How to plan a trip to Plitvice Lakes: quick practical tips
Getting There
Croatia has an impressive country-wide busing system, so unless you're driving, buses are the only way to get to Plitvice. I found all my bus tickets for Croatia on getbybus.com.
Book Your Accommodation
I'd recommend staying at the hotels by Entrance 1 or booking an Airbnb that offers transportation to and from the park. I did the latter and loved it!
Guided Tours
Looking for a guided tour? Check out Get Your Guide. A guided tour can make your visit so much richer. Get Your Guide has excellent walking and bike tours in particular. Odds are you'll find exactly what you're looking for.
Planning a trip to Plitvice Lakes?
Plitvice is an extraordinary place to visit, and it should be on everyone's list. That said, when I was planning my trip I looked at dozens of websites trying to find information about the different trails and the logistics of getting around in and around the park. It was headache-inducing at best. This post will hopefully make clear everything you need to know before visiting this dream-like nature escape.
Overview
Plitvice Lakes is an impressive National Park in central Croatia. This 30,000-hectare forest reserve, making it the largest National Park in Croatia, is known for its 16 terraced lakes. Each lake sources and flows into the next, and are connected by a series of cascading waterfalls. The park also has many limestone caves and caverns. It was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
I think this park is my new happy place.
Waterfalls come in all shapes and sizes!
The park features seemingly endless hiking paths in and around the National Park. But perhaps most famously the park has narrow, wooden footpaths that allow visitors to walk around and across the falls.
All year-round destination
Plitvice is a stunning destination at all times of the year. Springtime is when the park is its greenest and everything is in bloom. The water levels will be at their highest. In the summer, the lakes are an otherworldly bright blue and the falls are at their best. Autumn produces exquisite oranges and reds, so you'd be walking through a colorful paradise. Winter in Plitvice is snowy, especially around the new year. Sometimes the falls even freeze over, providing breathtaking icy vistas.
Upper and Lower Lakes
Walking along the Upper Lakes, having just entered from Entrance 2.
There are two sections of the park which are referred to as the Upper and Lower Lakes. You can easily walk from the Upper Lakes down to the Lower Lakes (or vice versa - though that's an uphill hike), and there's not an obvious border from one section of the park to the next unless you've made note of it on a map. Rather, these two areas of the park are helpfully named as they offer different scenery, levels of difficulty, and overall experiences.
Upper Lakes
The Upper Lakes are generally more tree-covered and feel more like nature trails than a paved-over National Park.
The 12 Upper Lakes are foresty. You'll be walking among the trees mostly. The Upper Lakes tout still, quiet water and seemingly untouched nature paths that will eventually lead you to waterfalls. It's larger and less visited than the Lower Lakes, though that's where the most impressive waterfalls can be found.
Instead, the Upper Lakes are best for those who want to see the park in its entirety and not simply the scenic overlooks. You'll see fewer kids in the Upper Lakes, and it tends to stay quieter until much later in the morning.
The Upper Lakes make up a large portion of the park, so you'll need to be in decent shape to walk from the Upper to the Lower Lakes.
Lower Lakes
One of several impressive waterfall views from the Lower Lakes.
The four Lower Lakes are probably what you've seen pictures of online. It's home to the largest waterfall (one of 90+) in the park. The Lower Lakes are easily accessible from Entrance 1 (more about the entrances in a bit), and there's not nearly as much walking involved. You'll be walking along wooden paths that weave around and through some epic waterfall views, and your best photo-ops will be here.
This relatively small area gets busy with families and school groups about an hour after it opens, and stays that way for the majority of the day.
Hours
Plitvice Lakes is open year-round, every day. Opening times are adjusted based on the season and amount of daylight.
Summer: June and August. Open 7am to 8pm, with last entry at 6pm.
Fall: September and October. Open 7am/8am to 6pm/7pm, with last entry at 4pm/5pm.
Winter: November to March. Open 8am to 4pm, with last entry at 2pm.
Spring: April and May. Open 8am to 7pm, with last entry at 5pm.
Note: Entrance 2 is CLOSED from November to March. When open, it has the same hours as Entrance 1.
Tickets
Visitors can purchase one-day or two-day tickets to the park. If you're able to stay overnight, I highly recommend getting a two-day ticket.
Ticket prices
Ticket prices vary widely depending on which season you'll be going. Off-season tickets for adults are only €10, shoulder season tickets are €23, and peak-season tickets are €40. Children under 7 are always free. Ticket prices are likely to fluctuate, so be sure to check the website for the most updated prices.
Student discount
Plitvice Lakes National Park offers considerable student discounts, so feel free to book with the student discount in advance if applicable, just be prepared to show your valid ID at the park if asked.
Parking fees
If you'll be driving, note that parking costs €1.50/hour from June through September, and €1/hour during the rest of the year.
Book in advance
Note that the park can reach capacity in the summer months, so if you're going then, be sure to book your tickets online and far in advance. When booking online, you can switch the website's language to English. Make sure you select the correct entrance before you choose your ticket's date and time. Be sure to keep your ticket handy once you enter the park, as you'll need to show it at certain checkpoints.
Two-day tickets
Two-day tickets are what I recommend, and they offer a slight discount compared to purchasing two individual one-day tickets. When you book a two-day ticket, you still need to select the time and entrance you'll enter the park. This time and entrance only apply to your first day's entrance. The time and entrance on your second day are entirely up to you!
Getting to Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice Lakes is kind of in the middle of nowhere in central Croatia. It just about rubs up against the country's border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is certainly no airport, and the park is only accessible by private car or bus.
If you're driving, be aware that the park has plenty of parking but you may be in for a bit of a walk in the summertime if the two parking lots start filling up.
Fortunately, Croatia has a fantastic busing system. They're reliable and on time. Or actually, I found buses in Croatia to consistently leave about 5-10 minutes early! You've been warned! Buses are also comfortable and can be booked far in advance online if desired.
You could make Plitvice Lakes a day trip from a neighboring city like Zadar, Zagreb, or even Split, but you would need to arrive in Plitvice very early in the morning to make a single-day trip worth your time. Even so, you can't see the entirety of the park in one day - and you probably wouldn't want to either. It's too big and has too many different trails.
If you can, plan for at least one overnight in Plitvice so you can do two days at the park. Two days is the perfect amount of time to see everything and take lots of photos without overdoing it.
Park map and entrances
Save this map for your planning purposes!
This map? It's your new best friend. I designed this map to include all the important features (walking trails, bathrooms, bus stops, etc.) from about a dozen other maps I planned my trip from. Enjoy.
Entrances
There are two main entrances to the park. Entrance 1 brings you into the Lower Lakes on the north side of the park, while Entrance 2 drops you into the Upper Lakes section on the southern end of the park. As mentioned in the hours section, Entrance 2 is closed from November to March.
Train and boat ride
There is a train-like bus that can shlep you up or down the mountain, as well as an electric boat that will take you across Kozjak Lake (see map above). Each park ticket includes one train ride and one boat ride. Keep this in mind as you plan your routes. For example, you won't be able to take the boat, hike for a while, and then take the boat back to your original destination.
That said, if you purchase a 2-day ticket (which I recommend), you can use the train and boat once each day. The boat stops at three different locations, marked on the map as P1, P2, and P3.
Facilities
You'll see helpful maps like this one at each of the stopping points throughout the park.
All entrances to the park, as well as all train stations (St1, St2, and St3) have bathroom stops. Food and bathrooms are actually surprisingly easy to find in the park (more on this later on). I was concerned about this before my visit and ended up having zero issues. Plitvice manages not to over-pave nature while still providing clean, well-placed, and frequent facilities throughout the park.
Trails
There are eight different trails that will take you through various sections of the National Park. Assuming you want to see as much of the park as possible, ignore trails A and B. Trails A and B are small and just have you seeing the highlights in the Lower Lakes. E and F also break up the park unnecessarily, and you'll likely be comfortable walking farther than these small routes.
Trails C, H, and K build off of the small routes, so by choosing one of these trails you'll see everything the quicker loops have to offer, and much more. They also make good use of the train and boat access that comes with your ticket.
Visit the park's website to see maps of all the trails, noting the distances and estimated completion times. You can also check to make sure these trails are open, as some of the longer routes listed above are temporarily unavailable during the winter. These routes that access the Upper Lakes are partially restricted in the winter months for the safety of the visitors. But you'll still be able to walk around in the Lower Lakes.
Suggested routes
(for a two-day visit)
To see as much of the park as possible, I'd recommend buying a two-day ticket. On day one you'll walk through the majority of the park and see the epic waterfalls of the Lower Lakes region. On the second day, you'll start outside the park to access lesser-known overlooks, before making your way back into the park to hit the Lower Lakes one more time if you wish.
In my opinion, and in my wonderful Airbnb host's opinion, trail H is what you want for your first day in the park.
Day one - trail H
Trail H will lead you through the best of the park, and it includes a train and boat ride.
Train to St3 - Upper Lakes
Begin your first day when the park opens at Entrance 2. After you show your ticket to enter the park, you'll be hopping on the panoramic train (it will be waiting right next to the entrance) that will take you from St2 to St3. Remember you'll need to show your ticket's QR code to get on the train.
This is the best use of your one train ride for a few reasons. First, the train will take you all the way up to the farthest part of the park you'll be visiting. It wouldn't be an interesting section of the park to hike. It's paved since it's almost exclusively used for the train. The views are also hidden by trees, so you won't miss anything by whizzing past this section of the park.
Secondly, the train will take you up, and up... and up and up. Once you arrive at St3, it will literally be all downhill from there.
Fresh off the panoramic train, near St3.
The farther you walk on trail H, the more waterfalls you'll see!
All the trails are clearly marked, so don't worry about getting lost. The paths from St3 start off very quiet. The first lake has crystal clear, still water. I was there early in the morning, so it felt as if the Earth itself was still waking up.
Eventually, you'll work your way inwards to narrower, forest-like paths. pay attention to the gaps in the wooden slats, especially as you go down the stairs. There can be ankle-turning holes. As you descend, it'll get louder. Your first waterfall will come into sight, and then the next!
Galovački Buk Waterfall might have been my overall favorite!
Veliki Prstavac Waterfall
Boat to P3, your lunch stop
Once you arrive at P2, take the boat to P3. You'll need to show your ticket QR code again. Even in May, I wish I had brought a warmer jacket if only for the boat ride! Being out on the water completely unshielded from the wind wasn't super fun. Unless you're visiting in peak summer months, consider bringing a windbreaker with a high neck. You'll be happy you did!
P3 is the perfect place to stop and have lunch and a hot drink. They've got plenty of picnic tables, clean bathrooms, and a lovely view of the lake.
Lower Lakes
After your lunch, set back out again following signs for trail H. This time, you'll be working your way into the Lower Lakes. Odds are, this section of trail will be considerably busier than your morning hike. That's okay! You'll be back to see some of the Lower Lakes again on day two.
Milanovac Waterfalls and Cascades
One of many limestone caves.
Watch your footing, as some of these planks have sizable gaps between them!
Lower Lakes
This section of the park has long, open sections of walkways that will carry you across the lakes and over several waterfalls. If you're whipping your camera out for anything, it's going to be this.
Towards the very end, as you get close to Entrance 1, you'll see the Grand (or Large) Waterfall, officially known as Veliki Slap ("slap" meaning "waterfall" in Croatian). It's the tallest in the park, measuring 78 meters (256 feet) high.
Veliki Waterfall, as seen from just inside Entrance 1.
This is easily the most impressive section of the park, making it the perfect end to a full day of exploring. From Veliki Waterfall, you can take a quick exit to Entrance 1 (the closest exit, but it's a steep path out!) or you can continue to walk along the lake to get back to Entrance 2.
As a third option, there is also a shuttle bus that runs every half hour during park hours that can take you from one entrance to the other. I stopped at Entrance 1, as it was easier for my gracious Airbnb host to pick me up!
Day two - modified trail K
You'll be starting at the light green dot I drew in, to hit the overlooks (in purple). Image credit: Plitvice Lakes National Park website.
The white eye-like icons are overlooks.
The morning of your second day in the park is when you'll visit the overlooks in the Lower Lakes area. In my opinion, Veliki Waterfall looks far better from above than it does from the ground.
To do so, we'll be using a modified trail K route. Note how the original K trail doesn't hit the Lower Lakes overlooks that are visible on my map. Why? Because technically, you'll be starting your second day outside the park, at least initially.
This is one of the reasons I was so glad I booked an Airbnb for my stay in Plitvice: the host offered to become my chauffeur. He knew all the best spots and drove me up to the access point for the very first overlook, which is still outside the park.
Note: There was a narrow set of stairs that led up to these overlooks from the Lower Lakes, but it had been roped off for seemingly quite some time. I imagine it was an old path that is no longer in use. That's why you really need a car to drop you off for this part, so plan your accommodations accordingly! I have the Airbnb I stayed at linked at the top of this article.
My host drove me up the mountain and dropped me off right next to a small waterwheel.
I highly recommend checking out the street view of this exact location on Google Maps, so you know what road it is and how to access it. There is nowhere to park, so you'll need to be dropped off.
Once you've been dropped off, continue walking along the road and you will shortly see signs for trails A and K (see above). Keep left and follow the signs.
Shortly thereafter, you'll see these two dirt paths (above) that hook left off of the road. Take either one. Congratulations! You're now on the overlook loop. This is the overlook section I marked in purple on the official trail K map.
Honestly, I was expecting this to be kind of sketchy, but this road leading up to the trail is extremely well-marked with trail signs and notices in several languages. Clearly, it's well-traveled.
Now that you're on the official trail, take pride in the fact that you're (hopefully) up early enough to be breaking the spiderwebs up for everyone else. Lord knows I was! But it will all be worth it, as shortly you will arrive at the first overlook!
Me enjoying the view.
The view of the Lower Lakes from the first overlook.
The entirety of this upper section only took me about an hour, and that included frequent and lengthy photo stops. Can you blame me?
Veliki Waterfall, as seen from an overlook.
Details of Veliki Waterfall
Looking down
Still not over this view of the rocks.
After completing this section of the trail, I had a much clearer understanding of the terraced lakes. You can literally see one lake become another, connected by waterfalls!
Hiking at a higher altitude on the second day helped me visualize the terraced lakes.
Once you complete this section, you'll pop out at P3. From here, you have a few options as to how you'd like to spend the rest of your day, depending on how you feel.
- Long and intense: From P3, you can continue on with trail K, and hike the higher elevation around almost the entirety of the park. However, there aren't any overlooks in the longgg middle section. So that's just hiking for the sake of hiking. Just sayin. But there are a few overlooks once you get up to the Upper Lakes, but keep in mind it's still a long way back from there. You'd need to pop out at St3 and take the train down, or re-hike what you did the day before to get out. But if you're really up for it, and want to see alll the park, this is your best bet.
- Short and sweet: I chose this section option, which was to pop out and take the boat from P3 to P1. From there, I finished the last bit of K by walking along the water's edge of the lake from P1 back to Entrance 1. Of course, I already saw some of the trail when I was on the boat, but it's a super flat and gorgeous section of trail. I saw lots of wildlife doing this, like frogs and dragonflies!
I wasn't up for K in all its length and intensity, so I happily opted for a fun boat road and an easy, flat walk back to finish off my morning. But it's entirely up to you!
Once I arrived back by Entrance 1, I did another small loop of the Lower Lakes. I was still up before the worst of the crowds and enjoyed seeing the view one more time. From there, I made my way out of the park and was happily stuffing my face for a late lunch not an hour later.
If you're only doing one overnight in Plitvice, I'd recommend this second, faster loop so you could grab an afternoon bus to your next destination.
Food and restrooms
Food inside the park is readily available. You can find a full list of restaurants and eateries on the park's website. The restaurants aren't easy to access while you're hiking. Stops like P1 and P3 have "bistros". These are little campground-esque clearings with food stations, a clearing with picnic tables, and restrooms. The bistros serve hot drinks and fast food like hot dogs and burgers. They only accept card.
These spots don't offer healthy food, so if you're looking for something different I'd suggest bringing a packed lunch. You're still free to sit at these picnic table areas and eat your own food.
Bathrooms are also located at every main stop in the park (boat stops P1 and P3, all train stations, and all entrances). They're incredibly clean. There was one woman whose whole job seemed to be to keep the facilities clean, and it showed. Croatia really knows how to cater to tourism. I found this to be true throughout the whole country. It was a lovely surprise.
Where to stay
The view from my Airbnb.
While the hotels by Entrance 2 are convenient, unless you drive you won't be able to access the overlooks on the second day.
That's why I recommend finding an Airbnb with a host that can drive you! This isn't sponsored, I just had a great experience where I stayed.
When to visit
A separate blog post about this is coming soon! But ultimately, Plitvice is gorgeous all year round, so it's hard to go wrong. Just keep in mind that those narrow walkways are MOBBED in the summer, and it may be difficult to walk around. And gosh, I don't want anyone to fall in!
Helpful resources
These are some of the best planning resources I used:
Frank About Croatia: absolutely fantastic blog post details the know-before-you-gos as well as additional activities in the area besides hiking.
Plitvice Lakes Park Website: this page has updated opening times for the park, ticket prices, and lists which park restaurants are open. You can also find their updated hours of operation for the train and boat here as well as park contact information. Generally, their whole website is surprisingly fantastic.
Looking for a visual of the bus stations? You can find a photo of these little log cabin-esque structures on plitvicelakes.info, another great planning site.
Plitvice Lakes is an extraordinary place on Earth. Regardless of when you go, you'll be welcomed by breathtaking views, larger-than-life waterfalls, and fantastic locals ready to help you. Have you been to the National Park? When did you visit? Let me know in the comments!
