Swimming in Krka National Park is a beautiful treat. Located in the Croatian National Park, there’s easy access, and more enticingly, is a place you can swim under the falls! While the park is lesser known than Plitvice Lakes, the Krka waterfalls are still just as gorgeous and offer that fairytale feel with the blue waters, wooden trails, and cascading falls.
With the close proximity to airports (Krka National Park from Split roughly one hour, and Krka National Park from Zadar the same), it’s easy to squeeze into any Croatian Itinerary.
If we’re being honest, our time at Krka was an absolute nightmare. We really wanted to stop at the park while driving from Zadar to Split, and while it is typically an easy drive from either place, there was so much road construction and detour after detour followed by little to no direction once in the park, that we were… let’s just say not our cheery selves when we eventually arrived at the falls.
To help you not go through that same experience <because we really want your trip to be stress-free and easy> we’ve come up with some top travel tips for the park and swimming in Krka National Park. With these Krka travel tips, we can full-heartedly recommend visiting the Krka waterfalls, because honestly, had we known about these things, our trip probably would have been much more enjoyable!
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Getting To Krka National Park
You can travel to Krka National Park via bus from all three of these locations as well. When searching for tickets, don’t be alarmed when the tickets actually say you arrive at Skradin, as from here you can take a boat to Krka National Park (included in your park ticket). If you are driving, the entrance to the Krka waterfalls right in the town of Lozovac, if you zoom in on a map near that town, you’ll see the large parking area for the falls.
Krka National Park From Split
Traveling to Krka Waterfalls from Split, you only have about a 90km drive (roughly 1 hour), nearly all of it being on the main highway. Do note that, although cheap, this highway (E65) has a toll. You can take the more scenic route along the coast (highway 8) to avoid the toll, though this will take about double the time.
Krka National Park From Zadar
From Zadar to Krka Waterfalls is also roughly a 90km (1hr) drive via the toll road, though from the north instead of the south. We took the scenic route from Zadar to Krka, and really enjoyed the smaller villages along the coast. To take the scenic route, take Jadranska Magistrala along the coastline. Check this map for the exact route.
READ MORE | 5 Things To Do In Zadar
Krka National Park From Sibenik
Sibenik is the closest larger town to Krka waterfalls, and though we didn’t see the town, we’ve heard and read great things about it. From Sibenik to Krka National Park it’s only 13 km (20 minutes), and it’s all on a back highway, so you do not have to worry about tolls for this route.
Walking Around Krka National Park
The Bus
The waterfalls at Krka are actually quite a bit away from the parking area/entrance to the park. To get to the falls, you can either take a bus (included in your admission ticket) or walk down a trail with rather rough terrain. With the trail being quite steep and uneven, with no real views of the falls, canyon, or river, we suggest simply jumping on the bus instead of walking the trail.
The Trails
Railings | In many places throughout the park, there are no railings along the wooden walkways across the water. Take care with your children and the people near you. You don’t want to fall in or worse, accidentally bump someone else into the water!
Terrain | While most of the paths throughout Krka NP are wooden paths, some are not, and there are frequent steps throughout the trails. The walk from the parking lot to the falls is especially uneven, so take care with large stones and branches!
One Way System | The trail/wooden pathway throughout the park is on a one-way system to keep things organized we suppose. However, there aren’t very many signs explaining that fact, until you walk much further than expected only to see a do not enter sign! Be sure to take the wooden path through the forest/across the river first to make the full loop. To understand this better, you can click on the image below.
The History Of Krka
Though the Krka Waterfalls were only recognized as a national park in 1985, there is a deeper history at Krka. At the bottom of the road, past where you need to actually follow the path through the park, you’ll find an old hydropower plant and a small museum to go along with it.
In 1895 the Krka Hydropower Plant began supplying electricity to Sibenik! You can either visit this place straight away, then backtrack to get back on the trail or simply wander through it after taking a swim beneath the falls!
Swimming Krka National Park Waterfalls
Yes!!! You can swim in the Krka National Park Waterfalls! Unlike Plitvice Lakes National Park, at Krka National Park you can actually get in the water in designated areas. Swimming beneath the falls really means swimming just down river from the end of the falls, in a marked off area. You’ll find loads of others soaking in the water too. Be sure to get there early before the crowd gets too big!
There are toilets and places to grab food where you can swim at the falls, and a huge shaded area to sit and relax in. Though, packing a lunch and maybe even a hammock would prove to be a more relaxed time near the falls!
Krka National Park Tips
The Toilets
When you arrive to Krka National Park and park in the designated area, you’ll see a small area of restaurants and souvenir shops. There’s also a toilet in this area, though you have to pay for it.. Don’t waste your money, just walk towards the bus loading area and you’ll find free toilets to use there.
Where To Eat At Krka National Park
While there are restaurants in the parking area and at the swimming hole at the bottom of Krka waterfalls, we suggest packing your own lunch and having a picnic! Stop along the trail if you’re hungry, or find a spot in the picnicking area near the bottom of the falls to enjoy your lunch!
How Long To Spend At Krka National Park
Although visiting the park can be quite a quick experience, with gorgeous views, and a steep entry price, why not spend more time there and really enjoy the place?! We suggest visiting for 3-4 hrs including swimming in the Krka National Park waterfalls and even a lunch break. Stop and enjoy the sounds of the water and wildlife around you, and really soak in all the beauty of falls!
Krka National Park Tickets
Buying Tickets
You can purchase tickets to visiting Krka National Park at the park itself, or online on the Krka National Park Website. Take a look at the website to see if you qualify for any of the discounted rates!
What The National Park Ticket Includes
When purchasing the Krka waterfalls ticket, you don’t only get entrance to the park itself, but you also can jump on a free boat transport from Skradin to Krka (how cool is that?!) and the transport via bus from the parking lot in Lozovac to the bottom of the falls.
In our experience, Lozovac had free parking, and though we didn’t do the Skradin boat transfer, we can only imagine how nice it would be going via boat up the river.
Recommended Gear For Visiting Krka Waterfalls
Swimsuit and Towel
If you haven’t caught on by now, you can actually swim in the Krka waterfalls. Be sure to pack a swimsuit and towel for your stay! We recommend bringing this compact travel towel or purchasing a sarong in Croatia that can double as your Croatian souvenir.
Traveler’s Tip… There are bathrooms where you can change before getting in the falls, but you may want to consider wearing your suit, or something that you can cover yourself with so you can change in the trees instead!
Waterproof Camera
If you’re heading to waterfalls that you can actually get in… a waterproof camera makes the trip more memorable! Check out this waterproof camera or look into getting a waterproof case for your phone!
The photos and videos in this post taken out of the water are with this lens on this camera, though we only recommend a set up like this if you’re actually going to carry it around with you!
Day Bag
This backpack is our go to #1 backpack for any and all travel! It’s super comfy, has loads of space, and is water resistant just in case it rains. It’s perfect for throwing your food, water, towel, and change of clothes in for the falls!
Water Bottle
Ain’t nobody wanna be hiking and then drinking warm water! This water bottle keeps drinks cold for 24 hours! Hallelujah! We can’t recommend it enough, and again, it’s one of those things we never travel without! It also keeps liquids hot for 6 hours, so if you’re visiting in the winter months, you can bring along a hot cup of tea!
Hammock
Although Jay fell out of the hammock in Krka National Park, we still totally recommend bringing one and lounging by the water! This hammock is compact, and holds two people – the perfect snooze spot at the bottom of the falls! Don’t forget the straps to the hammock.
Where To Stay At Krka National Park
Sibenik
Sibenik is the closest coastal town to Krka National Park, and we’ve heard its actually a cute place to visit. If you have extra time on your hands, find a place in Sibenik to really make the most of your time at the national park.
Split
Being the hot spot for catching ferries to Hvar (which we totally recommend by the way), Split is a great place to stay before or after your trip to Krka. It’s only an hour away, has a great boardwalk along the harbor, and is the best place to be to catch the early ferry to Hvar.
READ MORE | 10 Things to Do On Hvar
Zadar
Zadar is home to the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun. It too is only an hour away from the park, and only 3 hours from Plitvice Lakes, making it a great hub for accommodation.
If you’re looking for a modern apartment feel, check out this apartment accommodation, it’s absolutely fab! And if you want to spend a day lounging by a pool and in total rest and relaxation, the Art Villa is for you. It’s absolutely amazing, and is quite the place to just sit and feel good!
READ MORE | Zadar, Eat. Sleep. Do.
Final Notes On Krka National Park
Krka National Park is truly a beautiful national park. It’s really remarkable to sit and admire these waterfalls falling throughout the Krka River. But this park offers even more than just the waterfalls, it’s home to one of Europe’s most popular sites for bird migration and has loads of other flora and fauna to captivate you.
Sitting back and just enjoying the scenery, drowning out other travelers, and taking in the beauty surrounding Krka National Park is an experience we’re excited for you to have.
We had a reader inform us that swimming in Krka National Park is no longer allowed. However, on their website, it says, “Swimming is permitted only in designated areas at Roški slap, Stinice and Pisak, from 1 June to 30 September, at your own risk, and depending on weather conditions and water levels. Swimming outside those areas and those dates is not permitted.”
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