Hiking in Paklenica National Park, Croatia – All You Need to Know!

Hiking in Paklenica National Park, Croatia

The town of Zadar, in central Croatia, is truly spoilt when it comes to national parks. To the south east is the spectacular Krka National Park with it’s stunning waterfalls and lakes. To the west are the Zadarian islands including Kornati National Park on Dugi Otok. To the North of Zadar is the phenomenal Paklenica National Park with its rocky canyons, rugged mountains and beautiful wildlife. Hiking in Paklenica National Park is one of the best things you can do in this part of Croatia. And it’s so easy to travel from Zadar to Paklenica!

How to Get to Paklenica National Park from Zadar

Paklenica National Park is well worth visiting if you enjoy hiking and nature. We travelled from Zadar by bus and it was very straightforward. Below, we have outlined the easiest ways to go from Zadar to Paklenica National Park.

Drive

The drive from Zadar to Paklenica is pretty simple. It should only take around 45 minutes. There are two entrances into the Park and you will need to pay for parking when you arrive. For a small vehicle, it will cost €2 for the day and €4 for larger vehicles such as mini buses.

If you are travelling off season, make sure you enter by Entrance 1 (Velika Paklenica), as Entrance 2 (Mala Paklenica) will be closed. Entrance 2 is also only really used by very experienced hikers as the trails are extremely challenging.

Take the Bus from Zadar to Paklenica

This is what we did. The bus from Zadar to Paklenica is actually very easy to use. However, it does add a lot of walking on to your day. The bus departs from Zadar bus station and drops you at Starigrad Paklenica. Check it out HERE. The early bus leaves at 8am and arrives at 8:50.

Our return ticket cost € 16.50 each and was bought online with GETBYBUS.

After getting off the bus, there is a 20 minute walk to the park entrance. From this point, there is a further 2km to walk to the canyon where the fun really starts!

Call a Taxi

If you don’t have access to a car and don’t have the time for a bus, call a tax from Zadar to Paklenica. This will set you back around € 100 but might be a good option for groups.

We did not see any organised tours available. There are also no train lines in this part of Croatia.

Things to Do in Paklenica National Park

Paklenica National Park is absolutely crammed full of natural beauty. It is genuinely breath taking. There is a lot to keep you busy whether you visit for an afternoon or decide to spend a few days exploring the park.

Hiking in Paklenica National Park

Hiking in Paklenica National Park is one of the most popular activities to do in the area. There are around 175km of trails so that should be enough to keep you exploring for some time! The highest peak in Paklenica is Vaganski Vrh at 1757 meters. At the entrance to the park, you will find the trails marked out with details of length, timing and difficulty. You can also purchase a map here.

The views are spectacular whatever trail you choose. There are trails suitable for complete beginners that last under an hour. There are also trails that will challenge even the most experience hikers.

The most popular trail from Entrance 1 is the route to Paklenica Mountain hut. This takes roughly 2 hours, if you don’t stop. Of course, there is another 2 hours to get back to the start. The trail goes through the spectacular Velika Paklenica Canyon which has some very dramatic vistas. We took this route but continued up to Ramica Dvori Guesthouse for a well earned break, exceptional views and great company.

Climbing

Climbing is a big deal in Paklenica National Park! The Velika Paklenica Canyon is one of the most famous climbing locations in Croatia and Europe. There are around 500 equipped routes and that draws thousands of climbers of all abilities and ages. You can also hire the kit if required.

There are organised trips you can take if you prefer to go with a guide. Try Paklanica Climbing Gekko for help with this.

Visit the Caves

There are a few caves in Paklenica National Park. However, the only one open to the public is Manita Peć cave. The cave is around 1.5km away from the park entrance and you will need about 30 minutes to explore the cave. You can buy tickets at the cave entrance for €5.

There is a lot of fascinating underground fauna to see within the caves huge chambers including invertebrates and several bat species.

Nature Photography in Paklenica National Park

For photography enthusiast, Paklenica National Park is a must. There are over 59 mammal species in the park and more than 1,000 plant species. There is also some unique geology, beautiful pine forests and two dramatic canyons.

Restaurants and Accommodation in Paklenica National Park

There are a few mountain huts in Paklenica National Park. They are great to stop for food or refreshments. We happily stumbled upon Ramića Dvori after following the mules up the final portion of the trail. Here we were welcomed with a complimentary shot of Rakia followed by delicious, authentic food and a chat with the charismatic owner.

Paklenica Mountain Lodge is also on the same route. However, the views from Ramica Dvori are unbeatable and certainly worth the extra walk.

Underground Bunker Exhibition

The Yugoslav army constructed these bunkers in the 1950s during the tensions with the Soviet Union. They remained secret until the 1990s. They are now a visitor centre where you can learn some of the history surrounding them.

Ethno Houses

The hamlet of Marasovici contains and ethno house and tavern and is open during the tourist season only. Near Entrance 1 there are a few 19th century mills. These no longer function buy have been renovated and are open during high season.

When to go Hiking in Paklenica National Park

Paklenica National Park is open all year round. As previously mentioned, only Entrance 1 is open during the winter. As the park is quite close to the sea, there is not the same extreme weather as you might find further inland. This means a visit to the park is possible all year round. Of course, it gets a lot busier in the summer season but not as busy as other National Parks in the area.

We visited in March. It suited us perfectly as the weather was mild and we saw no others using the trail – except two donkeys and a mule heading to Ramica Dvori. Early spring or mid to late autumn are great times to visit Paklenica.

How Long to Stay in the Park

You can buy passes to the park for 1, 3 or 5 days. You can also buy an annual pass if you are in the area for longer. There is certainly enough to see if you stay for a few days. We spent a full day there and took quite a leisurely hike and had lunch at one of the mountain huts. This was the perfect day trip as we were staying in nearby Zadar.

If you plan to stay longer, be aware there is no camping permitted in the park. However, there are campsites in the nearby towns and you can also stay overnight in the parks Mountain Lodges.

Entry Fee to Paklenica National Park

The price of adult tickets vary depending on the time of year. We paid €6 in March for a day in the park. Tickets can be bought at the entrance or ONLINE. We just paid at the entrance and made our way in. Make sure you keep a hold of your ticket throughout the day in case staff need to see it.

You can pay by card. However, when we visited the machine wasn’t working. You will also need cash if you stop in the mountain huts or the cave. We would recommend carrying cash. Croatia now uses the Euro.

Is Hiking in Paklenica National Park Safe?

Hiking in Paklenica is safe. When hiking anywhere it is important to take the following precautions –

• Always follow the marked trails
• Try to avoid hiking alone
• Land mines were placed during the wars of the 1990s and may still exist in remote areas. The mountain paths that have been cleared of mines are highlighted on the reference boards at the entrance
• Tell people your route in case you get lost
• Check conditions before you set off
• Pack appropriately
• Cycling is not permitted in the park and dogs must be kept on a leash to protect the wildlife
• In case of emergency, call 112
• Not really a safety issue, however, it’s good to know – there are toilets located at the entrance to the park

What to Bring for a Day of Hiking in Paklenica National Park

We have put together a basic packing list for some day hiking in Paklenica National Park.

• Hiking boots or shoes
• Backpack
• Cash – Euros
• Snacks for the hike
• Water bottle (at least a litre in summer). You can fill up at a few pints on the way
• Weather appropriate clothing such as windbreaker, hiking socks, buff/hat, and fleece. Make sure to wear layers to account for the changing conditions if you plan on hiking further
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• Map or downloaded GPS or map application on your phone
• Phone
• Decent camera with plenty of space for pictures of the spectacular scenery

Our day of hiking in Paklenica National Park was thoroughly enjoyable and well worth the journey from Zadar. It was peaceful, quiet and very relaxing to feel so close to nature.

Where to go next

Ready for another adventure? Why not try Krka National Park, also near Zadar? There are plenty of mountains, rivers and lakes to discover in beautiful Croatia.

Final note: Things change in the Balkans all the time and there is not much information online in English. We would definitely advise checking with a local where possible. We found people to be really friendly and super helpful.

Have you visited Croatia or Paklenica National Park? Are you planning a trip and need more information? Drop a comment in the box, we’d love to hear from you!

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Hiking in Paklenica