Visiting Krka National Park in Croatia

UPDATED: 18.1.2023.

Only a few kilometers from the city of Šibenik, on the most beautiful parts of the Krka and Čikola rivers, lies a natural, karst phenomenon: Krka National Park.

Krka became a national park in 1985. A large number of lakes and waterfalls, a high density of aromatic lavender, wasps, and bees, and a surreal view are some of Krka’s most wonderful attributes.

Krka’s Skradinski buk is known as one of the most beautiful calcium carbonate waterfalls in Europe. Under Skradinski buk lies Hydroelectric Power Plant Jaruga, one of the oldest power-generating facilities in the world.

With preserved ecosystems and plenty of scientific, educational, recreational, and touristic opportunities, Krka stands as one of the most stunning and unique national parks in Croatia and beyond.

In this post, we cover:

• Why visit Krka
• How to get to Krka
• When to visit Krka
• Admission and tickets
• Ferry schedule

The facts are these…

Nacionalni park Krka – Croatia’s stunning national park

Reasons to visit Krka National Park in Croatia

#1 Krka waterfalls

Krka has seven beautiful travertine waterfalls with a total drop in altitude of 242 meters. The most attractive is the massive Skradinski buk (Skradin waterfall), decorated with many travertine cascades, lakes, and islands.

Roški slap is also stunning and offers many walking and hiking trails with wonderful views.

#2 Krka’s flora and fauna

Krka National Park has a very rich flora with more than 860 plant species and interesting endemic species like the Chimney bellflower and Grassy bells. Its fauna is rich with fish, birds, snakes, reptiles, and popular species.

The most significant species is the olm, the only vertebrate that has adapted to living underground. Read more about olm here.

#3 You can go beyond Krka waterfalls

Boat excursions to Visovac Island, Roški slap, and Krka Monastery are some of the most popular activities in the park.

How to get to Krka National Park in Croatia

Where is Krka National Park situated?

Krka National Park is situated in Šibenik-Knin County in Croatia, a few kilometers northeast of the city of Šibenik, downstream from Miljevci.

Entrances to Krka National Park

Krka National Park has five official entrances:

• Skradin
• Lozovac
• Roški slap/Laškovica
• Burnum/Puljane
• Kistanje/Krka Monastery

Below are directions to the most popular entrances to Krka National Park.

Traveling to NP Krka by car

If visiting Krka National Park by car, you may use the following entrances:

#1 Lozovac entrance

This is the main entrance where you can leave your car in a free parking lot. You can go further to Skradinski buk using the National Park Krka buses.

You can come to Lozovac in two ways:

• Highway – Get off the E65 highway at the exit for Šibenik. From the exit, Lozovac is only a 5-6 minute drive. Go straight and turn towards Lozovac in a place called Tromilja. Just follow the signs, and they will guide you to the Lozovac entrance.
• Local road from Šibenik – Follow signs from Šibenik to Drniš/NP Krka, and you’ll arrive at the park in 15 minutes. After you pass Šibenik, go through Bilice and Tromilja. In Tromilja, follow the sign and turn towards Lozovac.

View driving directions from Šibenik to Lozovac here.

#2 Skradin entrance

If taking the Skradin entrance, it is important to note that you will enter the park by ferry boat. First, you must go to Skradin and park your car. Then you can buy tickets at the Krka branch office located at Zagrađe 15 in Skradin.

After purchasing tickets, you can board the ferry that departs from the promenade. The ferry schedule for the boat to Krka has been included at the bottom of this post.

You can get to Skradin in two ways:

• Highway – Leave the E65 highway at the exit for Skradin. Turn right at Road 56. From there, it is only several minutes to the parking lot. You must park in Skradin, then take the ferry that leaves from the main promenade to get into the park.
• Local road from Šibenik – If you want to avoid the highway, follow the local road from Šibenik to Skradin. You will pass by the main entrance Lozovac on the way, so you don’t have to go all the way to the Skradin entrance unless you want to explore Skradin.

View driving directions from Šibenik to Skradin here.

If you want to eat something unique in Skradin, check out the 12-hour risotto.

[Read: The 12-hour Risotto of Skradin]

#3 Roški slap entrance

This is the most complicated entrance to reach. You can get there from two directions:

• Via Skradin – If you travel from Šibenik, follow the signs to Tromilja and go further to Pakovo selo. Turn on the left towards the canyon of Čikola and follow the signs for Miljevci and Visovac. Pass the canyon and turn left towards Ključ and Drinovci. Follow the main road and turn right on the circular run towards Brištane. You will pass the church on the right side and then turn left in the village of Širitovci. Go straight ahead, and after you pass the canyon of Krka, you will arrive at the Roški slap entrance.

View driving directions from Šibenik to Roški Slap via Skradin here.

• Via Drniš – Follow the signs for Miljevci and NP Krka. You will pass the Kalun factory. Go straight ahead towards Širitovci, the canyon of Krka and Roški slap. There are also signs that will lead you all the way to the Roški slap entrance.

View driving directions from Šibenik to Roški Slap via Drniš here.

Traveling to NP Krka by bus

If traveling to Krka by bus, you may enter at two main entrances.

#1 Lozovac entrance

Take the bus from Šibenik or another town in the area. You can find the timetables at each bus station.

If you travel from Šibenik, make sure that the bus you select stops an the entrance or on the main road. If dropped on the main road, the entrance will be 1.5 kilometers away, so you’ll need to walk.

The Šibenik main bus station is located here.

#2 Skradin entrance

You can take a bus from Šibenik, Zadar, Zagreb, or Plitvice Lakes National Park directly to Skradin. The bus will leave you 150 meters from the Krka national park office and 200 meters from the boat stop.

[Read: Visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park (Plitvička jezera)]

When to visit Krka National Park in Croatia

Krka National Park is beautiful any time of year.

Working hours of the park for the entire year are available here.

Admission and tickets for Krka National Park in Croatia

Different ticket prices depend on the type of access and attractions you want to visit within the park. The price list is available here.

Tickets can be purchased at the reception desks at the entrances to the park. In addition, you can buy tickets online here.

Discounts for Krka National Park

Disabled veterans of the Homeland War, members of the Association of Families of Deceased Defenders, individuals with special needs, and individuals with over 50% disability can enter for free with an identification card.

Individual students and members of the Croatian hiking society with identification can receive the child price for entry.

Krka National Park ferry boat schedule from Skradin, Croatia

The ferry from Skradin to Krka National Park does not run year-round. The timetable for the ferry is available here.

If you ever go through Šibenik-Knin County, take time to visit Krka National Park and enjoy its wilderness.

[Read: National parks in Croatia PLUS detailed visitor guides]

Visit other Croatian national parks

• Brijuni National Park
• Kornati National Park
• Mljet National Park
• Northern Velebit National Park
• Paklenica National Park
• Plitvice National Park
• Risnjak National Park

Source:
NP Krka