Krka waterfalls

Proclaimed a national park in 1985, Krka waterfalls is the seventh national park in Croatia. It occupies an area of 111 km2 along the course of the Krka River, two kilometres downstream from Knin to Skradin, and the lower course of the Čikola. Krka National Park follows the line of the Krka river, from its source in the foothills of the Dinaric mountains on its short journey through the dramatic karst landscape to its finish in the Adriatic. The river flows through a limestone gorge, dropping over 220m in 50km, with eight sets of rapids. Only two falls – Skradinski buk and Roski slap – are in the park itself, although the former is the most impressive of all waterfalls, with a 46m drop over seventeen limestone steps. The islet of Visovac  is also worth visiting. Lying on a place where the Krka flows into a lake, Visovac represents a true oasis of peace and quiet with its old Franciscan monastery that dates back to the fifteenth cen. The Krka National Park and the town of Sibenik are symbolic of the contrasts that are found in central Dalmatia.
There are the rugged limestone mountains of the mainland set against the intricate archipelagos of the Adriatic Sea. And there is the diversity and natural beauty of the various parks and reserves in combination with the rich and well-preserved cultural heritage of the ancient coastal settlements. It is a landscape that offers much to the interested visitor and which, thankfully, remains free from the concrete development of resorts.

Karst landscapes: Krka waterfalls National park shows the Croatian karst at its best. Karst environments are formed by the dissolving action of carbon dioxide and water on carbonate rock, which in Krka’s case is limestone. Over thousands of years this process has resulted in the formation of a series of distinctive geomorphological features, with the Krka river fighting its way through a long gorge and plunging over rapids. Karst landscapes also feature highly developed subterranean drainage systems, making them ideal territory for those interested in exploring potholes and caves.

The area is rich in Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean flora and fauna. The surrounding forest is mixed, with hornbeam, cypress, poplar, oak and willow represented, while over 200 bird species are found, including golden eagles, and the river is home to Visovac trout and Adriatic salmon.