Quick Summary
What we did- Program C or route C (5 miles or 8 Km) which is the most comprehensive route covering most the park, lower and upper lakes. Took us about 5 hours to finish
Where we stayed – Split. Did this as a day trip starting at 6 AM from Split and reaching the park around 9.30 AM. Went back to Split the same day which made for a long day.
Where we ate– Park food is expensive and not great. Decided to wait till we got out of the park to eat at restaurant Degenija which has amazing food. If you want to stay close to the park, the hotel might be a great option.
Plitvice lakes has been on my bucket list for few years and when we started planning our Balkan trip, this national park was the main focal point around which entire itinerary was built. Plitvice lakes is Croatia’s oldest and largest national park is renowned for its pristine natural beauty. We visited Plitvice as a day trip from Split but if I had to redo, I would stay close to Plitvice lakes overnight and do it as 2-day trip to be able to do lower lakes one day and upper lake next day and take my time photographing this amazing place.
Plitvice Lakes National Park features 16 emerald, teal, and blue colored lakes that are connected by over 90 cascades and waterfalls, divided into the Upper Lakes and the Lower Lakes. The Upper Lakes consist of twelve lakes formed on dolomite rock, while the four Lower Lakes are situated in limestone, carved into a canyon with dramatic cliffs.
It is very easy to walk around the park with its wooden footbridges and pathways snaking over the lakes and around their shores providing trails for visitors to explore and take in the breathtaking views. You can also take electric boats across the lower lake and a “panoramic train”- a long bus to cover parts of the park. This is not a difficult hike, and we did the program C in about 5 hours with lots of stopping take photos.
Plitvice lake location and visiting
Plitvice Lakes National Park is located in central Croatia, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s about 2 hours south of Zagreb and 1.5 hours north of Zadar.
How to Visit:
- By Car: You can drive to the park from Zagreb, Zadar, or Split via the E65, E71, and D1 highways. The park has two main entrances: Entrance 1 (North) near the Lower Lakes and Entrance 2 (South) near the Upper Lakes.
Distance from Zadar Airport: 120 km. Travel time: About 1.5 hours
Distance from Zagreb Airport: 140 km. Travel time: About 2 hours
Distance from Split Airport: 230 km. Travel time: 3 to 3.5 hours
Parking facilities: There are 3 visitor parking areas. Parking area P1 is located near Entrance 1 while P2 and P3 are located near Entrance 2.
- By Bus: There are intercity buses from Zagreb, Zadar, and Split that drop you off near the entrances. Booking tickets online in advance can help you skip the queue.
Travel Time:
Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes: Between 1 hr 50 minutes to 2 hrs 40 minutes.
Zadar to Plitvice Lakes: Between 1 hr 45 minutes to 2 hrs 40 minutes.
Split to Plitvice Lakes: Between 3 hrs 30 minutes to 5 hrs 50 minutes.
The journey times from these cities depend upon travel routes and any stops along the way.
Tickets and Timing
You can buy tickets from here and it is good to book tickets ahead of time especially during peak season.
The national park is open 365 days a year, though the hours the park is open to the public varies depending on the season. During winter, most hospitality facilities are closed to visitors, and accommodation is available only in Hotel Jezero. Check national park website for current information. During summer, the park is open from 7AM while winter hours vary.
Choosing the right path
The national park has several routes you can take depending on how much time you want to spend and what you want to see. These routes are called programs and national park webpage has maps of each of these programs. There are 8 routes and each cover different part of the park. The most comprehensive routes are Program C and H which as exactly same routes but C start at entrance 1 and H start at entrance 2. We did Program C which is about 5 miles and includes boat ride across the Kozjak and return to the starting point in electric panoramic vehicle.
Below is the details on each of the program and these are taken from the national park webpage.
A Program
- Duration – 2 to 3 hours
- Trail length- 3.5 KM or 2 miles
Starts at the entrance 1 and it is circular route with opportunity to admire ” Great Waterfall” or Veliki Slap- the largest waterfall in the park as well in Croatia. The path leads on upstream through lower lakes canyon to Kozjak Bridge. You can turn around this point to come back to the entrance
B Program
- Duration – 3 to 4 hours
- Trail Length- 4 Km or 2.5 miles
Start at entrance 1 and includes walking the lower lakes and a boat ride across the lake Kozjak followed by ride in Panoramic bus and walk along the top of the canyon to the entrance 1. You will see everything you see in Program A including Great waterfall or Veliki Slap. Walking along the top of the canyon gives you the most iconic view of the Plitivice lake with the wooden walkway and waterfall
C Program
- Duration – 4 to 5 hours
- Trail Length- 8KM or 5 Miles
This is route we took by starting at entrance 1 and this route includes lower and upper lakes, boat ride across Lake Kozjak as well as ride on the panoramic vehicle. We found this to be most comprehensive route that covers most of the park.
E Program
- Duration – 2 to 3 hours
- Trail Length- 5.1 KM or 3.1 Miles
Starts at entrance 2 and covers upper lakes and includes boat ride across Kozjak lake as well as train ride/Panoramic bus ride back to entrance 2. You will not see the Great waterfall or Veliki Slap on this route but will see Great and Small Prstavci falls as well other smaller falls
F Program
- Duration – 3 to 4 hours
- Trail length- 4.5 KM or 2.85 Miles
Starting point at the entrance 2 with a boat ride across Lake Kozjac and walk through lower falls to Great water fall or Veliki Slap. Walk back on the canyon top with the views of the iconic photo spots to Panoramic vehicle/bus station to take the bus back to entrance 2
H Program
- Duration – 4 to 6 hours
- Trail length – 8.9 Km or 5.5 miles
Another comprehensive route that covers most of waterfalls and lakes. This route is opposite of route c with starting point at entrance 2 and walk along upper lakes followed by boat ride on Lake Kozjak , and walk through the lower lakes to Great waterfall or Veliki Slap. Finish by walking on the canyon ridge back to Panoramic vehicle stop to ride back to entrance 2.
K1 Program
- Duration – 6 to 8 hours
- Trail Length- 16.5 KM or 10.25 Miles
The programme starts at the northern entrance (Entrance 1) and provides a walking tour of a large part of the lake zone in the Plitvice Lakes National Park. Walkers will see the Big Waterfall, pass through the Lower Lakes canyon and along the west coast of Kozjak lake, continue by the Prštavci waterfalls, the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls of the Upper Lakes, and visit the recently opened Tomićevo Pogledalo viewpoint. On the way back, walkers can enjoy the magnificent Upper Lakes and walk along the east coast of Kozjak lake, which is reached by a short electric boat ride. The programme continues with a walk above the east side of the Lower Lakes canyon, all the way back to the starting point at Entrance 1.
K2 Program
- Duration – 6 to 8 hours
- Trail length-17.5 KM or 11 miles
The programme starts at the south entrance (Entrance 2) and provides a walking tour of a large part of the lake zone in the Plitvice Lakes National Park. Walkers will see the Big Waterfall, pass through the Lower Lakes canyon and along the west coast of Kozjak lake, continue by the Prštavci waterfalls, the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls of the Upper Lakes, and visit the recently opened Tomićevo Pogledalo viewpoint. On the way back, walkers can enjoy the magnificent Upper Lakes and walk along the east coast of Kozjak lake, which is reached by a short electric boat ride. The programme continues with a walk above the east side of the Lower Lakes canyon, all the way back to the starting point at Entrance 2.
Where to stay
There are several lodges close to the national park that are run by the park system and have special deals on tickets as well as accommodations. Check here for more details. This is very convenient way to stay close to the park. There are several other hotels near the national park including this one. We had late lunch at this restaurant attached to this hotel and food was amazing and our guide said that the hotel was equally good.
Final thoughts
Plitvice lake is one of most beautiful national parks I have ever visited, and it is well maintained with crystal clear water and unbelievable beauty. It is hard to capture the beauty of this place in photos but totally worth visiting if you are in Croatia. If I had to redo this trip, I would definitely plan on staying a night close the park and be first one in the park when it opens at 7AM and take time walking through the park as well photograph without crowds.
Peaks to Palaces 