Plitvice & Krka
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The main draw of Croatia? The coast and its many islands. Boom. There’s no way around it. The country basically is one long coast, to an almost comical degree, looking at how it snatched the entire shoreline away from neighbor Bosnia and Herzegovina (they left a meagre 20km for the Bosnians to enjoy, really generous). So obviously, if you’re planning a trip to Croatia, you’re mainly looking at a sun-sea-and-coastline-kinda-endeavour. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing more to it though. I mean, Zagreb is a decent capital city… city-trip-worthy even. And of course, there are a bunch of national parks drawing international attention. Out of 8 in total*, the most hyped pair being those mainland ones evolving around Croatia’s waterfall extravaganza: Plitvice and Krka.
* The other ones being: Paklenica (close to Zadar), Risnjak (close to Rijeka), Sjeverni Velebit (close to Stinica) and the island-ones Mljet, Kornati and Brijuni.
Yet, if there’s one thing I learned from about 10 years of fulltime traveling: there is such a thing as too many waterfall-experiences. Of all things worldwide I eventually reached the saturation point of (incl. maya sites, volcanoes and beaches), waterfalls are taking the lead. I have nothing against waterfalls, I’m glad they exist in abundance as that means nature is still all around in a wide variety of places on Earth… I just find it hard to scoop up equal excitement after being put in front of the 3000th one in line. This allows me to be critical in this article, as I’m not just another travelblogger trying to shove some other popular waterfall-destinations down your throat as the next “must-see’s-before-your-die”, just because everyone seems to agree that there’s some beauty there. With a sight available in such abundance in basically everywhere you could potentially decide to travel to, that’s simply not enough. It must be extraordinary to be worth your time and money.
Is that the case with Plitvice and Krka? Let me elaborate.
* The other ones being: Paklenica (close to Zadar), Risnjak (close to Rijeka), Sjeverni Velebit (close to Stinica) and the island-ones Mljet, Kornati and Brijuni.
Yet, if there’s one thing I learned from about 10 years of fulltime traveling: there is such a thing as too many waterfall-experiences. Of all things worldwide I eventually reached the saturation point of (incl. maya sites, volcanoes and beaches), waterfalls are taking the lead. I have nothing against waterfalls, I’m glad they exist in abundance as that means nature is still all around in a wide variety of places on Earth… I just find it hard to scoop up equal excitement after being put in front of the 3000th one in line. This allows me to be critical in this article, as I’m not just another travelblogger trying to shove some other popular waterfall-destinations down your throat as the next “must-see’s-before-your-die”, just because everyone seems to agree that there’s some beauty there. With a sight available in such abundance in basically everywhere you could potentially decide to travel to, that’s simply not enough. It must be extraordinary to be worth your time and money.
Is that the case with Plitvice and Krka? Let me elaborate.
Plitvice
Unless you never heard of the country called Croatia at all, it is rather unlikely that you never even heard of the name “Plitvice.” As both the country’s oldest and largest (29.630,8 ha) national park, it simply received most fame and acknowledgment. On top of that, both its recognition as a protected nature reserve and as a UNESCO world heritage site makes the destination a hard one to overlook. One that most people wouldn’t want to overlook by all means, due to the 16 eye-pleasing, turquoise-coloured lakes, its biological diversity and the rich flora and fauna providing such a contrasting landscape compared to the islands and coastal galore.
When to visit?
Honestly, there is no best time. It pains me to draw the conclusion, but every season seems to come with challenges that might ruin the experience altogether. Let’s have a look at the different elements to consider though, as some might weigh heavier for you than others:
With these factors in mind you could say that peak-season offers better transport options and a full availability of the park, which however comes at a higher cost and against a backdrop of overwhelming mass tourism preventing you to even concentrate on the sight at hand. The off-season makes for a more challenging journey to the park and a potential much more limited section to explore, but it comes with the upside of lower entrance prices and much less fellow visitors. The shoulder-season balances lower visitor numbers (compared to peak-season) with less chances of bad weather (compared to off-season) and a moderate entrance price. This would make it relatively the best season to go, allowing for a lower chance of the experience being ruined by either one of these 4 factors… although without a guarantee.
Unless you never heard of the country called Croatia at all, it is rather unlikely that you never even heard of the name “Plitvice.” As both the country’s oldest and largest (29.630,8 ha) national park, it simply received most fame and acknowledgment. On top of that, both its recognition as a protected nature reserve and as a UNESCO world heritage site makes the destination a hard one to overlook. One that most people wouldn’t want to overlook by all means, due to the 16 eye-pleasing, turquoise-coloured lakes, its biological diversity and the rich flora and fauna providing such a contrasting landscape compared to the islands and coastal galore.
When to visit?
Honestly, there is no best time. It pains me to draw the conclusion, but every season seems to come with challenges that might ruin the experience altogether. Let’s have a look at the different elements to consider though, as some might weigh heavier for you than others:
- As you’re reading a blog called Budget Bucket List, let’s first consider the cost, as that differs over the year. While I choose to refrain from quoting exact prices due to inevitable inflation (check those on the national park website here), I can tell you there are significant price differences in the off-season (Jan-Mar & Nov-Dec), shoulder-season (Apr-Jun & Sep-Oct) and peak-season (Jul-Aug; and there are different prices before and after 4PM). The entrance price is up to 5x more expensive depending on the season, so that is most definitely a factor in play for the budget backpacker. Sure, you can easily enter the national park from the sides without paying… but the available hiking trails are designed in such a way that boat transfers are necessary to complete them as loops, and for that you’ll need to present a valid ticket. Train and shuttle bus rides are also included in the ticket. Do keep in mind that the operating hours continue to 8PM in summer, and only to 4PM in winter due to limited daylight hours, so even though it’s cheaper, you have less hours to explore.
- More important even than the cost turned out to be the visitor ratio, as in high season that can turn out to be a full-on party pooper. By all means, do not underestimate the popularity of this tourist attraction. In summer, you might as well crowdsurf your way through Plitvice. Expect shuffling forward centimeter per centimeter over boardwalks almost collapsing under the weight of the tourist masses... which would prevent me from even wanting to go, as I rather not see this sight at all than suffering through it this way. In off-season (November) I had all the boardwalks to myself, with only the occasional tourist every now and then to cross my way. A game-changer.
- Another factor is the accessibility. The nearby most significant city is Zadar, from where Plitvice is a popular daytrip. However, keep in mind that daily buses seem to only operate in high season. If, like me, you visit in off-season, your only other option is renting a vehicle or hitchhike (there was at least no public transport info to be found, as apps like Google and Moovit don’t work here, and at the bus station no connections were available). As a very seasoned hitchhiker, having hitched in over 80 countries in the world, I can knowledgeably tell you that this hitchhiking route truly sucks: First of all you have to somehow get out of the seemingly never-ending city of Zadar (it took 1.5hrs to just get out of town, which would have been a 10 minute drive otherwise), after which a not-at-all-straightforward route awaits you. It’s not impossible, I did it… but I wouldn’t call it a fun or laidback experience, and my tolerance-level is pretty damn high. That said, if we go back to cost, off-season does offer a high availability and affordable prices for nearby accommodation (Korita is the best base), which makes it an option to hitchhike one day (potentially combined with a visit to the “Little Plitvice” sight in Slunj/Rastoke) and start your visit fresh and early the next day.
- The last factor to consider is the availability of the park. Whereas in peak-season the full park is opened, in off-season the weather conditions can cause certain parts to be closed off. In my case the entire Upper Lakes area (12 out of 16 lakes) was off-limits, even though the conditions were definitely not as extreme as the park staff made them out to be. This prevented me to do the hiking trail I had in mind, as the cancelled boat service prevented me from even being able to do it in secret. A real bummer that honestly shed quite the shadow on the experience I was anticipating on.
With these factors in mind you could say that peak-season offers better transport options and a full availability of the park, which however comes at a higher cost and against a backdrop of overwhelming mass tourism preventing you to even concentrate on the sight at hand. The off-season makes for a more challenging journey to the park and a potential much more limited section to explore, but it comes with the upside of lower entrance prices and much less fellow visitors. The shoulder-season balances lower visitor numbers (compared to peak-season) with less chances of bad weather (compared to off-season) and a moderate entrance price. This would make it relatively the best season to go, allowing for a lower chance of the experience being ruined by either one of these 4 factors… although without a guarantee.
Hikes
Just because this is a national park, be sure to realize that doesn’t guarantee an “outdoor adventure.” You’re about to enter a heavily controlled environment. Plitvice is very much a quickly-snap-a-photo-and-go-destination without any physical challenge, and those in search for something more “venturesome” can only choose from ready-made hikes that are clearly outlined and set (due to the necessary boat services), sprouting out from 2 different entrances (Entrance 1: Rastovaca, North - Entrance 2: Hladovina, South, which is often closed off-season). There’s technically a third less-used entrance at the Pltivice Selo village (Auxiliary Entrance), but as there are no ticket boots here you need to buy your ticket in advance online or via your guesthouse. The “hiking menu” at hand is a tad confusing, as the loop-routes are marked by letters that aren’t alphabetical (and some letters are even missing), which are in their turn divided up by numbered sections (without it being incredibly clear that this is the case). And then the official website also gave names to the lettered routes, without mentioning the actual letters. Hm, who came up with that system?!
To not confuse you even more though, I’ll list the lettered loop-routes at hand:
* The boat and trains are included in your ticket, which will be checked upon entry. You can only complete each boat crossing once. If certain sections of the park are closed off due to weather conditions, the boats and trains won’t serve these stops. As such, you can’t secretly do these sections anyway, unless you’ll try to swim across (which will also be prevented).
** The lettered loop-trails are divided in trail sections that are numbered. As such: the lettered trails are the sum of several numbered trail sections. In theory, this allows for a mix and match. In reality, almost all possible combinations are already provided with the lettered trails, so it’s just an extra confusion added to the mix. I would therefore just forget about the numbers and focus on the letters.
Just because this is a national park, be sure to realize that doesn’t guarantee an “outdoor adventure.” You’re about to enter a heavily controlled environment. Plitvice is very much a quickly-snap-a-photo-and-go-destination without any physical challenge, and those in search for something more “venturesome” can only choose from ready-made hikes that are clearly outlined and set (due to the necessary boat services), sprouting out from 2 different entrances (Entrance 1: Rastovaca, North - Entrance 2: Hladovina, South, which is often closed off-season). There’s technically a third less-used entrance at the Pltivice Selo village (Auxiliary Entrance), but as there are no ticket boots here you need to buy your ticket in advance online or via your guesthouse. The “hiking menu” at hand is a tad confusing, as the loop-routes are marked by letters that aren’t alphabetical (and some letters are even missing), which are in their turn divided up by numbered sections (without it being incredibly clear that this is the case). And then the official website also gave names to the lettered routes, without mentioning the actual letters. Hm, who came up with that system?!
To not confuse you even more though, I’ll list the lettered loop-routes at hand:
- Trail A (3.5km): Lower Lakes Loop. It includes the Great Waterfall (Veliki Slap, with 78m the highest of Croatia). The path leads upstream through the Lower Lakes Canyon, which includes lakes Novakovica Brod, Kaluderovac, Gavanovac and Milanovac, until you reach the Kozjak Bridge, where the trail begins to ascend towards the eastern side of the canyon. Entrance: 1.
- Trail B (4km): Trail A, but including a boat crossing over Lake Kozjaka (from dock P3 to P1), a train ride (from stop ST2 to ST1) and a walk along the top of the canyon's east side. Entrance: 1.
- Trail C (8km): Trail B, extended with a walk through the Upper Lakes section (so you take a boat from dock P3 to P2 instead, and get back with train ST3 to ST1). Extra sights include the Veliki Prstavac and Mali Prstavac waterfalls. It’s a popular choice for those wanting to see many sights without doing anything strenuous. Entrance: 1.
- Trail E (Where’s D? - 5.2km): Upper Lakes route from Lake Kozjaka and on to Proscansko Jezero. The Upper Lakes include Malo Jezero, Proscansko, Okrugljak, Ciginovac, Batinovac, Veliko Jezero, Vir, Milino Jezero, Galovac, Gradinsko, Kozjaka and Burgeti. It includes a boat ride (from dock P1 to P2) and a train ride (from ST3 to ST2). Entrance: 2.
- Trail F (4.6km): Upper and Lower Lakes section combined, incl. a Lake Kozjaka boat ride (P1 to P3) and a shuttle back (ST1 to ST2). Entrance: 2.
- Trail H (Where’s G? - 8.9km): Similar to Trail C, but starting from the other entrance. Starts with a train ride (ST2 to ST3), then covers the Upper Lakes section and includes the Lake Kozjaka boat ride to the Lower Lakes (P2 to P3). It involves taking a shuttle back (ST1 to ST2). Entrance: 2.
- Trail K (Where’s I and J? - 18.3km): Explores the entire park, which causes it to be marked “the most difficult loop”… I highly doubt the technical difficulty is very high though. Yet, I cannot confirm it a 100%, as the Upper Lakes area was closed during my visit and therefore I couldn’t complete this intended hike. Entrance: 1 or 2, both is possible.
* The boat and trains are included in your ticket, which will be checked upon entry. You can only complete each boat crossing once. If certain sections of the park are closed off due to weather conditions, the boats and trains won’t serve these stops. As such, you can’t secretly do these sections anyway, unless you’ll try to swim across (which will also be prevented).
** The lettered loop-trails are divided in trail sections that are numbered. As such: the lettered trails are the sum of several numbered trail sections. In theory, this allows for a mix and match. In reality, almost all possible combinations are already provided with the lettered trails, so it’s just an extra confusion added to the mix. I would therefore just forget about the numbers and focus on the letters.
The park’s highest point (1278.5m) is formed by the Seliski Vrh peak, part of the Dinaric Alps, whereas the lowest section is the Korana River Lakes canyon (368.6m). Plitvice also contains 3 caves (Golubnjaca, Crna Pecina and Supljara) and a special forest vegetation reserve of beech and fir trees: Corkova Uvala, which covers 80% of the area. These woods are home to various wildlife species such as the bear, wolf, roe deer, red deer, lynx and the wildcat… although due to the sheer amount of tourists and the noise and smell they produce, a face-to-face is unlikely.
Conclusion
Plitvice, is it worth your time, money and efforts? Considering the National Park and UNESCO status, as well as its trump card of containing Croatia’s tallest waterfall, any hesitation to answer that question might seem shocking. Yet, this is one those prime examples of the mass-tourism-versus-sight-worthiness-equilibrium… in other words: At what moment is the site’s visiting experience destroyed by its own popularity? In my opinion, this has already happened in Plitvice. It depends on the individual visitor and what you are looking for in your travel undertakings, but to me personally (a passionate hiker) the sheer amount of people and the overly organized character of the trip eliminates the thrill of wilderness and exploration that attracts me in any hike or outdoor adventure. Additionally, whereas it is a relevant sight within the context of Croatia, it really isn’t on a global or even European scale, in my humble opinion. With a 7800 documented waterfalls in the world at hand (yes I googled it), why settle with anything mediocre? Maybe I am spoilt on a travel level, but that also allows me to talk out of sheer experience and brutal honesty. Use that opinion in whatever way you seem fit.
Conclusion
Plitvice, is it worth your time, money and efforts? Considering the National Park and UNESCO status, as well as its trump card of containing Croatia’s tallest waterfall, any hesitation to answer that question might seem shocking. Yet, this is one those prime examples of the mass-tourism-versus-sight-worthiness-equilibrium… in other words: At what moment is the site’s visiting experience destroyed by its own popularity? In my opinion, this has already happened in Plitvice. It depends on the individual visitor and what you are looking for in your travel undertakings, but to me personally (a passionate hiker) the sheer amount of people and the overly organized character of the trip eliminates the thrill of wilderness and exploration that attracts me in any hike or outdoor adventure. Additionally, whereas it is a relevant sight within the context of Croatia, it really isn’t on a global or even European scale, in my humble opinion. With a 7800 documented waterfalls in the world at hand (yes I googled it), why settle with anything mediocre? Maybe I am spoilt on a travel level, but that also allows me to talk out of sheer experience and brutal honesty. Use that opinion in whatever way you seem fit.
Krka
A more intimate experience can be obtained at Krka National Park, yet another waterfall funpark in the heart of Croatia. No, it’s not as big as Plitvice and it’s not a UNESCO sight either, but it does have national park status to protect its unique biosphere. The falls, shaped by travertine limestone, form the habitat of 221 bird species (56% of Croatia’s total) and up to 19 different reptiles, most notably turtles and a wide variety of snakes (no reason to freak out, only 1 is venomous: the nose-horned viper, and it wouldn’t attack you unless threatened or cornered). On top of that, the canyons shelter 46 sorts of mammals, of which 23 out of the Red Book of Endangered Species in Croatia, among which the wild cat, river otter, wolf and several types of bats. In short, a potentially interesting stop for any lowkey wildlife-spotter, presented in a more quiet and compact package compared to Plitvice.
When to visit?
Due to the milder visitor numbers and a more straightforward location, Krka definitely is a more laidback one to add to the list.
A more intimate experience can be obtained at Krka National Park, yet another waterfall funpark in the heart of Croatia. No, it’s not as big as Plitvice and it’s not a UNESCO sight either, but it does have national park status to protect its unique biosphere. The falls, shaped by travertine limestone, form the habitat of 221 bird species (56% of Croatia’s total) and up to 19 different reptiles, most notably turtles and a wide variety of snakes (no reason to freak out, only 1 is venomous: the nose-horned viper, and it wouldn’t attack you unless threatened or cornered). On top of that, the canyons shelter 46 sorts of mammals, of which 23 out of the Red Book of Endangered Species in Croatia, among which the wild cat, river otter, wolf and several types of bats. In short, a potentially interesting stop for any lowkey wildlife-spotter, presented in a more quiet and compact package compared to Plitvice.
When to visit?
Due to the milder visitor numbers and a more straightforward location, Krka definitely is a more laidback one to add to the list.
- As we’re dealing with a much smaller national park than Plitvice, the cost is a bit more digestible. In exchange, of course, there is less terrain to explore. Mind you, the entry in high season (Jun-Sep) is still rather outrageous for what you get... but the costs of the shoulder season (Mar-May & Oct) and especially low season (Nov-Feb) are very affordable. There is a Skradinski Buk boat tour included in the ticket when entering from the Skradin entrance, except Jan-Mar. The boat tour to Visovac Island (2hrs incl. 30-min stop) must be purchased separately at the Roski Slap entrance.
- While Krka is slowly but surely being discovered by the tourist crowds, its visitor ratio is far from being comparable to the madness of Plitvice. Summer remains a rather bustling season, but as the school holiday times subside the crowds thin out.
- Another factor contributing to the ease of visiting is the accessibility. The park is located at an only 15 minutes car ride from the popular seaside destination Sibenik, and a max. 30-min bus ride. Buses shuttle every few hours between the Sibenik Bus Station and the Lozovac and Skradin entrances and they cost only a few euros. The Lozovac entrance offers free parking as well. Other entrances include the Roski Slap, Burnum/Puljane and Kistanje/Krka Monastery (the latter focussing on a more cultural experience of this natural sight, if that rings your bell).
- Krka National Park is open year-round. The availability, however, can be limited between november and march with certain sections being closed off.
“Hikes”
Here’s a big disadvantage compared to Plitvice: the hiking opportunities in Krka are minimal. Honestly, as a thru-hiker I already found the pre-fabricated walking routes of Plitvice too polished and unchallenging… but Krka offers even less in that compartment. It all comes down to a short family-friendly boardwalk stroll along the waterfall area (only 1.9km), with a potential connecting walk onwards to Skradin (3.4km, walking mainly on the dirt road which the free bus shuttle also uses). Somehow the official national park website manages to advertise a total of 47km in hiking trails, but that’s honestly just a scraped together mix of unconnected short here-and-there-stretches, painting a false picture.
Let’s see which ones they are listing. I invite you to not just look at the quantity of “trails”, which seems like an overwhelming amount… check out the distances instead, which are in 95% of the cases insignificant:
So there you go, your 47km of “hiking trails” consisting of tiny scattered out patches glued together, rather than just a challenging 1- or 2-day endeavour. The reality is that you’ll either walk about 2-5km along the falls and the canyon, or you have to rent a car and drive to all the separate trailheads to make short up-and-down walks here and there.
Here’s a big disadvantage compared to Plitvice: the hiking opportunities in Krka are minimal. Honestly, as a thru-hiker I already found the pre-fabricated walking routes of Plitvice too polished and unchallenging… but Krka offers even less in that compartment. It all comes down to a short family-friendly boardwalk stroll along the waterfall area (only 1.9km), with a potential connecting walk onwards to Skradin (3.4km, walking mainly on the dirt road which the free bus shuttle also uses). Somehow the official national park website manages to advertise a total of 47km in hiking trails, but that’s honestly just a scraped together mix of unconnected short here-and-there-stretches, painting a false picture.
Let’s see which ones they are listing. I invite you to not just look at the quantity of “trails”, which seems like an overwhelming amount… check out the distances instead, which are in 95% of the cases insignificant:
- Skradin Bridge – Skradinski Buk (3.4km): Gravel and dirt road combination, also used by cars and shuttle buses, connecting Skradin with the national park’s largest waterfall: Skradinski Buk. From April to November there are free boats covering this trajectory as well, included in the ticket price. Entrance: Skradin to Lozovac, or the other way around.
- Lozovac – Skradinski Buk (0.8km): Descending gravel trail from parking lot towards the Krka river. There’s a shuttle bus driving it too (Apr-Oct). Not sure why this is included in the “trails” even. Entrance: Lozovac.
- Skradinski Buk Trail (1.9km): Now this is truly the only trail that matters, the boardwalk route along the waterfalls you actually came to see (Skradinski Buk is the longest of Krka). No challenge whatsoever, but a very lovely way to experience the waterfalls from up close. Entrance: Lozovac.
- Goris – Torak (2.9km): Random side-trail to a viewpoint where you can see the Krka and Cikalo rivers coming together. However, it’s not connected to anything in the national park, and you’ll have to drive your car 11.5km from the Lozovac entrance (or walk 2hrs along a car road) to get to the trailhead... so I don’t really see how this is relevant.
- Brnjica – Course of Cikola River Trail (1.4km): Short up-and-down gravel trail from the Brnjica settlement descending towards the Cikola River. Similar to the previous trail, it requires you to drive there from the Lozovac entrance (12km from the Lozovac Entrance and 5km away from the Goris-Torak Trail).
- Kljucica Trail (1.6km): Short gravel trail to reach a viewpoint overlooking the Kljucica Fortress. Another one that requires additional driving to even get there: 17.6km from the Lozovac Entrance, but connected to the Brnjica – Cource of Cikola River Trail.
- Bacici Trail (1.8km): Short gravel trail from Drinovci descending towards the Krka river. It’s 10km from the Roski Slap Entrance, but only 2.5km from Kljuc where the previous trail starts.
- Vukovica Podi “Trail” (0.3km): Not sure why they include a 350m path to a viewpoint of the Visovac Monastery, but here it is. It’s 5km away from Skradin.
- Rogovo Trail (2.3km): Partly paved “trail” to the Rogovo viewpoint, starting from Laskovica, Rupe. It’s reachable from the Roski Slap Entrance.
- Stinice – Roski Slap – Ozidana Pecina Cave Walking Trail (8.5km): Wow, the first hike of a kind-of-acceptable-distance! Non-circular gravel and dirt road trail with some elevation change, connecting the sights stated in the trail title. Available from the Roski Slap Entrance, or alternatively from Stinice, Bristane Gornje or the Ozidana Pecina Cave (pecina is the Croatian word for cave by the way, so it’s a bit silly to say it that way).
- Roski Slap Trail (1.4km): Flat circular trail over the cascades above the Roski Slap waterfall. Accessible from the Roski Slap Entrance.
- Niz Plocu Trail (1.5km): Short extension connecting to the previous trail, offering some extra angles on the Roski Slap Waterfall. Entrance: Roski Slap.
- Laskovica – Zizici – Roski Slap Waterfall Trail (3.3km): Path on the opposing part of the river (on the other side there’s the Niz Plocu Trail) offering more views on the Roski Slap Waterfall. Entrance: Roski Slap or Laskovica village.
- Krka Monastery Trail (2.1km): Simply the path from Kistanje to the Krka Monastery (circular), reached from the Kistanje Entrance.
- Pistavac “Trail” (0.8km): Another hardly-a-trail. 850m, simply referring to the path from the Krka Monastery to the river.
- Trosenj – Pistavac Trail (5.7km): 1-way gravel trail connecting Kistanje and the Krka Monastery with the Trosenj Fortress. Can be combined with the last 2 “trails”. Entrance: Kistanje.
- Perice Trail (1.8km): A little circular trail from Necven village towards the river, offering upward views on the Necven and Trosenj fortresses. Entrance: Puljane.
- Manojlovac “Trail” (0.3km): 350m, why even mention it? Some stairs down to a viewpoint reached from Ivosevci, 4km away from the Burnum and 8km away from the Kistanje Entrance, not really connected to anything.
- Roman Path (0.6km): Another hardly noteworthy 630m section from Ivosevci, reached by car from the Kistanje or Burnum/Puljane Entrance.
- Staza Brljan – Manojlovac (0.9km): A mini-section reached from Burnum, giving access to the Brljan Waterfall.
- Bilusica Buk “Trail” (0.3km): Another 300m section added to the “hiking offer”. Alright, here we have a tiny section from the Burze settlement (only reached by car) towards the Bilusica Buk waterfall.
- Marasovine Trail (2.7km): This one is only an option if you’re in the area of the Puljane Entrance or the village of Knin, and then you’ll still have to drive there. It’s a 1-way zigzag down.
So there you go, your 47km of “hiking trails” consisting of tiny scattered out patches glued together, rather than just a challenging 1- or 2-day endeavour. The reality is that you’ll either walk about 2-5km along the falls and the canyon, or you have to rent a car and drive to all the separate trailheads to make short up-and-down walks here and there.
Conclusion
“The trails of Krka National Park offer a true experience of nature, the specific landscape of karst and the water of life is all brought together into a harmonious whole that will encourage visitors to experience the world with all their senses, in addition to the 22 marked walking trails covering 47 kilometres.”- the Krka marketing team wrote on their website (after some grammatical corrections on my end). This statement ranges from a hysterical exaggeration to a downright lie. I guess what someone regards as a “true experience of nature” with “all their senses” depends on the overall outdoor experience of the individual, I guess… but to state that there is a “harmonious whole” is simply not the case. For me, that’s what prevents me from fully enjoying Krka National Park in a way that’s challenging and stimulating, as a 5km family-friendly trail to simply snap some pictures here and there for the ‘gram just doesn’t excite me as much. Needless to say, that doesn’t detract in any way from the undeniable beauty of the sight itself (once again, on a national level, not a global one – sorry).
Comparing Krka with Plitvice, I could even say that I liked Krka better. An unpopular opinion, considering the way smaller size of both the park and the waterfalls. My personal experience, however, is colored in by my off-season visit of Plitvice, during which a considerable amount of the park was off-limits and as such, the area to explore was actually even bigger in Krka. That also means that even though Plitvice definitely wins when it comes to the availability of interconnected hiking trails, this was irrelevant to my visit, as almost none were open. That said, had I visited Plitvice in high season with the full availability of the park, then I probably still would have liked Krka more as the sheer peak season mass tourism in Plitvice just 100% ruins the experience for me. Krka is less stressful, more peaceful. Not to mention cheaper, as we’re obviously still budget bucket list’ers!
“The trails of Krka National Park offer a true experience of nature, the specific landscape of karst and the water of life is all brought together into a harmonious whole that will encourage visitors to experience the world with all their senses, in addition to the 22 marked walking trails covering 47 kilometres.”- the Krka marketing team wrote on their website (after some grammatical corrections on my end). This statement ranges from a hysterical exaggeration to a downright lie. I guess what someone regards as a “true experience of nature” with “all their senses” depends on the overall outdoor experience of the individual, I guess… but to state that there is a “harmonious whole” is simply not the case. For me, that’s what prevents me from fully enjoying Krka National Park in a way that’s challenging and stimulating, as a 5km family-friendly trail to simply snap some pictures here and there for the ‘gram just doesn’t excite me as much. Needless to say, that doesn’t detract in any way from the undeniable beauty of the sight itself (once again, on a national level, not a global one – sorry).
Comparing Krka with Plitvice, I could even say that I liked Krka better. An unpopular opinion, considering the way smaller size of both the park and the waterfalls. My personal experience, however, is colored in by my off-season visit of Plitvice, during which a considerable amount of the park was off-limits and as such, the area to explore was actually even bigger in Krka. That also means that even though Plitvice definitely wins when it comes to the availability of interconnected hiking trails, this was irrelevant to my visit, as almost none were open. That said, had I visited Plitvice in high season with the full availability of the park, then I probably still would have liked Krka more as the sheer peak season mass tourism in Plitvice just 100% ruins the experience for me. Krka is less stressful, more peaceful. Not to mention cheaper, as we’re obviously still budget bucket list’ers!
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Croatia Facts
Short History Recap
Around 400BC: First Greek colonies on Adriatic Islands. 100BC: Roman rule. 600s: Croats arrive. 1102: Union with Hungary. 1527: Croatian Assembly after defence against Ottomans, dynasty Habsburg to Croatian throne. 1699: Liberation of Ottomans. Adriatic coast and islands under Venice. Dubrovnik Republic independent. Napoleon abolishes Venice and Dubrovnik Republic. → 1815: Habsburg Monarch. ’47: Croatian official language (replacing Latin). ’48: Defence Croatia against attempts of Hungarian occupation → Croatian provinces united. 1918: Entry Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. ’29: Renamed Yugoslavia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades → "Greater Croatia" formed, incl Bosnia & western Serbia → fascist puppet government. The regime acts brutally against Serbs & Jews as it seeks to create a Catholic, all-Croat republic. ’45: 1 of the 6 constituent republics of the Yugoslav socialist federation. ’71: "Croatian Spring" (nationalist movement). ’80: Tito dies → slow disintegration of Yugoslavia. ’89: Collapse of communism in eastern Europe. ’91: Independence declared. ’92: UN sets up 4 protected areas in Croatia keeping Croats and Serbs apart. Involvement in Bosnia War, supporting the Bosnian Croats against the Bosnian Serbs, then against the Bosniaks (Muslims). ’95:Croat forces retake 3 of 4 areas created by the UN. Croatian Serbs flee to Bosnia and Serbia. ’96: Restores diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. Joins Council of Europe. ’98: Croatia resumes control over the 4th UN area. 2003: EU application. ’09: Nato. ’13: EU member.
Croatia Facts
- Capital: Zagreb
- Language: Croatian
- Population: ± 3.8 mln (Zadar: 70,800)
- Sq km: ± 56,594 (Tallinn: 194)
- Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
- Electricity Outlet: C + F / 220-240 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
- Country Code Phone: +385
- Emergency Phone: 112
- Visa: Schengen visa (Croatia is part of the EU). Easy visa application here.
- Vaccinations: None.
- Climate: Oceanic Climate (Cfb)
- High season: June-August
Short History Recap
Around 400BC: First Greek colonies on Adriatic Islands. 100BC: Roman rule. 600s: Croats arrive. 1102: Union with Hungary. 1527: Croatian Assembly after defence against Ottomans, dynasty Habsburg to Croatian throne. 1699: Liberation of Ottomans. Adriatic coast and islands under Venice. Dubrovnik Republic independent. Napoleon abolishes Venice and Dubrovnik Republic. → 1815: Habsburg Monarch. ’47: Croatian official language (replacing Latin). ’48: Defence Croatia against attempts of Hungarian occupation → Croatian provinces united. 1918: Entry Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. ’29: Renamed Yugoslavia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades → "Greater Croatia" formed, incl Bosnia & western Serbia → fascist puppet government. The regime acts brutally against Serbs & Jews as it seeks to create a Catholic, all-Croat republic. ’45: 1 of the 6 constituent republics of the Yugoslav socialist federation. ’71: "Croatian Spring" (nationalist movement). ’80: Tito dies → slow disintegration of Yugoslavia. ’89: Collapse of communism in eastern Europe. ’91: Independence declared. ’92: UN sets up 4 protected areas in Croatia keeping Croats and Serbs apart. Involvement in Bosnia War, supporting the Bosnian Croats against the Bosnian Serbs, then against the Bosniaks (Muslims). ’95:Croat forces retake 3 of 4 areas created by the UN. Croatian Serbs flee to Bosnia and Serbia. ’96: Restores diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. Joins Council of Europe. ’98: Croatia resumes control over the 4th UN area. 2003: EU application. ’09: Nato. ’13: EU member.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains Croatia: Spar, Plodine, Konzum, Kaufland, Studenac, Lidl, Bakmaz, Tommy.
- Local Dishes: Crni Rizot (black risotto), Pag Lamb / Janjetina (spit roasted), Ispod Peke (slow cooked meat/fish under dome in ashes), Pasticada (marinated beef stew), Corbanac (meat stew), Boskarin (oxen), Brodet / Brudet (fisherman’s stew), Gregada (fish stew), Odojak (suckling pig), Mijesano / Raznjici (skewers) Buzara (mussles in wine broth), Istarski Fuzi (pasta), Pljeskavica (Balkan hamburger), Cevapcici (sausages with bread), Kotlovina (grilled meats), Riba S Gradela (grilled fish), Rastika (collard greens stew), Grah (pork hock bean stew), Varivo od Mahuna (green beans stew), Manestra (bean soup with meat), Punjene Paprike (stuffed peppers), Sarma / Sinjski (stuffed sauerkraut), Zganci (polenta), Salata Od Hobotnice (octopus salad), Burek (cheesy pastry), Strukli (cottage cheese pastry), Viska / Komiska Pogaca (sarine pie), Soparnik (savory swiss chard pie) Truffles, Oysters, Sardines, Paski Sir / Skripavac / Skuta (typical cheese), Prsut (prosciutto), Kulen (sausage), Fritule (deep-fried donuts).
- The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Croatia, as vegetarianism and veganism is widely accepted. Most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here.
- National Drink: Rakija (brandy), Dunjevaca (quince spirit), Slavonska Sljivovica (plum brandy), Biska (misletoe brandy), Teranino (liquor), beer, wine (mainly Istarska Malvazija, Dingac, Posip, Babic, Grk, Plavac Mali, Prosek, Teran, Zlahtina, Grasevina).
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: Of all Balkan countries, Croatia is the most expensive one. Expect Western European prices for food and accommodation. Without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is another decent option. Air BnB is not what it used to be, price-wise, and seem to focus on the more upscale boutique stays nowadays. Writer’s choice: In Plitvice I stayed in a guesthouse at the village of Korita, at walking distance from the entrance. Krka I did as a day trip from Sibenik, where I Couchsurfed.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Croatia is a rather active one. If your’re bikepacking you can also look into Warm Showers, which is a bikepacking community focussing on 1-night stays.
- Wild Camping: is officially illegal in Croatia. If you would like to do so, make sure you hide well and be rather stealthy.
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
- Safety: Croatia is a very safe country with a low crime rate.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Most Croatian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are generally accepted everywhere, even in the countryside.
- Simcard: Buying a local simcard is by all means cheaper than using your international roaming option. The main providers are T-Mobile, A1 and Telemach. T-Mobile has the biggest coverage, Telemach the smallest. Part of the data will also work within the EU (although some tourist packages will only work in the EU). E-sims are also increasing in popularity, which can be ordered online. As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. Instead, buy it in the phone stores in the cities or even in convenience stores, post offices and gas stations (Tisak, INA, Hrvatska Posta, iNovine).
Transport
- Walking: Both national parks offer walking trails. However, in Plitvice the trails are interconnected, whereas the trails in Krka are more scattered out. To do more than 1-2 trails in Krka, you’ll need a vehicle to drive to trail heads.
- Cycling: is only possible in the southern edges of Plitvice, on state roads D1, D42 and D52. The rest of the area is protected. Krka offers several cycling routes.
- Public Transport: During the high season, there are buses connecting Zadar with Plitvice. As stated in the article, it is incredibly difficult to reach Plitvice from Zadar in off-season, as these services don’t operate. From other parts of the country, as well as from Zadar, there are also tourist excursions you can book... however, that limits your freedom and time you might want to spend in the park, and you’ll be stuck to a big tourgroup. Krka has easy accessibility from Sibenik, with several cheap buses per day driving to the Lozovac and Skradin entrances. Within both parks, there are boat and bus shuttles included in the entrance ticket, if you want to eliminate walking whenever possible for some reason (some are not operational off-season).
- Taxi / Uber: Croatia has taxi apps such as Uber and Bolt.
- Train: Croatia has a train network, with train stations in Zadar and Sibenik. It is operated by HZPP and it’s possible to buy tickets online here. Plitvice and Krka cannot be reached by train.
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Croatia. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport.
- Airport: Zadar Airport (ZAD). There are relatively cheap airport buses driving to the downtown area. More info here. Split Airport (SPU).
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe and easy in Croatia, but definitively not common. I hitchhiked on plenty occasions in Croatia and I always managed with relative ease (as a woman alone). More info on hitchhiking in and out of Zadar can be found on Hitchwiki.
Next?
- International Destinations Close By: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Italy.
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