Choosing between Krka and Plitvice can be challenging. Which one should I go to? Is it worth visiting both if you have limited time? How can I get there without a car? All of these questions are valid and will be answered below. Both national parks are famous for their stunning beauty and waterfalls, with Plitvice being the larger of the two. This guide will help decide, which park, or both, to visit.

Location

Plitvice is about 2.5 hours from Split while Krka is about an hour away. There are quite a few group tours you can take via bus transportation if you do not have a car. Plitvice is about 2 hours from Zagreb and Zadar.

When visiting Krka you will choose which entrance to enter from: either Lozovac or Skradin. If you enter from the Skradin entrance you will take a boat into the park. If you park at Lozovac, you can take the bus down or walk down. I highly recommend taking the Lozovac entrance.

There is very limited public transportation to both sites, so it is highly encouraged to drive yourself or book a group tour to take you to and from Split or Zagreb, as these are the closet major cities to the parks.

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Tickets and pricing

Plitvice: for an adult ticket the price is 40 euros. When purchasing the ticket you will select the time you want to enter.

Krka: for an adult ticket the price is 40 euros. When purchasing the ticket you will select the time you want to enter and the entrance. Again, I would recommend the Lozovac entrance and go by foot down if you can and come back to the parking lot via bus.

Buy Plitvice Tickets

Buy Krka Tickets

Park Highlights

Plitvice Lakes:

• UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Known for turquoise lakes, wooden boardwalks, and tiered waterfalls (e.g., Veliki Slap)
• More beautiful
• More hiking options as the park is larger

There are 7 paths you can choose from ranging from 2-8 hours. We took path C, which covered the upper and lower lakes and was marketed at 4-5 hours. For us, it took about three hours and we did stop along the way for photos.

There is an electric boat that will take you across the water if you choose the path that goes on past the first rest point. After that, you will find a train a little bit later to connect back to the parking lots. The train will drop you off but it is still about a ten minute walk back to the parking lot. The train and boat are included in your ticket.

If you want to see a variety of waterfalls and are okay with walking, I would recommend taking the C path.

Krka National Park:

• Known for Skradinski Buk and Roški Slap waterfalls
• Easier to access and explore in a few hours as the park is smaller
• You can take a boat tour on the Krka River

Best TIme To Visit

Visiting in May was a great time as it wasn’t overly crowded yet. Depending on the weather such as rain, the park can close but this is more an issue in the winter months. If you can visit in May or September, even October, that is what I would suggest. I would try to avoid visiting in June, July, and August as those months are the hottest and busiest. There were crowds even at 8:00 am though it was manageable and still gave us incredible photos and a great experience.

The boardwalks are wide enough to have two people walk side by side on. The more people the harder it is to pass which can make for a not so enjoyable experience, especially when viewing something like Veliki Slap, which requires space to see and photograph.

What to bring

• Comfortable walking shoes or hiking sandals
• Water, snacks, and sun protection
• Rain jacket (weather can change quickly)
• Power bank for your phone

Final Thoughts

Both parks are breathtaking and each features unique attractions. If you want to see a beautiful waterfall without traveling far, Krka is the ideal choice. If you enjoy hiking and want to explore a variety of waterfalls and don’t mind a longer drive, Plitvice is the perfect option.

After visiting both, I would recommend Plitvice if you have to choose just one. Plitvice is larger, features more waterfalls along the trails, and provides several different paths to explore. You also get a free boat ride across the lake and can truly spend hours there.

Tip: There are so many more beautiful national parks in Croatia to visit. While Krka and Plitvice are two of the more popular ones, there are so many more parks that are worthy of visiting and less busy.