Plitvice Lakes National Park is as enchanting in person as it is in photos. This forest reserve, relatively close to the capital Zagreb, features wide stretches of waterfalls cascading into aqua pools. I was half expecting for a mermaid to pop out of the bushes. The floating wooden walkways throughout the park, allowing you to get up close and personal with the many different falls and pools, creates a truly magical experience!
How to get here: The closest airport to Plitvice is Zagreb. From Zagreb, make your way to the bus station where you can buy one of several buses that leave for Plitvice every day (or you can reserve online through this website, which I used to ensure a seat at the right time). The journey takes around 2 and a half hours, but every minute was worth it once you arrive! There’s also buses to/from Split, but they take a bit longer. The bus in Plitvice will drop you off inside the small town, and from here you can likely walk to your accommodation.
Where to stay/getting around: One of my favorite hostels I’ve ever stayed at was located in Plitvice, called Falling Lakes Hostel for just under $20 USD per night for a dorm bed. The hostel organizes shuttle rides to/from the park every day. Though I can’t speak for other accommodations, I’m pretty sure this is the norm. The accommodation options are located in a tiny town about 15 minutes from the entrance to the park, so you’ll likely be able to reserve rides through your hotel/hostel. Other than that, there is no need to taxi to and fro since the town is literally probably a kilometer long.
Tips/general info for visiting the park:
- Entrance fee is around $9 during off season (November-March), $17 during high season (April-June; September-October), and $27 during peak season (July-August). You buy your tickets at the entrance.
- The park is open year-round, and each season offers visitors a different experience. It should be noted that the summer months, particularly July-August, get so crowded that it’s hard to walk on the pathways. It’s snowy and frozen during the winter months. I went in May and still found it almost unbearably crowded. I’d like to go in off season next time to see it as a winter wonderland.
- The park is massive! There are 16 lakes, more than 90 waterfalls, and tons of secret caves. You could spend several days fully exploring all of it, but it’s definitely possible to see the most popular portions in one day.
- The Lakes are divided into two groups: the 12 Upper Lakes and the 4 Lower Lakes, and each has its own entrance. To travel between the different groups, there is a boat that shuttles visitors across a lake where you can then start exploring.
These photos are from the Upper Lakes portion of the park:
These are from the lower lakes
- The entire park is covered in wooden platform pathways, built to rise a few feet off from the water. It is not strenuous to walk around on them, and they are mostly flat throughout.
- If you’re feeling adventurous, there are several hiking trails that venture off from these pathways. All routes are marked and easy to follow. I did not hike during my time here and chose to stay on the pathways.
- There are a few restaurants located within the park, but definitely bring your own water! Also, if you have special diet restrictions, bring your own food to the park as well. The restaurants are not very vegan/vegetarian/gluten free/etc-friendly.
- Though I didn’t partake in any activities other than visiting the park itself, I saw a couple different activities advertised in my hostel like horseback riding, white water rafting, and further hiking around the mountains in the area that are available around the Plitvice Lakes area.
There you have it! Plitvice Lakes, though very crowded, still retains a super magical atmosphere. It’s one of the most naturally stunning places I’ve visited, and I still daydream about it nearly 2 years later. It’s simply mesmerizing. Everyone visiting Croatia should have this near the very top of their itinerary!
