Kudin Most na Krupi | Discover the hidden beauty of Croatia

Welcome to a travel adventure off the beaten track to the enchanting Kudin Most na Krupi in Croatia. Leave the crowds behind and embrace the natural splendor of this place, a place you've most likely never heard of. You can visit this place for free and yes, to this day there is a good chance that you will be there all alone, even in high season! Are you traveling with us?

About Kudin Most na Krupi

Kudin Most na Krupi, which means 'the bridge over the Krupa', is not just any bridge. In fact, there are several bridges – some hundreds of years old – both for regular traffic and more hidden bridges for hikers in the valley. Kudin Most na Krupi is the gateway to a lush green oasis where the Krupa River flows peacefully. The area is rocky and dry, but once you descend into the valley and reach the river, it is steeped in green plants and serenity. The sound of flowing water, bright green shrubs and trees in combination with singing birds. It's as if you're suddenly in another country, see for yourself.

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How do you get there?

I started my journey of discovery with an impulsive decision to avoid the beaten track and explore a piece of authentic Croatia. So off the beaten track. As you can see on the map below, Kudin Most na Krupi is very remote. I have therefore made a basic overview of where you park your car or camper and where you can find things.

• Blue circle: Is where we took the beautiful pictures and had a lovely swim.
• Red: The gravel road to it and the place where we parked.
• Green: the walking path into the valley from where we parked our camper.
• Yellow: The viewpoint and the bridge to which this unique place owes its name.

Gravel road and parking

The journey to this enchanting place is an adventure in itself. Via winding gravel and dirt roads, surrounded by rolling hills, I finally reached Kudin Most na Krupi. It felt like discovering a well-kept secret, far away from the usual tourist crowds. Below is a short video of the hidden road that goes to where we parked our camper.

There are a few places along the gravel road where you can park your car or camper. In the photo above you can see exactly where we parked our camper. If you want to follow our footsteps and park the car in the exact same spot, then skip this Google Maps location to navigate to.

The walking path down

From the parking lot you will see some walking paths going into the bushes. Note: nothing has been officially declared. There are hardly any paths, you can only see where people regularly walk. Below, Malou is walking on 'the path', about 50 meters from the camper.

So it is not immediately clear where to go. Therefore, keep Google Maps at hand to see if you are walking in the right direction. This is the location where you ultimately want to end up – open the location on Google Maps before you hike down so it can help you navigate.

What to see and do at Kudin Most na Krupi

1. Enjoy with a capital G

After about 20 minutes of walking we got a view of the valley and the Krupi river. Shortly afterwards we saw the lakes and waterfalls. We were there at the end of the afternoon, in the middle of August, so it was very warm.

It was really sweaty on the way down. In the meantime, we were fortunately treated to beautiful views, what a fantastically beautiful place! We saw three people swimming in the water from above, but no one else was there. We also felt like taking a refreshing dip.

2. Swimming in the lake

Once they arrived at the water, the swimmers had already left. We suddenly found ourselves here completely alone. We really had to pinch ourselves – are we really all alone in this beautiful place? Why doesn't anyone know about this beautiful place? We threw our clothes on the floor and took a refreshing dip in the crystal clear spring water.

3. The stone walkway

After the refreshing dip I decided to explore the area. I walked via an ancient stone walkway, only a few meters high, to the other side of the lake. Here the water rushes through the tall grass under the stone walkway – I didn't see at that moment that there was a large waterfall on the other side.

4. The different waterfalls

Only when I was on the other side of the walkway did I suddenly have a good view of the large waterfalls. I let my drone fly here for a while to get a better perspective of the lakes and waterfalls. From a distance they almost look like rice terraces in Asia! As far as the eye can see you can see small and large waterfalls in the valley - a beautiful sight.

5. Picnic at Krupa Orthodox Monastery

Before or after your visit and swimming in the lovely water, you can admire the Orthodox Monastery in Krupa (location here). Not only is the building a beautiful sight, you will also find all kinds of rivers and streams surrounded by greenery around it. We parked the camper here under the trees next to the monastery. There are benches and tables and some families were having a lovely picnic here. We enjoyed joining in.

Humour: The moment we drove past the families and I parked the camper, all the children came running to the camper. SLADOLED! SLADOLED! they shouted. I had to dig into my Croatian language skills but I quickly remembered that this means 'ice cream'. In the meantime, all the parents were in stitches, someone had told the children that we were the ice cream shop.

The proverbial ice was immediately broken. We had nice contact with the families and even played a little football with the children. Then we decided to explore the hiking trails and streams to explore the monastery. What a wonderfully peaceful and green oasis, again - highly recommended.

Practical information and tips

Before you enter the valley, make sure you are prepared with suitable footwear, enough water and possibly a (digital) map of the area. You are here off the beaten track – there is no official information and any help is far away. The walking paths consist mainly of gravel and loose stones – so be wiser than us and don't go here in flip-flops (we soon regretted that), but with good walking shoes.

It can also be quite hot – especially in summer. Therefore, make sure you have enough water to drink. The climb back up is not very long, but it is intensive and will certainly make you sweat.

While Kudin Most na Krupi offers a peaceful escape, there are several accommodations to choose from. From comfortable hotels and apartments to idyllic campsites on the water.

1. Hotels and apartments: There are several small villages and towns in the area where you can find plenty of hotels and small-scale apartments. On this page there is a clear overview of what is available in the region.
2. Camping & Apartments Dolovi: This small-scale campsite with apartments is located very close to the Krupa River. It offers places for tents, campers and caravans. The apartments offer a cozy atmosphere with rooms overlooking the beautiful nature. It's the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring. Click here .
3. Camping Muškovci Zrmanja: For those who want to be close to nature, Camping Muškovci Zrmanja is an excellent choice. Right on the banks of the Krupa River and overlooking the waterfalls, this campsite offers a peaceful environment surrounded by greenery. Click here .
4. Campsites in general: Do you prefer to book your campsites online in advance? Then take a look ACSI trips, campspace, allcamps en Voda tent.

Conclusion

In a world where tourist hotspots predominate, this remains the case Kudin Most na Krupi a well kept secret. If you want to get off the beaten track and discover an unspoilt part of Croatia, then definitely consider a visit to this special place. It is not just a place, but a reminder of the beauty of simplicity. No entrance gates, no hordes of tourists and no souvenir stalls. Here you are in authentic Croatia, surrounded by beautiful nature and cute villages where small-scale family restaurants and hotels are the norm. This is the real Croatia and you definitely want to experience this!

Psst. Would you like to discover another undiscovered pearl in Croatia? Then read our blog about it Pasjaca Beach, a well-hidden gem on the Croatian Coast.

Until the next blog!