Should you visit Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park in 2025?

Wondering whether to visit Plitvice or Krka?

You’ve come to the right article!

When planning a trip to Croatia, one of the most common decisions people encounter is whether to visit Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park.

I had this same conundrum myself before planning a 10-day trip, and I couldn’t decide between the two.

So I ended up going to both! But I know that’s not a viable option for everyone.

That’s why I’ve created this in-depth comparison of Plitvice and Krka so you can decide for yourself whether you want to visit Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park.

Let’s not waste any more time and let’s get right into it.

Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park

Choosing between Plitvice Lakes and Krka is a decision you need to make for yourself.

Everyone is different and everyone has different preferences. What I like about one National Park, you may not like. And vice versa.

So to make it fair, and allow you to make the judgement for yourself, I’ve split my opinions into some pros and cons of each park respectively.

Pros of Plitvice Lakes

First, let’s talk about Plitvice Lakes and the pros. In other words, the reasons I would choose to visit Plitvice Lakes out of the two National Parks.

Lots of different waterfalls and lakes to explore

The main selling point of Plitvice Lakes is obviously the waterfalls and the lakes. Plitvice Lakes has 16 lakes and more than 90 waterfalls. Every single one of them is absolutely beautiful.

Before visiting Plitvice Lakes, it had been on my bucket list for a number of years. I knew what colour the water was, but seeing it for myself in real life blew me away. The colour of the water throughout the lakes is incredible. The green-blue-turquoise colour is so pretty and makes for the perfect scene.

There’s never a dull moment in the park either, as around every corner there’s a new lake, a new waterfall, new water rapids, or a new viewpoint. All of the lakes and waterfalls come together to make Plitvice Lakes unmissable.

The most famous waterfalls are the Veliki Slap Waterfall (Great Waterfall) and the Veliki Prštavac Waterfall. In my opinion, they’re the most impressive waterfalls in the park too.

Incredible natural beauty all around

On top of the beauty of the waterfalls and lakes in the park, Plitvice Lakes is also a panoramic haven. The forest is just as beautiful as the lakes and comes together with the water to create the perfect look.

No matter what direction you look, you’ll find a view to take your breath away. Plitvice Lakes leaves you with lifelong memories, and for many people, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime visit.

And there’s no better way to solidify these memories than by taking pictures, and Plitvice Lakes has endless photo opportunities. To be honest, it’s got a lot more than Krka, and that may be something to consider when choosing between Plitvice or Krka.

Stunning walkways and hiking opportunities

Plitvice Lakes is made up of around 22 kilometres of trails and bridges and in total, over 36km of hiking trails. There are lots of different routes to choose from, with different options depending on which entrance you choose to come in from.

Most of the park is made up of a boardwalk, which allows you to get really close to the lakes and waterfalls. It’s a really immersive experience- magical almost.

One thing I will say is that most of the time, there is no barrier, so make sure to keep young ones close unless you want to have to jump in after them. Oh and if you’re wondering, swimming at Plitvice Lakes is forbidden.

Boat Ride

As I said, there are lots of different routes to choose from when visiting Plitvice Lakes, 8 different routes, in fact.

Many of them include a boat ride across Kozjak Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in the park. It’s included in your ticket price, so you may as well make the most of it.

It’s incredible being able to get out onto the water in the National Park. Sailing across the water of Plitvice Lakes with extraordinary views in all directions is a pinch-yourself moment.

However don’t jump the gun in choosing between Krka or Plitvice too early, as Krka also includes a boat ride.

Educational Experience

On top of the picturesque side of Plitvice Lakes and the never-ending views, waterfalls and lakes, you can also leave Plitvice Lakes with some new knowledge about the park.

There are lots of signs and information boards all throughout the park, teaching you about the waterfalls, lakes, local environment and the ecosystems in the area. It’s quite cool to learn about and to understand a bit more about what you’re looking at.

I found the “Lost Lake” really interesting and it was fascinating to read about it and what happened, while looking at the exact spot it used to be.

Good Student Discount & Late Entry Prices

What I really like about Plitvice Lakes is the student discount. While I think it’s still pretty expensive, it nearly offers a 50% discount for students, with prices coming in at €25 in the peak season.

I’m not saying to take advantage of this if you aren’t a student, but what I will say is that I was a student when visiting Plitvice Lakes and I booked a student ticket, but no one checked my student discount 🤷‍♂️.

Another thing I really like about Plitvice Lakes’ tickets is that if you enter after 4 pm, you can get a reduced ticket. As an example, in peak season, it’s €26.50, compared to the usual €40. At this time of the year, the park is open until 7 pm, so you would still have 3 hours to explore the waterfalls.

Cons of Plitvice Lakes

As amazing as Plitvice Lakes is, it does have its cons, just like anything in life. These are what I consider the cons of Plitvice Lakes, but they’re much less significant than the pros.

Crowded in Peak Season

Since Plitvice Lakes is one of the most popular places to visit in Croatia with over 1 million people visiting in 2022, it means that the park can get crowded in the peak season.

The issue I found with crowds in Plitvice Lakes was that people would stop right in front of you on the walkway to take pictures and you couldn’t get past. And then, on the other hand, I felt bad for stopping and taking pictures because people couldn’t get past me.

When I was in Plitvice Lakes, it was September, and there was a queue to get to the Large Waterfall, so I can’t imagine how big this queue could get in July and August.

Expensive

As much as Plitvice Lakes is incredible to visit, and I consider it a must-do on any trip to Croatia, it is pretty damn expensive.

In the peak season, from 1 June until 30 September, you have to pay €40 for an adult ticket to Plitvice Lakes.

The Plitvice Lakes ticket prices are way too expensive in my opinion. I understand the money goes towards the park and looking after it, but expecting an adult to pay €40 is ridiculous. Even the priciest US National Parks don’t charge this to let a CAR in!

Weather Dependent

Your experience visiting Plitvice Lakes is very dependent on the weather. While the waterfalls and lakes will remain equally beautiful, having grey clouds and rain versus blue skies and sunshine over the waterfalls is a completely different experience.

If the weather isn’t great, your pictures won’t be as great either. A blue sky is just a lot more aesthetic and no one wants a grey cloud in the background, right?

I’d personally still visit Plitvice Lakes no matter the weather, but I don’t think it’s unfair to say, it’s much better in good weather.

Pros of Krka National Park

Now, let’s talk about Krka National Park. Just like Plitvice Lakes, there are lots of reasons to visit Krka. But if you want to choose between the two, these are the reasons to choose Krka National Park.

The most beautiful waterfall ever

The waterfalls at Plitvice Lakes are amazing, don’t get me wrong, but in my opinion, the waterfall in Krka National Park is next level. It’s the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen.

It’s called Skradinski Buk and it’s made up of 17 different smaller waterfalls, but it’s absolutely stunning at the bottom and as you walk up the different levels too.

As the phrase goes, “A picture speaks a thousand words”, so take a look for yourself. But I will say that it’s even better in real life, like 10x better.

Gorgeous scenery

It would be impossible to include the natural beauty of Plitvice Lakes without appreciating the natural beauty of Krka.

Aside from the waterfalls, the whole area is genuinely breathtaking. I’ve visited national parks all over the world, but I can say with certainty that these two in Croatia are some of the best on our planet.

The greenery and shrubbery against the turquoise water with a blue sky in the background is the perfect view. Even as a travel blogger, it’s hard for me to find the words to describe it.

It’s like a real-life Pandora from the movie “Avatar”.

Entrance by Boat

If you choose to enter Krka National Park from the Skradin Entrance, you get to enter the park on a boat. It’s the best way to enter Krka without a doubt.

The views on the boat as you sail into the National Park are incredible and set the tone for the rest of your visit.

You also get a unique angle and view of Skradinski Buk as you get close to the park itself. And if you were wondering, it makes no difference to your ticket price. The boat ride is included in the standard entry fee.

Location

If you’re staying along the coast in Croatia, Krka is much more accessible than Plitvice as it is only an hour away from Split, for example. While both parks are worth visiting as they have the best waterfalls from Split, Krka is much closer.

It’s the most popular day trip from cities along the Adriatic Coast in Croatia, both due to its location and the natural beauty it has on offer.

Cultural Sights

On top of having the most beautiful waterfall in Croatia and beyond, Krka National Park also has some cultural sights. My favourite was the traditional watermills where you can learn about what they used to make and how it was done.

You also get to learn about the hydropower plant along the river Krka, which was the first hydroelectric power plant in the world. And there are a few other different cultural aspects too.

Combining natural beauty and education about previous generations is what makes Krka special.

Cons of Krka National Park

But just like anything, there are downsides to Krka National Park too. These are the cons and some things which I think Krka could improve on.

Expensive & Less Good Student Discount

Just like Plitvice Lakes, visiting Krka National Park is expensive. In the peak season (June-September), an adult ticket is €40. To be honest, I think the Krka ticket prices are outrageous it’s ridiculous how expensive it is to visit both Krka and Plitvice.

Outside of the peak season, it does become much cheaper, with prices dipping to €6.64 for an adult between January and March, but who wants to visit a park where it’s all about natural beauty when it’s raining? You want blue skies and sunshine!

And the student discount at Krka isn’t as good as Plitvice. The student price in peak season is €28. I know it’s only a €3 difference, but it’s a €3 difference and when both parks are charging the same for adults, I would’ve expected the same for students too.

Limited walking/hiking routes

Unlike Plitvice Lakes, you aren’t spoiled with options for exploring Krka. There’s pretty much only one loop which takes you around Skradinski Buk. It takes an hour or so to complete the loop and other than the main waterfall, there’s not much else to see.

That is unless you want to spend 3 hours hiking to the northern part of Krka National Park. There are other attractions in Krka, but most people don’t visit them. The Visovac Monastery, for example, is a gorgeous monastery on a picturesque island within Krka, but it’s so far out of the way that most people skip it.

If you want a really long hiking route, you’ve got it. If you want a short one, you’ve got that too. But there’s no real in-between.

Swimming is no longer allowed

Unfortunately, many people believe you can still swim in Krka National Park. Sadly, this isn’t the case. Since 2021, swimming in Krka National Park has been forbidden in order to conserve the natural beauty and the ecosystems of Skradinski Buk.

Many people visit Krka under the impression that you can still swim, and are disappointed to find out otherwise upon arriving. It’s sad that we aren’t allowed to swim anymore, but it’s what is necessary to preserve the park and keep Krka beautiful for future generations.

As I said earlier, you can’t swim in Plitvice Lakes either, but not many people think that you can, so I did not include it as a con for the park.

Clear examples of human-inflicted erosion

As a result of the decades of swimming in Krka and people going off the marked routes and trails, there are lots of examples of the environment in Krka being worn down thanks to humans.

There is clear evidence of the natural beauty being destroyed thanks to people walking and hiking wherever they feel like. And after enough people do it, you can see the effect it’s having.

It’s sad to see and hopefully, people begin to realise the impact we are having and begin to be more careful when visiting National Parks, which are protected areas at the end of the day.

Decision: Plitvice or Krka

Hopefully, you have been able to make your own verdict on whether you want to include Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park on your Croatia itinerary, but if you want my opinion, it’s this:

Plitvice Lakes is the better overall park. I spent 6 hours at Plitvice Lakes and could have easily stayed for longer. There are endless beautiful turquoise lakes to walk around and countless waterfalls to admire too.

But if you want (in my opinion) the best waterfall in Croatia, it’s in Krka National Park. Skradinski Buk is the most impressive waterfall I have ever seen. It’s made up of a series of 17 waterfalls. And while it’s incredibly pretty, it’s the main attraction of Krka. I personally only spent 3 hours or so in the park.

So to summarise, Plitvice is the better park on the whole, but Krka has the better waterfall. It’s up to you which you’d prefer to see.

Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park: FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions related to choosing between Plitvice and Krka along with my answers to each question.

Final Thoughts: Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park

And there you have it, a complete guide to choosing between Plitvice Lakes and Krka National Park.

Remember, my opinion is that Plitvice Lakes is the better park overall, but that Krka has the most impressive waterfall.

It’s up to you to decide what you are looking for out of your visit to either of these Croatian National Parks.

Enjoy your trip to Croatia, and most importantly, enjoy your trip to Krka or Plitvice. You will have an incredible time at either of them!