Plitvice Lakes National Park was the main thing that originally attracted me to Croatia. It is one of the most popular national parks along with Krka National Park. If you only have time to visit one national park then I definitely recommend visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is the older and largest national park in Croatia. The park covers 30,000 hectares of forest with numerous lakes and waterfalls throughout the forest. Plitvice Lakes has also been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The lakes are divided into 12 upper and 4 lower lakes. There are 8 different hiking options to choose from, four start at entrance 1 and 4 start at entrance 2.
Make sure you download the app prior to arriving so you can run through the hiking program you want. You can also mark your parking spot in the app so you don’t struggle to find where you park after a long day of hiking.
Buy your ticket in advance to make sure you can visit on the day you want to. You can buy your ticket here. Prices and operating hours differ depending on the time of year.
How to Get There
You can get to Plitvice Lakes three ways – by car rental, bus or tour. If you feel comfortable driving abroad then this is definitely the best option to not only get around Croatia but to get to Plitvice Lakes National Park. The roads are great and I rarely ran into traffic the entire time I was travelling through Croatia. If you prefer not to drive, you should be able to catch a bus from most bigger cities. Zagreb, Zadar and Split offer daily bus routes to Plitvice Lakes. If you are going to go by bus, I recommend leaving from Zagreb and Zadar as they’re only approximately 2-3 hours from the park. Split is a bit further from the park so you will probably spend more time travelling there then actually enjoying the park. If you prefer to travel in groups, then you should book a tour.
I left for Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb and made it a stop along my way to Split. I chose to stay overnight near the park as I knew I wouldn’t want to drive to Split after completing the hike. Depending on which hike you do and what time you start at you might not mind continuing on to Split that night. As I was travelling solo and didn’t arrive at Plitvice until after 12:00, I knew I would feel safer staying overnight close to the park. This also gave me the opportunity to visit Krka National Park on my way to Split.
Where to Stay
Budget: Plitvice Miric Inn – This is where I chose to stay as I knew I’d be getting in later and leaving quite early so I really just needed a cheap place to stay. The inn was a clean and quiet place to stay. They do offer a great breakfast at an additional charge. They are a cash only establishment so if you are travelling mostly with cards make sure you keep extra cash for your stay here.
Mid-Range: Hotel Jezero or Hotel Degenija
When to Visit
There really is no bad time to visit the park. Most popular months to visit are April to October as they are the warmest months. In autumn, you will get to see the colours change around the park and will be less busy. In the winter, there will be a layer of snow covering the park but it will be equally as beautiful. If you do decide to visit outside of the summer months, there may be limited access around the park so make sure you check the website to make sure you won’t be affected.
What to Wear
- Shoes: make sure you wear a comfortable pair of shoes.
- Sweater or Jacket: bring a sweater or jacket with you. If you get an early start to the day, it can be much cooler. You can always take off layers but you can’t put on layers you don’t have.
- Sunscreen/Hat: if you are there in the summer, make sure you wear sunscreen and/or a hat to protect yourself.
The Park: Entrance 1
Entrance 1 has programs A, B, C and K1. This is the most popular entrance and will give you access to the lower lakes. The routes through entrance 1 range from 3km to 18km and take roughly 2 to 8 hours to complete depending on your physical ability and how quickly you move through the route.
The Park: Entrance 2
Entrance 2 has programs E, F, H and K2. This entrance will give you access to the upper lakes. The routes through entrance 2 range from 5km to 18km and take roughly 3 to 8 hours to complete.
Time will play a large factor in which program is best for you to do. I recommend planning to spend at least half a day here and I would do Program C out of Entrance 1. This program takes approximately 4-6 hours depending on your physical ability and how quickly you like to move. This program will bring you along the lower lakes and then you will take a boat across the lake and walk up to the upper lakes to finish out the program. This program offers some incredible views and I think most people would be able to complete it.
You will want to check out each program in advance to see which one is best for you. Each program offers different views but whichever program you do choose, I do recommend starting at entrance 1 in the lower lakes working your way up to the upper lakes.
Plitvice Lakes National Park really is a must-see place while travelling through Croatia. This park was actually what first attracted me to visiting Croatia and I can’t recommend it enough. The park is breathtaking and you certainly won’t be disappointed no matter what time of year you come. I can’t wait to come back one day and would love to see the park in each season.
