A Day Trip to Krka National Park from Split: Everything You need To know

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Krka National Park is a stunning escape from reality into a world of vibrant colours and the power of nature at its most magnificent. Home to the incredible Skradinski Buk waterfall a day trip to Krka National Park from Split is unmissable! It’s one of those experiences that are so worth it – the price, the crowds, everything. The majesty of nature, the vivid blues and greens, the sounds of rushing water, birdsong and frogs croaking. It’s a magical place. Do not miss it off your list! Got it?

Plitvice might be more famous but Krka definitely has major plus points in that it’s smaller so more easily doable as a day trip, and most importantly you can swim in the waterfall. That experience made the whole trip for me!

It’s also close to Split so it’s the perfect day trip!

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Getting To Krka National Park From Split

It’s so easy to get from Split to Krka. The simplest way is to take a bus from Split bus station which is easy to find right on the harbour. It’s roughly one and a half hour’s drive. Buses run most hours – check the timetable on getbybus.com. You can also book tickets there which might be worth doing for peace of mind! It’s a popular route!

Top Tip: Bear in mind that the destination name is not Krka but Skradin, the nearest town and name of the entrance the bus will take you to.

There are other entrances which you can drive to but I think Skradin’s the best because you get to journey into the park by boat and enjoy some lovely scenery as an appetiser to the spectacular main course!

You could also book tickets to Krka in advance online – here. It’s not a huge advantage unless you’re running late for the boat. It mainly just saves time queuing. So if you’re certain on which day you’re going you might as well!

Top Tip: Take a quick picture of the boat departure times for later so you can check them as you walk round.

The biggest tip…

Go as early as possible. Standard stuff – it gets busier and busier! I caught the bus at 8:00 to arrive at 9:30 and the boat was at 10:00 so I got into the park by around 10:20. I wouldn’t advise going much later if you want to get some amazing “I’m a mermaid in a waterfall” pics minus people! It was just quiet enough for me and I don’t know if I could have dragged myself out of bed much earlier! Then again it’s definitely a place worth getting up early for!

Inside the Park

Take the right-handed route which heads over the bridge next to the falls but make sure to enjoy the waterfall, Skradinski Buk, first! That is the area that will fill up so quickly with people later on!

Top Tip: If you’re flexible about when you go and you really want to swim in the waterfall you might want to check the park website for updates. Sometimes it will tell you that the water level is too high for swimming. It was only when I checked the website a week before I was going to Croatia that I realised you were not permitted to swim at that time. Luckily the weather was due to pick up and I was planning to go at the end of my trip anyway. But it’s definitely worth checking before you set your plans in motion! You might want to push it back a few days, or vice versa, if you can.

Take your time and enjoy the waterfall. Don’t worry about the crowds growing. It’s less cumbersome on the walk round the rest of the park then it would be in the water! Make sure to live the moment – it’s an amazing one! – even if you’re trying to get that perfect picture. I get it though, if you’re gonna take a picture it’s got to be here!

Getting the Perfect Mermaid Picture

Even just getting into a waterfall is not as easy as you would imagine! Shocking, I know, but it’s not a pool or a smooth sandy beach. If you’ve been in the sea in Croatia you might already have a handle on rocks and pebbles but now you can throw tree trunks and awkward banks into the mix.

There isn’t obvious places that are easy to get down but getting out again was the really hard part, especially with my little legs! Be prepared to stumble around to find a good place to exit the water! Water shoes would definitely be a good idea, and these come in handy everywhere in Croatia!

I bet if this was in the UK they definitely would have put in steps and railings! Which would be a shame, falling over and clambering up banks is all part of the experience.

So what with slippery rocks, painful stones and trying to hold your iPhone aloft above the water getting a good picture is not an easy job!

If you’re a hardcore instagrammer the idea would probably be to stand up on one of the rocks but no way was I doing that!

Top Tips: Take your time, relax, wait to find the perfect spot. One of those waterproof iPhone lanyards wouldn’t be a bad idea! And if you’re travelling solo (like me) you need a slice of luck to find someone else in the water who’s on their own and happy to share a photo shoot with you! I was so lucky, it doesn’t always happen!

The main thing I noticed when looking back at my photos was that my face was shaded in most of them. A good tilt to the right in the morning is a good idea!

Time to dry off and explore…

Relax in the sun for a while as you dry off. Get a snack from one of the food stalls if all that swimming (and posing) has left you peckish! Obviously the food is expensive so bring a picnic with you if you’re super organised.

Hopefully you’ll have dried up enough to get some clothes back on, although I don’t think they mind you walking around in your bikini so I guess it depends how comfortable you feel. I opted for shorts on but not top because it was one of those that goes all weird and see through when wet!

Walk slowly around the paths that wind around the waterfall, criss-crossing the sparkling water. There’s no need to rush as it’s really not far and you might as well soak it all in! It’s gorgeous! Enjoy all the sights and sounds and smells, let your senses awaken! Even though there will be more crowds by now it’s still possible to find quiet moments and you can take it at your own pace. Let others rush past you. I saw several people walking so fast and I was thinking what are they rushing for? Sure if you’re in the shopping centre I hate slow walkers but this walk is to be savoured and enjoyed! Squeeze every moment of beauty out!

Roski Slap Waterfall

If you have extra time you could take a boat trip to Roski Slap Waterfall. (You can also drive there yourself) The excursion is four hours and includes a visit to Visovac Island, a ride through the Među greed canyon and an hour at the falls and surrounding walking trails. Stradinski Buk definitely has the biggest wow factor so I’d probably only recommend doing this trip if you have lots of time or are staying in the Skradin area.

From Roski Slap you could also do another boat trip to the Krka Monastery and fortresses in another two and a half hours.

If you decided against swimming in the falls (crazy) there might be more time for these options!

Heading Back

If you have time before you get the bus there’s a lovely quiet platform beach just along from the boats. It was such a relaxing spot I could have stayed there all night!

Note: If you haven’t booked a ticket for the bus back – I didn’t because who knows what time you’re gonna want to leave – you can’t buy a ticket on the bus so depending on which company it is you might be directed to a ticket office just down a little street.

Ticket Prices 2019

High Season (June, July, Aug, September)

Skradinksi Buk/General Entrance Fee: 200 kuna

Roski Slap Boat Trip: 130 kuna

Krka Monastery Boat Trip: 100 kuna

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