Plitvice Lakes National Park Croatia

The Travertine Barriers at Plitvice Are Still Being Built Right Now

The 16 terraced lakes and their waterfalls are not geological relics. The travertine barriers between them are constructed continuously by living bacteria and algae that precipitate calcium carbonate from the dissolved limestone in the water. The falls and barriers are slightly different every year. The turquoise colour of the water comes from the same dissolved minerals. This is a living geological system, which is why UNESCO listed it in 1979.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is in the Lika region of Croatia, approximately 130 kilometres south of Zagreb, and receives approximately 1.2 million visitors annually. This is too many for the size of the park, and in summer the boardwalks – narrow wooden paths over and beside the lakes – reach capacity. The park is still worth visiting. The density of the waterfalls, the colour of the water, and the movement of light through the surrounding forest are difficult to find anywhere else in Europe. What you need is timing.

The Routes

The park divides into Upper and Lower Lakes, accessed from two entrance points. Route C is the most comprehensive at approximately 18 kilometres, taking 4 to 6 hours; Route H is a shorter 2 to 3-hour loop around the Lower Lakes. Veliki Slap (Big Waterfall) at 78 metres – the tallest waterfall in Croatia – is at the southern end of the Lower Lakes. The walk along the base of the cliff face, with falls above and turquoise water below the boardwalk, is where most photographs are taken.

The boat crossing on Kozjak Lake (the largest) takes about 10 minutes and connects the Upper and Lower sections; it is included in the entry ticket.

When to Go

April through June and September through October are the recommended windows. In spring, snowmelt increases water flow and the falls are at maximum volume. In October, the surrounding beech and ash forest turns yellow and orange and the colour combination with the blue-green water is the best the park offers. July and August are most visited and most difficult.

Entry and Getting There

Tickets are seasonal: approximately EUR 10 in low season (November to March), EUR 26.50 in shoulder season, EUR 40 per adult in peak summer. Tickets must be purchased online in high season. Buses run from Zagreb in approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. There is no train access.

Staying overnight at one of the park’s two hotels or at guesthouses in the surrounding villages (Mukinje, Jezerce) allows early morning access before day-trip crowds arrive around 9 to 10am.