Plitvice Lakes National Park in Central Croatia, Croatia
The Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia’s most popular tourist attraction, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979.
Located roughly halfway between capital city Zagreb and Zadar on the coast, the lakes are a definite must-see in Croatia.
The beauty of the National Park lies in its sixteen lakes, inter-connected by a series of waterfalls, and set in deep woodland populated by deer, bears, wolves, boars and rare bird species.
The National Park covers a total area of 300 square kilometres, whilst the lakes join together over a distance of eight kilometres.
There’s also quite an altitude difference – the highest point is at 1280 m, the lowest at 380 m – although the total height difference between the lakes themselves is only 135 m.
(Veliki Slap, the largest waterfall, is 70 m tall.)
If you’re undecided about whether or not to visit Plitvice Lakes, take a look at any photo album of the Park and that will surely sway you!
The official Plitvice Lakes website has a fantastic virtual tour that features some truly stunning scenes.
The national park is world-famous for its lakes arranged in cascades.
Sixteen lakes can be seen from the surface.
These lakes are a result of the confluence of several small rivers and subterranean karst rivers.
The lakes are all interconnected and follow the water flow.
They are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae, and bacteria.
The particularly sensitive travertine barriers are the result of an interplay between water, air and plants.
The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year.
The 16 lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 to 503 m over a distance of some 8 kilometres, aligned in a south–north direction.
The lakes collectively cover an area of about 0.77 square miles, the water exiting from the lowest lake forming the Korana River.
The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colors, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue.
The colors change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.
Getting to the Plitvice Lakes National Park
If you’re driving to the Park, there is parking at both entrances.
It costs 7 Kuna per hour for cars.
Visiting the Plitvice Lakes National Park
The Park is open daily all year round, with longer opening hours during summer (usually 7am to 8pm).
There’s an entrance fee which acts as a contribution to the Park’s upkeep and protection.
For adults it is 80 Kuna January to March and in November and December; 180 Kuna during April, May and October; and 300 Kuna for June to September.
If you visit after 4pm in June, July or August, tickets are discounted – after this time they cost 200 Kuna.
This is also the price of tickets if you visit after 3pm in September.
Children aged 7 to 18 have cheaper tickets, whilst children under the age of seven go free.
Students also get discounted entry, and groups of 15 or more (whether adults, students or children) can also get discounts.
2-day tickets for the Park can also be purchased, which provide you with some cost savings.
4-hour guided tours in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian or Croatian can also be pre-booked for a minimum of 15 people at an additional cost.
There are two entrances to the Park – excitingly titled Entrance 1 for the lower lakes and Entrance 2 for the higher lakes.
Entrance 2 (and therefore some of the park) is normally closed in winter (November to April).
Full details of ticket prices can be found on Price List page of the Plitvice Lakes National Park website.
You can purchase tickets for the Plitvice Lakes National Park in advance online or at the ticket booths at the entrances.
During the busy summer period, it is recommend to purchase tickets in advance so you don’t wait for ages in a queue!
Sightseeing in the Plitvice Lakes National Park
The best time of year to visit
Plitvice Lakes isn’t just for summer.
It’s a stunning place to visit any time of year as the different seasons see the Park take on different hues, whether that’s lush greenery in spring/summer, rich colours in autumn, or magical scenes in the snow and ice in winter.
Even if conditions are rainy, the park can still be wonderful to explore as the water takes on a dramatic effect – sometimes bubbling up underneath your feet on the wooden pathways!
Understandably, Plitvice can get very busy during summer and the pathways can be quite crowded.
We’d ideally recommend a spring/late summer visit when the weather is still good, the park is open for relatively long hours but there should be fewer people.
Do note that Entrance 2 (higher lakes) is normally closed in winter.
There’s still plenty to explore from Entrance 1!
Accommodation in the Plitvice Lakes
It is possible to stay right next to the Park at one of its three hotels (which are all clustered quite closely together by Entrance 2) or at its campsite, Camp Korana (which contains bungalows or space for 500 camping units), which is about 7km from entrance 1.
Another campsite, Camp Borje, is 15km away from Entrance 2.
Another hotel, the Hotel Grabovac, that is also located 12km north of the Park.
There is also a very wide selection of private accommodation (rooms, apartments in guesthouses and similar) in the region.
These include some options very close to the park entrances, but also plenty of choice in a number of the towns and villages (such as Slunj) on the way to the Park.
If you don’t have your own car, make sure you pick an accommodation choice that’s walking distance to the Park!
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