Plitvice Lakes Overview
Plitvice Lakes, located in the heart of Croatia, is one of Europe’s most famous national parks. The park consists of a 300-sq-km forrest that is pierced by 16 gorgeous lakes. Within the area, you can find canyons, waterfalls, and the most crystal-colored water in all of Europe. The entire park is connected through a series of walkways as well as bus and boat rides.
Transportation
First things first-How do you get here? Unfortunately, the lakes are not conveniently situated near a major city so you will need to arrange for transportation. There are three options to get to Plitvice.
1. Bus
Buses in Croatia are great! They are the easiest way to get around and generally on time. Buses to the lakes can be found from Croatia’s major cities (Split, Zadar, Zagreb, Dubrovnik). I went from Split, and the bus ride took about 3.5 hours. There generally is an early morning bus around 7 am which will conveniently place you at the lakes around 10:30 am. If you are going during busy season, I would definitely recommend purchasing your ticket in advance. Get By Bus is a trusted site to use for this.
2. Car
The most flexible of the three options would be to rent a car. If you want to make pit stops on your way to the lakes or simply be able to control when you leave and return, renting a car might be the best option for you. I should warn you that there is A LOT of walking in the Plitvice lakes so driving back might be a tiring experience.
3. Tours
If neither a bus nor a car works for you, you may want to look into booking a Plitvice Lakes tour. A simple google search will provide you with endless tour companies offering transport and guides to and for the lakes. After visiting the lakes myself, however, I would try and avoid this option if possible. The lakes are best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Going as part of a guided tour will reduce your ability to venture into caves, enjoy peaceful settings, and stop for great photo-ops.
Should I Go Via a Tour?
If you can avoid it, I would recommend not seeing the lakes via a tour. When you arrive, you will see the appeal of being able to see the park at your own lesisurley pace. Most tours will speed you along and give you limited time to enjoy the lakes in peace
Lodging
The biggest logistical question surrounding the lakes revolves around whether to stay a night at a nearby hotel or to make it a day trip from a nearby city (Zadar/Split). Though there isn’t much to do around the area (beside the lakes), I recommend staying here for one night. Doing so will allow you to spend more time at the park during quieter hours. Most buses arrive at the lakes around 10:30 am and depart around 5:00 pm. If you choose to stay near the lakes either the night before or after your visit, you will get a few hours on either the front or back end of your day with fewer crowds (the park is open from 7 am to 7 pm in summer). This is especially important if visiting in the summer when crowds can get completely out of hand. You will find that your favorite memories of the park will be the off-peak morning and late evening hours.
Tickets
I would highly recommend buying tickets online if you are coming during the summer months. I did not, and I was not allowed to enter until 4:00 pm. Luckily, they don’t have a great way of enforcing the entrance, and I was able to make my way into the park earlier than my slotted time. This being said, it is not worth the risk if you are coming all this way to see these lakes. Get your tickets in advance and avoid the hassle. Tickets can be bought here.
Note: The ticket will say what gate you can enter from so make sure it is the one most conveniently located near your hotel or bus stop.
Visiting the Park
How Much Time?
The park is huge and you can spend endless hours here if you love nature and hiking. Travel blogs across the internet provide a wide range of time requirements needed for the park. I would personally say a minimum of four hours is needed to enjoy most of the park’s beauty. If you do have the time, six hours is the perfect amount of time to see the park in its entirety. Of course, this can vary depending on how many breaks you take and how fast you prefer to walk.
What Route
There are many routes options, but only two allow you to see the entirety of the park ( Program C and Program H). Program C starts from Entrance 1, and Program H starts from Entrance 2. I started from Entrance 2, worked our way up to the upper lakes, and ended by Entrance 1. You can’t go wrong with either option, so I wouldn’t stress about this too much.
Cost
Ticket prices are always changing year over year, but you can expect to pay about 30-40 EUR to enter the park.
Plitvice or Krka?
There is a debate amongst travelers on whether to do Krka National Park or Plitvice. The perk of Krka is that you can swim in the water (not allowed at Plitvice ). I haven’t been to Krka yet, but I encourage you to ignore the swimming aspect of the appeal. Based on my research, Plitvice Lakes was without a doubt the more unique attraction in Croatia. Not being able to swim should not deter you from visiting this beautiful spectacle. This park is one of the most unique national parks in Europe, so you really can’t go wrong if you decide on Plitvice!
The Experience
You might be debating if seeing lakes are worth a day off of your Croatia itinerary. Lakes can be found anywhere, so why go through the trouble of getting to Plitvice? I went through the same thought process but instantly loved my decision to visit once I arrived. Plitvice offers quite possibly the most unique lake viewing experience in the world. The size of the lakes, the total number of lakes (16), and their incredible and surreal crystal clear blue color make this experience one of a kind; Not to mention the stunning backdrop of the forest and flora that surrounds each lake
To see the park in its entirety, you should expect to walk A LOT (I walked 16 miles)! Your feet will hurt by day’s end, but the pain is worth it. There is a high likelihood that despite being sore, you will want to continue you will still want to keep walking and exploring for as long as you can.
The one negative to these lakes is their popularity. If you visit during peak season, you can expect huge crowds which can ruin your ability to enjoy the beauty in a peaceful setting. That being said, if you plan accordingly and enter the park early and/or stay until closing, you can get several hours with low crowds and a more blissful experience.
Overall, you can’t go wrong with spending a day (and night) to see these lakes. As long as it is not dry season, you can expect to be wowed!
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