Wheelchair Accessibility at Krka National Park
Krka National Park is one of the most popular destinations in Croatia. Unlike Plitvice Lakes National Park, wheelchair accessibility at Krka is better designed. This guide will break down the areas that are- and aren’t- suited for wheelchairs.
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Accessible Entrances
As explained in detail in my post Day Trip to Krka from Split: A Complete Guide, there are two main entrances to Krka National Park- Skradin and Lozovac. The best entrance for wheelchair accessibility at Krka is dependent on the season.
Let’s define the two seasons:
High Season: April to October
Low Season: November to March
Now, let’s take a look at the most accessible entrance according to season.
High Season
Skradin is a town located just outside Krka National Park. During the high season, boats operate from Skradin to the Skradinski Buk area of the park. Skradinski Buk is the site of the iconic waterfall viewing area. There are some handicap parking spaces on the road leading to the port.
The road is paved and flat. You’ll need to go to the end of the street to board the boat, which will only take a minute or two to get there from your parking spot.
There are some tourist-geared stands along the road where you can purchase smoothies, snacks, and souvenirs. Beside the small port you’ll find the Krka National Park office, which has an accessible entrance where you’ll need to buy your entrance ticket for Krka National Park. The boat ride is included with your ticket.
The boat has a ramp used by all passengers. However, the ramp has protruding slabs of wood for grip. The boat staff will be able to easily support you with getting on the boat, as there are many wheelchair users who visit the park.
Once on the boat, the entire first floor is accessible, including the outdoor deck.
A note on Skradin
The old town of Skradin is very accessible. Make sure to allow fifteen minutes or so to explore the main street in town. Even better, plan your day to have lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants there.
Low Season
The boat doesn’t run from Skradin during the low season. This means that if you were to arrive to Skradin during that time, you would need to stroll down a dirt road for about an hour to get to Krka.
For this reason, your best bet during low season is to arrive to Krka via the Lozovac entrance.
In fact, arriving to Lozovac in the low season offers even better accessibility than the boat from Skradin during high season. The reason being is that they allow people to drive right up to the park entrance during low season.
Travel Tip: Don’t park at Lozovac during the high season. You’ll be required to park about 10 minutes away from the park and then take a shuttle bus, which is crowded and not very accessible.
Accessible Route at Krka
There are signs at Krka pointing you in the direction of the accessible route. This route covers much of the standard route for people who aren’t wheelchair users, including a portion of the wooden boardwalks.
The terrain along the pathways varies from paved to dirt to wood.
Railings are non-existent along the majority of the wooden boardwalks and people are supposed to walk in only one direction. However, during the high season, the boardwalks get packed, regardless of the direction that people are walking in.
For this reason, aim to travel during the low season or get to the park early in the morning during the high season.
Restrooms
The restrooms at Krka are a let-down.
Despite Krka National Park’s attempt at promoting wheelchair accessibility by means of a marked path, their restrooms are not fully accessible.
A ramp leads up to the occasional restroom around the park; however, there aren’t accessible stalls. Therefore, anyone unable to get out of their chair won’t be able to use the restroom.
If you use the bathroom, be prepared to pay a 5 Kuna fee.
Public Transportation in Croatia
Krka is stunning, but there are dozens of other beautiful destinations in Croatia worth exploring. Buses and ferries are known to fill in advance, especially during the high season for tourism, so we recommend booking your ticket in advance.
For great deals on public transportation in Croatia, we recommend checking out Bookaway. Bookaway is in the process of implementing online ticket bookings for wheelchair users, but in the meantime, you can contact them directly for purchasing accessible tickets.
Conclusion
Krka National Park is hands down worth the visit. While wheelchair accessibility at Krka still has areas for improvement, it offers far more opportunities for accessible exploration than Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Will you be traveling to Krka National Park? Have you already been to the park? Share your questions and experiences in the comments section!
P.S.- Will you be visiting other parts of Croatia? If so, make sure to check out our accessible guides on Dubrovnik and Split.
Laura’s love for traveling started with a trip to Jamaica. Since then, she’s spent over five years living in Latin America and four years wandering the globe. She’s an early bird and backpacker at heart and can often be spotted with a dog or ten that she’s befriended along the way. Much of the content Laura writes on A Piece of Travel includes details on wheelchair accessibility, with the support of her brother-in-law and sister. You can learn about their accessibility endeavors here.
