This is a guide to Plitvice Lakes in Croatia. I’m Rok and as a tour guide I’m excited to show
you the beauty and glory of Plitvice and help you make the most of your experience.
Thanks to its stunning cascading waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, and lush forests,
Plitvice is one of Croatia’s most visited destinations. Plitvice are a protected
National Park and part of UNESCO World Heritage. Its 16 lakes are connected by numerous waterfalls,
culminating in the highest waterfall in Croatia, which plunges into the river canyon. The best
idea is to plan for one entire day as you will do a lot of walking, riding a road train, and
taking electric boats. Its possible to see all 16 lakes in half a day, but you’ll have to maintain a
good pace. If needed, there is also a 2-day ticket available. However, before purchasing any tickets,
be sure to check the park conditions, as rain or melting snow may cause water levels to rise,
potentially submerging and closing certain trails. The lake system is divided into the Upper and
Lower lakes. The Upper lakes occupy more space and volume and have gently sloping shorelines.
The Lower lakes are formed in a narrow limestone canyon with steep banks. The Upper and Lower lakes
are connected by the largest lake in the park called Kozjak, where electric boats transfer
passengers between the Upper and Lower lakes. The National Park has two entrance points,
simply named Entrance 1 and Entrance 2. Entrance 1 is located near the bottom of the Lower Lakes,
while Entrance 2 is situated between the Upper and Lower Lakes. Wooden boardwalks
guide visitors above the waters and help protect the park's delicate ecosystems.
Wooden trails offer 8 different routes marked by signs directing you along these paths. Therefore,
you should know which route to take before you start walking. You can find the entire
list on the Park’s website, inside the Park’s app, and on informational panels throughout
the Park. Routes are named by letters A to K and distinguished by two colors:
green mark routes starting at Entrance 1, while orange indicate routes starting at Entrance 2.
However, my favorite way to see Plitvice is by combining two existing routes and including a
small detour. This route covers all the best parts, is mostly downhill, and can be completed
from any entrance in about 5 to 6 hours. My favorite route around Plitvice starts
with taking a free-of-charge road train to the top of the Upper Lakes. The train has three stations.
Station 1 is situated near the bottom of the Lower Lakes, close to Entrance 1. Station 2 is located
between the Lower and Upper Lakes, adjacent to Entrance 2. Station 3 is positioned at the
top of the Upper Lakes. From there, I begin my walk by following Route H on a beautiful
wooden boardwalk suspended over the water. After a scenic descent through the forest,
there is a sign for a viewpoint, which opened in 2024. I suggest taking this detour, as you
will be rewarded with breathtaking views, but it will add approximately 1.7 kilometers or 1 mile
to the journey. Many people don’t realize that this detour takes at least half an hour and give
up after only a few minutes. An ascending forest path will guide you to the viewing platform called
Tomićevo pogledalo, with splendid views of the lakes and forest. After taking in the scenery,
the circular trail descends and reconnects with Route H, bringing you back almost to the
same spot where you left the main path. After the scenic detour, I continue following Route H until
it takes a right turn and crosses from the left side of the lakes to the right. However, instead
of following Route H and crossing the lake, I prefer to continue downhill on a forest trail,
remaining on the left shore of the lake. This p ath actually follows the reverse of Route C.
In Plitvice, everything is left to nature's course. The natural beauty is shaped by rocky
limestone and chalk surfaces, which are highly sensitive to chemical and mechanical wear. Over
thousands of years, flowing waters have dissolved limestone and chalk, reshaping the area by
depositing dissolved minerals, resulting in the ongoing and constantly changing appearance of the
park. The process of dissolved calcium carbonate deposition by plants, algae, and mosses leads to
the formation of tufa, a hollow, porous rock. As these tufa barriers develop, water levels rise,
increasing the volume of the lakes. All 16 large lakes have signs displaying their names,
positions in the lake system, depths, surfaces, and elevations. Besides the 16 named lakes,
there are also numerous smaller unnamed lakes separated by these tufa barriers
yet interconnected through a unique water system featuring a series of waterfalls.
The finest and most picturesque waterfalls send water from Galovac Lake to Gradinsko Lake. When
approaching this section, Route H comes back to me via a boardwalk from the right side of the lake,
and again, I start to follow its directions. After descending right next to the waterfall, there is
a sharp right turn on a wooden boardwalk where a series of amazing waterfalls begins. The first one
is the spectacular Veliki Prštavac, a 28 meter or 92 ft high waterfall that will most likely spray
your camera lenses, hence its name. The boardwalk will take you along to its smaller brother,
an 18-meter or 59 ft high waterfall called Mali Prštavac. The section ends with another scenic
waterfall, Galovački Buk, which is 16 meters or 52 ft high. The waterfall is named after the lake,
and the word 'buk' means water noise. After this amazing section, Route H turns
downhill on the right side of the lakes, through the forest until it reaches a wooden dock named
P2 on the largest lake in the park, Lake Kozjak. This is the end of the Upper Lakes. From here,
electric boats operate in two directions. If you've had enough for the day, hop on a very
short boat ride towards dock P1 to reach the park exit at Entrance 2. I prefer to stay on Route H
by crossing the lake with a long boat ride in the direction of dock P3. Unfortunately, this boat can
only be used once, and you will need to show your park ticket when boarding. If you need to return,
you will either have to walk back along the shores of the lake or use a road train. The last ride of
the day departs at 5 pm, and it lasts about 20 minutes to reach the other side of Lake Kozjak.
In this lovely area you'll find restaurants, toilets, and an information center. After
taking a well deserved break, you can head straight to the Lower Lakes.
The Lower lakes were formed within the canyon. Just follow Route H, which will take you to the
Big Waterfall. On the way you will see all four Lower Lakes and one of its highlights,
a massive travertine cascade known as the Great Cascade. Here the trail splits in two paths. The
one running along the base of the Great Cascade goes towards the Big Waterfall, while the other
leading in the opposite direction takes you through Šupljara cave, but is often closed.
If the trail is open and you're in good physical shape, a path with stairs will take you through
the cave in about 15 minutes, significantly shortening your way to the exit. Otherwise,
continue along the cascade. The trail culminates with the highest waterfall in Croatia,
The Big Waterfall, plunging into the Korana River canyon. To get out of the canyon towards the exit,
you'll need to backtrack to a boardwalk that runs on the other side of the lake. There an uphill
zigzag route will take you towards the exit. You can follow the signs for the exit at Entrance 1 or
continue walking further along the ridge to reach a viewpoint with a small observation deck. A few
minutes further is Station 1 of the road train that can take you to the exit at Entrance 2.
After a long walk, you'll probably crave food. My favorite option is Lička kuća,
located right next to Entrance 1. It has a cozy ambiance with traditional furnishing
and offers delicious food of local origin. Best local specialties are marked by a red
dot on the menu. A specialty of the region is Lika Lamb, raised outdoors on open fields
rich in medicinal and aromatic herbs. There are several dishes with Lamb and they are all
delicious. I also really enjoyed the unique Lika soup, a hearty dish made with lamb meat, potatoes,
mushrooms, onions, and various root vegetables. If you want to spend the night inside the National
Park, you can choose between 2 campsites and 4 hotels. They are nicely presented in the
Plitvice Lakes National Park App, along with all 8 routes, making it easier to navigate the park.
I hope this guide helped you discover the beauty of Plitvice and will assist you in making the
most out of your trip. Also, check the description below where you will find my favorite experiences
from this region. My name is Rok, thanks for the thumbs up and for watching, and see you next time!