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Visiting Kornati National Park
Home > Activities > Attractions > National Parks > Visiting Kornati National Park
Image by Croatia.hr
Kornati National Park is called a "nautical paradise" thanks to its incomparable and unique beauty. Nacionalni park Kornati is an archipelago of 89 gorgeous islands, islets, and reefs in the northern part of Dalmatia, near Dugi Otok, Pašman, Murter, Zadar, and Šibenik. Like Brijuni National Park, Kornati National Park is comprised of both land and sea.
The park has a true summer "olive climate", warm with hot and dry summers, and some rain in the autumn. Fields, paths, and charming stone walls make Kornati National Park a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. There are no residents on the Kornati islands, making it a wild destination for exploring.
Why you should visit Kornati National Park
Spomen-križevi (Memorial crosses)
As an honor to 12 Croatian firemen who died in a fire in 2007 (called the "Kornati tragedy"), memorial monuments were built using dry stone walling.
Kornati pastures
Kornati land owners burned pastures every few years to grow better grass for the sheep and goats raised on the land. Over the years, this led to poor, yet uncommon and otherworldly landscapes where few trees have risen. The islands of Kornati have an extraterrestrial look to them.
The eagle owl is a rare and endangered European species. It is a very attractive bird that lives in the Kornati islands. This endangered breeding bird is very rare in Europe, but they are still numerous on the Croatian coast and islands.
Kornati underseas
For the ones who are interested in the underwater world, it is important to know that Kornati has 353 species of algae, 3 species of underwater flower plants, and 850 animal species. An endemic underwater flower plant, called Posidonia, lives in Kornati's sea and is referred to as "the lungs of the sea" because it releases oxygen into the water. Kornati is a prime spot for snorkeling and scuba diving.
How to visit the Kornati National Park
Where it is
Kornati National Park is situated at the Adriatic sea, in the northern part of Dalmatia. It belongs to Šibenin-Knin county and it is a bit south from Zadar and west from Šibenik. When speaking in nautical miles, it is ~15 nm from Zadar and Šibenik, and ~7 nm from Murter.
Kornati National park is open for visits throughout the whole year. Every part of the year has its perks. No matter when you visit, you can enjoy the stunning silence and peace. If you don't like being in very bright and hot sun, visit the park in spring or autumn.
How to get to Kornati National Park
You can get to Kornati Islands in several ways:
By any sea-going vessel – You can come to Kornati with your own boat.
By transport service of one of many local boatmen from the mainland.
By organized tour from Murter, Šibenik, Zadar or some other place on the Adriatic coast, as many agencies offer this trip. The price varies around 35-40€ per person and it includes the boat ride, a welcome drink, the entrance ticket, lunch, and a tourist guide.
Tickets are charged only for vessels, regardless of the number of the people on the vessel. There are no individual entrance tickets.
If you come within an organized tourist agency, the price of the excursion will include the vessel ticket.
Where to buy tickets
Tickets can be purchased:
at the reception desk in Murter, who can be contacted at +385 (0)22 434 077
at the reception desk in Luka Zakan on the island of Ravni Zakan (NP Kornati)
at the reception desk in Uvala Vruje on the island of Kornat (NP Kornati)
at points of sale on land – Here is a list.
on the webshop
on the mySea web portal
at mobile reception desks at Kornati National Park – These are boats for the park that sail in the area of the park for the purpose of greeting guests, selling tickets, and providing park information.
Ticket purchased outside the park and on the web shop are cheaper than tickets purchased from receptionists inside the park.
Ticket prices for Kornati National Park depend on the length of the vessel, the number of days your boat is in the park, and the month you are visiting. Here is the price list for Kornati broken down by month and size of your vessel.
If you're visiting Kornati as a part of an organized tour, the boat ticket will be included in the total price of the excursion.
Please note that mobile reception desks work only during summer season.
Visit Other National Parks in Croatia
Brijuni National Park
Mljet National Park
Northern Velebit National Park
Paklenica National Park
Plitvice National Park
Risnjak National Park
Posted in Activities, Attractions, Dalmatia, National Parks, Visiting Croatia, Where should I go?
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Bio Latest Posts
Marija Tkalec
Marija is a content writer, music journalist, and singer. She enjoys traveling, cycling, hiking, and dry-stone walling. Her field of interest is human rights because she believes in humanity, peace, love, and understanding.
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