Waterfalls & Nature Day Trips from Split: Krka, Plitvice & the Cetina
Beyond the coast, Split sits within reach of Croatia's most spectacular waterfalls and river canyons. This guide covers the best nature day trips from Split — the cascades of Krka, the emerald lakes of Plitvice and the rafting runs of the Cetina — with the top-rated tours and tickets to book for each.
At a glance
- 1Krka's Skradinski Buk falls & swim
- 2Boardwalks of Plitvice Lakes
- 3Rafting the Cetina river canyon
- 4Wine tasting on the way home
Krka National Park's waterfalls
Krka is the easiest big-nature escape from Split, about an hour north near Skradin. Wooden boardwalks loop past a chain of travertine cascades to Skradinski Buk, the park's thundering centrepiece. Many tours add a scenic boat ride up from Skradin and pair the falls with a local wine or cheese tasting, making it a relaxed full or half day rather than a hard hike.
The lakes of Plitvice
Further inland, Plitvice Lakes is Croatia's oldest and most famous national park — sixteen terraced lakes in shifting shades of turquoise, linked by tumbling waterfalls and kilometres of boardwalk. It is a longer trip, roughly two and a half hours each way, so guided day tours with pre-booked entry tickets and a boat ride across Lake Kozjak take the stress out of the logistics and the summer queues.
River canyons and adventure
For something more active, the Cetina river carves a dramatic canyon just inland from Omiš, half an hour from Split. Half-day rafting trips run gentle rapids past waterfalls and swimming holes with cliff-jumping stops, while canyoning and river tubing get you deeper into the gorge. It is the adrenaline counterpoint to the calm boardwalks of Krka and Plitvice — and easy to slot into a single day.
Book the experiences in this itinerary
Top-rated tours for exactly what this plan recommends in Split — prices per person.
