Visit the Plitvice National Park in Croatia

Visit the Plitvice National Park- Everything you need to know

Blue water, lush trees and countless waterfalls. If you want a place that has all of it, the Plitvice National Park should be on you bucket list for when you are visiting Croatia. Find out everything you need to know about your visit to the Plitvice National Park, because there are some things to keep in mind before going to the Park.

Chapters

The Plitvice National Park is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and that is for a reason. The park has more than 90 waterfalls and 16 lakes and you can visit them all. In this blog I will tell you more about all the things you need to keep in mind before visiting the National Park.

How to get there

The first thing to know is how to get there. There are two options, go with a tour or go by yourself with a (rental)car. If you decide to go with a tour, you can make it a day trip from the following places:

Day trip from Split
Day trip from Zagreb
Day trip from Zadar

If you want to go by yourself, you can get a (rental)car and drive yourself to one of the parking lots.

Entrance fee & opening hours

When you go to the park, you need to get a ticket in advance. The park is getting more and more populair and is completely booked everyday, so make sure you have tickets before entering the park. It would be a shame driving all the way up there, only to find out it’s sold out for that day. You can buy your tickets on the following website: Official ticket website Plitvice Lakes National Park

Down below I will list the entrance fee:

Children – 120 HRK
Students – 200 HRK
Adults – 300 HRK

When buying your tickets, you need to select a time of entering the park. This is so they can spread the busy moments in the park. Try to get to the park as early as possible so you can beat the crowds. The earlier you’re inside, the more quiet it is.

Down below I will list the opening hours:

Winter – 01.10 till last Saturday in October – 08:00 till 18:00
Winter – Last Sunday of October till last Saturday in March – 08:00 till 16:00
Spring – Last Sunday in March till 31.05 – 08:00 till 19:00
Summer – 01.06 till 20.08 – 07:00 till 20:00
Autumn – 21.08 till 30:09 – 07:00 till 19:00

Two hours before the park closes, you need to be inside off the park, otherwise you will not be allowed in the park. So make sure to be there on time if you decide to go at the end of the day.

How to get around

Once you selected the date and time of entering the park, they ask you one more question: At which entrance do you enter the park. There are two options, entrance 1 or 2.

You are probably wondering, what is the difference? Well let me explain it to you. The park is divided in two parts. The upper lakes and the lower lakes. Entrance 1 starts at the lower lakes and entrance 2 starts at the upper lakes. From the entrance you can take different paths and by following the path, you will see some or all of the sights in the park.

Down below I list down the entrances and the routes you can take:

Entrance 1

Route A: Veliki Slap & Lower Lakes – 3KM – 2/3 hours
Route B: Veliki Slap, Lower Lakes, Boat and train ride – 4,6KM – 3/4 hours
Route C: The whole park with the boat and train ride – 8,9 KM – 4/5 hours
Route D: The whole park by foot – 18,3KM – 6/7 hours

Entrance 2

Route E: Upper lakes, Boat and train ride – 5KM- 2/3 hours
Route F: The same as Route B but the other way round – 4,6KM – 3/4 hours
Route H: The same as Route C but the other way round – 8,9KM – 4/5 hours
Route K: The same as Route D but the other way round – 18,3KM – 6/7 hours

All the routes are clear with many signs where to go. We did route C and I definitely recommend this one. The length of the path is great and you get to see and do everything.

The train and boat only operate between April and October. Outside of these months you can only do route A/D or K.

Extra information

How long do you need at the Plitvice National Park?

Like I told before, it all depends on which route you decide to do. If you don’t have a lot of time, choose a shorter path and when you have all the time, take a longer stroll through the park.

Toilets and breaks

In the park there are a few points where you can take a break or have a toilet break. At these areas, there are some shops where you can buy drinks or food.

What to bring to the Plitvice National Park?

So when you decide to go on this wonderful National Park, I recommend to bring the following stuff:

Good walking shoes
Enough water
Snacks/ breakfast
Sunscreen (in the summer months)
Camera
Money

Best time to visit

The Plitvice Lakes can be visited all year round. It all depends on your favorite season when you want to visit the lakes. In the winter the park will be packed in white snow. In autumn the leaves will be full in its green color. In the summer the chance of good weather will be the biggest. And in the autumn the leaves will turn in beautiful colors. Try to decided what suits you and your needs the best.