“I am now convinced that fairies do, in fact, exist”
– Me after visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park

Arriving at 8:30 AM before the height of the crowds, we stepped into Plitvice Lakes National Park and immediately felt a sense of calm. We took a slow boat to the other side of the lake to begin our day, listening to the fluid lapping of water beneath us, peacefully gliding along water so clear, the fish appeared to merely be floating through air.

*PIN THIS POST!*

When we arrived to the other side, the trail began immediately, which consisted of a wooden planked boardwalk that would continue throughout the entire park, leading us directly over waterfalls and making us feel as though we were part of the lake.

There are no handrails on most of the boardwalk, engulfing and ensconcing you in nature and encouraging you to be completely in the moment. This is an excellent place for meditation and reflection if you come early enough to beat the crowds.

Contemplating and enjoying a bit of uninterrupted silence. It’s best to go in the early morning before all the tourist busses are dropped off.

Quiet reflections.

Reflections from the sky onto a glass lake.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is a 295-square kilometer forest in central Croatia. It is a chain of 16 lakes joined by waterfalls that cascade into a limestone canyon. Added to the UNESCO world heritage list in 1979, Plitvice Lakes is one of the oldest national parks in Southeast Europe, and boasts the top spot for the largest national park in Croatia. This is the land from which fairies come. These photos are completely raw, 100% natural beauty with no color alterations. The greens and blues were jaw-dropping.

How do you pronounce “Plitvice”?

It’s plit-vis-eh” 🙂

How to Get To Plitvice Lakes National Park

There are several buses that make day trips to the lakes, departing from all the major cities, including Dubrovnik, Split and Trogir. However, if you have a rental car, you will have the freedom of arriving early or late once the crowds have dissipated, making for a less Disney Land-like experience.

Facilities in the Park

If you are a foodie, and especially if you have just spent four weeks in Italy like we did, do not expect good food in this area. Plitvice Lakes and surrounding small towns are quite literally in the middle of nowhere, so restaurants are few and far between. You’ll find pizza and truck stop-like food. The food inside the national park is also poor quality and very expensive, so I recommend packing your own snacks and sandwiches (just remember to pack your trash out with you!) There is a supermarket in Korenica where you can purchase salami, bread, cheese, etc.

There are toilets (some squatty potties and some normal toilets) in all main entrance areas as well as food, coffee, beverages and packaged ice cream. Once you leave the main entrance areas to hike and walk along the boardwalk, there are no toilets, so make sure you take care of business before you set out to walk!

Plitvice Lakes National Park Entrance Cost and Ticket Options

If you have a rental car, there is a car park where you take a ticket and pay upon exiting. The amount you pay is based on how long you stay. We parked at 8:30 AM and left at 4:30 PM and paid around 56 Kuna ($9 USD / €7.60 euro) for 8 hours.

What Are The Ticket Options For Visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park?

There are two ticket options: one-day pass and two-day pass, and pricing varies based on the season. When we visited back in 2017, prices were only $19 USD for the one-day pass, and in 2021 it was $46 USD for a one-day pass, so prices have drastically increased over the years as tourism soars in Croatia.

Your ticket includes all transportation within the park, including the boat rides. However, the long boat ride from entrance #2 to to the main lake can only be used one time per day (they stamp your ticket), which means that if you are parked in lot #2 and need to get back, you will need to either take the bus (also included in your ticket purchase), or walk the trail that lines the perimeter of the lake and takes approximately 30 minutes to walk. It is easy, flat and shaded for most of the way. We saw plenty of children walking it without any complaints. Also, you’ll get lovely front-row views of silly mallard ducks like this guy, doing everything in his power to get to his food. It’s okay, dude, it must be rough having such a buoyant booty. No judgement. Must…get…to…insect.

**INSIDER TIP**: During high season (mid-May-mid-September), the queue to go back to entrance #2 on the boat is insanely long. Even though our feet were tired, we ended up walking the half hour on the trail back to our car and arrived before all the people waiting in queue did, which means that waiting for the boat can take twice as long as it would to walk the trail back. This is why I would recommend using your once-per-day stamp for your long boat ride, in the morning.

How Much Time Should you Spend in Plitvice Lakes? Can You See It All In One Day?

Most people visit Plitvice Lakes just for a few hours on day tours that arrive on a bus. We spent a full day (8 hours) and felt that it was enough and that we had seen everything. If you are into hiking, there are a few trails that you can explore if you wanted to stay for two days, but you can certainly see it all without feeling rushed in a full day, especially if you start early. Be prepared for a LOT of walking. We consider ourselves in good athletic shape, and our feet were tired at the end of the day and we felt ready to return home. Make sure you have good insoles with arch support!

Croatia Exchange Rate

At the time of travel, Croatia was still not fully integrated into the EU, so they still used Kuna as their currency and did not accept euros. One U.S. dollar is equal to 6.25 Kuna.

Hiking Trails and How to Get Around Plitvice Lakes National Park

There are a few signs that show trail routes and times such as this one:

But they can still be quite confusing. Most people try to get to Veliki Slap (meaning “big waterfall” in Croatian – yes, “slap” is the word for waterfall. It’s okay, I giggled too) and “the view” that everyone comes here for…the one that we all see when we look up Google images of Plitvice Lakes.

However, keep in mind that depending on the time of year you visit, it may not look the same. For example, the falls always flow, but sometimes the flow is stronger and sometimes weaker. This has been a dry summer for Croatia, so the falls were not as strong. There are no signs that say “for the most popular photo found on Google, go this way!” So, how exactly do you get to this view?

How To Get To The Amazing Views of Plitvice Lakes

• After you pass Veliki Slap, a 78-meter (256-foot) high waterfall (which looks like this):

• Turn to the right and ascend the stairs to the top. This will bring you to a main road where cars drive through. Don’t worry, you’re still in the right place
• Follow the road until you see a trail on the right side
• Take this trail to the lookout (there are a few), and you will get to these views (click on each photo to enlarge it):

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Tall pano

I just couldn’t get enough of these views!

Don’t get too close to the edge!

Another view of Veliki Slap

So much turquoise!

A wide view of the lake and the boardwalk below

Boardwalk

The two holes were mysterious-looking

Plitvice Lakes National Park

I recommend going to the top lookouts during mid afternoon when the main boardwalk gets so crowded that lines of people get jammed up and it looks like a Disney Land ride line below.

It’s so neat to watch the boat come in and out in the upper lake

Being a mountain goat

It makes your stomach drop a bit!

Panoramic view from the lookout point up top

Another epic panorama from above

What To Bring For A Visit To Plitvice Lakes National Park

We have spent the last four months in Europe, starting in Russia, then moving to Greece, Italy and finally France. After Russia, we sent back our winter wardrobe thinking that we would not experience temperatures under 20 C (70 F) for the rest of our travels. Boy, were we wrong! Plitvice Lakes and the surrounding small towns (including where we stayed in Korenica), dipped down to 8 C (47 F) in the evenings and mornings, which we were not at all prepared for! On the day we visited the national park, we didn’t remove our jackets until around 11:30 AM when the sun finally warmed up. Check the weather before you go (also keep in mind it rains a LOT here, which is why it’s so green!) and pack accordingly.

Packing List for Visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park

• A warm jacket and/or beanie
• Your camera, an extra battery, and an extra large SD card! There’s a good chance you will fill it up!
• A fully charged phone if you’re using your phone to take photos
• Light jacket or vest (or dress in layers that are easy to put on and pull off, since the sun sometimes can’t make up its mind)
• Hiking or running shoes with comfortable insoles (do not wear flat shoes or slippers (flip flops/thongs) unless you only plan on an hour of walking)
• Socks
• Lots of water, snacks and a picnic lunch if you want to save money and spare yourself from bad food at the concessions
• Sunscreen, hat and sunnies
• Cash & coins (credit cards are accepted, but cash is much quicker and preferred at the concessions and souvenir shop)
• TIP: In the afternoon, the queue for ice cream gets very long. Simply go into the souvenir shop and buy the ice cream there. Same flavors, same price, and shorter queue.

There is no swimming in any of the lakes, as it is a protected national park. If you want to swim, you can do so at Krka Waterfall, located one hour North of Split.

Now that you’re a pro on everything you need to know about visiting, let’s take a look at the photos (I couldn’t break away from my camera!) Come with me on a photo journey through Plitvice Lakes National Park…(you can click on each photo to enlarge it.)

Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Plitvice Lakes Right Now!

The water is so clear you can see all the fish and all the way down to the lake bottom.

You must take several boat crossings to access different parts of the lake.

After visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park, I am convinced that fairies do, in fact, exist. 🙂

In some parts, the boardwalk takes you right above the waterfall flowing beneath you

Especially when it became crowded, I was always nervous about accidentally bumping someone into the water with their expensive camera equipment!

Can’t you just imagine a fairy fluttering around in here?

One of my favorites

Clear water and sand below

Waterfall reflections

It was so enticing!

Protection.

“Sitting on the dock of the bay….heading out to Plitvice Lakes” 😉

This view was stunning. At first glance this looks like a painting or wallpaper. This was, in fact, shot from a plank standing above the water looking down into the lake that was so clear you could see all the way to the lake bottom and everything inside it, including fallen trees.

So, are you now convinced that fairies do exist? 😉

*PIN THIS POST!*