Image: The waterfalls and lakes at the downstream end of the park near Entrance 1.
Highlights
– Useful information and tips in visiting Croatia’s stunning Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Time of Visit: August 2025
Duration of Visit: Four Nights
Description
Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of Europe’s most stunning natural wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is best known for its chain of 16 terraced lakes that cascade into one another through a series of waterfalls, all set against lush forests and limestone cliffs. The lakes shimmer in shades of turquoise, emerald, and deep blue, changing color with the time of day, light and mineral content. Wooden boardwalks and hiking trails weave through the park, allowing visitors to get up close to the waterfalls and experience the tranquil beauty of the lakes from multiple perspectives.
Visitors can explore the park year-round, with each season offering its own magic. Spring brings vibrant greenery and rushing waterfalls. Summer highlights the lakes’ vivid colors while autumn paints the forest in brilliant reds and golds. Finally, winter transforms the park into a snowy wonderland with frozen cascades.
This blend of natural beauty, ecological richness, and year-round appeal makes Plitvice Lakes National Park one of Croatia’s most treasured destinations.
Activities
Park Access
The park charges an entry fee that varies depending on the time of the year and which country you are from. The peak season is during the summer (normally, June to September) where the entry fee costs the most. During our visit, the park was open from 7 AM through 8 PM.
A park employee said that park entry is limited to about 500 people per hour. So the park has hourly time slots for visitors to enter. Essentially, you have to choose the time slot you want to enter the park when purchasing the ticket. Entry tickets can be purchased online, from the park’s ticket kiosk located near the entrance or at the park entrance manned ticket counter. The price is the same regardless of where the ticket is bought.
If you purchase an on-line ticket, you have up to an hour from the designated entry time to enter the park. So if you purchase a 7AM ticket, you must be at the selected entrance by 8AM. There are no re-entry privileges, meaning, once you go out the park entrance, you cannot go back in.
Park Entrances
The park has two access points, labeled Entrance 1 and Entrance 2. Entrance 1 is at the downstream end of the park while Entrance 2 is more towards the middle. Most of the waterfalls are between Entrance 1 and Entrance 2. There are some waterfalls upstream of Entrance 2, but those are few and far from any footpaths.
Paid parking is available at each entrance. However, parking cost is not included with a paid park entrance ticket
Exploring The Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park offers miles of trails that take visitors alongside turquoise lakes and waterfalls. There are seven trails that visitors can choose from ranging from 3 km to 18 km in length. The trails are either boardwalk, dirt or stones. Expect to tackle stairs so the paths are not handicapped friendly. If you are bringing a stroller, make sure it is light and foldable so it can easily be carried through stairs.
Visitors have the choice of following seven established trail paths. These are A, B, C, E, F, H and K. Paths A, B, C and K start at Entrance 1 while Paths E, F and H start at Entrance 2.
Paths A, B and F only cover the lakes and waterfalls that are in the canyon area. It seriously misses the best waterfalls, in our opinion, which are located upstream of Jezero (lake) Kozjak (where boat rides P1, P2 and P3 are located).
Path F is basically the same as Path B, except that it is going the opposite direction.
Paths C and H cover most of the park’s lakes and waterfalls. These paths are almost the same with C being done in a counter-clockwise direction while H is in a clock-wise direction. These are the paths that we recommend you take if you have the time and energy.
If you like to get your steps for the day and have less people around, then Path K is for you. It goes through the forests and alongside lakes. There are some high vantage points, especially the recently constructed viewing platform at its tip by St3. This platform is not yet shown on the park’s map. The viewing platform can be accessed by taking a side strip from Path H.
Doing Path K will require an early start so that you have enough time to take photos and finish.
One Or Two Day Pass
We bought a two-day pass as most on-line blogs stated that having a two day pass would allow a relaxed pace. Some even suggested seeing one half of the park one day and the other half the other day.
On day one, we did Path C and a short section of H and K near St3. We started around 7:30 AM and were back at Entrance 1 around 4 PM. We took our time and were not in any hurry. We even took a 30 minute lunch break and 20 minute nap. So for us, a one day pass would have been OK.
On our second day, we returned to the spots where we wished we would have taken better photos. Essentially, we had a do-over and were able to get the pictures we wanted. So for us, the extra fee we paid for an additional day did not feel like it went to waste.
Tip For Taking Waterfall Photos With Iphones
Watch this YouTube video if you have an iPhone and want to have that waterfall snowy effect. You will have to hold the camera phone as steady as you can to prevent blurring. Using a tripod would be better. However, taking a photo of the waterfall and a person together does not work very well, no matter how steady you hold the camera or how still the person is. The face will not come out sharp due to the long exposure.
When To Go
I asked a couple of park employees “which month is best to visit the park?”. Both said that the fall season would be the best time to see Plitvice Lakes National Park. Fall in the park is normally mid to late October. During the fall, the temperature is cooler, there are less people, the entry fee costs less and the fall colors reflect beautifully on the lake surface. It is almost magical.
They added that the waterfall flows do not diminish significantly in the fall. The area receives occasional rain during the summer and fall which prevents the flows from getting down to a trickle. It would be advisable to buy the entry ticket when the forecast is clear and not rainy.
The park employees added that the area gets a lot of rain in the spring. Though the flow rates may be high because of snow melt, it would not be enjoyable walking all day in the rain.
How To Get There
We rented a car from Zagreb and drove down Catrnja where we stayed. Catrnja is about 10 kilometers from the park Entrance 1. We found that this is the most convenient way of visiting the park. If you do decide to drive, be aware that Croatia has speed cameras, even in small towns and villages.
There is limited bus service between the Croatian cities of Split, Zadar and Zagreb and Plitvice Lakes National Park. The photo above were taken from the manned bus ticket kiosk at Entrance 1. The handwritten schedule below was written by the person manning the kiosk.
Where To Stay
We stayed in House Bicanic which is less than a 10-minute drive from the park’s North entrance (Entrance 1).
How To Get Around
Inside The Park
Walking is the primary means of getting around the park. The boat rides between P1 and P2 and P2 and P3 are included with the park entry ticket. However, one employee said that we can only ride the boat once. Our ticket was scanned when we boarded the boat going from P3 to P2 but was not scanned going from P2 to P1.
The park has a bus shuttle between St1 and St3 with a stop at St2. St2 is outside of Entrance 2 so your ticket would be scanned when you board there. Riding the shuttle bus is included in the park entry ticket.
Outside The Park
There are taxis waiting at the park entrance. There are also bus stops though there was no bus schedule posted.
Expected Expenses
Parking – 2 Euros per hour, time is rounded down to the whole hour. Our parking ticket was punched at 7:29 AM and we paid it at 12:40 PM and was charged 10 Euros.
Park Entry Fee (summer) – 40 Euros per person (one day), 60 Euros per person (2 days). 25 Euros after 4 PM. According to a park employee, the entry fee is reduced outside of peak season.
Summary
Plitvice Lakes National Park is a major tourist destination because of its unparalleled natural beauty. The park’s interconnected lakes and countless waterfalls create a magical landscape. The turquoise and emerald waters, framed by dense forests and dramatic cliffs, provide picture-perfect views. Well-maintained wooden walkways and hiking trails make it easy for visitors of all ages to explore, whether they prefer a leisurely stroll along the lakeshores or a more challenging hike through the park’s higher elevations.
Beyond its scenery, Plitvice offers a rare chance to experience an unspoiled natural environment that is both peaceful and awe-inspiring. Its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site highlights its ecological importance and cultural value, reassuring travelers that they are visiting a protected and preserved landscape. Seasonal variety adds to its appeal, with each time of year offering a unique perspective—lush greenery in spring, vibrant colors in autumn, and frozen waterfalls in winter. This combination of accessibility, breathtaking landscapes, and year-round charm makes Plitvice Lakes National Park one of Croatia’s most popular and unforgettable destinations.