June the 27th, 2022 - Krka National Park is now richer for electric boats which will work to transport passengers who are visiting this wildly popular national park along the Krka river.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/PD i VL native tim writes, a DNV GL study shows how changes in the use of different marine vessels can contribute to achieving CO2 reduction targets. This will require the use of zero-emission options, such as electricity and biofuels.

Croatia's much loved Krka National Park is heading in this direction and has been constantly working to reduce any pollution produced there. In addition to the Krka National Park administration presenting a new ordinance according to which swimming is prohibited in almost the entire area of ​​the park, at the beginning of last year, they also ordered two hybrid electric boats. This is another step towards sustainability. The capacity of the ships is 50 people, and the vessels are equipped with quality solar PV panels and batteries.

Everything actually works in a fairly simple way with these vessels, when the sun is shining, the solar cells power the drive, and when the sun disappears - the drive is powered by a battery. This means that working conditions will be met at any time of the year regardless of the amount of sunshine hours in the day. Krka National Park's new electric boats operate reliably without producing any emissions, and can withstand a cycle of 8 hours when using the battery and 12 hours when using the energy obtained through the solar panels. The service speed is 5 knots and the maximum is 9 knots.

The boats were ordered with Danfoss technology, whose employees listened carefully to all of the wishes expressed and solved the technical challenges they faced on the way throughout the process, from desire to final realisation. As explained by Danfoss, the technical challenge with these electric boats was to achieve proper functioning between the solar PV panels and the battery within the powertrain system. Nevertheless, they managed to design and deliver the ideal solution in the end.

In doing so, they took into account the understanding of the needs of the ordered ships and the ability to handle advanced technology.

They also cooperated with the system integrator Inmel, providing all the necessary hardware and software for the green hybrid solution, and the ships were built at the Dalmont shipyard in Kraljevica.

A kind of precedent was set with the vessels, ans as such, for the first time, the MPPT software upgrade was transferred to the DC / DC software with the support of the system integrator and successfully tested. They provided maximum power point detection (MPPT) software implemented in DC / DC software. Such cooperation between Danfoss and Inmel enabled higher voltage on the solar panels, using only the highest voltage point, resulting in more energy on a common DC bus.

Krka National Park has thus shown that choosing the right partners is one of the most important moments in achieving sustainability goals.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

May the 24th, 2022 - The much loved and very popular Krka National Park has now got a brand new educational centre worth more than 60 million kuna. The move will provide an additional attraction to the park visited by countless guests from all over the world each and every year.

As Morski writes, the Eco Campus "Krka" in Puljane, worth 83,287,287 kuna, is a new interpretation, educational and volunteer centre for students, volunteers, scientists and researchers, and especially true nature lovers who want to get much better acquainted with the abundant natural values ​​and rich cultural and historical heritage of Krka National Park.

The Krka Eco Campus in Puljane is part of a broader project called Unknown Krka: Hidden Treasures of the Upper and Middle Krka Rivers, co-financed under the Competitiveness and Cohesion Operational Programme 2014-2020 from the European Regional Development Fund. Funds from the aforementioned sources were secured in the amount of 66,200,193 kuna, while the total value of the project stands at 80,057,649.15 kuna.

So far, a total of almost one billion kuna worth of projects in the field of natural heritage have been contracted from EU funds throughout the Republic of Croatia, of which 600 million kuna has been set aside for the construction of seventeen presentation centres throughout the country. There are six projects worth 176 million located in Sibenik-Knin County alone, all of which are being implemented with EU funds.

''Sibenik-Knin County is one of the most ecologically preserved and richest parts of Croatia in terms of natural beauty, and the Krka river, which flows through its central part, is the provider of life to everything around it. Thanks to that river, the diverse landscapes of the county are uniquely connected into a special natural monument, in an area of ​​great importance for Croatian national history,'' said Marko Jelic, Sibenik-Knin County's prefect.

In addition to two valuable collections that present archeology and science in a modern and attractive way, the Krka Eco Campus also houses the Nature Laboratory, which due to its educational dimension and interactive content will be an unavoidable destination for student excursions. Volunteers and researchers have the Volunteer Centre, with its laboratories equipped with the most modern devices, a conference hall, which can accommodate one hundred people, a dining room and Internet centre.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

January 12, 2021 - Through a project that will last five months, the Skradin port will be enhanced by four new piers to accommodate up to eight tourist boats.  

HRTurizam reports that the ancient port of Scardona is today a modern marina for boats arriving across Lake Prokljan and enjoys a reputation as a safe haven. From this summer, it will be enhanced by a well-maintained pier and main water entrance to Skradinski Buk, the most famous and most visited waterfall on the Krka River.

In order to protect and preserve the recognizable and authentic view of Skradin, the most modern construction techniques will be used to build a new pier, fully integrated into the environment. The project is funded by the Public Institution "Krka National Park".

Namely, the pier is being readied for tourist boats in Skradin, and the works will last for five months. Landscaping the port on the maritime domain, managed by the Public Institution "Krka National Park", will begin on January 15, 2021, within which four new piers will be implemented to accommodate up to eight tourist boats. Furthermore, 145 meters of shoreline will be built, which will ensure additional stability of the city waterfront and significantly improve the current conditions of the coast.

It is an important infrastructure project that will reduce the creation of crowds when boarding and disembarking the entrance to NP Krka.

"Constructing the port in Skradin is one of the significant projects for the Public Institution 'Krka National Park' which will reduce the creation of crowds when boarding and disembarking the entrance to Krka. Visitors will be scheduled so that the time spent thus far waiting in line can be used for a quality tour of Skradin," pointed out the director of the Public Institution "Krka National Park" Nella Slavica.

In addition to the possibility of buying park tickets online, visitors will be able to book a departure date from Skradin and return from Skradinski Buk, adds Slavica, and emphasizes that this will increase the quality of service and customer satisfaction and thus directly affect the time spent in Skradin and Šibenik-Knin County.

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May 21, 2020 - In the twenty months since its opening, over 470 kilometers of well-maintained cycling routes in the Krka National Park, which pass through the untouched nature of the most beautiful part of the Krka River, have become a favorite destination for lovers of active holidays.

HRTurizam writes that the most attractive parts of the Park are connected with as many as 14 circular bicycle routes of different levels of difficulty with appropriate cycling signals, and the ideal combination of varying terrain configurations and rich natural and cultural heritage allows you to discover the famous destination in a completely different and sustainable way.

Whether it is for beginners, recreationalists or professionals - five MTB or mountain bike routes, three road routes, and six track routes for a pleasant family ride, will satisfy different adventurous needs and tastes.

"With the Krka Bike project, we wanted to strengthen the development potential of cycling tourism in NP Krka since it is a sustainable type of tourism that has a number of advantages - from individual ones such as a positive impact on health, to broader ones concerning the impact on local economic activities. At the same time, biking and trekking have a slight impact on the environment, which is extremely important to us since the routes are located in the protected nature of the Park," said the director of the Public Institution "Krka National Park" Nella Slavica, and added:

"Apart from offering an excellent opportunity to meet natural beauties that you did not even know existed, our cycling routes also have an educational role because they reveal the hidden treasures of the rich cultural and historical heritage preserved by the Krka National Park."

The most willing adventurers will surely dare to ride the longest "Royal route", which is 95.1 km in length, begins in front of the Branch Office of the Park in Skradin, passes through the towns of Rupe and Kistanje, and ends in the pearl of ancient history, the Roman military camp Burnum. On the way back to Skradin, it descends twice into the Krka river canyon, to the Brljan and Roški waterfalls, and after the visitor center in Laškovica, which is the center of a network of hiking and cycling routes along the river Krka, returns to Skradin by the same route. The shortest cycling route, 8.6 km long, from Skradin along the Krka leads upstream to Skradinski buk, the most beautiful and most visited waterfall on the Krka river.

More information on cycling routes, maps and GPS coordinates as well as rules of conduct for cyclists can be found on the Krka Bike website.

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As Morski writes on the 20th of May, 2020, in the twenty months since their opening, the 470 kilometres of well-maintained cycling routes in NP Krka, which pass through the untouched nature surrounding the most beautiful part of the Krka river, have become a favourite destination for lovers of active holidays.

The most scenic parts of NP Krka are connected by as many as fourteen circular bicycle routes of different levels of difficulty with appropriate cycling signals, and the ideal combination of different terrain configurations and rich natural and cultural heritage allows for the discovery of this beloved Croatian national park in a completely different and sustainable way.

Whether you're a beginner, recreational cyclist or a professional - five MTB or mountain bike routes, three road routes and six track routes for a pleasant family ride, will satisfy different adventurous needs and abilities. The most willing adventurers will more than likely dare to embark on the longest bike route, the so-called "royal route", which is 95.1 kilometres long and begins in picturesque Skradin, passes through the settlements of Rupe and Kistanje, and ends in a true pearl of ancient history, the Roman military camp of Burnum.

On the way back to Skradin, it descends twice into the beautiful Krka river canyon, to the Brljan and Roški waterfalls (slapovi), and after passing the visitor centre in Laškovica, which is the centre of a network of hiking trails and cycling routes along the river Krka, returns once again back to Skradin. The shortest cycling route, which is 8.6 kilometres long, runs from Skradin along the Krka river and leads upstream to Skradinski buk, the most beautiful and most heavily frequented waterfall along the river Krka.

The ability to cycle at NP Krka works to further strengthen the potential for the development of cycling tourism in the much loved park, as it represents a much more sustainable type of tourism that has a number of advantages to it - from individual ones such as a positive impact on health and fitness, to broader ones concerning the impact on local economic activities. At the same time, biking and trekking have a negligible impact on the environment, which is extremely important since the routes are located in the protected nature of the park,'' stated the director of NP Krka's Public Institution, Nella Slavica.

''In addition to offering an excellent opportunity to get better acquainted with the natural beauty that you didn't even know existed, our cycling routes also play a more educational role because they reveal the hidden treasures of the rich cultural and historical heritage preserved by NP Krka,'' concluded Slavica.

In the period until June the 18th, 2020, a promotional ticket price of just fifty kuna for adults and 25 kuna for children is on offer for all visitors to NP Krka, while admission is free for the youngest visitors.

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As Croatia relaxes its stringent anti-epidemic measures in the third phase, Croatian national parks and nature parks are now open to the public once again, and as we reported recently, most have promotional ticket prices on offer for both adults and children in an attempt to restart the local economy and rescue at least part of their usual revenue. NP Krka is one of them.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 12th of May, 2020, the beloved NP Krka has now reopened its doors to visitors, boasting promotional ticket prices of 50 kuna for adults and 25 kuna for children. The park is otherwise wildly popular for countless tourists and residents alike, known for its waterfalls and picturesque natural surroundings.

After a break of almost two months due to the coronavirus pandemic and the strict measures Croatia quickly established in an attempt to stop the spread of the pandemic, NP Krka is now ready to accept individual visitors (and not groups, for now), who will have the opportunity to discover the charms of Croatian natural and cultural heritage preserved by the park, and do so with the purchase of cheaper tickets until the 18th of June, 2020.

Individual visitors are now free to move around the park on foot and by bicycle and enjoy all the natural values ​​and cultural and historical riches the park boasts, and catering and hospitality facilities will be opened in accordance with all of the recommendations set out by the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

''Our diligent employees and professional services at the Krka National Park Public Insittution are working carefully all the time, engaging in research and monitoring the situation, and we're proud to announce that we have discovered two new species of worms here that are still unknown to science. This is very important to us because we discovered them at Roski slap, and they speak volumes about the purity and quality of the water there. The livelier the world in the waters is, the healthier the water is,'' stated the director of NP Krka, Nella Slavica, in conversation with HRT.

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The documentary series called "When I Remember Krka" (Kad se sjetim Krke), directed by Tomislav Krnic, bring about an inspiring look at the cultural treasure that is preserved by the ethno village located at Skradinski buk at the beloved NP Krka.

As Morski writes on the 6th of April, 2020, as modern life continues to accelerate and change rapidly, many an old art, skill and craft is sadly left in the past. Wanting to raise awareness of the extremely rich cultural heritage associated with NP Krka and the Krka river, as well as the way of life of the people who have always lived along the river, the NP Krka Public Institution has produced one long and three shorter documentary films which revive some long-forgotten times through the emotions and memories of local artisans.

Although the main characters are reminiscent of the protagonists of some popular fairy tales, they are real people who have devoted their lives to valuable crafts and have remained attached to NP Krka and the Krka river for many decades of their lives. One of Skradin's oldest residents, 87-year-old miller Mate Zura, testifies in the first film about his craft, which he used to engage in with his father at a mill at Skradinski buk. Thanks to his many years of experience and his wealth of highly specific knowledge, he participated in the restoration of today's watermills at NP Krka.

''I started weaving at the age of fourteen,'' recalls another protagonist, 85-year-old Milka Lukic, in the documentary. Her age didn't prevent her from starting work in a loom on Skradinski buk back in 2002 and transferring her knowledge to two other women, one of whom still lives there today.

The third story is that of Dragan Supa, who comes from a family of blacksmiths from Konjevrat, whose members have been engaged in this ancient craft for the last 160 years.

''We're extremely proud of the intangible cultural heritage of our region that we want to highlight with these films. Numerous visitors to the NP Krka and the ethno villages are given an insight into the former way of life of the inhabitants of the area, as well as the complexity of the crafts which are slowly dying out today. The renovated watermills along the Krka river are monuments of rural construction and economic history, as well as ethnological and ethnographic monuments, precisely because of the way they were used in the past. With these films, we want to appeal to a wider circle of people and to pay homage to the things that have nurtured Dalmatia,'' said the director of the NP Krka Public Institution, Nella Slavica, adding:

''In addition, in these films, we're trying to preserve the crafts that are disappearing into oblivion due to the modern way of life, primarily for the sake of all future generations. So, I'd like to thank the protagonists for showing us some of their skills and the inspiration behind them in an inspiring and motivating way.''

This educational-documentary series, directed by the Sibenik director and screenwriter Tomislav Krnic and produced by Digital Media Studio 24/7, is available here.

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As Morski writes on the 13th of March, 2020, the beautiful NP Krka has issued a statement to the general public stating that preventive measures are being taken to protect the health of visitors and that relevant information and guidelines are continually being monitored, on the basis of which further action will be taken if needed.

After the information on persons in the Republic of Croatia with whom the coronavirus has been confirmed became available to the public, NP Krka, a Croatian national park visited by countless people annually, undertook all necessary actions and activities possible in order to protect the health of visitors, employees, partners and associates.

All measures and procedures taken by NP Krka are in full accordance with the current recommendations and instructions of the Ministry of Health, the Croatian Institute of Public Health and the Civil Protection Staff of the park's ''home'' county - Sibenik-Knin.

Events due to have taken place/due to take place during March and early April at NP Krka have been delayed...

The events that were to take place at NP Krka in March and during early April have been postponed. This regards activities related to the celebration of World Water Day, due to fall on March the 22nd, and the holding of the third Krka Half Marathon, scheduled for April the 4th, which is usually attended by a large number of participants and visitors. The participation of the employees of NP Krka at tourist fairs in the Republic of Croatia and in foreign countries have also been cancelled.

The beloved national park remains open to visitors

Despite the current coronavirus situation, NP Krka remains open to visitors in accordance with the recommendations of the expert services. The Skradinski Buk and Roski Slap (Waterfall) locations with all of their associated presentation facilities can be visited daily from 09:00 to 17:00, as is customary for this time of year.

''We're also taking all necessary measures and we're doing everything in our power to protect not only visitors but also our employees, partners and associates during the regular activities of NP Krka. If there are any changes related to the work of the National Park, visitors will be informed in due time on NP Krka's website.

Finally, we'd like to emphasise that with responsible behaviour, acting in accordance with instructions and implementing preventive measures, we're protecting our own and others' health as well,'' read a statement from NP Krka.

Make sure to follow our dedicated page for all you need to know about coronavirus in Croatia.

''Unknown Krka: Hidden treasures of the upper and middle reaches of the Krka river'' is a project being run by the Krka National Park public institution co-financed under the Operational Program of Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020. Its completion is planned for the 27th of May, 2020.

As Morski writes on the 15th of November, 2019, a grant from the European Regional Development Fund in the amount of 78,620,719.12 kuna was approved, while the total project value stands at 80,057,649.15 kuna.

The project includes a series of infrastructure interventions within Krka National Park itself, the design and introduction of new presentation and interpretation facilities, properly arranging footpaths, electrifying nautical traffic and improving the park's content management and visitation system. Krka National Park has explained what the project covers in more detail below.

The construction, decoration and proper equipping of the Eco Campus "Krka" visitor centre:

With the implementation of this project, the Eco Campus will become a unique destination within Krka National Park's offer. At the moment, works on the Temple of Nature natural history and presentation centre have been completed, for which a valid occupancy permit has been issued. The reconstruction of the building and the surrounding environment of the volunteer centre and the construction of an auxiliary building (engine room) have been completed and a work permit is expected to be issued soon.

Landscaping and the construction of the water supply and hydrant network and drainage system have now also been completed. The internal fitting out of the facilities still remains, abd documentation for that is currently being prepared. The opening of the Eco Campus to the public will occur upon receipt of all of the necessary permits, and no later than the deadline for the completion of the project.

The reconstruction and equipping of the interpretation centre: Krka - the well of life:

The centre relies on the fundamental role of the Eco Campus which has the key role of providing additional attractive content in the northern part of the park through the construction of an educational and presentation centre. Construction work on the site was halted on April the 30th due to the discovery of WW2 mines, which were immediately removed by the competent authority.

An inspection found that the mines no longer contained any explosive charges and as such didn't pose a risk to life or property. The ''NP Krka'' public institution implemented all of the procedures prescribed by law for the purpose of determining the safety of the works. Due to the justified suspension of the works, the contract term was extended for a period of five months.

Given the fact that the contractor didn't sign and agree to the addition of the contract and as such didn't continue with the works stipulated by that contract, the contract was terminated. In spite of the commotion, the completion of the construction of the aforementioned centre in Kistanje is foreseen by the deadline for completion of the project.

The repair, arrangement and proper equipping of three hiking trails:

Hiking trails are an extremely important part of expanding and completing the offer in the northern part of Krka National Park. Historic trails like Rimski put, Brljan - Manojlovac and Perice enable visitors to experience active walks and provide access to gorgeous upstream waterfalls. They also connect the Nečven fort with access to the left bank of the Krka river. The hiking trails are well-maintained and properly equipped, presented and open to the public.

The electrification of vessels:

The introduction of electric vessels will significantly reduce emissions and increase the transportation capacity of visitors. The more efficient redirection of visitors will allow for an increase in the number of visitors to midstream sites. The trial run has been carried out and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure has confirmed the names of the vessels, and their licenses and certificates are being obtained by the appropriate Croatian register, after which the vessels will be presented to the public and put into service.

The improvement of content and visitor management systems:

Building the necessary capacities for the sustainable and successful management of protected area resources, the integration of the surrounding area(s) through connecting with key stakeholders from the local community and the implementation of new educational programs will contribute to improving the quality of Krka National Park's visitor services. 

It will also contribute to overall visitor safety, the better preservation of natural heritage, and will attract more visitors into the northern part of the park. Within the framework of the aforementioned activities, an evaluation of the state of the park's management system was undertaken, an analysis of the reception capacity and a visitor management study (APUP) was carried out. The presentation of that study then followed. A security report on the use of visitor content in Krka National Park was also drafted. Thematic tourism products and volunteer programs are now being designed.

Publicity/promotion and visibility:

In order to improve the publicity/promotion and visibility of the project and the Krka National Park public institution, leaflets, brochures, posters, audio-visual presentations and a promotional film will be produced owing to the project.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for more.

As Morski writes on the 20th of September, 2019, Croatia's gorgeous Krka National Park and its public institution joined an international volunteer project which puts the environment before everything else.

The cleanup action was held at NP Krka on Friday, September the 20th, 2019 in the area of ​​the settlements of Lozovac, Goriš and Brnjica, near the border of the national park itself, on the left bank of the Krka river.

Employees of the Krka National Park, in cooperation with volunteers from the Association of the Croatian Poetry Branch and the Nature Protection Commission of the Croatian Mountaineering Association, and with the help of the local population, cleared an entire acre of illegal landfill in the surrounding Dalmatian karst. Mostly small and medium-sized items of general household waste, plastic and glass containers, as well as bottles and some construction waste were collected.

The NP Krka cleanup action was a joint daylong action to clean up illegal landfills and marked the largest volunteer eco-project in Croatia, bringing together active citizens and organisations, and is part of a major global action called World Cleanup, which was initially launched over a decade ago, more specifically back in 2008.

The project is based on raising awareness of the importance of responsible waste management for the conservation of our environment, nature and of planet Earth as a whole.

Owing to this international ecological project, millions of people in one hundred and fifty countries across the world have united in the greatest civil action in the history of mankind to cleanse our planet. On September the 21st, volunteers and organisations around the world will continue to collect waste from the planet's beaches, rivers, forests and streets together.

Things will kick off in a country far from Croatian shores - New Zealand, and will eventually come to an end thirty-six hours later in Hawaii. In this action, millions of people will work together to achieve one goal: a cleaner and healthier planet.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more. If you're interested in official and unofficial initiatives in Croatia that work to help protect the environment, give Total Eco Croatia a follow.