Sailing from Šibenik: Kornati National Park & Krka Routes

Sailing from Šibenik: Kornati National Park & Krka Routes

Updated May 2026.

Šibenik is Croatia’s quietest serious charter base. Where Split sees 200+ catamarans depart on a peak Saturday, Šibenik handles 30-50 — and that scarcity is the point. The Šibenik cruising ground gives you two national parks (Kornati and Krka), the country’s most exotic anchorage cluster, and quiet harbours where you can still find a free quay spot at 17:00 in mid-July. This guide covers the standard Kornati-Krka 7-day loop, the boats that handle the region best, and the park rules and fees that catch first-timers.

Why Šibenik over Split

Three reasons people pick Šibenik: less traffic at the docks and on the water, access to Kornati National Park (89 islands, almost no permanent residents, lunar-bare landscape, restricted moorings), and the unique Krka river run — you sail upriver to Skradin, take the park boat to the waterfalls. There’s no equivalent experience anywhere else on the Adriatic.

The trade-off is fewer marina amenities, smaller charter fleet sizes, and more anchor-only nights. For experienced catamaran charterers this is a feature, not a bug. For first-timers who want konoba-and-Hvar nightlife, Split is the better base.

The 7-day Šibenik route most boats sail

Saturday turnaround at Mandalina Marina (Šibenik) or D-Marin Mandalina. Provisioning at Tommy or Konzum in town.

Day 1: Šibenik → Skradin — 8 nm. Upriver run to ACI Marina Skradin. Afternoon park-boat trip to the Krka waterfalls (Skradinski Buk + Roški Slap, swimming was banned in 2021 so this is a viewing visit). Skradin konoba dinner with the local Babić wine.

Day 2: Skradin → Žirje or Kaprije — 18-22 nm. Out of the river, west to the Šibenik outer islands. Žirje’s Muna bay is a sheltered anchor; Kaprije has a quieter feel and a small konoba.

Day 3: Žirje → Kornati outer arc — 14-20 nm. Cross into Kornati National Park. The standard arc: Sit, Žakan, Mana on the outer (Adriatic-facing) edge. Each has a couple of moorings; most catamarans pre-book via the park ranger app. Mana’s “cliffs of Mana” rise straight from the sea — the trip’s drone-photo moment.

Day 4: Outer Kornati → Levrnaka — 6 nm. Short hop to Levrnaka’s sheltered bay (Lojena beach). Restaurant Levrnaka serves lunch on a small wooden pier; the anchor here is shallow and grippy.

Day 5: Levrnaka → Telašćica (Dugi Otok) — 12 nm. Out of Kornati into Telašćica Nature Park — the southern tip of Dugi Otok. Salt Lake (Mir) walk in the afternoon. Restaurant Mir for lunch; anchor in Mir bay for the night.

Day 6: Telašćica → Žut or Murter — 14 nm. Return leg through the Kornati’s inner channels. Žut has the marina hub for the park; Murter (Jezera ACI) is the bigger commercial alternative.

Day 7: Murter → Šibenik — 15 nm. Easy morning sail back via Prvić or Zlarin (drop in for a swim stop if the timing works). Return to Mandalina.

Standout anchorages on the Kornati arc

Five anchorages are worth knowing about by name — not every bay is equal in the Kornati and these are the ones experienced charterers prioritise.

Mana (outer arc). The cliffs of Mana rise 65m straight from the sea on the Adriatic-facing side; the inner bay has eight moorings and a small restaurant. Sunset photography is the trip’s defining moment. Bring a drone if you have one.

Žakan. The next bay south of Mana — 6 moorings, sheltered from the maestral, restaurant Žakan does grilled langoustines at the head of the bay.

Levrnaka (Lojena). The northern Kornati’s signature beach — white pebble, turquoise water, swim-distance from the moorings. Restaurant Levrnaka serves on a wooden pier at the head of the cove.

Telašćica (Mir bay). Inside Telašćica Nature Park (technically not Kornati). The salt lake walk takes 30 minutes from the mooring; restaurant Mir is right at the lake head.

Sit. The most remote Kornati arc stop — 4 moorings, almost no facilities ashore, but the only place in Croatia where you genuinely feel offshore. Two km south of Mana.

Best catamarans for the Šibenik region

Šibenik rewards smaller cats. Kornati’s mooring infrastructure handles boats up to about 47 ft — bigger boats get pushed to free-anchoring or back to commercial marinas at Žut and Jezera.

Sweet spot — 38-42 ft: Lagoon 40, Bali 4.0, Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42. These boats fit any Kornati mooring, slot into Skradin’s smaller berths, and handle the narrow Krka river without drama. Peak rate €4,800-9,000.

Family option — 44-47 ft: Lagoon 46, Bali 4.6, Fountaine Pajot Elba 45. Slightly tighter mooring options in Kornati but still workable. Peak rate €7,500-13,500.

Avoid 50-ft+ on a Šibenik charter unless you accept more anchor nights and skip some marina-only stops.

Catamaran vs monohull on the Šibenik route

Šibenik’s mix of restricted moorings (Kornati), exposed offshore legs (Žirje, outer arc) and shallow Krka-river run rewards the catamaran in every respect except marina cost. The Kornati’s seagrass-protection rules limit where you can drop anchor; mooring balls fit boats up to 47 ft comfortably and catamarans use the bow-and-stern lines without scope issues. The Skradin upriver leg is narrow but manageable; a wider cat draws less than a narrower monohull, which matters on the Krka’s silty shallows.

One Šibenik-specific catamaran consideration: budget extra fuel. The Kornati’s open-water arc legs (outer Mana, Žakan, Sit) need motor-sailing when the bura kicks in from the NE, which is more common in May-June and September than the maestral-dominated Dalmatian summer.

Park rules, fees and practicalities for 2026

Kornati National Park entry fee. A daily ticket per boat: roughly €65-95 for a 45-ft cat in season, less out of season. Buy through the park’s online booking system before entering or at the ranger boats inside the park.

Mooring balls in Kornati. Around 240 moorings across the park, €25-55 per night depending on bay. The popular bays (Mana, Žakan, Levrnaka) fill by 14:00 in July-August. Wild-anchoring is restricted to a small number of approved zones.

Krka National Park. Boat entry at Skradin is in your ACI Marina fee; the waterfalls visit is a per-person park ticket (€25-40 in summer).

Telašćica Nature Park. Boat fee around €25-45/day for a 45ft cat.

Pickup logistics. Split airport (SPU) is 75 minutes by car. Zadar airport (ZAD) is 60 minutes — the easier option for North-European arrivals. Transfers run roughly €90-130 each way.

Provisioning. Tommy and Konzum in Šibenik (5 min from Mandalina by taxi). Bigger run before departure; smaller top-ups at Žirje, Sali on Dugi Otok and Murter mid-week. Inside the park itself there are no shops — only restaurants.

Costs and budget reality

For a 45ft cat with 6-8 crew in late June 2026:

— Boat charter: €6,500-12,000 bareboat depending on age and tier.
— Provisioning: €30-50 per person per day — runs cheaper than Split because fewer marquee dinners ashore.
— Park fees (Kornati + Krka + Telašćica): €350-550 across the week.
— Marina + mooring nights: €500-900 for the week (Skradin + Žut/Jezera + a couple of Kornati mooring nights, rest anchor).
— Fuel: €150-300.
— Tourist tax: €1.50/person/night.

All-in trip cost for an 8-person bareboat week: roughly €11,500-17,500.

Pre-charter checklist for Šibenik first-timers

Six things to lock in before arriving at Mandalina:

— Pre-book Kornati moorings for the popular bays (Mana, Levrnaka, Žakan) through the park’s online system once your itinerary is set. 48-72 hours before each night is the working lead time.
— Pay Kornati and Krka park fees online via the National Park Croatia portal before departure — saves 30 minutes at the ranger boats and locks the rate.
— Pack a paper chart of the Kornati as a backup — cell signal in the outer arc (Mana, Sit) drops to zero in places and you don’t want to rely solely on the chartplotter for the inside-the-park navigation.
— Pre-arrange Mandalina provisioning through Tommy or Konzum delivery to the pontoon. Mandalina’s location is workable but the Day-1 logistics chew up 2 hours otherwise.
— Book Skradin’s konoba for the upriver night — Bonaca, Zlatne Skoljke or any of the river-mouth places — 3-4 days ahead.
— Confirm your skipper licence is current — Croatian port authorities are stricter at Mandalina than at the bigger Split bases, partly because of the National Park traffic.

Other Croatian charter routes

— Sailing from Split: Central Dalmatia routes & best catamarans — the busier, big-island route.
— Sailing from Dubrovnik: South Dalmatia & Elaphiti routes.
— Sailing from Pula: Istria & Kvarner routes.

Ready to plan your Šibenik charter?

Browse our 2026 fleet on the Croatia Yachting fleet page. For a custom Šibenik / Kornati / Krka itinerary, contact us via the site and we’ll come back within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is sailing from Šibenik better than Split?

Different, not better. Šibenik trades nightlife and marquee dinners for fewer crowds and access to two national parks (Kornati and Krka). If you’ve sailed Split before and want a wilder week, Šibenik is the upgrade. If it’s your first Croatia charter and you want konobas-and-Hvar, stay with Split.

Do I need to pre-book Kornati mooring balls?

Yes, in peak July-August. Use the park’s online booking system 24-48 hours ahead. Outside peak, you can usually find an unbooked mooring after 15:00 but the popular bays (Mana, Levrnaka, Žakan) sell out anyway.

Can I anchor anywhere in Kornati?

No — wild anchoring is restricted to a handful of approved zones to protect seagrass meadows. Most overnight stops are on moorings. The ranger boats patrol; fines for anchoring outside zones run €200+.

How do I get to Šibenik from the UK or Germany?

Fly to Split airport (SPU) or Zadar airport (ZAD) — Zadar is closer (60 min vs 75 min by car). Both have direct flights from London, Frankfurt, Munich, Manchester and other major European airports April-October. Transfer to Mandalina by taxi or pre-booked transfer (€90-130).

Are the Krka waterfalls worth the detour?

Yes — the Skradin-up-the-river day is one of the more unique experiences on the Adriatic. Note that swimming under the falls has been banned since 2021, so this is a viewing-and-photography visit rather than a swim. Pair it with a Skradin konoba dinner (Babić wine) and the day is justified.