Plitvice Lakes Travel Guide
Plitvice Lakes Travel Guide
Plitvice Lakes was one of my favorite places in Croatia. The series of cascading lakes connected by waterfalls with stunning blue water was honestly unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I absolutely recommend adding Plitvice to your Croatia itinerary.
I visited as a day trip from Split. See my full blog post with details on how to visit Plitvice as a day trip from Split here.
Jump To:
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
Plitvice Lakes Tickets
Plitvice Lakes gets super crowded during the summer, so I definitely recommend buying tickets in advance, because they do sell out! Even if you’re visiting in non-peak season I’d recommend purchasing in advance to be on the safe side!
Tickets can be purchases here. You can also see ticket availability by day if you’re trying to decide when to visit!
Ticket prices vary based on season. During peak season (Jun-Sep) you’ll pay the most, around 40 Euro. Shoulder season (Apr, May, Oct) it’s about 24 Euro. Off season offers the cheapest prices at 11 Euro (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar)
Plitvice Lakes Parking
In addition to your tickets, you’ll need to pay for parking at the park. Parking costs 8 HRK an hour (Croatia just switched to the Euro, but Plitvice Lakes haven’t updated their website prices yet)
There are several parking lots at Plitvice. I recommend parking at Parking lot 2 – can be found on the map here. This sets you up for the perfect route through the park, see below!
Walking Plitvice Lakes
Depending on how long you have, how many of the lakes you want to see & how much walking you’re willing to do, there are several routes you could take through the lakes.
Plitvice is comprised of 16 lakes. The upper lakes are made up of 12 lakes and the lower area has 4 lakes. If you’re short on time or don’t want to walk a lot, definitely prioritize the lower lakes. This area has more of the dramatic cascading effect from on lake to the other and bigger waterfalls.
I took Trail C and highly recommend it! It includes both the upper and lower lakes about 4ish hours depending on your pace and will require a train ride and boat ride (in addition to walking) The train and boat are included with your ticket.
**Map tips for the link above- red line is the trail, yellow line is the two trains, the path across the lake is the boat you’ll need to take! The trails are clearly marked so you’ll have no problem navigating!
Details:
- Park at parking lot 2 and enter through Entrance 2
- From Entrance two take the train towards the upper lakes to Lake #1 on the map
- Follow trail C on the marked trails. It will take you on a path through the upper lakes. The path is fairly easy to navigate and doesn’t involve any real “hiking” but they are a bit narrow and can get crowded.
- Eventually you will reach the lake marked #12 on the map and a boat will take you across towards the lower lakes
- At the end of the boat ride is a restaurant/cafeteria that’s a great place to grab lunch
- From here you’ll continue on the path through the four lower lakes
- Once you make it to the end of the trail (and see the impressive Great Waterfall) you’ll need to loop back a bit that will take you back to the train to bring you back to parking area 2.
When to Visit Plitvice Lakes
I highly recommend visiting Plitvice during the fall! The summer crowds will have died down a bit and the foliage is stunning! Spring is also a great time as it starts to get warm.
Summer is the busiest and most popular time to visit. The trails can get very crowded and feel a little overwhelming, but the water is also at it’s most turquoise and beautiful!
You’ll be able to skip the crowds and get cheap tickets in the winter, but some of the picturesque blue of the water fades and certain trails may not be open year round!
