4 must-see sights in Krka National Park
1. The famous Skradinski Buk waterfall
Skradinski Buk is the largest and most popular waterfall in Krka National Park. With a width of more than 100 meters, the water falls through 17 smaller waterfalls. Impressive!
In the surroundings of the Skradinski Buk waterfall you will find a diverse walking route along nostalgic houses, water mills and waterfalls. You walk over wooden bridges and clear green pools where you are surrounded by beautiful nature.
Along the way you will encounter different wildlife. There are signs that tell you which animals live in the area, such as frogs, turtles, foxes, otters and over 200 bird species. Something that makes this trip more adventurous are the snakes that also live here, 2 of which are poisonous! But don’t worry, the chance of encountering them is very small.
On the way you can already see the Skradinski Buk waterfall from different angles and at the foot of the waterfall you walk close to the waterfall via a bridge. Here you will experience the power of nature at its best.
In the area you will find several eateries where you can relax and look out over the waterfall.
Most tourists come to Krka National Park to visit the Skradinski Buk waterfall. The waterfall is therefore crowded. Do you want to be ahead of the crowds? Then come early in the morning when the park opens.
How to visit Skradinski Buk waterfall
You can visit the Skradinski Buk waterfall in different ways.
Through the main entrance Lozovac
The first entrance can be found near the village of Lozovac. Just in front of this entrance is a large free parking lot. From April to October, shuttle buses run from here every 15 minutes and take you to the Skradinski Buk waterfall and drop you off at a parking lot (this is also the place where they pick you up to go back to the entrance). The bus ride takes 10 minutes. For the shuttle buses you pay a small amount extra. If you decide to walk this part yourself (about 2 – 2.5 hours in total), you have to take into account a steep path of about 900 meters in length. The views are beautiful!
Note: In the winter months there are no shuttle buses and you can drive the route with your own car.
Through the Skradin entrance
The second entrance, with a paid parking lot, can be found at the village of Skradin. From May to October you can take a boat from here to the Skradinski Buk waterfall. The boat departs every hour and the trip takes about 25 minutes. From the point where the boat drops you off, it is a few minutes’ walk to the Skradinski Buk waterfall. For the more adventurous ones, a 4 kilometer long walking and cycling path starts at the entrance to Skradin towards the Skradinski Buk waterfall.
2. Manojlovac
Manojlovac waterfall is the highest waterfall in Krka National Park and is located in the north of the nature reserve. It is about 40 minutes drive from Skradinski Buk waterfall. Here you will find a free parking space where you can walk to a spectacular viewpoint in 5 minutes. Watch the two layers of the Manojlovac waterfall from above and have a panoramic view of the canyon and the Krka River.
But the best is yet to come! If you like adventure, you can climb to the bottom of the Manojlovac waterfall and admire the waterfall up close. But be warned, the hike is quite intense. You can walk to both layers of the waterfall via a winding path. The walk takes about 1 – 1.5 hours in total. Here you go off the beaten track and you will encounter few other tourists.
To get to the first layer you have to squeeze yourself between two narrow rocks and you end up at a beautiful place. With clear green water, the waterfall as a beautiful backdrop and dense nature. For a moment you imagine yourself in the lush jungle of Croatia.
To get to the second layer, maneuver through a dilapidated house. The route gets steeper and steeper after this and you have to hold on to the roots of trees to get down safely. It’s intense for a while, but this hike can be done by anyone (even Danique who had her boots on and was totally unprepared for this).
After a good focus you reach the bottom of the impressive waterfall and that is so refreshing and rewarding after the intense hike. Here you will see how big and beautiful the waterfall really is. It is possible to swim here but we wouldn’t recommend it.
Roški Slap
The Krka River flows in the area of Roški Slap through a gigantic gorge. The water is brought through dozens of layers, also called mini waterfalls, to the 15 meter high Roški Slap waterfall where the water pours directly into the Visovac lake.
The multiple layers give a magical sight and can be viewed from a number of viewpoints. Our favorite viewpoint is the first steep path on the right after the entrance (before the climb to the cave a little further). The path is made of rock and you can hold on to the wooden railings.
The climb to the viewpoint is tough, because you have to climb uphill on a steep path with slippery rocks. So put on shoes with extra grip and bring enough water with you. At the top you will be treated to an amazing view and you will soon forget the intense climb of about 20 minutes.
Visovac lake
If you visit Krka National Park by car, we definitely recommend driving to this viewpoint during sunset. Here you can expect pure magic! From here you look out over the lake and the layers of mountains in the surrounding. On the lake lies a small island with a beautiful monastery. It is possible to visit the island by boat during the day.
If you do not visit the park by car, then there are also organized boat excursions to Lake Visovac from the entrance at Skradin.
Have a drink at Alte Mühle Kristijan
Close to the Roški Slap waterfall you will find the unique restaurant Alte Mühle Kristijan hidden among all the greenery. Where you literally sit in a waterfall with your table and both feet. And yes, that is quite cold! That is why we chose another table on the terrace. It is the perfect spot for lunch or a drink. Take cash with you, because you can only pay with cash here.
Entrance tickets Krka National Park
You can buy entrance tickets at both the entrance Lozovac and Skradin. The entrance tickets are valid that day and with that you can visit all the sights in Krka National Park. You can also buy entrance tickets in advance via the official website.
Best Time to Visit Krka National Park
Every season has its own charm and it just depends on what you prefer. The waterfalls are at their most powerful in spring and autumn. In the summer the park is in bloom and in the winter it turns into a fairytale world full of snow and frozen waterfalls.
Opening hours Krka National Park
It is important to know that there are only opening times for the Skradinski Buk waterfall, Roški Slap waterfall and the Kistanje monastery. The other sights can be visited at any time of the day. Check out this page of the official website for current and opening times.
How much time do you need to discover Krka National Park
Our advice is to plan 2 days to discover all the beauty of the Krka National Park at a normal pace. We did all the sights and hikes in one day, but that was actually way too much. Do you want to enjoy all the unique, undiscovered places and take multiple walks? Then two days is ideal. You only need to buy an entrance ticket for one day, with which you can visit the Skradinski Buk waterfall and Roški Slap waterfall. On the other day you can see the Manojlovac waterfall and the Visovac lake, you do not need entrance tickets for this.
How to visit Krka National Park
By (rental)car
The best way to visit Krka National Park is by car. This way you can easily drive to all parts and highlights. Šibenik is the ideal base to visit Krka National Park. It is a very nice town to stay in and it is about a 15-20 minute drive to the entrance at Lozovac.
With an organized tour
With a bus
There are several cities from where you can go to the Krka National Park by bus, such as Split, Šibenik, Zadar and Zagreb. Click on the city from where you want to go, to see the latest timetables and prices. The bus stops near the entrance of Skradin, where the boat departs from May to October.
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