Slapovi.You can also explore 5 medieval fortresses within the park, as well as 2 religious complexes and 1 Roman military fort.

When we were trying to decide between the Plitvice Lakes National Park or Krka National Park, we of course looked at proximity and what made since in our Croatia itinerary. But we also chose Krka because at the time, you could swim in one of the waterfalls.

Can you still swim there? No, you cannot swim in the waterfalls at Krka National Park. This was changed in 2021 and has remained this way ever since.

I have to say it was pretty surreal getting to swim at one of the waterfalls but we went in the middle of summer on a scorching hot day and the water was one of the coldest things I’ve ever plunged my body into. (That’s not a very bold statement because I usually avoid cold water like the plague, so I don’t have much to compare it to.)

But it was COLD. My teeth were chattering and my body was shaking. But…you know, you get to swim near a waterfall.

There are walking trails throughout the park and even longer biking trails. We spent a little bit of time walking around but spent most of our time at the main area swimming.

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Park Hours and Cost

The park hours and cost differ depending on the month that you go. It will be more expensive during peak season and less expensive during the off season. And the hours will be longer during peak season.

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When Should You Go

The summer months are going to be the most popular times for tourists to visit. Since swimming is no longer allowed here, it can get pretty hot walking along without a refreshing reprieve. The spring and fall months would be a great time to visit as the crowds will be a little less busy, and the weather a little cooler.

The winter months are a discounted price for a reason. The trees are brown and dying and there may even be snow. You won’t get the lush green landscape like you will in the summer months.

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Though it isn’t as well-known as the Plitvice Lakes National Park, it was well worth the day trip out to explore Krka. The waterfalls were beautiful and the water sparkling. Croatia is full of beautiful places to explore and Krka National Park is definitely one of them!

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