Visiting the Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

How to visit the magical Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia, full of fairytale waterfalls, boardwalks and beautifully blue-green lakes.

There are photos and video of the Plitvice Lakes all over Instagram, and rightly so. The largest national park in Croatia is home to a series of gorgeous turquoise lakes, an uncountable number of waterfalls and charmingly winding wooden boardwalks for the 1 million+ tourists who visit every year.

How to get to the Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice is in the centre of Croatia, around two hours from both the capital, Zagreb and the coast at Zadar. The most convenient way to get there is by car, but you can also take a coach from Zagreb or the coast, or take a guided tour from Zagreb, Zadar or Split (although if you’re staying near Split, you may prefer to visit Krka National Park which is significantly closer).

We arrived at Plitvice on a coach from Zagreb. There are several services each day and the journey takes around 2 hours (after our visit to the lakes we carried on to the coast at Zadar – about another 2 hours).

We got off at Entrance 2, and headed to our hotel, the Hotel Plitvice, which is one of only three hotels in the park, all clustered around Entrance 2. The Hotel Plitvice is going through a refurbishment at the moment – I hope it doesn’t lose too much of its retro Yugo charm!

Many people visiting the Plitvice Lakes only come for a day trip but I wanted to be at the park gates for opening time, so I stayed at the Hotel Plitvice for two nights. You can either book a one day ticket or a two day ticket for the park, and I’d arrived too late to make a two day ticket worthwhile so I enjoyed the views from my balcony and explored the grounds around the hotel.

Walking down a quiet path near the hotel, I came to an abandoned building. For such a beautiful place the Plitvice Lakes has a turbulent history; in 1991 it was the scene of the first armed clash of the Croatian War of Independence, and for much of the war and afterwards the area was heavily mined and the hotels used as barracks.

The next morning I got to the ticket office at Entrance 2 as it opened, although if I visited again it’s best to book tickets online to be certain of getting in.

Things to see at the Plitvice Lakes

The best way to see the lakes is to walk a circular route which includes the lovely boardwalks, waterfalls and a boat journey across one of the lakes.

The first stage is to take a shuttle bus up to the upper lakes and the start of the main trail. The first lake is wide and flat (and full of pesky midges) but it’s not long before the waterfalls start.

The first waterfalls are small ones which tumble over rocks and under the wooden boardwalks.

Then they get bigger and you really start to feel like you’re in some kind of watery version of heaven.

About halfway through the park, the path stops and you get to see the turquoise water from a boat as you cross Kozjak Lake, the largest in the park.

When you get off the boat, there’s a little, wooded camp with a kiosk selling sandwiches and drinks. We stopped there for something to eat and to relax in the sunshine.

What we’d seen so far was incredible, but the next part was truly awesome. The water got even brighter, clearer and more turquoise, and the waterfalls more abundant. Everywhere we looked, there was a waterfall.

And then they got really big; at one point water was pouring into a deep hole in a 360 degree torrent. We’d been following signs for the Big Waterfall and thought this must be it, but no, the path carried on…

From the Big Waterfall we followed the trail signs to the next camp. It took us back the way we’d came, and then up a steep path through the rock.

And at the top, we saw this beautiful sight, straight off a postcard. The wooden boardwalk curving across a turquoise lake, with little waterfalls flowing right under it.

I’ve been to some beautiful places, but the Plitvice Lakes just defy description. Any superlative you can imagine just doesn’t do them justice. It was a full sensory experience – warm sun, a gentle breeze, nice food and Croatian beer at our lunch stop and at every turn incredible views and the sound of waterfalls.

When to visit the Plitvice Lakes

I visited the Plitvice Lakes in mid-May. We had beautiful warm but not too hot weather for the first part of our Croatia trip, so our day in Zagreb, the travel day from Zagreb to Plitvice and our day in the Plitvice Lakes National Park were all lovely. Unfortunately the heavens opened the day we left Plitvice to travel to Zadar, and we had heavy rain the whole time in Zadar. I think we were just unlucky, and I’d still recommend May as a great time to visit the Plitvice Lakes.

Here’s a summary of what you can expect during each season.

Spring (March to May)

Spring is a lovely time to visit the Plitvice Lakes National Park as the waterfalls are usually at their fullest, fed by melting snow and spring rain. The trees are starting to turn green and wildflowers appear, especially from late April onwards.

Weather

March: 4 to 12 °C (39 to 54 °F) – still chilly, with occasional snow or frost.

April: 7 to 16 °C (45 to 61 °F) – mild days, cold nights.

May: 11 to 21 °C (52 to 70 °F) – pleasant for walking, with more sunshine.

Crowds

March and early April are quiet, with fewer tour groups. By late May, visitor numbers rise as the weather improves.

Closures

Upper lakes can be closed until mid- to late-April if paths are icy or flooded. Shuttle buses and boats usually start operating fully in April, depending on conditions.

Summer (June to August)

Summer brings warm weather and long days. The lakes shimmer in bright turquoise, and all the trails are open. This is peak tourist season with lots of people visiting on tours from the coast, so expect queues for boats and viewpoints.

Weather

June: 14 to 25 °C (57 to 77 °F) – warm and comfortable.

July and August: 16 to 27 °C (61 to 81 °F) – often hot in the sun, occasional thunderstorms.

Crowds

Very busy. Tour buses and large groups arrive from Zagreb, Zadar, and Split. To avoid the worst crowds, stay overnight near the park so you can start your visit when the park opens.

Closures

Everything is open, but boat and shuttle waits can be long in high season.

Autumn (September to November)

Autumn offers colourful foliage and fewer visitors, particularly from mid-October onwards. Early autumn can still be warm, but later months bring misty mornings and a peaceful atmosphere as the summer visitors disappear.

Weather

September: 13 to 22 °C (55 to 72 °F) – mild, with cooler nights.

October: 8 to 16 °C (46 to 61 °F) – crisp and fresh.

November: 4 to 10 °C (39 to 50 °F) – can feel wintry, with rain more likely.

Crowds

September is moderately busy, but quieter than summer. By late October, the park is calm, with fewer services running.

Closures

Upper lakes may close from late October if conditions are unsafe. Shuttle buses and boats operate on a reduced schedule from November.

Winter (December to February)

Winter transforms the park into a snowy, icy landscape. Frozen waterfalls and quiet trails create a magical scene, but facilities are limited and parts of the park are closed.

Weather

December: −1 to 6 °C (30 to 43 °F) – frequent frost, occasional snow.

January and February: −3 to 5 °C (27 to 41 °F) – coldest months, heavy snow possible.

Crowds

Very few visitors, so you’ll have space to yourself. The trade-off is limited access.

Closures

The upper lake trails are closed in winter. Only the lower lakes are accessible, and there’s no shuttle bus or boat service. Some paths may be slippery or blocked by snow.

Accessibility at the Plitvice Lakes

The walk I did from the upper lakes to the lower lakes was wonderful, but it was also nearly 9km. If you, or someone you’re travelling with can’t walk that far, you can still experience the lakes thanks to some accessibility improvements the park authorities have made recently.

If you arrive at Entrance 1, you can take a 100m accessible path to a viewpoint over the Great Waterfall and the Sastavci waterfalls.

For a longer visit, you can arrive at Entrance 2 and take the path to the Flora auxiliary entrance and then the access road towards the P1 boat dock for an electric boat ride on Kozjak Lake. The boat crew can help you board.

The Jezero Hotel near Entrance 2 has accessible rooms. All the official car parks have disabled parking spaces.

Would you like to visit the Plitvice Lakes?