Croatian National Parks in Low Season | Plitvice Lakes and Krka

Chasing the sun around Europe and Northern Africa has been the driving force behind Mac’s and my travels these past 11 months. We eventually ended up in Croatia in late-March/early-April and couldn’t have been more delighted by our fortune regarding both climate and tourist saturation. Granted, there were a few days that were a tad chillier than what these solar-powered backpackers would have preferred, but it was a sacrifice we were willing to make if it meant less crowded streets and nature areas. This concept really rang true during our visits to lake- and waterfall-filled parks. It turns out that visiting Croatian National Parks in low season is a real treat and one we were able to enjoy on two separate occasions. Lower prices and less visitors meant that we were fully able to enjoy the beauty of the parks all while staying within budget. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows however; there were a few limitations and restrictions we had to endure, but overall our experience visiting Croatian National Parks in low season was a true highlight of our time in the country.

Croatian National Parks in Low Season

Plitvice National Park

Located about two hours from both Zagreb and Zadar, Plitvice Lakes National Park (or Plitvička Jezera in Croatian) is a common destination for day trippers. This roughly 300km² park is comprised of 16 named (and several unnamed) lakes and umpteen waterfalls. There are over 50km of walking and hiking trails, and even boat and trolley transportation throughout the park.

Mac and I started our visit to the park from Entrance 1 on the north side. There are maps throughout the park and all walking and hiking trails are very well marked. In the park there are an abundance of hiking and walking trails. Visitors can choose between eight circular walking routes (programs) and four hiking trails. Visiting during low season meant that some trails were under construction (to get ready for the busy summer season) and there was limited boat service connecting several trails.  Ideally Mac and I would have spent the day walking the entire K Program which travels 18km through the park, but with the trail maintenance we instead settled for parts of the K Program some modifications.

The first logical spot to visit after setting out from the main entrance is Veliki Slap (Big Waterfall). At 78m tall, this huge waterfall created a mist that sprayed everyone within a 10m radius. What’s initially clear to see from the first moments after entering the park is the vibrancy of the turquoise water. It seems too magical and saturated to be real, and yet each new lake we hiked beside continued to have the same hue.

Our modified hike took us along the shores of Lake Kozjak where the barren, twiggy trees were just starting to show signs of green buds.  Early spring was an interesting time to visit Plitvice Lakes National Park. The lower amount of visitors meant an overall calmer experience, but I have to admit that a little greenery on the trees would have been a nicer contrast to the bright blue lakes than the overwhelming amount of brown branches.

A majority of the walking routes in Plitvice Lakes are actually boardwalks that hover mere centimetres over the rushing water below. Without any railings on the sides, these boardwalks really made me feel as though I was a part of the ecosystem. A bonus to visiting Croatian National Parks in low season was the decreased amount of visitors. Mac and I were able to weave fairly swiftly between the few tour groups that were there, keeping our quick long-legged pace. I can imagine that in the summer months these boardwalks become quite crowded. I’d wager a bet that more than a few visitors have found themselves in the lakes after a misplaced step!

Pricing

The chart below (from Plitvice Lakes website) displays the pricing info for 2019. You can see that a visit between January and March is only 60kn (8€ or $12CAD) while a visit in June or September will set you back 250kn (35€ or $50CAD).

Getting To/From Plitvice Lakes NP:

Bus service in the Plitvice Lakes area is rather infrequent. We stayed at an apartment in nearby Selište Drežničko and watched a Plitvice Lakes-branded bus pass us while we were patiently waiting at the bus stop in the morning. It turns out this bus is only for employees and staff at the National Park. The tourist bus is less frequent and begins either in Zagreb or Zadar. The price for the bus to Selište Drežničko is 20kn, while buses to Zadar and Zagreb are 85kn and 95kn, respectively. Parking at either Entrance 1 or Entrance 2 is paid and ranges from 8kn – 10kn/hour.

Practical Information

An employee we talked to at Plitvice Lakes commented how popular this National Park has become in recent years. So much so that beginning this summer (2019), a limited number of tickets will be sold per hour. The hope is that this limitation will decrease the impact on the walking and hiking trail networks and allow the ecosystem to flourish despite the number of people. This does mean however, that if you decide to visit in the summer, you’ll have to either purchase your tickets online, or be prepared to be met with some frustrations or altered schedules at the Park. Plitvice Lakes National Park sees upwards of 1.5 million visitors per year. I think this new system is a positive change for the park and will hopefully allow each visitor a pleasant experience.

Krka National Park

Krka National Park is not as well-known or visited as Plitvice Lakes National Park, but I feel as though that will change in the coming years. Covering an area of 109km² this park contains a large portion of the Krka river and several notable waterfalls.

It was here in this park where we really felt the limitations and restrictions of visiting Croatian National Parks in low season. From the main visitors entrance in Lozovac we were learned that many of the waterfalls we had anticipated visiting (particularly Roški slap) were inaccessible in the winter months unless you have a car. Having looked at the park map prior to arriving, we thought we could just walk between Lozovac and the other waterfalls to the north. We clearly didn’t look at the scale of the map, otherwise we would have seen that the distance between Lozovac and the popular Roški slap is a whopping 30km!

In the summer months there are boats (included in the higher ticket price) that transport visitors up the river to the various attractions upstream. We were two days away from the start of the boat tours, so we were confined to visit only a small portion of this huge park. Fortunately, the waterfall accessible from Lozovac – Skradinski buk – is absolutely jaw-dropping and full of numerous boardwalks and nature trails.

We hiked along the boardwalks, just above the rushing water, and through the trees finally bursting with bright green buds. The turquoise blue water we were so used to seeing in these parts was present yet again.

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We ate lunch in the tree grove at the base of Skradinski buk. In the warmer summer months, this area is filled with visitors stripping down to their bathing suits and plunging into the crystal clear waters at the base of the falls. Although the blue and sunny skies made it tempting to go for a dip, the chilly temperature made us quickly come to our senses and just stick to hiking.

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Having completed the Skradinski buk loop several hours before the bus was due, we decided to hike alongside the Krka river to the small town of Skradin. Here, we had hoped to rent some bicycles so that we would be able to visit Roški slap. Unfortunately the combination of the late afternoon hour, the park’s early closing time, the singular bus to take us home, and the 30km round trip to Roški slap via bicycle meant that we reconsidered our ambitious plan and just stuck to hanging out by the water’s edge instead.

(If you’re keen to rent bicycles and have the time – and energy – there are plenty of bike rental shops in Skradin. It’s about 16km one way to Roški slap, but with some intense hills and inclines, it takes between 1.5 and 2 hours.)

Pricing

The chart below (from the Krka National Park website) summarizes the pricing for 2019. In low season tickets are 30kn (4€ or $6CAD). In the summer months, ticket prices soar to 200kn (27€ or $40CAD). The boat service that takes visitors to the harder-to-access spots in the park begins in April and is included in the ticket price.

Getting To/From Krka NP:

We based ourselves in Šibenik, a lovely small town on the coast, about 30 minutes from Krka NP. We took a bus from the main bus station in Šibenik to Lozovac (15kn). There are five departures daily. Returning to Šibenik we caught the bus from Skradin (which makes a stop in Lozovac) for 24kn. There are 3 departures daily returning to Šibenik, with the last one leaving at 5pm.

*****

Visiting these two Croatian National Parks in low season had its fair share of benefits. We were able to take advantage of significantly lower ticket prices, and the parks were noticeably uncrowded. From what we’ve seen and heard, both Plitvice and Krka become absolutely swarmed with visitors in the summer. Visiting these parks in the low season did come with some frustrations, however. We encountered limited boat services and trail maintenance which meant we were unable to experience multiple areas of both parks. Given our frugal lifestyle and preference for quieter, less crowded attractions, we were more than happy to forgo those nice extras for a bit of extra kunas in our pockets and a bit more serenity on the trails.

Tell me, have you ever been to Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park? What’s your experience travelling in low season?

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