Paklenica nationalpark i Kroatien

Paklenica National Park in Croatia is a dramatic park in a large canyon, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its ancient beech forests. The national park is a little less well known than Krka, Plitvice and Kornati, but perhaps that's why it's so interesting to explore.

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Paklenica National Park in Croatia

Paklenica National Park in Croatia (Nacionalni park Paklenica) consists of two canyons: Mala (small) and Velika (large) Paklenica. The park is part of Velebit Park, making it a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1978. In 2017, the site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List for its ancient beech forests.

The national park is located at the small town of Paklenica Starigrad, on the slope of the Velebit Mountains in northern Dalmatia, not far from Zadar.

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Approaching Paklenica National Park

We travelled by car from Zadar, and the journey took about 45 minutes. As we approached, we saw the mountains, which became higher and higher the closer we got. The vegetation also became denser and denser, and greener and greener.

You will first arrive at an entrance where you have to pay, and then you can continue a further distance by car. How close you can drive depends on how many people have come before and parked closest. Fortunately, this is not the most touristy national park in Croatia, but we still had to walk a little bit. On the way, Peter also managed to buy himself a hat!

"Bunker" built by the Yugoslavian army

Near the entrance there is also an artificial cave popularly known as the 'Bunker', built for Tito by the Yugoslav army between 1950 and 1953, during the crisis between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. Until the 1990s, the contents of the 2000 square metres underground were kept secret, but today it is a visitor centre, museum, souvenir shop and café.

Climbing in Paklenica National Park

One of the first things you notice in Paklenica National Park is all the climbers. There are both experienced and inexperienced climbers, both children and adults. It is popular in any case!

Anica Kuk

In fact, people have been climbing here ever since Dragutin Brahm (Raca) tried to climb the 712 metre high cliff Anića Kuk in 1938. (I think "kuk" means peak or height or hip or something in Croatian...!?) Unfortunately, that attempt ended tragically, but two other climbers repeated the attempt two years later, with better results, and named the route "Brahm's Route".

Up and up ...

Even if you don't climb, you get exercise! The first section of the Paklenica National Park in Croatia goes up and up. The nature is marvellous, and next to the path you can hear rippling streams all the time. But it is exhausting! We were glad that we were here relatively early in the morning, before it was at its hottest.

Peter i Paklenica nationalpark i Kroatien

Fluid controls

When you go up in the heat, you need to stop from time to time to breathe and drink water. Perfect that there were places to refill your water bottle!

Vätskekontroll i Paklenica nationalpark i Kroatien

Fylla på vatten i Paklenica nationalpark i Kroatien

Finally up!

At last we were up! Here it levelled out, and the strenuous road turned into a more pleasant walk. We only had time to see a small part of the park, but we would have loved to spend more time here. Amazingly beautiful!

There are several interesting places to visit in the park, including a cave. Further into the park there are also some cabins to stay in and a place to buy a simple meal. Don't expect anything fancy though - everything for sale in the park has to be transported up by horse.

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Paklenica Starigrad

Right next to Paklenica National Park in Croatia is the small town of Starigrad. However, there are several towns in Croatia with the name Starigrad, and to avoid confusion with other Starigrad, "Paklenica" is sometimes added.

Incidentally, Starigrad means "old town", which is a rather interesting name for a town that has no old town centre. When we asked about the reason for the name, we were given two different explanations - either that the town is a bit older than another newer town, or that there was an old town here way back in time.

Mirila - graves of souls

One thing that characterises this area is the presence of so-called 'mirila'. In the past, before tourism, the people of the area lived in the mountains. Although they buried their dead in regular cemeteries, they chose to erect memorials for their souls in the mountains, and these memorials are called 'mirila'.

The memorials consist of a standing stone for the head end, a standing stone for the foot end and lying stones in between, so that they almost look like stone beds. On the stone at the head end there are sometimes carvings commemorating the deceased.

The tradition died out in the 1960s, when people stopped living in the mountains, but there are still older people who remember the tradition. For some reason, the elders haven't wanted to tell much, so some of the history is shrouded in mystery. However, there is a small hiking trail that you can follow to see different mirilas. The very first ones can be reached by car and are located a little way up the mountain, not far from the tourist office in Starigrad.

Viewpoints at Paklenica Starigrad

If you have travelled up to the first "mirila" by car, it is a good idea to continue upwards by car - you will soon reach several fine viewpoints.

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Campsites at Paklenica National Park in Croatia

There are several campsites in the area around Paklenica National Park in Croatia, and most are relatively small. Right at the entrance to the park there are some small family campsites. A little further down by the water are two campsites with cosy beaches and beautiful views.

Camping Paklenica National Park

If you continue from the national park and drive down towards the water, you will reach Camping Paklenica National Park (Camp Nacionalni ParkThis is a small campsite, beautifully situated by the water, with the mountains in the background.

Bluesun Camp Paklenica

Right next to the Camping Paklenica National Park is the much larger one. Bluesun Camp Paklenica. This is a green and leafy campsite, which is also nicely situated next to the water.

Camping vid Paklenica nationalpark i Kroatien

Besides pitches for motorhomes, caravans and tents, Bluesun Camp Paklenica also has mobile homes. We got to look inside one of them, and it looked very fresh and nice. The best part was the view of the water.

We had a meal at the Tavern Batela restaurant, located inside the campsite. We started with a good broccoli soup, and then we tried a super good fish plate with seabream, seabass, tuna, squid, crayfish, mussels, grilled vegetables and potatoes with chard, which is the usual accompaniment to fish in Croatia. Amazingly delicious!

Things to see and do around Paklenica National Park

We really liked this area - super nice with both mountains and sea, and not too crowded with tourists either. If you want to see more in the neighbourhood, here are some suggestions:

The beautiful island of Pag
The historic city of Zadar
Kungastaden Nin
Holiday resorts Pakoštane and Biograd
Krka National Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park

Facts about Paklenica National Park in Croatia

Country: Croatia
Landscape: Dalmatia
County: Zadar County and Lika-Senj County
Inauguration of the park: 19 October 1949
The name of the national park: The name Paklenica probably comes from the word 'paklina' - a sap from the trees that was traditionally used as medicine.
Area: 95 square kilometres
Height above sea level: 1103 metres
Mountain: Velebit, Croatia's longest mountain
Maximum height: Vaganski vrh, 1757 metres above sea level
Biggest rock: Anića Kuk, 712 metres high
Caves: Manita peć and an artificial cave at the entrance.
Natural phenomena: Kartsberg, black pine forests, beech forests, grasslands, two canyons and wilderness.
Flora: More than 1000 plant species, 80 of which are endemic.
Fauna: 59 species of mammals (of which 24 species of bats), 260 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles, 6 frogs and 85 different butterflies.
Climate: The climate in the area is temperate. The average annual temperature is 12 degrees Celsius. In July the average temperature is 23 degrees, and in January the average temperature is 0 degrees. Average annual precipitation is 1855 millimetres. It is driest in August and rains most in November.
Activities: Hiking, climbing, nature photography and wilderness living.

Sights and places in the Park

Marasovic ethnic house and Marasovic Taverna - Cultural world heritage site with stonemasonry crafts.
Paklenica mills - 13 mills from the 19th century. None are in use but one has been renovated and can be visited.
The "Paklaric" viewpoint and fortress - Viewpoint over the sea, not far from the mills.
The "Pjeskarica" teaching track - A 1.5 kilometre hiking trail starting at the renovated mill.
The "Underground Secrets of Paklenica" visitor centre - At Entrance 1, these 1950s tunnels now house a museum, souvenir shop and café.
Paklenica climbing area - Velika Paklenica Canyon is the most famous climbing area in Croatia. There are more than 500 equipped climbing routes.
Cave Manita peć - A cave that can be visited on a guided tour. The tour takes about 30 minutes and must be planned in advance, as the cave is only open a few hours a day.
Lugarnica Forest Cottage - About 4 kilometres from the main car park is this cottage where you can order tea, coffee and some dishes.
Paklenica Mountain Lodge - About 6 kilometres from the main car park is this lodge where you can stay overnight. Should be booked in advance.
The villages of Ramici and Parici - Locals have renovated their small stone houses and offer some catering.

Guide: Opening hours and prices

Opening hours: Paklenica National Park is open to visitors all year round.
Enter: Entrance 1 (Velika Paklenica) is the main entrance and is the only entrance open all year round. Here you can buy a ticket for one or more days, buy a parking ticket and get information. Entrance 2 (Mala Paklenica) is only open during the high season and is suitable for experienced hikers.
Prices: A one-day ticket for an adult costs 60 kuna (approx. SEK 93) in July-September, 40 kuna (approx. SEK 62) in March-May and October and 20 kuna (approx. SEK 30) in November-February (2019). Children, students and seniors (over 65 years old) have a discount. There are also 3-day passes, 5-day passes and annual passes. Entrance to the Manita peć cave costs extra, 30 kuna (approx. SEK 46) for adults and 15 kuna (approx. SEK 23) for children (2019).
Payment: At the entrance and in the visitor centre, you should be able to pay by card. In all other areas of the park, only cash is accepted.
Service: Near the entrance there are toilets and small shops selling hats and other items. The artificial cave near the entrance has a tourist shop and exhibitions. Inside the park, drinking water is available in some places, and there are also some things to buy, with a limited range.
Accessibility: The first part of the park is uphill in stone and gravel. When going down the same stretch, it can be a bit slippery. It is not possible to get around with any motorised vehicle. Cycling is only allowed during the first 2 kilometres, but not on the hiking trails.
Pets: Pet dogs are allowed in the park, but must be on a leash.
To think about: Don't hike alone. Choose practical clothes and check the weather report. Bring water and a map. Due to fire risk: do not light fires or throw away cigarette butts.
Read more: You can find more information at national park website.

Accommodation

In the park: It is possible to stay in Paklenica Mountain lodge or in cottages (Ivine vodice, Struge, Vlaški grad). You should book in advance. Camping is not allowed in the park.
Camping: Just outside the park's main entrance are a few small family campsites, including Camping Marko and Camping Adriana. On the waterfront are Bluesun Camp and Camp Nacionalni Park. There are other campsites in the area.
Hotel: There are several hotels in Starigrad-Paklenica, especially smaller ones. Check Booking.com, for example. There are also private rooms for rent.

11 Comments

Add yours →

Anette says:

Hiking is a great way to exercise. Good for both body and mind. I see you got quite warm on your walk up and down.
What a fantastic environment to be in.
The graveyard is both beautiful and mysterious, even the dead got a nice view.

27 June 2019 - 6:11

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, great way to exercise! It's also great to walk in nature ???
  
  27 June 2019 - 7:20
  
Ruth i Virginia says:

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!

what nature. Bedtime for me - I hope
can dream of all the beautiful things I just saw.
How many people know about these wonderful places?
No cruise or beach can compete... WOW!

27 June 2019 - 6:27

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Amazingly beautiful! The national park is not as well known as some others. There are probably many who do not know it, I can imagine.
  
  27 June 2019 - 7:21
  
Ama de casa says:

What an incredibly beautiful park! I was going to comment on a name there, but I think I'll refrain... 😉.

Croatia really has a lot to offer! Yes, even if you have to pay admission in some places 😀.

27 June 2019 - 8:07

Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

I'm really sorry we missed this national park! What a cool nature, but then there is a reason to return....

27 June 2019 - 11:16

Hasse says:

Yes, we have walked there, all the way up to the entrance to the cave. But it was closed .. so we will have to do it again sometime. It was quite a walk and the view from the platform was marvellous. On the way down there was a thunderstorm, which cooled us even in the densest regions. We stayed at CAMPING PAKLENICA NATIONAL PARK, so we cycled to the park. Slightly uphill, but easy downhill. Fun experience. Five metres from Lorden to the edge of the sea, so many dips were made.

27 June 2019 - 13:16

Ditte says:

What a beautiful national park! In fact, national parks around the world tend to be beautiful. And with an exciting history. Well done to climb up all the way but of course completely "necessary" you can and are in place. Understand that time was in short supply and can imagine that a couple of, three days are more reasonable to stay here.
Have visited the national park in Krka and it was also very nice.
Thank you for the visit and the walk.

27 June 2019 - 17:06

dianasdrömmar says:

So beautiful and cheer you on Hugs

27 June 2019 - 18:50

BP says:

The park is incredibly dramatic and beautiful. It's a completely unknown gem to me. Good that you advertise the area. And you got enough exercise;-)
Even the campsite seems to be super nice and modern Oh the food - yummy, just my taste!

27 June 2019 - 20:04

Elisabeth says:

What a park! Unbelievable! What a lot of information you gave me. That's great! Definitely tempted, but probably won't make it all the way up. But there are certainly less strenuous parts to see as well. Have fun in the heat!

27 June 2019 - 21:51

Paklenica National Park in Croatia

Paklenica National Park in Croatia

Approaching Paklenica National Park

"Bunker" built by the Yugoslavian army

Climbing in Paklenica National Park

Anica Kuk

Up and up ...

Fluid controls

Finally up!

Paklenica Starigrad

Mirila - graves of souls

Viewpoints at Paklenica Starigrad

Campsites at Paklenica National Park in Croatia

Camping Paklenica National Park

Bluesun Camp Paklenica

Things to see and do around Paklenica National Park

Facts about Paklenica National Park in Croatia

Sights and places in the Park

Guide: Opening hours and prices

Accommodation

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11 Comments

Anette says:

Helena says:

Ruth i Virginia says:

Helena says:

Ama de casa says:

Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

Hasse says:

Ditte says:

dianasdrömmar says:

BP says:

Elisabeth says:

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