Disclosure: Parks and Planes is an informative resource for readers. Due to unforeseen conditions like park closures, policies, construction and other natural changes to the park and its trail, Parks and Planes, LLC does not assume liability for the accuracy of posts, trail conditions and directions. Parks and Planes strives to accurately describe and document details as experienced during the date and time of the visit. Please travel safely when following this itinerary and visiting recommended sites and places mentioned in this blog post. Nothing in this post is AI generated. All photos are our own. This post does contain affiliate links which we may earn a commission from.
Where can you find 16 azure, blue-colored lakes fringed with verdant vegetation and footbridges that snake along thundering waterfalls? Answer: Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. This national park is one of Europe’s greatest treasures and ideal for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. It is the result of a millennia-long story of growth and decay between water and rocks and is photogenic year-round. It’s strong on heart-stopping natural beauty and should be at the top of any bucket list!
Keep reading for everything you need to know before you visit and hike at Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Don’t have time to read this entire blog? We’ve got you covered! If you already know you want to visit Plitvice Lakes National Park and are looking for the best way to do so, this Plitvice Lakes day tour from Zadar is the way to go because you can’t beat the stress-free transportation, local guide, hotel pick up and drop off and complimentary picnic lunch! We went on this tour and loved having a local expert with us every step of the way. She was knowledgeable and helped make it easy to travel to Plitvice National Park from Zadar with confidence which allowed us to sit back and relish in the wonders of traveling into Croatia’s stunning interior.
Park Overview
Established in 1949, Plitvice Lakes National Park is a magnificent place and the most popular national park in Croatia. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, the park’s centerpiece are the travertine waterfalls that are interconnected by 16 lakes that cascade into one another. The crown jewel of the waterfalls is the Veliki Slap (Big Waterfall). It is the highest and most dramatic of all the waterfalls found here.
Collectively the lakes and waterfalls span roughly 5 miles before the water begins flowing into the Korana River and account for 1% of the total park area. Swimming is strictly prohibited in the park.
The mighty waterfalls are set in a majestic setting of dense beech forest and lush vegetation. You will also find unusual plants here including several species that do not grow outside this national park. For a full list of these plant species check out the on-site visitor center.
Wildlife you may spot here includes black storks, brown bears, Eurasian lynx, turtles and the Eurasian eagle-owl.
Exploring Plitvice Lakes National Park is an excellent inland excursion and can certainly be done in a day or so if you are short on time.
The park is open year-round. For open hours, ticket prices and current conditions including any trail closure information, be sure to visit the official Plitvice Lakes website before your visit: https://np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/
Campsite Korana located about 8 kilometers from Plitvice Lakes National Park offers you the chance to camp close to the park and get acquainted with the area’s culture and bounty. Situated on the banks of the Korana River, guests can opt to stay in a little bungalow or pitch a tent. This campsite is pet friendly and can accommodate up to 2,500 campers. Bonus! Ease post-trek muscles by soaking in the Korana River!
Hiking At Plitvice Lakes National Park
The stunning scenery at this national park is sure to take your breath away. The park is separated into two parts the upper lakes and the lower lakes. There is no better way to experience the area’s unmatched natural beauty in both parts of the park than on foot. Navigating the park and what lies around each bend of a lake while hiking is very easy here thanks in part to incredibly clear and easy to follow trails. Throughout the park grounds, you will find 4 well-marked hiking trails. A good portion of the trails consists of wooden boardwalks and bridges making this a unique hiking landscape that allows hikers to get a close-up view of the park’s plants.
Hiking Sights You Won’t Want To Miss
The two largest upper lakes are the Proscansko and the Kozjak. The Proscansko lake is located furthest north and is the source of much of the falls. You won’t want to miss the scenic Labudovac waterfall which is about 66 feet (20 m) high. The peaks of Ostri Medvedak and Tupi Medvedak are connected by a trail that winds through a 700-year-old beech forest which offers hikers respite from direct sunlight during the hot summer months. The trail that leads to Veliki Slap waterfall and Kozjak Lake is truly the star of the park. Be sure to take the stairs next to the Veliki Slap waterfall for a truly unforgettable view. If you plan to exit the park via Entrance 1 after visiting Veliki Slap, you’re in for a treat! Enjoy the best far-reaching views in the park at the end of a long day hiking. It is sure to be the cherry on top of an epic day and will be your reward after a short but steep incline hike on your way out of the park. For those looking to tackle a longer hike, consider the 13-mile Corkova Bay Trail that will take you through the large forests. The Corkova Bay Trail begins at Labudovac (panoramic train stop no. 4).
While you can enjoy most of the park in a single day, dedicating two days to hiking here will allow for a more leisurely pace and might be the best way to go if you will be visiting during the summer which is peak season (the park draws an average of 4,000 visitors a day in the summer month of June to August and the trails can get very congested during this time).
You can purchase a map of the park and its trails at the ticket office or visitors center.
Hiking Etiquette Reminders
- Stay on the trail. Do not step off it unless you are yielding or taking a break. Staying on the trail helps to protect the plant and animal species as well as the park’s entire ecosystem.
- Leave rocks, vegetation and other artifacts alone. Do not take these with you.
- The standard right-of-way when hiking is that hikers coming uphill have the right-of-way, so if you are on the descent, please step aside and allow those ascending the right-of-way.
- When you approach another hiker from behind, announce yourself in a friendly and calm voice and let them know if you want to pass them.
- If hiking in a group, do not take up the entire width of the trail.
Getting Around The Park
There are two main entrances to the park. Entrance 1 is located closest to Veliki Slap (the big waterfall). We chose to enter the park via Entrance 2 which is next to the hotels closest to the park. Fairly quickly after entering the park via Entrance 2, we boarded an electric boat (P1 > P2) which took us to the upper lakes region of the park. After hiking and exploring the upper lakes region we returned to the spot where we departed the first electric boat and boarded another electric boat on the P2 to P3 route which took us across Kozjak lake. When we arrived at this next section of the park, we found facilities including restrooms, dining options and a gift shop. This is the spot we decided to have our lunch at.
Pro Tip! You can bring your own food into the park. We highly recommend bringing your own snacks or lunch into the park. You’ll easily be able to find a spot on a flower-strewn patch along a stream or beside a tumbling waterfall or even at one of the on-site picnic tables at the rest stops to refuel and recharge while you’re exploring the vast 75,000 acres of the park.
The electric boats run every 30 minutes across three different routes – one short route and two long routes. Access to the electric boats is included in your entrance ticket and you will need to take these to access each part of the park (upper and lower lakes).
Panoramic vehicles are also available and run every 30 minutes and are included in the entrance ticket price. It is an open-aired train like vehicle that serves as a great option for anyone who may have mobility issues or concerns and still wishes to enjoy this magnificent national park. You can disembark from the vehicle for more up-close views of the park including near Veliki Slap (the Big Waterfall). We picked up the panoramic vehicle near entrance 2 and took it back to entrance 1 upon leaving the park for the day.
Getting To The Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park is in the part of Croatia known as the Kvarner area. Located near the northern part of Croatia’s coastline, the heart of the Kvarner area is Rijeka, a busy port city that has morphed into a bit of a cultural hub. Plitvice Lakes National Park sits more inland from the coast, close to the border Croatia shares with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Check out where Plitvice Lakes National Park is located on Google Maps.
You can easily travel to Plitvice Lakes National Park from various major cities via bus:
From Zadar: bus tickets range from $1 to $55 USD. Travel time ranges from 1 hour and 45 minutes to just under 3 hours.
Another option is to go with a small group tour that includes coach bus or van transport. We traveled from Zadar to Plitvice Lakes National Park via this small, guided group tour and loved it!
From Zagreb – it is a two-hour drive with the average bus ticket cost around $25 USD (on-way).
From Split– travel time is approximately 3.5 hours with bus tickets from $3 to $55 USD (one-way).
Here is a bus company to consider for affordable bus tickets and direct travel to Plitvice Lakes: GetByBus. We traveled from Split to Zadar using this bus company and it served its purpose but be sure to be there early. The bus was overbooked and some passengers who arrived late had to stand in the aisle the entire ride.
Another bus / Travel Agency you might want to check out is: Polet Vinkovci
We did not travel by this bus while in Croatia but were aware of it.
Lastly, it would be quite the hike to travel here from Dubrovnik but could be done by bus (over an 8-hour drive) with tickets ranging from $20 to $80 USD, one-way.
We wish you happy hiking and exploring at this extraordinary national park!
~ Alyssa + Justin
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So enjoyed our time at Plitvice, 2020, all very quiet due to COVID at that time, too. Beautiful place, beautiful country
So glad to learn you got to experience Plitvice. Did you visit for just one day or longer?
Longer, we stayed (I think) four nights in the village of Mukinje, which gave us time to not only explore the lakes but drive out to gorgeous nearby towns like Rastoke, the town of waterwheels. It was so lovely there.
That sounds like the way to do it! I wish we had spent more time at the park and surrounding areas but also very grateful for the time we were able to spend here hiking and exploring.
Looks like you discovered a wonderful national park in Croatia. Thanks for the thorough explanation.
Thanks for giving this a read! We are very fortunate to have discovered such a stellar national park in Croatia. One of the best if you ask us!
Looks beautiful.
It is even more beautiful in person!
We spent 3 weeks in Croatia in April and easily could have spent much more time; it’s such an amazingly beautiful country. We may return someday and will have to visit Plitvice NP.
We have to get back to Croatia and explore the northern parts but definitely Plitvice is not to be missed if and when you return someday!
I’m glad you enjoyed it. It is even better if you could spend a weekend there off season. Less crowded. Plenty of hotels, rooms, campsites around.
I would love to visit again in the off season especially in the late fall or early winter.
Stunning!