A Complete Travel Guide to Plitvice Lakes National Park

One-Day Plitvice Lakes Hiking Itinerary

Entering From Entrance #1

For this itinerary, we will be entering Plitvice Lakes National Park from Entrance #1 as we make our way through the park so be sure to drop off at the right entrance when you arrive in Plitvice by bus. If you decided to drive here, you can park at this parking lot outside the park.

From entrance #1, you can buy the entrance ticket from one of the ticket kiosks at the gate, or you can skip the line and buy the ticket online here. The entrance ticket will allow you access to the national park for an entire and it also includes a boat ride and a shuttle bus ride, one of each, which we will be relying on as we move around the park.

Once you enter the park, you will be met with an incredible view of the lush green landscapes of Plitvice Lakes National Park and a view of some of the prettiest waterfalls you will see here from above. The view is incredible up here, and I highly recommend you spend a few minutes admiring just how pretty the national park is and take some photos before we make our way down there.

Exploring the Lower Lakes

As you make your way down from Entrance #1, we are now entering the lower lakes section of the national park, and there are a few sights you should definitely check out while you explore the area.

Veliki Slap is one of the highlights of exploring the Lower Lakes. This waterfall is considered to be the highest waterfall in the park, measuring approximately 78 meters (255 feet) in height. The waterfall is created by the Plitvice River above, which flows through a series of cascades and lakes before reaching Veliki Slap.

From the walking path across the lake, you can walk up to the base of the waterfall and admire its beauty up close. The views around the area are also breathtaking as you walk on wooden planks, making your way across the beautiful azure-colored lake.

Once you are done with the waterfall, you can make your way south along the bank of Korana Lake and check out Supljara Cave, a nice small side trip that will take you up the 80m stairs inside a cave above. It should take you no more than 15 minutes to see the cave before we continue exploring the lower lakes.

Continue walking along the trail, hugging the lake, as the trail takes you to the other side of the lake, and in about 20 minutes, you should arrive at a boat pier to take you to the upper lakes section of the park.

A Boat Ride Across the Park

At this boat pier, there is a resting area where you can grab some snacks, go to the toilet, and enjoy the surrounding views as you wait for the boat to arrive at the pier.

The boat runs every 15 minutes with a capacity limit of around 60 people, so be sure to queue up before the boat arrives so you can get on the boat. With the entrance ticket, you should be able to get on the boat for free, and it will take you across the lake to the other side of the park in about 15 minutes.

Keep in mind that this is a one-way boat ride, and you can't take this boat back to the pier, so make sure you see everything you wanted to see in this section of the park before you get on the boat.

The boat will take you to this boat pier across the lake, which is a small pier where it can get extremely crowded as people get off the boat and prepare for the hike. Something to note is that the trail right at the beginning from the pier is a bottleneck as everyone is getting funneled through a narrow boardwalk, and so if you do not want to be stuck in traffic, I highly recommend you get off the boat as fast as you can and power through the crowd to the front of the line. Trust me, you do not want to be stuck in front of 60 people blocking your way.

Exploring the Upper Lakes

Once you get across the other side of the park, it is time to start making your way to the Upper Lakes of Plitvice, but first, we are going to stop at some of the most iconic waterfalls in the Lower Lakes section before we continue.

As you hike along the boardwalk, you will stumble upon Mali prštavac, one of the most iconic waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park located on the very edge of Gradinsko Lake and Galovacki Buk. The way the water flows down this waterfall is unlike anything you have seen before.

Due to its curved cliff face and the heavy erosion the cliff went through, the several water streams falling off along the curved cliff face create an illusion that makes Mali prštavac look like it is a floating island that was lifted off from the ground. It is truly quite a sight to behold.

As you make your way along the boardwalk, you will stumble upon Galovački Buk, another waterfall with a curved cliff face but this time, the cliff is curved inward creating a beautiful waterfall that is prime for photos. There is a viewing area at the waterfall where you can stop and take photos, so don't forget to do that before we make our way up to the Upper Lakes.

After Galovački Buk, you can continue along the hiking trail up toward the Upper Lakes for about 20 minutes until you arrive at an intersection. Be sure to turn right towards Malo Jezero, and continue to walk along the bank of Malo Jezero until the trail merges with another trail. From here, you can head west along the stairs to walk up to the Upper Lakes.

From the merge, the trail will take you along the cliffside of the third-highest lake in Plitvice, where you will be able to have an incredible view over the lake as well as all the small waterfalls around the area.

Continue to walk along the boardwalk until you arrive at Ciginovac Lake, second-highest lake in Plitvice. From here, you can make your way south, hugging along the lake, and through a forest until you arrive at Proscansko Jezero, the highest lake in the national park. Congratulations! You've made it to the top!

The view from up here is pretty stunning, and it is way quieter than the other parts of the national park. Spend a few minutes here and enjoy the solitude before you make your way to the Upper Lakes' rest stop.

A Shuttle Bus to Entrance #2/Entrance #1

At this resting stop, there is a small bus stop where you can utilize the shuttle bus to take you to Entrance #2 where you can drop off and explore this part of the park (there's not much to see at Entrance #2 in my opinion) or you can continue sitting on the bus all the way back to Entrance #1 where you entered the park from.

If you wish to be dropped off at Entrance #2, once you are done, you can catch the bus back to Zagreb directly from this bus stop in front of entrance #2. You do not have to go back to Entrance #1 as all buses from here will stop at both entrances.

I prefer the view at Entrance #1 more, so I decided to catch the park shuttle straight to Entrance #1 to take photos from this incredible viewpoint that allows me to see the Lower Lakes of Plitvice from above. Be sure to drop by this viewpoint on your way back to Entrance #1.

Once you are done, you can spend some time relaxing at the resting area in front of Entrance #1 before catching the bus back to Zagreb from this bus stop under the bridge. There is a bus operated by Arriva at 2:45 PM for 14 EUR, which is the earliest bus you can get to go back to Zagreb. With this itinerary, you have around 5.5 hours at the park which is more than enough to see everything.

You can stay longer at the park if you wish, as the last bus to Zagreb is at around 5:15 PM, but from my experience, 5 hours of hiking is plenty of time, and I was ready to go back to Zagreb by around 2 PM. The whole trip should take about 10 hours, including time on the bus which makes for a great full-day trip to make from Zagreb/Zadar. And that is it for a one-day hiking itinerary for Plitvice Lake National Park

When is the Best Time to Hike Plitvice Lakes?

The best time to hike Plitvice Lakes, especially if you want to rely on public transportation, is in the summer months between June and August when it is driest and you will have a much higher chance for clear skies, high visibility, and lovely sunshine making your hike a bit more comfortable.

That said, it is also the most crowded time of all, and Plitvice Lakes National Park does get a ton of tourists every day, not to mention the narrow wooden walking paths you have to hike on, which can create a bottleneck and traffic jam, which is the last thing you want to experience in nature.

If you do not mind the cold but want to still experience Plitvice Lakes without having to deal with the overwhelming crowds, I highly recommend you visit the national park during the shoulder seasons of late April to May or September to early October. The crowds are starting to thin during this time which makes visiting Plitvice Lakes a little more enjoyable.

All in all, if you want the highest chance of great weather in Plitvice Lakes, I highly recommend you stick to the period I recommended above.

How to Get to Plitvice Lakes?

From Zagreb

To get from Zagreb to Plitvice, you can either go on an organized tour that will take you from Zagreb to the national park and back in about 12 hours with around 4 - 5 hours of hiking time, which is more than enough to see all the highlights of the national park like Veliki Slap, Galovački buk, and Milanovac waterfall.

This option is great for those who are looking for an easy way to get to the national park and back without having to worry about the logistics. The tour should cost around 100 EUR per person and you can reserve your spot here.

Now, if you want to do it independently, you are going to have to catch a bus operated by Flixbus from Zagreb Bus Station which leaves at around 6:45 AM every day and the bus will take you to Plitvička Jezera in about 2 hours arriving at 9 AM.

Be sure to get off at Entrance #1, as we will be entering from this entrance to start the hike. Also, make sure you buy the bus ticket in advance, especially if you are visiting the national park during the summer months.

Looking for the best things to do in Zagreb? Check out:14 Best Things to Do in Zagreb

From Zadar

From Zadar, you can also go on an organized tour to Plitvice Lake, or you can do it independently via public transportation at a much cheaper price than if you were to do it from Zagreb as Zadar is a bit closer to Plitvice Lakes.

From Zadar, you can catch the morning daily Flixbus that leaves at 8:30 AM from Zadar Bus Terminal and it will take you to Plitvice Entrance #1 in about 2 hours. Once you are done, you can catch another Flixbus back to Zadar at either 3:15 PM or 5 PM. Be sure to reserve the seat beforehand as it gets booked up quite quickly during the summer.

Looking for a complete travel guide to Zadar? Check out:12 Best Things to Do in Zadar

From Split

From Split, your best bet is to go on an organized tour to Plitvice Lake as Split is quite far from the national park and there is no good bus schedule that will allow you enough time to hike around and see all the lakes here.

How Difficult is the Plitvice Lakes Hike?

The trails in Plitvice Lakes National Park are not much of a hike but more of a stroll along the walking paths that go around each lake with only a few ups and downs. It was very easy, and anyone can easily do it, but make sure you wear comfortable shoes as you will be covering quite a lot of ground here.

All in all, Plitvice Lakes National Park is an easy hike that is geared towards anyone who is looking to stroll around and immerse themselves in the incredible nature Croatia has to offer without having to go full-on hiking. A perfect place to visit for everyone!

Looking for a complete travel guide to Split? Check out:12 Best Things to Do in Split

How Long Does it Take to Hike Plitvice Lakes?

I started out at 9 AM, and I was able to explore both the lower and the upper lakes and make my way back to Entrance #1 at around 12:30 PM, including breaks, so you can expect to spend at least 3.5 hours exploring the park.

Depending on where you are traveling from, if we include the travel time, it should take you around 7.5 hours for a one-day trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park, 4 hours for a roundtrip journey from Zagreb/Zadar, and another 3.5 hours to spend at the park.

Plitvice Lakes Entrance Fees?

The entrance fee for Plitvice National Park is not exactly cheap, especially if you visit the park during the summer months between June and September, as the ticket will cost you 40 EUR per adult, 26.50 EUR per student, and 15.90 EUR per child! That is crazy expensive for a national park, in my opinion.

If you want to save some money, you can try visiting Plitvice during the shoulder seasons, where the entrance fee goes down to 23.50 EUR per adult, 14.50 EUR per student, and 6.50 EUR per child.

For the off-season, the price goes down even further to 10 EUR per adult, 6.50 EUR per student, and 4.50 EUR per child. These prices are not cheap even by a European standard, but I guess it is understandable as the place can be extremely overcrowded and they are going to need a lot of money to preserve nature in this area.

The good thing is that the entrance ticket also includes one boat ride and shuttle service each, which will allow you to cover the entire national park in a few hours. You can book the ticket here or you can buy it from the ticket kiosks at both entrances of the park.

How Much Money Do I Need For Plitvice Lakes?

In total, I spent around 70 EUR for visiting Plitvice Lakes excluding lunch and snacks. The roundtrip ticket from Zagreb/Zadar to Plitvice and back was around 30 EUR, and the national park ticket was 40 EUR, so in total, I spent 70 EUR for this trip.

Is it Safe to Hike Plitvice Lakes?

The trails are well-marked and easy to navigate, so you should have no trouble getting around Plitvice Lakes National Park. Just make sure you hike responsibly and be mindful of others, as the place does get extremely crowded in the summer.

Many of the trails that go above the water are made out of wooden planks, and they are extremely narrow. Stick to one side when you walk and look back before you decide to stop and take photos. You have no idea how many times I almost bumped into people as they decided to stop all of a sudden to take photos! Other than that, there's not much to worry about when it comes to safety for this hike.

Which tourist SIM card is best for Plitvice Lakes National Park?

With an esim from Airalo, I was able to have access to the internet the entire hike so I highly recommend you get one prior to your travel. It worked well around Croatia with a constant 4G connection, so if you are planning to stay longer in Austria, getting the Airalo esim is a no-brainer, given your phone supports esim of course.

If your phone doesn't support esim, you should be able to get a physical sim card at the airport in Zagreb or elsewhere in the country, and you will be able to stay connected with your friends and families the entire time you are hiking Plitvice Lakes.

What to Pack for Plitvice Lakes?

• A Water bottle: At least 1.5 - 2 liters of water for the Plitvice Lake. Croatia in the summer can be pretty unforgiving, so make sure you have enough water to stay hydrated for the hike. You can buy water inside the park at resting stops, but it can be quite expensive. I always carry my super lightweight Hydro Flask Insulated Water Bottle on all my trips around Europe, and I highly recommend you get one, especially if you like hiking.
• Good Sturdy Shoes: Since you will be hiking for about 3 hours on this trip, make sure you wear a comfortable pair of shoes that you don't mind walking in. Sneakers and trail running shoes are fine as long as you are comfortable hiking in them. I highly recommend you go with a proper hiking boot or shoes like Timberland White Ledge Mid Waterproof Ankle Boot (for women) for good ankle support or this Columbia Redmond V2 Waterproof Hiking Boot (for women) if you want something lighter and easier to move around in.
• Layers: Always carry layers in case the weather changes all of a sudden. I was there in late September, and it was getting pretty windy and cold at times. Here are the jackets I recommend you get for the trip: a fleece jacket and the beautiful orange Columbia outer-shell jacket.
• Snack Bars: Since you will be spending all day traveling and hiking, I highly recommend you pack a few snack bars for the trip. They are delicious, nutritious, and cheap, and they are great for when you want to quickly replenish your energy while hiking. I highly recommend CLIF BARS.
• Lunch: There are a few small restaurants at several rest stops scattered across the national park, most often near boat piers and shuttle bus stops. You can grab lunch from there if you don't mind paying a bit more, or you can simply pack your own lunch for the trip.
• A Daypack: This is what you will use to carry all your essentials like water bottles, jackets, snack bars, etc. Any backpack with around a 25L capacity like Herschel Supply's Little America bag should be enough for most use cases, but if you have lots of camera gear as I do, Langly Alpha Globetrotter Backpack is my go-to camera bag for the hike.
• Power Bank: In case your phone or camera runs out of juice while you are hiking, it is always recommended to have a backup power bank just in case you need it.

Check Out My Hiking Packing List

Further Reading for Croatia

I hope you found this Croatia travel guide useful. If you want to read more about Croatia, here is a selection of articles you might like:

• For a complete itinerary to the Balkans, check out: 2 Months Backpacking Balkans Itinerary.
• For a complete Croatia backpacking itinerary, check out: 2 Weeks Backpacking Croatia Itinerary.
• Zagreb may not be on everyone's radar, but the city does have its charm, and it is a great place to see what life is really like in Croatia outside of touristy towns. Here are the 14 Best Things to Do in Zagreb.
• Pula is a charming city in the beautiful region of Istria, home to some of the most well-preserved Roman ruins outside of Italy. If you are planning to visit Pula, be sure to check out: 10 Best Things to Do in Pula.
• One of the most charming coastal towns that doesn't get as many tourists as other places in Croatia, Rovinj is one of the best places to visit in Croatia. Here are the 10 best things to do in Rovinj.
• Zadar is a great place to start your journey along the popular Dalmatian coast. Here are the 12 Best Things to Do in Zadar.
• Krka National Park is home to some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Croatia. If you want to visit the park, be sure to check out: A Complete Travel Guide to Krka National Park.
• Home to the stunning Diocletian's Palace, Split is one of the best places to visit in Croatia. For those planning to visit the town, here are the 12 Best Things to Do in Split.
• From swimming in the crystal clear waters to walking around the quaint town, Hvar is a great island to visit in order to escape the typical touristy towns in Croatia. Wondering what you can do there? Here are the 8 Best Things to Do in Hvar.
• You can't come to Croatia without visiting Dubrovnik, one of the most famous travel destinations in Europe, home to so many cool things to do and places to see. If you are planning to visit the town, here are the 10 Best Things to Do in Dubrovnik.
• Not convinced by my words? Here are 125 photos that will inspire you to visit Europe.
• To see all the articles about Croatia, visit the Croatia Travel Guide page.
• Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
• Looking for more travel guides for Europe? You can find more on my Europe Travel Guide page.
• Or if you want something more specific to the region, visit our Balkans Travel Guide, Eastern Europe Travel Guide, Western Europe Travel Guide, Southern Europe Travel Guide, or Central Europe Travel Guide pages.
• For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.