In general, I don’t like places like this: how many times have I written that there is no point in going to some nature reserve, the nature around is the same. But the Plitvice Lakes National Park struck me in the heart. Now, sitting in cold, icy Moscow, I even want to go back there again. And again walk those six hours of your route.
Meet one of the most beautiful places in the already beautiful Croatia!
1. Finding the way to the lakes is very easy; if you are traveling by car, enter the name of the settlement Plitvička jezera into your navigator, and if you are traveling by public transport, there will probably be excursion tours offered in the city where you are staying. Paid parking is provided for cars; all the fun costs 40 rubles per hour. 
2. The ticket is not cheap compared to other Croatian museums, and costs about 600 rubles. The ticket is valid throughout the day and gives the right to use a bus that runs within the national park (without restrictions) or a boat (one time). 
3. The walk will be long, stock up on food in advance. Before the entrance you can buy delicious pies for 80 rubles apiece, in the middle of the route there is an open-air cafe, but you won’t have lunch there for less than 400 rubles. 
4. For those who want to save money, I’ll say that parking is completely free, and entering the park without a ticket is also as easy as shelling pears. I found out about this when I was leaving the park and originally wanted to tell you about this little secret. But still I won’t: the entire European system is built on trust in people, let’s not violate it. Although it is very easy to deceive this system in this case. 
5. There are signs at the entrance saying what you shouldn’t do in the park. The strictest prohibition is swimming. You can’t even touch the water, for this there is a large fine, and in some cases even imprisonment. I'll tell you why soon. 
6. Entrance to the park. There is another cash register here, for those who entered from the other side. 
7. There are six different walking routes in the park, you can choose any one, depending on how much time you have, how strong your legs are, and what exactly you want to see. The first three routes start the same. To get to the walking trail, get on this road train. If there are a lot of people, you can wait, they come regularly. 
8. I chose a route of medium length. The beauty of the area begins as soon as you get off the bus. 
9. Everything in the park is done for the convenience of people: not a centimeter of dirt road, boardwalks everywhere. Only when you get inside do you realize that the price of 600 rubles is justified. 
10. On the way there will be waterfalls, large and small. 
11. Throughout the entire walk I was accompanied by gurgling waters. 
12. So why can’t you swim here? 
13. There is a rule in the park: what falls into the water stays there. No one pulls out driftwood or fallen leaves, so the microflora is not disturbed and nature remains untouched. This is how the Croatian authorities preserve the park for future generations. 
14. If a person swims in this pure water, he will upset the natural balance with his microbes, and many plants will die. 
15. I’ll be honest - I REALLY wanted to swim!!! 
16. Almost everywhere the water is teeming with fish. If you stretch out your hand, you will catch several at once. But again, it’s impossible. 
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20. There are many places in Plitvice Lakes where you can relax, read a book or admire the untouched nature. 
21. There are a lot of tourists, a queue gathers near the most “interesting” views and waterfalls to take pictures against the background. 
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23. There are a lot of elderly people. European retirees love walking. 
24. A huge bald German shoots a bow against the backdrop of a waterfall. 
25. Bul-bull! 
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27. The color of the water depends on the underwater plants; they are different everywhere. This is the miracle of the Plitvice Lakes, in one small area there is a huge variety of flora. 
28. It seems to me that this girl is somewhat like the ducks she feeds. 
29. In the middle of the route you can take a boat: just at this moment most people get tired of walking. 
30. Everyone is sitting in the boat like sprats in a jar - only there is not enough oil. No one is running, no one is taking pictures against the backdrop of the lake, no one is yelling “Tagil”. 
31. On the top shelf there are life jackets, exactly according to the number of passengers. True, they didn’t tell us how to use them. 
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34. You go ashore and immediately there is a large open-air cafe with a bunch of tables. You can take a break and have lunch. I even drank beer - I still had to walk for several hours, and besides, in Croatia, the permissible dose of alcohol in a driver’s blood is 0.5 ppm. 
35. Some tourists are so tired that they prefer healthy sleep to food. 
36. Another half hour of travel - and we come to the largest waterfall of the national park. 
37. In order to photograph the waterfall without anyone wanting to take a photo of themselves, I had to break the rule a little and come closer. 
38. No one noticed me, but it was worth it! 
39. You can climb even higher, to the observation deck, and look at the waterfall from above. I don’t recommend it to anyone - a ten-minute climb up a steep road (albeit with hollowed-out steps) will leave you more tired than a three-hour leisurely walk on wooden decks. 
40. But when you go back to the bus, which will take you to the starting point, to the first parking lot (we left the car there) - the views will please you much more.
41. If after Plitvice Lakes you want to go to the cities of Pula or Rijeka, there are two roads there. One is picturesque, leads through many Croatian villages, and then winds along the sea coast, the second is a toll highway. The first one is more interesting, but keep in mind that for 300 kilometers of the route you will only come across one gas station. Therefore, I had to turn onto the highway before reaching hundreds of kilometers to the coastal beauty. Fill up in advance :) 
Thinking of visiting Croatia for the first time?
I even envy you a little, because you are yet to be enchanted by this wonderful country! There are countless places in Croatia that are definitely worth visiting!
Let me help you plan your route a little. Here's what you'll learn from this post:
Plitvice Lakes National Park- a must-see place!
Plitvice Lakes (Plitvička jezera) were the first thing I wanted to visit in Croatia!
That is why I spent only one day in Zagreb and escaped from the bustle of the city to this amazing place to admire the ensembles of waterfalls.
And I didn’t regret it one bit. Why?
I hope everything becomes clear to you once you look at these photos.
But to make it clearer, I will still answer some of the most popular questions:
1. WHAT ARE THESE LAKES AND WHY IS IT WORTH GOING HERE?
Plitvice Lakes is an ensemble of 16 natural lakes. National park included in the list UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the spectacular views, rare fauna and unique turquoise waters.
They are located in the very heart of the country, 130 km from the capital. This is very cool, because it is convenient to get there from Zagreb and Split, so you can arrange such a one-day tour for yourself.
2. HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD YOU SPEND AT PLITVICE LAKES?
It depends on what you want to do there and how much time you generally have.
Well, let’s say, if you just want to check in here (or you’re running out of time), one day is enough. There are a bunch of one-day tours from the same Zagreb or Split.
But as for me, then You won’t be able to fully enjoy this amazing place in a day.. I spent here two days and I think this is an ideal option!
On the other hand, if you want to have fun here to the fullest (below I will tell you what options there are) and are not in a hurry, then you can stay for three days. It won't be boring, I tell you!
LIFE HACK: Try to come here early in the morning, then there will be no crowds in the park and you can take cool photos. When there are a lot of tourists here, this unique atmosphere is lost.
3. HOW MUCH IS THE ENTRANCE COST?
By the way, if anyone is interested, you can even go to the park with your dog, it is not prohibited. I saw with my own eyes people walking there with their dogs.
6. HOW TO GET TO PLITVICE LAKES?
Unfortunately, trains don't go there, and I was unable to use my Eurail pass.
If you don't want to rent a car, no problem! There is a convenient transfer from Zagreb.
You can also get there by public transport. A lot of people go there buses. Quite often, and travel on them is cheap. View schedule and. You have to pay extra for luggage, as when flying on low-cost airlines (7-10 Croatian kuna, about 1 euro). Typically, if you buy tickets on the website of carriers, such as, for example, Autotrans, you can save 5%. By the way, they also have Wi-Fi on their buses!
NOTE: The parking fee is 7 kn/hour (1.3 euros).
7. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO TO PLITVICE LAKES?
Anytime, really. I went there in early October, the weather was still good, and the water was an incredible turquoise color. But at any time of the year this place is beautiful in its own way. I bet it looks great under the snow too!
In short, it doesn’t matter when, just go, you’ll love it!🙂
You don’t need to take hiking boots, regardless of the season, because the roads here are smooth, and you will also be comfortable in regular shoes (well, that is, comfortable ones, not heels, of course). But do not forget that this park is still located in a mountainous area, and in the evenings it is cool here, so you should still bring warm clothes!
8. WHERE TO STAY IN PLITVICE LAKES?
Recently, more and more places where you can stay have appeared in the National Park. Just like mushrooms after the rain!
OTHER ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS IN PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK:
Luxury hotels:(from $100 and more) - Hotel Jezero is the only one located in the park, and this is its great advantage.
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Plitvice Lakes on your own - How to get there, What to see
Plitvice Lakes became a national park in Croatia just under 70 years ago, almost immediately after the Second World War, in 1949. And 30 years later they were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. My husband and I came to Plitvice Lakes in Croatia on our own during our road trip around the Balkan Peninsula, and we were convinced that this is truly a wonderful place.
The modern tourist is attracted to Croatia primarily by the seaside resorts of the azure Adriatic. But although Plitvice Lakes are located quite far from the coast - about 2-3 hours drive - many people want to come here. For vacationers, distance is not an obstacle, since public transport in the country is well developed and quite affordable. Therefore, many tourists take a break from the gentle sea for a day or two and go to look at this famous national park, located in the central part of Croatia.
How to get to Plitvice Lakes
The Plitvice Lakes are easy to reach from different parts of the country - from Porec, Zagreb, Trogir, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar. This is possible both by car and by regular bus.
From Zagreb
The bus schedule Zagreb - Plitvice Lakes can be conveniently viewed on the Zagreb Central Bus Station website. This is a dynamic and largest bus station in the country, from where from 10 to 20 flights depart daily towards the reserve, depending on the time of year. The journey takes 2-2.5 hours.
Depending on which city near the reserve you want to drive to, the ticket price will change. On average, ticket prices range from 46 kuna to 91 kuna, that is, from approximately 6 € to 12 €.
Not long ago, the bus station launched a new service – ordering and paying for tickets via the Internet. In this case, the driver only needs to present a printout of the electronic ticket. But this does not apply to all flights. The carrier is the Autotrans company; it is on the official website of this company that you can see the current prices and buy a ticket.
From Split
You can also get from Split to Plitvice Lakes by regular buses. The schedule in English is in the Timetables section, Departures - departure schedule, Arrivals - arrival schedule. There are always more flights in summer than at other times of the year. The distance from Split is 256 km, and the road often runs along serpentines.
There are only 3 buses for autumn. The first 2 from for 22 €, travel time 4.5 hours.
The third bus of the day is from a local carrier, the cost of the trip is 20.60 €, but the travel time is already 5.5 hours, the bus leaves at night. You can buy a ticket.
From Trogir
It is more convenient to get from this popular seaside resort to the reserve by car or by intercity bus, which goes through it from Split or other large cities. Trogir itself is located about 20 km from Split, which can be reached by a regular city bus, since these cities are connected by a single public transport.
The schedule of the only bus of the day confirms this - this is the same bus that leaves Split at 20:15. Travel 250 km, the cost of the trip will be approximately 18.50 €.
From Dubrovnik
The longest way to Plitvice Lakes is from Dubrovnik - the journey by car takes 5 hours, the drive is 450 km. The direct bus route to Plitvice is not very convenient. Therefore, it is better to go there with a transfer through Zadar. However, the unique, pristine beauty of the reserve more than compensates for some road inconveniences.
As for the route, there is one bus from Dubrovnik that goes to Zagreb and passes through our destination, but the journey will take 9.5 hours. A ticket costs about 38€, you can buy it online.
From Porec
Getting there from Porec (260 km) by public transport is not very convenient - you will need a transfer, and in some cases even more than one. It is better to rent a car, and you should immediately plan your trip with an overnight stay. The road goes through the A1 Zagreb-Split expressway.
Our car travel experience
Our route to the reserve went through A1. This route is very convenient, but there is a fee, and costs about 11 € from the same Split to the Plitvice Lakes. Another inconvenience is quite long queues at toll points, especially on weekends.
When it comes to roads, the Croatians are very prudent and provide a lot of information on the situation on the highways. For English-speaking tourists traveling by car, there is a convenient website Croatia Traffic Info. If you have the Internet on the same phone, it is easy to get information about traffic jams, repair work, the presence of strong wind and its direction, fog and other things that can complicate and slow down the journey.
The National Park website also has recommendations - for example, the wonderful Plitvice Hotel, where an economy room with breakfast for 1 person costs 74 €, and for two – 98 €. In principle, considering that it is actually located in the park itself, for many tourists this is a completely reasonable price.
Those who come here by car often stop 20-40 km from the reserve - prices there are much cheaper, and you can get to the Plitvice Lakes in 10-20 minutes.
Practical information
Those who know English, German, French or Italian should check out the National Park website before visiting Plitvice Lakes. Information on prices and various events is regularly updated here; you can find advice on accommodation in nearby hotels and restaurants; Various routes for visiting the park are offered; and, of course, there are detailed descriptions of attractions and even interactive maps of routes and surrounding areas. Here you will find the address, time and opening hours, and ticket prices.
Entry price
It varies depending on the season and how many days you purchase the ticket for. Plitvice lakes are huge! Therefore, if you have time, it is worth purchasing a ticket for 2 days. For an adult it costs 280 kuna or 37 Euros, for a child – 140 kuna or 18.5 €. This includes a ferry ride on Lake Kozjak, a ride on a panoramic electric car and, surprisingly, visitor insurance. A 1-day ticket is cheaper: 180 kn or 24 € and 70 kn or 9 €, respectively.
Working hours
The reserve is open daily from 7 am to 7 pm, including holidays. In winter it closes earlier. It is better to check this information on the website.
Routes
First of all, you need to decide on the route. It does not affect the cost. And the choice depends only on how many kilometers you are willing to walk. There are 8 routes in total. The length of the shortest is 3.5 km. The largest is 18.3 km. A route map with the necessary explanations is issued at the information desk.
Amazingly, the lakes themselves occupy little more than 1% of the park's territory. There are 16 of them in total, and they are mainly concentrated in the central part, where they smoothly flow into one another for about 5 km. That's why? in our opinion, the best route is route C, 8 km long. This may seem like a lot. In fact, it is optimal. You can walk the route in 4-6 hours – there are many benches along it, and a cafe where you can relax.
In addition, this walk is not only on foot. It includes a trip around the lake electric ferry and return to the place of departure on a huge panoramic electric bus(environmental issues are given a lot of attention here, so gasoline and diesel fuel are strictly prohibited!). That is, the route itself is circular, and it starts from Entrance No. 1.
The main thing is that you can see the main attractions and even a little more - the canyons of the Upper and Lower Lakes, the most famous and beautiful waterfalls, including the “Great Waterfall”, “Veliki Prštavac” and “Mali Prštavac”, the largest lake Kozjak, the mysterious Šupljara cave , where a constant temperature of 10.5 degrees is maintained.
Waterfalls on Plitvice Lakes
They deserve special mention. There are about 140 of them here. The largest - the “Great Waterfall” - is located in the canyon system of the Lower Lakes, near Lake Novakovića Brod and falls down from a height of 78 meters. It is at its foot that the Korana River begins - another local attraction, which intricately wanders through Croatia for 143 km, ending up on its way even to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
And at the other end of the same lake there is a whole collection of smaller waterfalls, forming a real cascade 25 meters high. The Upper Lakes also have waterfalls, united by the common name Prštavac, which means “sparkling, sparkling” - even in rainy weather you can see a rainbow in their waters. But the most amazing thing is that almost every year new waterfalls appear in the reserve!
Some things are not allowed!
You can't swim
Like many tourists, we were worried about the question of whether it was possible to swim in the Plitvice Lakes. Unfortunately, it turned out that it was impossible. But, in general, this is for the better. I can't imagine what this pristine nature reserve would become if all those hundreds of thousands of visitors who visit the park every year went swimming in its lakes and waterfalls. 
You can't fish
In addition to this prohibition, others apply here. At the entrance to the reserve and on its territory, to the great disappointment of fishermen, there are “Don’t fish” signs. At the same time, fish are found here in huge quantities - trout, carp, and crucian carp. Tourists actively feed it, and the size of most individuals sometimes inspires respectful awe. In this fish paradise, besides the fishermen, the only sad things are the beautiful ducks and drakes - the fattened fish often take away the delicacies that visitors try to treat them with. Those birds who dare to go ashore and take food directly from the hands of tourists are luckier - the shots, by the way, turn out wonderful!
General rules
You still can’t light fires, set up tourist camps, scare or feed animals, listen to loud music, leave the trail, or tear up plants. To tell the truth, we slightly violated the last rule by pinching off a few sprigs of fragrant mint for evening tea. By the way, there is an incredible amount of mint growing there! It rises straight from the lakes, covers the shores, and you can find it even if you go deep into the forest.
There are a lot of blackberries and blueberries here in August. It is not forbidden to collect it in small quantities. But if someone did not notice it or was carried away by creating a photo report, you can buy berries at the entrance/exit - for about 1-2 € a glass.
Along all routes, along lakes and waterfalls, there are wooden boardwalks along which tourists walk. They are quite wide, but in some places there are no barriers, and in the rain it is very slippery in some areas. Therefore, it is better to choose sports or tourist shoes for such an excursion.
It is, of course, better to come here on a weekday. On weekends, even in rainy weather, the sea attracts visitors! Therefore, you should be prepared to stand for 10-20 minutes - depending on your luck - in line for a ticket at one of the ticket offices, which work somewhat chaotically. In addition to their native language, most of the reserve's employees speak English and German quite fluently, and some speak Russian quite well. However, with some effort, Croatian is generally not difficult to understand. There are two entrances to the reserve. From each of them there are 4 tourist routes.
Plitvice Lakes have special weather. It is constantly changing here, and rain is a frequent visitor here. In addition, compared to the coast, this part of Croatia is noticeably cooler. So a body shirt and a raincoat won't hurt. We got here in August, and on the day we visited the national park the weather was very contrasting - rain was replaced by bright sun, which made it possible to take excellent photographs, but a raincoat was just as useful as a camera.
The panoramic bus runs along the routes every half hour, so you don’t have to worry that you won’t catch it on time. It is better to have a snack in a cafe, which is located next to the bus stop. The electric boat on the long line P2-P3 also departs every half hour. While you wait, you can feed the fish or ducks - so bring some bread.
Croatia is already a real Europe with its slightly lazy way of life on weekends. Therefore, it is worth considering that on Sundays there are almost no shops open in the Plitvice Lakes area - we had difficulty finding one small supermarket in the area of our campsite and a good bakery with excellent pastries. But fish lovers should look around - there are private farms here, where you can buy excellent trout very inexpensively any day. By the way, in the national park itself, the shops sell delicious honey and excellent natural cosmetics.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the most picturesque and attractive places in Europe.
General information about Plitvice Lakes
- Full name: Croatian National Park “Plitvice Lakes” (Croatian: Plitvicka jezera).
- Region: Lika Seni district, Croatia.
- IUCN Category: II (is).
- Date of foundation: April 8, 1949
- Area: 296.85 km2.
- Relief: mountainous.
- Climate: the border of a pair of climatic zones passes through the park: continental and maritime.
- Official website of the park: //www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
- The purpose of creation: the preservation of a unique cascade of lakes formed in travertine saucers in the basin of the Dinaric Highlands in the valley of the Koran River.
- Visit is paid
Plitvice Lakes - map
Information for visitors to protected lakes
There are two entrances to the Plitvice Lakes National Park, but one of them is closed in winter.
There is a fee to visit the national park: at the ticket offices near the entrances you can pay for a one-time visit or buy a two-day ticket. The price includes travel by road train along the panoramic road and two journeys by boat along the short and long routes. Guided tours are available for groups of more than 15 people and upon prior notice in English, Spanish, Italian, German, French or Croatian.
There is nothing more pleasant than walking (or driving) through the park, admiring the beauty of the surrounding nature, amazing waterfalls, lakes and wildlife.
The park offers excursion routes of varying complexity and length for experienced travelers and beginners who are ready to tackle an eight-hour walk. There are also bus tours that offer you to walk part of the route, then get back on the bus and return to one of its entrances.
For lovers of cycling, the park has convenient bike paths. On a pleasure boat you can move from one side of the large lake to the other. Boat and speedboat rentals are available all year round.
Plitvice Lakes are good not only in summer. This amazing place is interesting in any month of the year. It, like the sea, has different shades. Even in winter, the national park, wrapped in a fluffy snow shawl, is mesmerizing. During this period, mountain boarding and skiing are organized here.
For those who like a comfortable holiday, there are four hotels and several convenient campsites near the park. At the Lika House restaurant near the first entrance you can try traditional food from the Croatian Lika region - this is where the park is located.
Any farming, dog walking, independent tourism, picking berries and mushrooms, plants, fishing, hunting, and even swimming in lakes is prohibited in the park.
You can get to the Plitvice Lakes themselves and return back to your place of residence by car or bus from the city of Zagreb along the D1 highway. The distance is about 141 km, travel time is 2.5 hours.
History of Plitvice Lakes and the region
“Plitvice Lakes” became the main attraction from the end of the 19th century, and from the middle of the 20th century. this is one of the most popular tourist destinations in then Yugoslavia.
In 1949, the Yugoslav government declared the Plitvice Lakes a national park, and in 1979 they were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List due to the exceptional natural beauty of the area and the gentle production of tuff (travertine).
In 1991, Plitvice Lakes became the site of the first armed confrontation in the Croatian War of Independence. Due to these events, UNESCO listed the park as “endangered”. After the end of the war, the Croatian government, realizing the economic and environmental importance of this area, cleared it of mines, and in 1998 UNESCO removed it from the said list.
From Istria we went on an excursion to Plitvice Lakes. The excursion takes the whole day. We left the hotel at 6 am (breakfast was packed), and returned at 8 pm. We spent a little more than three hours on the lakes themselves. Lunch took an hour. On the way there was also a tasting of Istrian wines and honeys - for half an hour. The rest of the time was taken up by the road, i.e. 4 – 4.5 hours one way.
Road to Plitvice Lakes
However, the road itself is an attraction. It is beautiful and varied, the time on the way passed quickly, listening to the guide's stories about the places we passed: about the island of Krk and the Frankopan dynasty, about the city of Senj, the Nehaj fortress and the robber Uskoks who raided Istria and Venice.
Landscapes along the way 
The modern church hardly stands out among the surrounding houses:
Fortress on the mountain
The island of Krk stretches along the shore across the strait.
At first the road ran along the sea. From the town of Senj we turned east and began to climb the mountains. A picturesque road called the Josephine Road leads inland. It was founded by the Austrian Emperor Joseph 2nd; a road was built along the gorge through the Velebit ridge from 1770 to 1789, from Senj to Karlovac (113 km). The 2nd stage of construction in the 19th century took place under the leadership of engineer Knyazhich.
Having overcome the Vratnik pass, we descended into the valley. Seaside beauty gave way to views of mountains, fields, pastures, and small villages.
We finally arrived at the lakes.
Plitvice Lakes Park: opening hours and ticket prices
Plitvice Lakes is a chain of 16 lakes, which are sandwiched between two mountain ranges and flow into one another, forming numerous waterfalls along the way. 5 rivers flow into the lakes.
Plitvice Lakes National Park was established in 1949. Included in the UNESCO list in 1979.
The park is open daily, seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Prices for visiting Plitvice Lakes (2015, 1 kuna = 10.4 rubles).
You can take a ticket for two days
Parking costs 7 kn per hour.
You can take a guide. For 4 hours, a guide will cost 900 kunas (about 10 thousand rubles, however). For the whole day, with a visit to the Upper and Lower lakes - 1300 kunas.
Routes around the park
There are two entrances to the park. The bottom one, number 1, is considered the main one. But it is more logical to enter the park through the upper entrance number 2 and move from top to bottom. In front of the entrances to the park there are information boards indicating the various routes and their approximate times. The entrance tickets also show a diagram of the lakes and how you can get to different parts of the park. There are three marinas in the park: P1, P2 and P3, all of them on Kozjak Lake. A boat is drawn on Kozyak.
A panoramic train runs along the eastern shore - from Lake Milonovac to entrance No. 2 and above, to Lake Okrugljak. The diagram shows a train.
There are also routes that feature a crab. I suspect that there you have to scramble over the rocks.
Opposite entrance No. 2 is the beginning of Lake Kozjak, the longest of the Plitvice lakes.
Upon entering the park, we found ourselves at pier P1.
Opposite pier P1 is pier P2. The ships sail frequently. The cost of the crossing is included in the entrance ticket.
We sailed on a boat across the narrow neck of the lake.
The circular route starts from pier P2. At the same time, a group of Chinese tourists arrived on the boat with us, and we, once on the shore, went in opposite directions: we went clockwise, the Chinese counterclockwise, thus hoping to avoid crowds and not jostle. However, it is unlikely that it will be possible to avoid crowds on Plitvice, unless in season or on remote routes.
Road through beech forest
First waterfalls
There are wooden walkways without railings over the lakes. Sometimes you walk completely alone, but in the most interesting places there will definitely be a crowd of people.
The routes are marked. We chose the “ship” marking - it’s a circular route, it leads back to the pier.
There are a lot of fish
Having finished our “ring”, we returned to the pier. It took an hour and a half to complete the route.
On the approaching boat we crossed Lake Kozyak.
Approaching pier P3
A look back
From the wide clearing where we arrived, there were two route options: below and above.
We climbed the mountain slope and followed the upper path. Unfortunately, the canyon was not always clearly visible - overgrown tree branches got in the way. Observation platforms were installed in particularly spectacular places. The canyon with lakes and waterfalls looks grandiose.
Those who walk along the lower path among the waterfalls are clearly visible
Those who followed the lower path climb these stairs
About an hour's journey along the upper path - and we are at the main entrance (which became the exit for us).
Lunch was at a self-service cafe. The highlight of this cafe was the menagerie located in the backyard. After lunch, the cafe visitors went to see the animals.
Almost immediately after the cafe we stopped for a tasting. In addition to wines, there were a variety of liqueurs and liqueurs: with orange, and with raspberries, and other fruits that grow abundantly on Croatian soil. The most memorable honey was pine - an unusual pine taste, color - almost black.
We arrived at the hotel in time for dinner. Some even had time to swim in the sea after dinner. The day ended with a solemnly sad sunset on the sea.
I did not have the feeling that the excursion was tiring. The road is long, but it pays off with the beauty of the local landscapes. Plitvice Lakes are a unique natural phenomenon. If I ever have the opportunity, I would like to come there for two days to go around them all, go both up and down, visit the upper lakes and go down to the lowest one.
I looked at the photographs to see what the lakes look like in other seasons. In autumn there are the brightest colors, in winter there is a phantasmagoria of frozen ice. And, apparently, the smallest number of visitors. Well, maybe someday in the winter, I'll walk past these icy streams. And then I'll be back in the spring. And definitely in the fall.