BACKPACKING EUROPE: Krka National Park - Dipping into Nature and Regretting It Instantly

The spitting image of God, Krka National Park
Wednesday 6th May, 2015

My boyfriend, Jack, and I had been travelling through Europe for twenty-three days, and it felt like a dream come true. The ongoing feeling of joy and freedom was euphoric. Today marked our 11th day in Croatia, and I was thrilled to visit one of its iconic attractions, Krka National Park. Originally, we had planned to go to Croatia's most famous national park, Plitvice Lakes, but a local whom we met in Zagreb, suggested we check out Krka instead. She claimed it was less touristy, just as beautiful, and, unlike Plitvice, allowed swimming in the lakes. Plus, it was half the price. 

The night before, Jack and I stayed in Šibenik in a lovely apartment we found on Airbnb. Šibenik is the oldest city on the Adriatic, vibrant and rich in history. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well when we arrived, so I spent most of the day napping and lounging on the balcony. However, the view from our apartment was stunning and made up for missing out on sightseeing.

View of Sibenik from our apartment





Thursday 7th May, 2015

The bus departed from Šibenik at 9:00am. As we crossed the bridge into the town of Skradin, the scenery unfolded before me. Majestic green hills rose in front, their peaks dotted with endless trees. To my left lay a charming Mediterranean town, cradled by nature, and to my right glimmered Krka Lake, the gateway to the national park.

We arrived at Krka N.P just after 9:30am and purchased our tickets for 90 Kuna (about £9.00 or 12 Euros), which included a 10 to 15-minute boat ride from the main entrance into the park.

As we glided across the lake, camera in one hand and a beer in the other (it’s never too early for a drink when you’re British and travelling!), the views were nothing short of breathtaking. I was ready to leap off the boat and settle here forever.

Entering Krka National Park
A bridge over coloured waters, Krka National Park
As I walked along the path and entered the woodland, the leaves began to sparkle in the sunlight filtering through the trees. And there it was—heaven, or something close to it. I had never seen a waterfall this large before, and it was a truly special moment for me (as cheesy as that may sound). It’s not something you encounter every day, so standing before such a magnificent force of nature felt incredibly surreal.

The rest of the national park matched its magnificent waterfalls equally, and I was captivated by the turquoise waters and the dancing dragonflies. The park was so vast that we only managed to see a small portion of it, but I was greedy. I longed to explore here for days, hiking across every bit of terrain, lurking behind every tree, searching under every layer of magic, but we couldn't miss the last bus back at 5:00pm.

Wandering in the now, Krka National Park





How can something be this beautiful?











Is this even real?
The park became increasingly crowded after 1:00pm, with swarms of tourists surrounding the waterfall, all eager to catch a glimpse of the rushing white waters. I was grateful we had arrived early to enjoy the peace. As the heat intensified and the crowds grew Jack and I decided to take a dip in the water. Despite the warm weather, the water was absolutely freezing! I almost passed from the shock, drama aside. Jack, on the other hand, glided through the deep water like a dolphin, taking pleasure in every second.

As for me, with each toe I dipped in, I could feel the chill gnawing at me, and I knew this place might be my undoing. The anticipation was overwhelming, so I mustered my courage and just flopped in, plunging my whole body under. But oh no! The cold shot straight up my shins, making my legs ache as if they were about to fall off. "F**k this!" I cried and quickly scrambled out. As I sulked on the sidelines with a face like a slapped bum, I accepted my failure and appreciated the waterfall from a distance. At least tried, right?

After my unsuccessful swim, Jack and I decided to grab something to eat. Since we hadn’t brought any snacks with us, we opted for the park’s café—but wow, was it pricey! We both settled on schnitzels, the cheapest option on the menu, which set us back around 70 Kuna (about £7.00 or 9 Euros) each. TIP: If you visit Krka or any national park in Croatia, I highly recommend bringing your own food!

Once we finished our meal, we strolled around the park a bit longer, savouring every moment in this natural paradise. With an ice cream in hand, I began to reflect on the day. It truly was a wonderful adventure. Before we knew it, it was 4:35pm, and we were back on the boat heading to the entrance, just in time for the 5:00pm bus back to Šibenik.
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