Plitvice Lakes or Krka? If you plan on visiting Croatia, you may be wondering which national park you should visit, or whether it’s worth seeing both. Read on to find out which place is better for you.
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I visited Croatia in September 2021, and as I was planning my trip a few days before, I immediately knew I wanted to visit Plitvice Lakes National Park. This is undoubtedly the most famous national park in Croatia, so there was no question whether I should visit it or not.
As I did my research, I also stumbled across Krka National Park, halfway between Zadar and Split. I had never heard of this park, so I wasn’t sure if it was worth it and if it made sense to visit both. I searched for some more information, looked at the pictures, tried to find articles comparing both parks, and was left uncertain. But then I thought, I can’t leave it out, it looks pretty cool. I wanted to see as much of the country in three weeks as possible, so Krka had to be on my list.
If you are dealing with the same dilemma, I’ll try to make it easier for you to decide. That is if you don’t have the time or resources to visit both. In which case, absolutely do visit them both! But let’s go in order.
Plitvice or Krka: Location
Let me start by saying that I traveled through the entire country only by public transportation. This means that you can easily reach most places, including these two parks, by bus. Check Flixbus or Getbybus for cheap bus rides across Croatia. Another great aggregator for multiple transportation options is Omio.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is conveniently located only a couple of hours from Zagreb. If you plan on visiting the Croatian capital city, it’s easy to visit Plitvice from there. I would, however, recommend spending at least the night before near the park, to be able to start your visit early in the morning.
If you plan on staying on the coast between Split and Zadar, Krka National Park is closer. You can get to the park in just over one hour by bus from both cities. I would still recommend spending the night near Krka before or after your visit to make the most of it.
Most people do both of these as day trips and that is doable. I had time and preferred not to rush through it, so I chose to spend a night nearby. Alternatively, you can find a tour that includes the transfer to and from your base, like this Krka Day Tour from Split and Trogir.
Accommodation near Plitvice vs. Krka
There are many accommodation options both near Plitvice Lakes and Krka National Park. You can find anything from fancy hotels to budget accommodation. If you book a little in advance and don’t visit in the high season, you can find affordable prices too.
To visit Plitvice Lakes, I went by bus from Zagreb to the small village of Jezerce, where I stayed at House Katja, roughly half an hour walking to the park entrance. The morning after, I woke up early to enter Plitvice Lakes soon after opening. This was the best decision as I found the park nearly empty in the beginning, and it got progressively more crowded during the day. Plus, the accommodation was simple but gorgeous, in a peaceful place immersed in nature.
Another option is to stay in one of the hotels right by the entrance to the park. These are, of course, more expensive, but have the advantage of the location.
To visit Krka National Park, I took the bus from Split to Skradin in the morning and started my visit around noon. Because I knew I would start late, I booked accommodation in Skradin for the following night. I stayed at Guest Accommodation Žura, just five minutes from the ferry pier where you catch the boat to the park. Despite the host not speaking a word of English, we managed to understand each other pretty well.
I explored Krka until closing time, then I had dinner and spent the evening in Skradin. The following morning, I took a bus to Zadar.
As opposed to Plitvice, Krka is right by a decent-sized town with many accommodation options that are not necessarily big hotels built specially to serve the park.
Crowds in Plitvice vs. Krka
This factor is variable, depending on the time of year you visit the parks. I visited Plitvice at the beginning of September and Krka in mid-September. Maybe it was because I started my visit to Plitvice early in the morning, but I had the impression that it was less crowded than Krka.
Another thing to keep in mind is that, in Plitvice, there are many trails and areas to explore on your own, and everyone may take a different one, so the crowds tend to disperse. Even later in the day, I didn’t come across so many people all in one spot. Only a few popular areas were a bit more populated, both nothing overwhelming.
In Krka, the area you can explore on your own is quite small. There is a designated path that everyone follows in one direction or the other, so it feels much more crowded. I can only assume that early in the morning it may be less crowded. I did notice way fewer people near closing time as well.
However, not everyone goes on the scheduled boat tours to the different locations further around the park. If you do some of these, you’ll find way smaller crowds.
Overall, I would say that Plitvice allows for more options to escape the crowds, especially if you visit early in the morning. In Krka, unless you start your visit right at opening time, you risk having to walk in a line and wait your turn to take photos near the main waterfalls.
Organized tours or visiting on your own
Now, this is probably the main thing to keep in mind. In Plitvice Lakes, you can visit the entire park on your own. In Krka, on the other hand, you can only reach certain places with organized boat tours.
If you like being free to explore the park on your terms, Plitvice is probably a better place. Aside from the dedicated trails that take you to the most popular spots, there are walking and hiking trails all over the huge park, so you can spend the entire day just wandering around. There are a few electric boat services to reach some spots faster, but you can also choose to walk there or take the boat only in one direction. The possibilities are endless. Follow one of the recommended lake tours, or mix things up and explore as you wish.
In Krka National Park, the main waterfalls are around an hour-long path that everyone walks. Aside from that, you can do a few short hikes on your own. But that’s about it. To reach places further away, you have no choice but to join the boat tours. Aside from having specific schedules, all these tours cost extra. So you need to adapt your schedule accordingly and spend more money. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just something to keep in mind.
If you want to take out the stress of planning the tour and finind your way around the parks, you can book a Plitvice Lakes Guided Tour or even a Plitvice Lakes Private tour if you are traveling with a small group.
Best time to visit Plitvice and Krka
There isn’t a right or wrong time to visit any of the parks, it all depends on your expectations. Your best chance to visit the parks without the crowds is to go in the low season. Of course, the very low season also means potentially bad weather. However, Plitvice is supposed to be amazing in winter, especially if covered in snow. While in Krka the chances of snow are lower, there’s the advantage of having the place nearly all to yourself.
Middle seasons are another great choice. I think September is a good compromise between fewer crowds and good weather. I expect late April, early May, and October to be good options as well, although this means a few more visitors than during winter.
If you want to visit the parks in summer, prepare for the crowds. While you’ll have the weather on your side, you need to deal with the thousands of other visitors that visit these parks between June and August.
Plitvice Lakes draws well over one million visitors each year, while Krka National Park welcomes nearly one million. Unsurprisingly, most people visit the parks during the summer months.
Which park has the most value for money?
Both parks are undeniably stunning. If you look at the total cost for the experience you get, I would say Plitvice has more value for money.
Depending on the time of the year you visit, the entrance ticket has a different price. For Plitvice Lakes, a day ticket ranges from 80 Kuna (10.5€) in the low season (November to March) to 300 Kuna (40€) in the high season (June to September).
For the same periods, the Krka entry ticket costs between 50 and 200 Kuna, so less than 7€ in winter and up to 27€ in summer. However, the extra boat tours range from 70 to 130 Kuna each (from 9 to 26.5€). Depending on how much of the park you want to see, the total cost can get significantly higher.
If you’re merely looking at the entry ticket, Krka is more affordable. But the value you get at Plitvice Lakes is, in my opinion, higher. Furthermore, if you plan on spending a couple of days around Plitvice, you can get a 2-day ticket to explore the park thoroughly. In this case, prices range between 120 and 450 Kuna (16-60€).
Note: These are the prices as of August 2022. Check the official websites for the most recent prices.
You must also keep in mind that Plitvice Lakes National Park is significantly bigger than Krka National Park. The first one occupies an area of nearly 300 square kilometers, while the second takes just over 100 square kilometers.
Conclusion: Plitvice Lakes or Krka?
In conclusion, it’s up to your preferences. In my humble opinion, Plitvice is a winner. If you really must make a choice, this is what I would recommend. While Krka is amazing, Plitvice is one of those places where you feel like you landed in a fairy tale. The beauty of this park felt almost surreal to me.
That being said, both Plitvice Lakes and Krka are stunning, you will undoubtedly enjoy the experience whatever you choose. Make your pick based on your travel plans, budget, and “visiting style” – on your own or with organized tours.
Just a word of advice, if you visit in high season, make sure you book your tickets in advance. If there is high affluence, both parks place a limit on the daily visitors allowed in the park. You don’t want to get all the way there and not be allowed to enter.
Also, bring some food and drinks. The few options available in the parks are (personal opinion) overpriced and undervalued.
I hope this overview was useful and that you’ll enjoy the trip to whatever park you choose, or both! Feel free to leave a comment and let me know if you enjoyed the parks or ask me any questions!
If you’re planning a bigger trip around the Balkans, you may want to check out the beautiful Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kotor in Montenegro.
