Plitvice Lakes is one of the most unique places to visit in Croatia. With easy walking trails, boardwalks suspended over the turquoise water, stunning viewpoints, and photogenic waterfalls, this is the type of place that is perfect for visitors of all ages.
With different levels of lakes, four different hiking trails, seven routes through the park, and two different entrances, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to spend your time here.
In this article, I will share with you our walking route through Plitvice Lakes. Learn how to get to the most stunning waterfalls, how to get a bird’s eye view of the park, and how to get to the Veliki Slap viewpoint for the postcard view of Plitvice Lakes.
Why Visit Plitvice Lakes National Park?
Simply said, it’s gorgeous here. Lakes, waterfalls, and cool boardwalk trails all work magically together to create a very unique destination. Around every bend is another beautiful view. Be prepared to ooh and aahh and take lots of photos.
Plitvice Lakes National Parks contains 16 interconnecting lakes that vary in color from emerald green to turquoise to deep blue, depending on mineral content and lighting conditions. Throw in those waterfalls and you really have something special.
In 1979, Plitvice Lakes became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Croatia, receiving over 1 million visitors per year. Many come during the summer months, so if you are planning a trip from June through August, expect big crowds.
Where is Plitvice Lakes?
Plitvice Lakes is located in central Croatia. The closest cities are Zagreb and Zadar. Here are driving distances and times from popular spots in Croatia:
- Zagreb: 135 km, 2 hours 15 minutes
- Zadar: 136 km, 2 hours
- Split: 260 km, 3 hours
- Dubrovnik: 450 km, 5 hours
- Pula: 275 km, 3 hours 45 minutes
It is possible to visit Plitvice Lakes on a day trip from Zagreb, Zadar and Split. However, you will spend a lot of time in the car. If you are doing this in the summer months, you will most likely arrive at peak time when the boardwalks are congested with lots of people.
If you plan to day trip to Plitvice Lakes, one of the best way to do it is with a guide, since your transportation is included.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: For the best experience, plan to stay overnight near the park so you can have an early start to your day. It’s worth it!
How to Visit Plitvice Lakes National Park
An Overview of the Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park covers over 73,000 acres. There are four hiking trails that are organized into 7 different routes to tour the park. Other than hiking, you can also get around by boat and by shuttle (also called the panoramic train).
It’s easiest to think about the park in three different sections. The lower lakes section includes Entrance 1 and Veliki Slap (the Big Waterfall). From here, you can take a boat or the shuttle to the upper lakes section, with some of the prettiest boardwalk trails and waterfalls in the park. Beyond this is the third section, a trail around Proscansko Lake.
There is another section to the park that is not included on the main routes. There is a road and trail that runs along the western cliffs of the park (labeled Cliff Views on the map below), offering very nice aerial views over the lakes and boardwalk trails. This also includes the Veliki Slap viewpoint for the postcard photo of Plitvice Lakes.
This is a modified map from the Plitvice Lakes National Park website. Note that the map is rotated 90 degrees – north is on the right side of the map. You can ride the shuttle and the boat in both directions, this map is just portraying one particular route through the park (Program H).
Seven Routes through the Park
There are seven routes (also called programs) through the park. These are suggested routes depending upon your starting point, your energy level, and how much time you have. With seven options, picking out the best route can be a little overwhelming. At the end of this section, I’ll give you our suggestions.
Programs A, B, and C all start at Entrance 1. Programs E, F and H all start at Entrance 2 and are basically the same as A, B, C only they travel in the opposite direction. Program K is a full day hike through the entire park.
Program A
This trail starts at Entrance 1, goes downhill to the boardwalk trails where you will see Veliki Slap and waterfalls along the lower lakes. At Kozjak Bridge you turn around and then walk or take the shuttle back to Entrance 1. 2 – 3 hours, 3.5 km, easy.
Program B
This is Program A but you cross Kozjak Bridge, take the boat to the other side of Kozjak Lake, and return to Entrance 1 by shuttle or by the walking trail along the lake. 3 – 4 hours, 4 km, easy.
Program C
Program C is a continuation of Program B. Once you disembark the boat on the far side of Kozjak Lake, you walk the boardwalk trails along the upper lakes and waterfalls. Take the shuttle back to Entrance 1. 4 – 6 hours, 8 km, easy.
Program E
Starting at Entrance 2, you ride the boat across Kojzak Lake and walk the trails through the upper lakes and waterfalls, ending back at Entrance 2. 2 – 3 hours, 5.1 km, easy.
Program F
From Entrance 2, take the boat across Kozjak Lake and walk the trails around the lower lakes. To get back to Entrance 2 take the shuttle or walk the hiking trail. 3 – 4 hours, 4.6 km, easy.
Program H
Take the shuttle from Entrance 2 to the top of the upper lakes (St3). Walk the boardwalk trails along the upper lakes until you get back to Kozjak Lake. Ride the boat across Kozjak Lake and walk the trails along the lower lakes. From Entrance 1, ride the shuttle back to Entrance 2. 4 – 6 hours, 9 km, easy.
Program K
This is an 18.6 km walk through all of the lakes of the park. Basically, you are hiking around all of the lakes without taking the boat or shuttle.
Our Recommendations
It’s absolutely worth it to visit both the lower and upper lakes if you have the time. In order to do this you will need to do Program C (from entrance 1) or Program H (from Entrance 2).
If you are short on time, you will have to choose between the upper and lower lakes. Which one is better? Both sections feature stunning waterfalls and lake views and you can’t go wrong with either. But I think the waterfalls of the upper lakes are slightly better than the lower lake section.
Should You Start at Entrance 1 or Entrance 2?
I recommend starting from Entrance 1, especially if you get here first thing in the morning. By starting from Entrance 1, you are walking slightly uphill most of the way but you are walking towards the waterfalls on the lower lakes. That means that you always get to see them in front of you.
If you walk in the opposite direction, you will actually walk past some of the waterfalls and have to keep turning around to look at them. It’s not a big deal but I think it is a nicer experience to walk towards the waterfalls. We walked the boardwalk trails in both directions and preferred starting at Entrance 1.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: Prior to our visit, I had read that starting at Entrance 2 is better because you are walking against traffic most of the way. On the day we did this (a weekday in mid-July), there seemed to be just as much traffic moving in both directions on the trails. So, from a “traffic” standpoint, I don’t think there is an advantage to starting at Entrance 2.
Our Recommended Route through Plitvice Lakes
If you like the idea of visiting the upper and lower lakes plus getting the views from the upper viewpoints, we have a recommended route through Plitvice Lakes.
Over the course of a day, we walked back and forth along these boardwalk trails in both directions, took the shuttle, road the electric boat, walked the hiking trails on the cliffs along both sides of the lakes, explored various viewpoints, and took in the view from Veliki Slap viewpoint. In total we walked over 20 km (12.5 miles) to come up with this route through the park. Don’t worry, you won’t be walking 20 km like we did (we did a lot of backtracking).
Our route is a combination of Program C and Program H with the addition of the cliff views and the option to walk out to the postcard view. On this route, you will ride the electric boat and the shuttle one time.
I don’t have the exact distance but I estimate this route to be about 11 km and take up to 6 to 8 hours.
If you have no desire to add on the upper cliff views, I recommend simply following Program C or Program H through the park. This is an easy to follow route that takes you past the best of the lower and upper lakes. If I had to choose one or the other, I’d pick Program C, which starts at entrance 1.
Currently, the staircase that connects the upper viewpoints to Veliki Slap waterfall is closed. While this staircase is closed, we recommend following Program C or H. If you want to see Plitvice Lakes from the upper viewpoints, you can add this on as an out-and-back walk. If you follow our route and walk all of the way to the postcard photo spot, just be aware that it will be a very long walk back to Entrance 1. The view is nice but not worth that long walk, in my opinion. Plus, you can drive and park near the postcard viewpoint (more information on this later).
If you have recently visited Plitvice Lakes and see that the staircase has opened, please let us know in the comment section below. It will help a lot of future visitors. In the comment section below, you can also get updates on the status of this staircase from visitors who have recently written in. Thank you everyone for your input!!
The Lower Lakes
Start at Entrance 1. I highly recommend getting here right at opening time (7 am during the summer, 8 am the rest of the year). To walk these boardwalks with minimal traffic is a wonderful experience and this is your best chance to take some very cool photos with few people in them.
The view from the overlook at Entrance 1.
PRO TRAVEL TIP:The trails really get busy around 10 am. By getting here at 7 am (in summer), you have about 3 hours before the boardwalks get swamped. This is just enough time to walk the lower and upper falls.
Take the trail down to the lakes and walk the boardwalk trails. Take the short detour to Veliki Slap, the Big Waterfall.
Veliki Slap
OPTIONAL DETOUR: Right next to Veliki Slap is a staircase leading to the upper level of the cliffs. This takes you to several great viewpoints over the park as well as the postcard photo spot. You can do this now but we recommend saving it for later in the day. Stay on the boardwalks first thing in the morning to beat the crowds and then visit these much less crowded viewpoints midday. However, we have heard recent reports that this staircase is closed so you will not be able to walk up to the postcard photo spot from here. But if you see that the steps have opened then you can follow our route through the park.
Walk back to the main trail and follow the signs to A, B, C, K.
The boardwalks and trail markers.
You will come to another detour, which is optional. You can climb a long series of slippery steps up through a dark cave (Supljara Cave). From the top of the cave, follow the trail out to the upper level of the cliffs for an awesome view over the park. This is the most strenuous part of the day but if you want this view, it’s worth it. Note: Unfortunately, we have received recent reports that this cave is also closed. See the comment section at the end of this guide to read what recent visitors have to say (and add updates, if you have any…thanks!!).
If you hiked up through the cave, retrace your steps back down the lower lakes and then resume the trail to Lake Kozjak.
The Upper Lakes
Once you reach the bridge for Lake Kozjak, turn left and head up the path to the shuttle stop. Do not cross the lakes on the Lake Kozjak bridge. At this point, you will now follow the signs to ST2, the shuttle bus stop.
Take the shuttle to station 3, which is at the far end of the upper lakes. From here, follow the signs for program H and walk the boardwalk trails towards Lake Kozjak.
This is a gorgeous part of the park with trails and boardwalks criss-crossing over the lakes.
Once you arrive at Lake Kozjak, take the electric boat across Lake Kozjak to P3.
Viewpoints over Plitvice Lakes
Now we are going to several viewpoints along the lakes. When we did this, we were the only ones on this hiking trail.
From the dock, walk a short distance back in the direction of Entrance 1. You will see a road branch off from the trail on the left. Follow this road uphill. Once it levels out, you are now walking along the upper cliffs on the western side of the lakes. There is a hiking trail in the woods between the road and the cliffs. Take this trail and follow it north. Along the way you will come to several nice viewpoints along the lakes.
Here is a map for clarification. This map is oriented with north at the top. The blue line is the access road and hiking trail along the cliff viewpoints.
IMPORTANT: The staircase that connects the upper viewpoints with Veliki Slap waterfall is closed. Once finished with the cliff views, you will have to walk back to the dock and then from the dock, you will have to walk to Entrance 1.
Photos from the upper viewpoints.
The view from the final viewpoint near the top of Veliki Slap. This is looking towards Entrance 1.
At the last viewpoint, you can walk down a steep staircase to get back to Veliki Slap and walk to Entrance 1 from here. Or you can keep going to get to the postcard viewpoint over Plitvice Lakes. Note: This staircase is currently closed. If you visit Plitvice Lakes and see that it is open, let us know in the comment section below. It will help a lot of future visitors! Thanks in advance.
Postcard View of Plitvice
Walk back to the road, continue north, cross a small wooden bridge, and then you will see another hiking trail on the right. It’s a five-minute walk on the trail to the viewpoint.
A zoomed in photo of the boardwalk trail to Veliki Slap. Not only can you see how crowded the trails get midday in Plitvice Lakes but you can also see the steps leading uphill to the trail along the cliffs. This is the staircase that is currently closed (it was also closed on our visit in 2018).
Note: One of our readers wrote in with the tip to visit this viewpoint early or midday. Later in the day, such as the late afternoon, the lakes can be shaded as the sun sets, so the best time for photography is midday and early afternoon.
To get to Entrance 1, backtrack to the steps leading down to Veliki Slap and walk to Entrance 1 from here. The steps are currently closed. To get back to Entrance 1, you will have to walk back past the upper viewpoints and through the park, which will add a lot of walking unfortunately.
This entire route will take 6 to 8 hours. Bring a picnic lunch to have along the way. One of the quiet viewpoints overlooking the lakes would make a nice picnic spot!
Easier Way to Visit the Veliki Slap Viewpoint
So, what if you don’t want walk that far? You can drive to the viewpoint. Here are the GPS coordinates for the trailhead: 44°54’9″ N 15°36’27” E. There are several parking spaces along the road here.
While the steps are closed, you could walk to the upper viewpoints and then backtrack through the park, which adds about 4 km to our walking route. However, going farther to the postcard viewpoint adds even more walking and this can be easily seen if you have a car.
Plitvice Lakes Hours and Prices
Hours of Operation
Summer: 7 am to 8 pm
Fall: 7 am to 7 pm
Winter: 8 am to 4 pm
Spring: 8 am to 7 pm
These hours can vary so it’s a good idea to check the hours on the official website.
Cost
You can purchase one-day tickets and two-day tickets. Here are the prices for one-day tickets for adults (or click here to see them on the official website):
- January through March: €10
- April and May: €23.50
- June through September: €40 until 4 pm; €26.50 after 4 pm
- October: €23.50
- November through December: €10
The cost for children ages 7 to 18 years is roughly half the cost of an adult. Children 6 years and under are free.
There is an additional fee for parking: €1 to €1.50 per hour per automobile and €10.50 to €15 per day for a camper.
Best Time to Visit Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice Lakes is a year-round destination. It is open 365 days of the year.
The summer months are the busiest time to visit the park. Expect congestion on the boardwalks and hot temperatures. Water levels tend to be lower during the summer months so the waterfalls may not be as impressive. We got lucky and it rained overnight right before our visit.
Spring and autumn are the best time to visit. Crowds are lower and the waterfalls are roaring during the spring months. In autumn, you can capture the lakes with the fall colors.
Winter is a totally different experience. Crowds are generally low and if you are really lucky you will get to see Plitvice Lakes with a layer of snow.
7 Tips to Have the Best Experience
1. Buy your tickets online in advance. During peak season, tickets can sell out in advance and there could be a wait to enter the park. We recommend purchasing your tickets in advance, ideally for one of the earliest time slots of the day.
2. Get here at opening time. Experiencing the boardwalk trails during the quiet, crowd-free morning hours is almost magical. By 10, the trails become quite packed once the day trippers arrive.
3. Stay overnight near the park. That way, you can get here at opening time!
4. Bring a picnic lunch. There are a few restaurants in the park but doesn’t this seem like the perfect place to have a picnic lunch?
5. Start at Entrance 1. As you walk up the paths you will have better views of the lower lakes waterfalls than if you start at Entrance 2.
6. Be patient. During peak times, the boardwalks become clogged with visitors. It can be slow going during these times, as people stop to take photos and enjoy the view.
7. Swimming is not permitted. This is a UNESCO site so swimming is not allowed here.
Where to Stay Near Plitvice Lakes
There are two lodges in Plitvice. Hotel Jezero is a 3-star hotel located near the park entrance. Hotel Plitvice is budget hotel located near Hotel Jezero that gets decent reviews.
Outside of the park, BeaR’s Log is one of the highest rated properties in the area. Zrinka House also gets exceptional reviews, as does Hedgehog’s Home and Country Lodge Vukovic.
We stayed at Apartment Ivano, located 15 minutes north of the park entrance. We had a two-bedroom apartment that was the upper level of the hosts’ house. It is very basic but it was a nice experience staying in rural Croatia with views of the countryside.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plitvice Lakes worth it?
Plitvice Lakes is one of the most beautiful places we visited in Croatia. With its lakes and caves, boardwalk trails, and photogenic waterfalls, this national park is a delight to explore for all ages. It’s worth adding Plitvice Lakes to your Croatia itinerary and it just may be one of the highlights of your trip.
Can you swim at Plitvice Lakes?
Swimming is not allowed at Plitvice Lakes, since it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, you can swim at nearby Krka National Park in Croatia, which looks a lot like Plitvice Lakes.
How much time do you need at Plitvice Lakes?
Plan on spending at least a half of a day at Plitvice Lakes, although more time is better. The earlier you arrive, the more of the park you get to see without the crowds, which not only makes it a more pleasant experience, but you don’t get caught in traffic jams on the boardwalk trails (saving you a little bit of time). We recommend spending the night near the park and getting started right at opening time. It takes about a half of a day to see the main highlights, longer if you want to explore the off the beaten path spots.
Are the boat shuttle and bus shuttles extra fees?
No, they are not. The boat shuttles that cross Kozjak Lakes and the bus shuttles are included on the entrance fee into Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Day Trips to Plitvice Lakes National Park
If you are planning your visit to Plitvice Lakes and have any questions or want to offer any suggestions, comment below!
More Information about Croatia
PLACES TO GO IN CROATIA: Along the Dalmatian Coast, the towns of Split, Trogir, and Dubrovnik are wonderful coastal towns to add to your Croatia itinerary. We also have information about how to visit the island of Brac and how to visit the Istrian Peninsula.
VIDOVA GORA: Vidova Gora, which is located on the island of Brac, is the highest point on the Adriatic Islands. Learn how to hike to the top of Vidova Gora for a spectacular view over the Adriatic Sea and Zlatni Rat.
ISTRIAN PENINSULA: With 3 days, you can go on a whirlwind tour of the Istrian Peninsula of Croatia. Learn how to visit Pula, Cape Kamenjak, and Rovinj.
PLACES TO VISIT NEAR CROATIA: If you plan to explore beyond the borders of Croatia, Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina is a beautiful, fairytale town to add to your itinerary. Spend 2 days in Montenegro, visit the coastal town of Piran in Slovenia, or learn about the best places to visit in Slovenia, which sits to the northwest of Croatia.
TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Here are 15 fairytale destinations to visit around the world. And if you are considering a trip to Europe, check out our article 30 Beautiful Places to Visit in Europe.
Planning a trip to Croatia? Read all of our articles in our Croatia Travel Guide.
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