The Krka bike project, which includes 470 kilometers of cycling routes through the Krka National Park, was presented in the new Visitor Center at Laškovica.
With twenty-nine kilometers of existing hiking trails, NP Krka is an inevitable destination for all active nature lovers - and especially the middle and upper streams of the Krka River, which offer numerous opportunities for sport. Every visitor can create their own itinerary at the park, and can choose to cycle, take a boat trip, or hike the pedestrian paths, reports Šibenik.in on September 10, 2018.
“The cycling route project is the long-standing vision of the Public Institution National Park Krka, which is, to our great satisfaction, now realized. Our wish was to offer diverse content and new forms of visitation, especially those related to an active stay in nature. Krka National Park has great potential as a recreational area. We need to be a motivator, move the people living there and develop a visit that is compatible with the resources we are managing, which is hiking and cycling as they have the slightest impact on nature,” said NP Krka director Krešimir Šakić.
There are a total of fourteen cycling routes in the Park, including five MTB routes, three Road routes, and six Track routes made for a pleasant family ride.
The longest is the so-called ‘Royal Route' which is 95 kilometers. It begins at the front of NP Krka in Skradin, passes through Rupe and Kistanje and ends in the Roman military amphitheater Burnum. When returning to Skradin, it descends into the canyon of the Krka river twice, on the Brljan and Roški waterfall, and after Laškovica, returns to Skradin the same way. The shortest route is 8.6 kilometers and runs from Skradin to Skradinski buk, the most beautiful and most visited waterfall on the Krka river.
The routes are circularly formed to allow the user an easy return to the starting point. In some locations, the routes cross each other or run parallel, but cyclists shouldn’t move from one route to another.
There are three starting points for all routes: The NP Krka branch office in Skradin, the Visitor Center in Laškovica and the Eco Campus Krka in Puljan.
The Road Route is characterized by athletic road cycling on high-quality asphalted roads with different height profiles. It is intended for active athletes looking for physically demanding sports challenges.
The Trekking & Family Route can handle trekking, MTB or city bikes on asphalted roads and quality macadam roads, with mild ups and downs without technically demanding parts, intended for families with children and less active recreants of all ages who want to enjoy nature.
The MTB route includes mountain biking on maintained and unspoiled forest paths, with different routes including slopes that can have a higher incline. It is designed for bicyclists in good physical condition and advanced bicycle management skills.
Proper marking for cyclists can be found on the routes, and detailed brochures, photographs, maps and GPS coordinates are available for visitors. The total project amounted to HRK 454,250, which includes, among other things, developing risk studies, GPS for the cycling routes and creating and installing markings for cycling tourism.
On each of the cycling routes, visitors can see spectacular river scenes and enjoy viewpoints that will leave you breathless.
You can download the catalog for the NP Krka cycling routes HERE.
