Sights Plitvice lakes. Plitvice Lakes are a natural wonder in Croatia. Entrance fee to Plitvice Lakes Park

You will see photos of Plitvice Lakes in almost every review article. You will definitely read rave reviews from tourists about Plitvice Lakes on thousands of thematic websites. And we will tell you about how we ourselves went to this wonderful place, what we saw that is not written about in guidebooks, and we will recommend how to visit Plitvice in such a way as to get the maximum pleasure! So…

Plitvice Lakes: how to get there

To the credit of the Croatian highway, even on country roads the asphalt is excellent. In addition, we received enormous pleasure from contemplating the landscapes and everyday scenes of the non-resort region of Croatia... But instead of 2 hours, the drive took 4 or 5. Of course, we could have gone for a walk in the national park right away, but we were very tired, and there was time before sunset There was nothing left - about 5 hours.

Therefore, the third point for road travelers is an overnight stay in Rastoke. If you are not limited in time, I would highly recommend thinking about whether it is worth going to Plitvica for one day, just passing through. It’s best to come here early in the morning so that you can slowly see as much as possible and be cheerful, fresh, and rested. And after walking around the park (and these are kilometers and kilometers of paved paths through the most interesting corners of the park. Just for fun, look at the routes on the official website. Here you can also see the current cost of entrance tickets, prices for excursions and additional services ) , you will want to at least lie down, and at maximum - to be shot. J Alternatively, you can arrive a day earlier or stay overnight somewhere nearby before setting off.

Plitvice Lakes: where to stay

If you decide to see Plitvice Lakes on your own, think about where to stay overnight if you are too tired to drive that day.

Economical option: camping. Just drive along the highway and look for the Camping signs - there are many of them, including at the very entrance to the national park.

The closest option (nowhere closer):

Both hotel complexes are located in the heart of the national park, next to the highest waterfall. Both are very comfortable and receive high ratings from travelers. Accommodation prices start from standard 130–150 USD. depending on the season and room category. Ideal accommodation option if you plan to buy a two-day ticket. The only negative is the popularity of these hotels. It is better to book in advance, especially if you are traveling in the summer, at the height of the season: “from today to today” there may not be any available rooms. The last rooms available for booking are luxury rooms costing under 500 USD. per night.

A close option: hotels, apartments, guesthouses in the village of Plitvica. Plus - the entrance to the national park is within walking distance.

Colorful option: apartments in the village. The main plus: by staying here, you can visit another colorful corner of Croatia, a very, very feng shui place, sleep under the whisper of a waterfall, have breakfast on the terrace over the water.

Plitvice Lakes: personal experience

You enter the territory of the national park and it will take your breath away. Crystal clear water in lakes, streams, waterfalls. It is impossible to describe this delight in words - it needs to be seen.

Nature created the miracle of Plitvice Lakes from water, stone, flora and fauna.

Very clean and well maintained area. On the one hand, everything is very neat, thoroughly built: well-trodden paths, wooden bridges, steps. On the other hand, everything is made only from natural materials: stone, wood. And schools of fish that follow you along all the routes above the water.

Trout in the lakes of Plitvice National Park.

The park has walking routes of varying difficulty levels. 4-5 main ones, each lasting 2-4 hours, and one big one - 8 hours. To get around at least the main ones, you will need two days. Keep this in mind when planning a visit to Plitvice Lakes. At the same time, after 5-6 hours of walking, the eye gets used to the beauty, it begins to seem monotonous: well, water, well, fish, well, greenery... Is it worth buying a two-day ticket (at the time of writing, the cost of a one-day ticket to visit Plitvice Lakes costs about 25 euros , two-day – 38 euros)? I think not, unless you decide to try to see everything at once, or unless you are a botanist scientist who wants to examine every blade of grass and forest in the national park...

The national park in Plitvice is primarily lakes.

Plitvice Lakes are not only lakes, but also waterfalls, as well as excellent locations for a photo shoot.

Having paid the entrance ticket to the Plitvice Lakes National Park, you can walk around the territory on your own, choosing any route (follow the signs - you won’t get lost), ride a river bus, have a snack in local restaurants (quite passable fast food, where there are also high-calorie fast food, and salads, rice), buy souvenirs.

You can also use the services of a guide who will take you along the same routes but tell you a lot of interesting things.

The information signs say that Plitvice Lakes National Park is home to wild animals, such as lynxes. We confirm that we saw two.

How to dress when going for a walk in Plitvice Lakes? Croatia and the region in which the national park is located is a typical middle zone with four seasons: ; when everything blooms, smells, and lakes and waterfalls overflow; warm summer; long warm golden autumn. Therefore, we look at the forecast and dress according to the weather. A few more words about summer clothing. Despite the fact that summer is hot, the temperature here is 5 degrees lower than in the nearest resorts on the coast. Therefore, on the one hand, it is fresher and cooler here, so if you arrive early in the morning or plan to walk until the evening, you may need a light blouse. On the other hand, all routes are laid over water, and due to high humidity it may not be very comfortable, so the lighter the clothes, the better.

The ideal option is closed shoes, for example, comfortable and already worn-in closed sneakers. Flip flops are not very comfortable - wooden and stone steps near waterfalls can be slippery.

And yes, you don’t have to take a swimsuit. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to swim in the national park. And this is perhaps the only drawback of the place. The water is so blue, so clear, so cool, so inviting. By the way, for those who are wondering whether Krka National Park is better, is it worth going there, and how is it different, the answer is simple:

• it's worth going
• the park is neither better nor worse, it’s just different,
• In Krka you can swim in some waterfalls and lakes. We went, swam, and we’ll tell you about it in the next article, stay with us.

Plitvice Lakes is included in the list of the most beautiful places not only in Croatia, but throughout Europe. The untouched, majestic nature of the park evokes the sincere admiration of millions of tourists. According to many vacationers, Plitvice Lakes in Croatia is a piece of paradise with a unique atmosphere. In 1979, this part of the country was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

general information

A huge natural area stretching over 300 m2. The hilly terrain is decorated with lakes with clear water, reminiscent of scattered aquamarines, connected by waterfalls, straits and framed by forest.

The attraction in Croatia occupies part of the Lika-Senj and Karlovac counties. The nearest town is Slunj.

Historical excursion

The uniqueness of the lakes lies in the amazing history of their appearance - without human intervention. Nature itself worked on the park, creating a bizarre landscape.

Interesting fact! The oldest park in Croatia. The first mention of the lakes dates back to 1777. Until the middle of the last century, not everyone could visit them, since there were no hiking trails.

After the war, many mines and shells remained in the park, but today the area has been completely cleared of mines. The history of the park's origin is shrouded in legends, but here is the most interesting one.

Once upon a time in Croatia there lived a Black Queen who prayed to the sky to shed rain and stop the drought, the heavens had mercy, and the rainwater formed the Plitvice Lakes. In addition, there is a belief that the lakes will remain as long as bears live in this area.

The highest point is 1280 meters, the lowest is 450 meters. Guests arrive at the upper gate to the conservation area and stroll down. Every step reveals amazing natural beauty.

Lakes

The map of Plitvice Lakes in Croatia includes 16 large and also many small bodies of water. All of them are located in a cascade, the distance between the highest and lowest is 133 meters.

Lake Kozyak

Interesting fact! The largest lake is called Kozyak - it covers an area of ​​more than 81 hectares, the deepest point is about 46 meters. Next come the lakes: Proščansko and Galovac. They form most of the water surface of the Plitvice Lakes.

The lakes originate from two rivers - Crna and Bela, and the reservoirs are also filled with other rivers. There is a spacious observation deck above the Korana River.

Waterfalls

The number of waterfalls on the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia increases every year. Today there are 140 of them, but the water gradually breaks the stones, forming new paths. The main Plitvice waterfalls: Velike kaskade, Kozjački, Milanovacki.

Interesting fact! The Sastavtsi waterfall with a height of more than 72 meters is recognized as the most beautiful.

Caves

There are 32 caves on lakes in Croatia. The most visited: Crna pečina, Golubnjača and Šuplyara. In many, archaeologists have discovered traces of ancient settlements.

Forests

A considerable area of ​​the Plitvice Lakes is covered with forests, mainly coniferous and also beech. Real thickets can be found in the small settlement of Chorkova Uvala, located in the north-west of the park.

Interesting fact! In total, more than 1,260 different plants grow on the lakes, 75 of which are unique and can only be seen here. The area is not cleared of fallen trees; they form natural fences.

Animal world

The Plitvice Lakes of Croatia are home to a large number of animals. Here you can find brown bear, squirrels, martens, wolves, wild boars and badgers, deer, roe deer and otters. In total, the protected area is home to about two hundred different animals and more than 150 species of birds. There are trout in the lakes, but fishing is prohibited here, but you can feed the fish with bread. The unique population of butterflies is of great interest; there are more than 320 species.

Good to know! In summer, the air temperature varies between +25-+30 degrees, the water warms up to +24 degrees. In winter, the lakes freeze completely.

Tourist routes

Photo: Plitvice Lakes in Croatia.

Plitvice Lakes is the largest national park in Croatia. Several walking paths of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty have been developed for tourists here. The paths are wooden floorings, comfortable for walking. In addition to walking around the park, people also travel by train, boat, and ferry. Of course, it is more convenient to use transport, but in this case it is impossible to get to the most hidden corners of the Plitvice Lakes.

It is important! The protected area is accessible only to rangers; tourists are prohibited from walking here.

Each route combines the possibility of walking and traveling by transport. The ticket price includes a boat ride and a panoramic train ride. The average duration of each route is 3 hours.

The most interesting places are concentrated higher and hidden from view, and are not easy to get to. If you have time, set aside two days to explore the Plitvice Lakes, especially since there are comfortable hotels and inexpensive accommodation on their territory. Travelers with good physical fitness choose longer routes with organized excursions.

Each route is designated by letters from A to K. The cost of the ticket does not depend on the chosen route. There are signs throughout the park indicating the route and the path to the exit.

Good to know! Picnics are prohibited on the territory of the Plitvice Lakes; you cannot light a fire or swim in reservoirs. There is a cafe for guests.

Conventionally, the park is divided into two parts – upper and lower. From the entrance located at the top, routes follow - A, B, C and K (it has two entrances - at the top and at the bottom). From the entrance at the bottom of the park there are routes K, E, F and H. The longest are routes K and H, which will take 6 to 8 hours to explore.

Interesting fact! Most tourists come to this part of Croatia from June to August, with much fewer visitors in spring and autumn. Each route is equipped with comfortable benches and, of course, take a camera with you to take amazing photos as a souvenir of the trip.

How to get to Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb

How to get to Plitvice Lakes by bus

The easiest way to get to the natural attraction is by bus. Transport departs from the bus station, located 1.7 km from the central railway station and 17 km from the airport at Avenija Marina Držića, 4. If you can walk from the railway station, then it is better to get from the airport by bus, which departs every 30 minutes, ticket price is about 23 kn.

Buses leave from the bus station every 1-2 hours daily. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office, but in the summer, given the influx of tourists, in order to get to Plitvice calmly, it is better to buy a ticket on the official website of the bus station.

The ticket price depends on the carrier company and varies from 81 to 105 kuna.

All buses heading to Plitvice are passing, so the driver must be warned to stop at the main entrance or as close to the park as possible. The journey takes from 2 to 2.5 hours. The cost of a return ticket is fixed – 90 kn. You can buy it directly on the bus or at the ticket office at entrance No. 2.

How to get to Plitvice Lakes in Croatia by car

From Zagreb you can get to Plitvice Lakes via direct road 1. Many people confuse the routes with the A1 highway, but there is a toll on it. The required road 1 is narrow and free.

Good to know! Karlovac can be reached by taking the toll motorway and then following road 1.

How to get from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes in other ways

• To get there by taxi, the trip will cost approximately 170 euros or 1265 kuna.
• To get from Zagreb as part of an excursion tour, to purchase such a tour, just contact any agency. Price approximately 750 kn. During the excursion you can explore Plitvice Lakes and see the villages located nearby.

Compare accommodation prices using this form

Practical information

Where to stay

Plitvice Lakes are very popular among holidaymakers, so there are excellent conditions for tourists. You can rent a hotel room or stay at a campsite. By the way, campsites are in demand among Western tourists; the living conditions here are quite comfortable; vacationers spend the night in tents, which are sometimes more spacious than a hotel room. In addition, the campsites are located in picturesque places of the park; on their territory there are showers, toilets, places where you can wash dishes and clothes, and equipped kitchens.

You can view the prices and book a tent or caravan on the official website of the campsite.

Prices for hotel accommodation are, of course, higher. On average, a budget single room with breakfast will cost 560 kn, and a double room – 745 kn.

It is important! Tourists traveling by car prefer to stay 20-40 km from Plitvice Lakes; prices here are much lower, and the road to the entrance will take about 10-15 minutes.

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What's the cover charge

Information on ticket prices is regularly updated on the official Plitvice Lakes website. In addition, the website provides detailed information about each route.

Ticket prices for one day:

• children from 7 to 18 years old: from January to April and from November to January - 35 HRK, from April to July and from September to November - 80 HRK, in July and August - 110 HRK (before 16-00), 50 HRK ( after 16-00);
• adult - from January to April and from November to January - 55 kn, from April to July and from September to November - 150 HRK, in July and August - 250 HRK (before 16-00), 150 HRK (after 16-00) .

Ticket prices for two days:

• Children under 7 years old have free admission;
• children from 7 to 18 years old: from January to April and from November to January - 55 HRK, from April to July and from September to November - 120 HRK, in July and August - 200 HRK;
• adult - from January to April and from November to January - 90 kn, from April to July and from September to November - 250 HRK, in July and August - 400 HRK.

If you decide to get to Plitvice Lakes by car, you can leave it in a paid parking lot, the cost is 7 HRK per hour. For cars with trailers and buses, parking costs 70 kuna per day. Motorcycles and scooters can be parked for free.

Prices in the article are indicated for March 2018. The relevance of prices can be checked on the official website of the national park np-plitvicka-jezera.hr.

Croatia is a European country where the life of ordinary citizens is a little lazy and leisurely, but on weekends many of them go to the park with the whole family. Plitvice Lakes is a huge area where, in addition to natural beauty, there are small private farms, where you can buy trout, honey, and natural cosmetics.

Video about Croatia in general and Plitvice Lakes in particular. Enjoy watching!

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The uniqueness of this national park has long attracted the attention of filmmakers: films about the Apache leader Winnetou from the novels of the German writer Karl May were shot in Plitvice Lakes, for example, the film “Treasures of the Silver Lake” (1962).
In the spring of 1991, the lakes became the site of armed clashes between Serbs and Croats. Those events went down in history under the name “Plitvice Bloody Easter”. During the Yugoslav War, Plitvice Lakes more than once became the scene of battles. Now the territory of the national park is completely cleared of mines and is safe.
Plitvice Lakes is visited annually by about 1 million tourists per year. The Croatian government carefully preserves the unique nature of these places: only environmentally friendly modes of transport are allowed in the park: electric trains, ferries and electric pleasure boats, as well as bicycles. The issue of replacing all wooden bridges with pontoon (air-filled) crossings is currently being considered. It is strictly forbidden to swim in the lakes of the park, as well as to have picnics, make fires, and bring dogs.
In addition to the lakes, in the national park you can walk through pristine beech and fir forests. The following animals live in the park: brown bears, lynxes, ferrets, hedgehogs, hares, weasels, martens, foxes, badgers, wolves, otters, deer, roe deer, wild boars, etc. Over 120 species of birds have also been recorded in this area. The lakes are rich in fish.

Plitvice Lakes are interesting to visit at any time of the year. For example, in winter you can go skiing and admire the frozen waterfalls. The closest airports to Plitvice Lakes are in Zagreb, Rijeka and Zadar.

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 has 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.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is the hallmark of Croatia, a unique natural formation and a definite must see. The lakes are extremely picturesque - wooded hills surround turquoise lakes, which are connected by a series of waterfalls and river cascades. Along the shores of lakes, under waterfalls and above the roaring water, winding wooden walkways and decks are laid (their length is a total of 18 km). In 1979, UNESCO declared Plitvice Lakes a World Heritage Site.

Lakes are divided into upper and lower. The upper lakes, lying in a dolomite valley, are surrounded by dense forests and connected by several magnificent waterfalls. The lower lakes are shallower and smaller. Their main food comes from the Bisla and Crna rivers (their names mean white and black), which connect south of Lake Proshchansko. To make it easier for you to imagine the scale of the spectacle, I drew a red square the size of a person walking along the path.

In this article I will tell you how to best organize your visit to Plitvice Lakes, how it is with parking, queues for tickets, and accommodation options. Is it better to take a tour or go on your own?

The closest cities with airports are Zagreb, Rijeka and Zadar. From these cities to Plitvice Lakes it will take only 2-2.5 hours by car. Vacationers in the Rijeka or Zadar area can easily visit Plitvice Lakes in one day without an overnight stay. In the summer season, you can find yourself an excursion to Plitvice Lakes or rent a car and go on your own. You might want to save money and go to Plitvice Lakes by regular buses, see the bus schedule (in English). In this case, you will also quickly have to look for an overnight stay on the lakes.

If you are vacationing on the Istrian coast, you can get to the lakes in 4-5 hours by car. All tourist towns on the Istrian coast offer excursions to the Plitvice Lakes in summer; such excursions are usually carried out in one day. The bus leaves at 6 - 7 a.m. and returns at 10 - 24 p.m.

Those traveling by car have the opportunity not to torment themselves with such an extreme daily routine and plan one or two nights in the Plitvice Lakes area; on the way you can also explore. We chose two overnight stays for ourselves, the first day we drove from Pula, explored Slunj-Rastoki, swam in the river there, Swimming in Plitvice Lakes is prohibited, the second day we walked entirely around the Plitvice Lakes, spent the night in Slunj (30 km from the Plitvice Lakes), and on the third day we drove towards home. The cost of travel on toll roads from Pula to Slunj in 2017 was 110 kuna or 1100 rubles.

About the weather in the Plitvice Lakes region

You need to understand that the climate of continental Croatia is very different from the climate on the coast. Palm trees, cacti, olive groves grow near the sea, there is practically no winter, but on the Plitvice Lakes there are mountains, only coniferous and deciduous forests grow, and in winter there is snow. Those. You definitely need to monitor the weather on the lakes on the day of your visit and take extra clothing with you if necessary; it may be much colder there than on the coast, or it may not be, depending on your luck.

In our age of smartphones, you can install a weather informer on your phone, set it to several places of your future deployment and watch the weather there in real time, that’s what we did. Data is updated via the Internet, which is available in all hotels and even campsites.

Where to stay in the Plitvice Lakes region

Right at the entrance to the ENTRANCE2 park (see area map below) there are three official park hotels -

Map of Plitvice Lakes National Park

Organized excursions only take the route from entrance ENTRANCE1 to ENTRANCE2 (see area map above), this is the minimum possible route, it usually takes about 3-4 hours to complete. Independent travelers can diversify their lives and choose a longer route for one day or take 2 days to visit the national park. In August, I would not recommend spending two days walking in the park; two days among the crowd is too tiring in my opinion.

The time required to explore the park greatly depends on the current season and current weather. In winter, not all trails in the park are open, boats and buses do not operate, but entry ticket prices drop by half, and there are significantly fewer visitors than in summer. During the hot summer season, the route will be hampered by crowds of people and queues. The lakes are beautiful at any time of the year and they are different in each season, I would love to visit the national park in winter or autumn.

In fact, there are as many as 9 walking routes through the Plitvice Lakes Park. Route A (total length 3.5 km) is used by everyone, route C is an extended route B. The longest route is K1 (18.3 km). The choice of route also depends on weather conditions and the presence or absence of crowds of people. All trails are marked, so you won't get lost. Next, I will tell you what we saw while walking along routes A and C. Of course, photographs cannot convey all the power and beauty of natural phenomena and definitely cannot replace a walk in the park.

Photos of Plitvice Lakes Park

This is what the descent to the lakes looks like from ENTRANCE1. This path offers a fabulous view, which I showed you in the first photo of this article. I will show the photographs sequentially from ENTRANCE1 to ENTRANCE2, this route is marked on the signs with the letter A and runs along the lower lakes. From ENTRANCE2 to ST3 we continued along route C along the upper lakes.

Descent down to the lakes

The Croatians are not original in their names; the largest waterfall is called VELIKI SLAP, which simply means a large waterfall; I suspect that in the spring it is much fuller. At the foot of the mountain there were bridges along which people pushed to the platform located at the very foot of the waterfall.

The largest waterfall is Plitvice

The photo below shows a drawing of Lake Kaluderovac; it better describes the local topography and illustrates the cascading nature of lakes with turquoise water. The waterfalls are located between the cascades, the walkways lie almost above the very edge of the water, it is not recommended to leave the paths. Firstly, because it is wet and dirty there, secondly, to protect nature and not trample down the local unique flora, and thirdly, you personally saw a small snake in the grass, you should not tempt fate.

Lake Kaluderovac

Such beauty could be formed thanks to the unique alternation of geological rocks. The dolomite base, limestone, chalk deposits, and tuff have varying degrees of hardness and varying degrees of resistance to erosion by water, so in some places lagoons are formed, and in some places barriers of harder rocks create barriers to flow. This process does not stop for a minute; the formation of lakes and waterfalls continues. If in one place a tuff barrier cannot withstand the pressure of water and breaks, then in another place sedimentary rocks will strengthen a new barrier.

Drawing illustrating the geology of lakes

A large amount of calcite is dissolved in the waters of lakes; crystals of this substance settle on the roots of living trees and dead trunks that have fallen into the lake, contributing to the petrification of the latter.

Limestone deposits on plant roots

Numerous schools of undeterred fish swim in the clear water of the lakes right under your feet.

Fish in the lakes, a bridge is visible in the lower left corner

Waterfalls burst right from under your feet with a roar. In general, a picture of fantastic beauty surrounds you from all sides.

Waterfall, you can see the board from the walkway in the center

The photo below clearly shows the walkways and the people on them. There were a lot of people in August. In some places there were traffic jams on the walkways. After all, you want to take pictures next to each waterfall, so you have to wait until the previous people are satisfied and move on and you will have the opportunity to take their place.

Bridges and waterfall underfoot
Estimate the crowds, this is approximately the case on the entire route A

Route A, although the most crowded with people, is also the most picturesque.

At the end of Route A there was a line waiting for us, this time people were standing to board the boat and cross the large Kozyak Lake. We spent an hour there. You can take turns standing, part of the family wanders through the souvenir shops and cools their tired feet in the lake, and the person in charge guards the line, then you can change.

Queue to board the boat

Near the pier there are several cafes and stalls where you will be offered sandwiches and fries with meat at outrageous prices. This is the only place in the park where you can have a snack; the rest of the cafes are located outside the park at the official entrances.

Catering establishments - fast food

Tickets to the park are checked upon boarding the boat. At this point, we can say that route A practically ends. You can get off the boat at the first stop and continue your walk through the park, exploring the upper lakes, or you can get off at the second stop and you will be taken to the ENTRANCE2 entrance, there you can take the bus-train and go to the entrance ENTRANCE1. This will complete the inspection of the lakes. Group excursions are conducted only along this route.

Ships

We decided to continue our walk along the upper lakes. It was already less crowded there. You won’t be able to see anything fundamentally new on route C; everything there is the same as in the lower part of the park - waterfalls, cascading lakes with turquoise water. There we saw violators who swam despite the prohibitions. No park employees were seen. Below are photos of the upper lakes.

Upper Lakes Upper Lakes Waterfalls
Bridges and waterfalls
Wild cyclomena

We walked along the upper lakes faster; we spent about 2 hours on the entire walk along route C; route A took us 4 hours due to the crowds and the queue for the boat. Having reached the ST3 bus station, we boarded the bus-train and headed to the parking lot. The crowd at the stop was huge; not everyone managed to get on the approaching bus. This strange vehicle drove us all the time down a very narrow path between rocks on one side and an abyss on the other, it was scary in places, in the middle of the way it pressed against the cliff to let a similar train go up to the ST3 station.

Bus-train and crowds of tired tourists

To say that we really liked Plitvice Lakes would be an understatement. Plitvice is simply a fabulous place of extraordinary beauty. Don’t be upset if you only have the opportunity to visit it in the fall or winter, you will get your charge of positive emotions at any time of the year, but in the summer you need to be mentally prepared for the fact that another 10,000 people will be walking around the park with you.

Tired and full of impressions, we went to the store and then to our apartment. The vacation was inexorably coming to an end, the next day we had a big drive towards home according to plan. In the next article I will tell you about the Czech city of Olomouc, which has caused mixed emotions.