March 19, 2018 - Continuing our series on Krka National Park beyond the waterfalls, we bring you a short guide to the five entrances leading to Krka's major attractions
Have you been following our Krka National Park series? We've introduced you to numerous interesting facets of the NP: natural treasures such as Krka's caves and pits, some of them known as prehistoric settlements which used to be inhabited for multiple millennia; archeological sites like the Roman military camp Burnum, other man-made attractions such as Krka's medieval fortresses and ethno villages.
So it should be obvious by now that Krka has plenty to offer to its visitors beyond the iconic waterfalls and lakes. After all, the National Park has a surface of 109 square kilometres, with most of its attractions situated on the banks of the river Krka whose canyon spans for 75 kilometres before the river's flow reaches Šibenik Bay. So today, we're looking to the more pragmatic side of your visit to Krka: how to get there?
Krka National Park has five entrances located at various points in the area to make the most popular attractions easily accessible to visitors. Look at this as a short guide to Krka's access points - you'll be able to arrive to your destinations of choice within the park in no time:
1. Entrance Skradin
The aim of this series is to present notable sites in Krka National Park, those that are sometimes overlooked as the public's eye remains focused on the famous waterfalls. But to be fair, you're not likely to visit Krka and skip the majestic Skradinski Buk waterfall - just make sure to give some love to several other attractions in the park while you're there.
So, in case you want to start your visit at this world-renowned location, you have two options: you can either follow the hiking/cycling trail from Skradin to the park, or embark from Skradin on a boat that will take you to the waterfall.
If you're up for a short sailing trip, keep in mind that transportation of visitors on Krka NP's boats is only available from April to October, according to a fixed schedule you can find here. The boat ride is included in the price of entrance tickets, so you won't have to pay an additional fee on top. Visitors who wish to book a boat exclusively for their own group are required to contact Krka National Park in advance; other visitors who don't mind sharing a boat with other guests or groups only need to announce their time of arrival. Entrance tickets to the National Park need to be purchased at the branch office in Skradin before you board the boat; in case you've purchased your ticket online, you'll be asked to present a printed copy or the bar-code on your smartphone.
If you're more into hiking or cycling, you can purchase your ticket at the office in Skradin and follow the 3400m trail that will take you to the Skradinski Buk waterfall.
2. Entrance Lozovac
Lozovac is the main road entrance to Krka National Park for individual visitors arriving by car, as well as for tourist buses. Free parking is available throughout the year; in the period from April to October, Krka NP provides organised transport from this entrance point to Skradinski Buk and back. In winter months, guests are permitted to enter the park in their personal vehicles and tourist buses.
Another piece of information for those who would like to experience the gorgeous scenery in the park on foot instead of driving around: an 875m hiking trail will take you from the Lozovac entrance to the famous waterfall.
3. Entrance Roški Slap / Laškovica
Another gorgeous waterfall, another entrance: Roški Slap, accessible by road from Drniš, Knin and Skradin.
Once you get to the entrance, it won't take you long to reach the renowned natural wonder on foot, but there's plenty to see after you're done admiring the iconic site. There are boat excursions available from April to October that will take you to the Krka monastery or to the medieval fortresses Trošenj and Nečven. Both the entrance tickets to Krka National park and boat tickets for the ride to Krka monastery are available at the ticket office at the Roški Slap entrance.
Another option: starting your visit at Skradinski Buk? Hop on an excursion boat to get from one famous waterfall to the other.
4. Entrance Burnum / Puljane
Eager to explore the historical heritage in Krka National Park? Head to the archaeological site Burnum near Ivoševci village which houses remains of the only Roman military amphitheatre preserved in Croatia.
The site in Ivoševci is also home to the arcades which were once part of the military command building, and several walls of the military camp.
If you head a bit further to Puljane, you'll find the Burnum Archaeological Collection with a display of artefacts uncovered at this priceless site - weapons, tools, and items for everyday use.
Burnum can only be reached by road. You can purchase tickets at the Burnum/Puljane entrance and book a guided tour of the amphitheatre and the military camp. Read more about this fascinating location here.
5. Entrance Kistanje / Krka Monastery
And for our final suggestion, how about visiting the Krka Monastery, the renowned spiritual centre of the Orthodox faith? This exceptional site was first mentioned in historical documents in 1402, but it houses foundations of an older Eremite monastery and catacombs dating back to ancient Roman times.
If you want to take a tour of the complex, you have several options to choose from:
If you're arriving by car, drive to the village of Kistanje, situated to the left of Krka's canyon. You'll find an entrance point in Kistanje - just follow the signs, and the access road will take you down to Krka Monastery which has its own parking lot for visitors.
In case you wish to start your visit at Roški Slap, you can opt for a boat excursion that will take you from the waterfall to Krka Monastery, and then further to Nečven and Trošenj fortresses. A perfect opportunity to enjoy the splendid scenery and explore the cultural heritage preserved in Krka National Park, all in one go - you can find the schedule and information on pricing here.
Visit Krka National Park to learn more about its numerous attractions and sites.
Photo credit: Krka National Park archives / Romulić and Stojčić
