THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK, CROATIA

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK, CROATIA

Seeing pictures of the jaw-dropping waterfalls of Plitvice National Park is what initially drew me to plan a trip to Croatia. I soon discovered that there’s plenty more to see in the country, but this national park still remains at the top of many travelers’ lists. Check out my full guide for everything you need to know about traveling to Plitvice Lakes National Park below.

Table of Contents:

• Overview
• Getting Around
• How to Get There
• Tickets
• When to Visit
• Activities
• What to Bring
• My Honest Review

Still need some inspiration to book the trip? Check out my other Croatia blogs below:

• Itinerary: Four Days in Croatia
• Guide to Krka
• Guide to Split
• Guide to Hvar Island
• 20 Photos to Inspire You to Travel to Croatia

In total, the park is about 300 square kilometers and contains 16 lakes and numerous waterfalls of varying sizes. The largest waterfall, Veliki Slap Waterfall (pictured below), is 78 meters high and located at the front of the park so no matter which route you take around the lakes you won’t miss it.

Pictured: The view of the largest waterfall in Plitvice Lakes National Park

Pictured: One of the elevated walking paths in Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Below is a map of Plitvice National Park, which you can get at the entrance when you buy or scan your ticket. The park is divided into two areas: The Upper Lakes and the Lower Lakes and various routes take you between them. I recommend talking to someone at the entrance to see which route they recommend taking based on much time you have and what you want to see.

There are also two entrances to the park – I would aim for Entrance 1 in order to do the regular loop and get to see the biggest waterfall at both the beginning and end of your journey.

Pictured: Map of Plitvice Lakes National Park

I explored the park via Route C (map pictured below). While the map says it will take 4-5 hours, I found it took around 3 hours and could have taken less had there not been as many crowds. This route is the most extensive and takes you to every waterfall and lake in the park, as well as on a ferry across the Upper Lakes.

Pictured: Trail C at Plitvice Lakes National Park (the trail I chose)

From Split, you can get to the waterfalls one of two ways: via a rented car or a tour bus. Below is a breakdown of each option, as which you choose depends on a variety of factors.

This is the route that I chose, but it might not be the best option depending on what you want to accomplish. I would recommend renting a car if you either 1) Have at least two people in your party (that will help to lessen the costs), or 2) Want to see both Krka and Plitvice Lakes in one day (because all tours I’ve seen only do one or the other). Below are the pros and cons of renting a car:

Pros:

• Flexibility on timing and ability to do as you please
• Ability to see both Krka and Plitvice Lakes in one day
• Easy – No need for directions and easy pick up/drop off
• Can be less expensive than bus if you have more people

Cons:

• Driving, directions, etc. takes additional effort
• Need to pick up and drop off car from Split Airport (additional time)
• If squeezing in both Krka and Plitvice you can feel rushed
• More expensive than bus with fewer people

If you choose to rent a car, you’ll need to use GPS to get you to the waterfalls, which will also require cell phone data. I would recommend starting early with Plitvice Lakes because it’s further and try to be there no later than 9AM when the crowds start to come in. Walking around Plitvice when it’s crowded is miserable because the walking paths are extremely narrow meaning you’re waiting in lots of lines to see each waterfall. When you’re done with Plitvice, head onto Krka, which is on the way back to Split.

Note: You don’t need a tour of the waterfalls because there are easy-to-follow paths and signs throughout the park.

Pictured: One of the smaller lakes in Plitvice Lakes National Park

For Plitvice Lakes, I booked my ticket in advance on their website here for 300 Kn or roughly $40 USD. You can also book your ticket on arrival, I just did it to help save time because there are long lines. Regardless of if you book tickets in advance or in-person, be sure to grab a map at the entrance and talk to the attendant about which route to take around the park.

Pictured: The brochure of Plitvice (including maps) provided to you upon arrival at the entrance.

Plitvice Lakes is open year-round! However, the hours of the park change depending on what season you visit (see the timetable below). What’s beautiful about this is that you don’t have to determine when to visit Croatia based on when the park is open, but you should be aware that you’ll see very different sides of the park depending on when you choose to go.

While the first things you might see when you think of Croatia are images of the sunny coastal summer, due to its inland location the climate of Plitvice Lakes varies drastically year-round. In winter, you can expect snow in the park, whereas summer can get scorchingly hot. While I personally visited in summer (July, to be exact), I recommend visiting in the springtime. Reason being, in summer there is less water feeding into the falls so they weren’t as heavy as I had expected. Some of the falls, including the largest waterfall, felt like more of a stream than a waterfall. In springtime, you will find heavier falls due to the snow melting more recently and it will make for a more enchanting sight.

Arrive as early as possible (if you’re going with a tour bus they’ll make sure you’re there early as well). This means by 9AM. The earlier you arrive, the faster your trip will be through the park. The park has very narrow designated walking paths so if it’s crowded you’ll be waiting behind tourists most of the day rather than looking at the views. Additionally, the sun is better in the early hours of the day so you can see the waterfalls the best at that hour. Lastly, depending on the time of year you visit, the park may close much earlier in the day – see the timetable below:

Pictured: One of the many waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park.

However, I will say that this was the one downside of the park. While the main thing to do in many national parks is to just walk around and enjoy the scenery, since you’re confined to the narrow elevated pathways in Plitvice it did get repetitive quickly. Keeping this in mind, if you want to shorten your trip to Plitvice and not tour the entire park, I would recommend taking Trail A or B. These trails cover the Lower Lakes, which I found to be more awe-inspiring than the Upper Lakes.

Pictured: The Lower Lakes in Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Here’s everything to bring on your day to Plitvice Lakes National Park:

• Athletic Shoes: Wear comfortable shoes as there’s a lot of walking (especially if you choose the long routes).
• Athletic Apparel: Along with your athletic shoes, wear something comfortable and athletic for walking as you might get misted by a waterfall or two.
• Sunglasses: Beyond just the sunshine, the reflection on the water can be really strong, especially in the summertime. Come equipped with sunglasses to help with the glare.
• Sunscreen: Along with sunglasses, sunscreen is essential to protect you from the strong rays, especially in the summertime.
• Rain Coat: While I didn’t take this with me because the conditions were clear all day, sudden rain showers do appear here frequently so bring a raincoat just in case.
• Water & Snacks: There are places to buy water & food along the route, but they aren’t around every corner. Definitely bring some water and also possibly a snack in case you think you’ll get hungry.

Pictured: A close-up view of part of the largest waterfall, Veliki Slap.

Obviously, as you can see in the pictures, Plitvice Lakes National Park is gorgeous. From the cascading waterfalls to the turquoise blue lakes, it’s a wonderful way to spend a day in Croatia. However, there are three things that I wasn’t expecting that put a damper on my trip:

1. It’s far from Split: The National Park is fairly out of the way from Split and will take a full day for you to see, especially if you’re on the tour bus. Therefore, if you have limited time in Croatia (four days or fewer), I wouldn’t recommend venturing out to Plitvice. While it is gorgeous, there are plenty of other gorgeous areas of Croatia that are closer to the main cities to see instead.
2. It’s crowded: Especially in the summertime, it gets insanely crowded in Plitvice. That, plus the fact that you can only circumnavigate the park on the elevated walking paths, you’ll find yourself waiting behind other tourists throughout your whole time there, which will put a damper on the beautiful sights that you’re there to see.
3. Water levels: As mentioned above, depending on what time of year you go, there are different levels of water streaming from the waterfalls. Sadly, when I went in July there was very little water since it had been a dry summer so the waterfalls weren’t as roaring and impressive as the pictures I had seen. To see them in their best condition, head there in the springtime instead.

Based on all the above, here’s my honest review: If you have an extra day in the area, definitely check out Plitvice Lakes National Park, but rent a car and also go to the nearby Krka National Park in the same day to check both off your list. On the contrary, if you have limited time in the area, skip both parks altogether and explore some of the islands near Split instead.