When A. and I were planning the Croatia leg of our summer 2014 Eurotrip, we wanted to see the well-known Plitvice Lakes, but it was too far away from Split, the town where we were staying. After reading about another national park, Krka, and seeing that it was much closer, we ended up booking a tour with Split Excursions. They are a local tour company with several different itineraries- we opted for the "Krka Waterfalls and Sibenik group tour" and it was an enjoyable experience.
The bus left at a reasonable morning hour from Republic Square, a central meeting point in Split and we departed for Krka National Park. While the waterfalls are magnificent, they are insanely crowded in the summertime, so I recommend crossing the main footbridge and rather than go right towards the waterfalls (Skradinski buk), take a left where it is much calmer and an excellent place for a dip. We had plenty of free time at the waterfalls before meeting back at the bus.
We were then taken to a beautiful small town within the park (Roski slap) for lunch at a konoba (Dalmatian style tavern). This was in the middle of an insane summer downpour and lightning/thunder storm so we ate a simple lunch inside the cozy restaurant. Everything was from the area including local meats, cheeses, crusty bread, olive oil, wine, and dangerously strong local spirits.
After lunch, we had the opportunity to explore this area of the park, Roski slap, where it was much more peaceful. It is home to many unique birds and plant life.
At this point, the clouds had parted and we were treated to an insanely beautiful vista of a monastery.
We then headed to the beautiful town of Sibenik, where we saw the St. Jacob's Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and also had ample free time for exploring the town and enjoying an aperitif by the seaside. All in all, I'd recommend this tour if you are staying in Split and have limited time to explore on your own.
