Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park (Nacionalni park Plitvička jezera) in Croatia is one of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe. Due to its beauty and significance, this system of 16 interlinked lakes and a large forest complex around it were set aside as a national park in 1949. In 1979 the park was inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage list. Many Germans will recognize features of the park, as many of the Karl May Westerns were shot here.



History
Humans have inhabited the Plitvice Lakes area for thousands of years. It was settled in turn by Illyrians, Thracians, Celts, Japods, Romans, Avars, Slavs and Turks. The area fell to the Ottomans in 1528, and was retaken by the Austrian Empire 150 years later. The Austrians incorporated it into their Military Frontier and, in addition to the native Croats who already inhabited the region, Serbs who had fled Ottoman repression settled there.

The Plitvice Lakes became a major tourist attraction in the late 19th century. The first hotel was built in 1896, and as early as 1893 it had a conservation committee – the predecessor of today's national park authority. In 1949 the communist government of Yugoslavia nationalized the lakes and made them a national park. The park was inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage list in 1979 in recognition of its "outstanding natural beauty, and the undisturbed production of travertine (tuff) through chemical and biological action".

The park soon became one of Yugoslavia's most popular tourist attractions. In March 1991 it became the scene of the Plitvice Lakes incident - the first armed confrontation of the Croatian War of Independence that resulted in fatalities. The park was held by forces of the Republic of Serbian Krajina during the conflict and suffered some damage in the process, with hotels and other facilities being used as barracks. A massacre of three children by the Yugoslav Army occurred around Grabovac in September of 1991. It was retaken by the Croatian Army in August 1995 during Operation Storm, which ended the Croatian war.

The war led UNESCO to add the park to its List of World Heritage in Danger. Due to the economic importance of the park, the Croatian government made it a priority for its de-mining efforts, and in December 1998 UNESCO recognized the parks new mine-free status by removing it from the list of endangered sites. The surrounding municipalities outside the park boundaries still have minor problems with mine contamination.

Landscape


The lakes are on the Plitvice plateau, between the mountains of Lička Plješevica (Gornja Plješevica peak 1,640 m), Mala Kapela (Seliški Vrh peak at 1,280 m) and Medveđak (884 m). The 26 lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 m to 503 m over a distance of some 8 km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about 2 km², with the water exiting from the lowest lake to form the Korana River.

The Plitvice Lakes lie in a basin of karstic rock, mainly dolomite and limestone, which has given rise to their most distinctive feature. The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae and bacteria. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year.

The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.

The lakes are divided into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes.

Flora and fauna
The Plitvice Lakes national park is heavily forested, mainly with beech, spruce, and fir trees, and features a mixture of Alpine and Mediterranean vegetation. It has a notably wide variety of plant communities, due to its range of microclimates, differing soils and varying levels of altitude.

The area is also home to an extremely wide variety of animal and bird species. Rare fauna such as the European brown bear, wolf, eagle, owl, lynx, wild cat and capercaillie can be found there, along with many more common species. At least 126 species of birds have been recorded there, of which 70 have been recorded as breeding there.

Climate
The area knows a mountainous land climate, with hot summers and cold winters. Although generally cooler than coastal Croatia because of its altitude, sunny days in summer get very hot with temperatures up to 35°C. As there are few opportunities to buy refreshments in the park, visitors should bring plenty of water along for rehydration. In the evening, occasional thunderstorms can unleash large amounts of rain in a short time, so make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast to avoid being surprised by heavy rain in the absence of shelter. The many calm streams in the park may quickly transform into wild water torrents, so stay away from the water in case of heavy rain.

In winter, heavy snowfall can be expected, enabling the Mukinje Ski Resort to operate from December to early March. Fog is common in the morning and can occur very locally, making driving up and down the often narrow roads in the park hazardous.

Fees and permits
Entrances fees depend on the season:
 * 1 November-31 March: Adults, students , children ages 7-18.
 * 1 April-31 May and 1-31 October: Adults, students , children ages 7-18.
 * 1 June-30 September: Adults, students , children ages 7-18 . Entrance after 4PM from June to August or 3PM in September: Adults , students , children ages 7-18

Children under the age of 7 as well as those with permanent disability are always allowed to enter for free.

Two days entrances are also available for a substantial discount:


 * 1 November-31 March: Adults, Students , children ages 7-18.
 * 1 April-31 May and 1-31 October: Adults, students , children ages 7-18.
 * 1 June-30 September: Adults, students , children ages 7-18.

If you are staying at one of the hotels within the national park complex, you need to only buy a one-day ticket during your check-in date, and this will be extended to your check-out date. If you are buying a stay package through the national park's website, the admission fee is normally already included.

Tickets may be purchased online with an alloted time slot at the national park website or offline at the offices in Entrance 1 or 2. In summer, especially on weekends and during a forecasted good weather, there can be long lines at the ticket office by late morning and tickets can be sold out online a couple days out as well, with Entrance 1 having the longer one.

The offline ticket sales open from 7AM to 4PM. The park itself is open from 7AM to 7PM, as are the operating hours of the service vehicles. Hiking in the evening however is next to impossible, as the trails and the thru-highway in the park are not lit.

By car
The national park is around 2 hours by car from Zagreb, Zadar & Rijeka and 3 hours from Split. The park is around one hour drive away from the A1 freeway that connect these major cities: exit at Karlovac from Zagreb, Ogulin from Rijeka, or Gornja Ploča from Zadar and Split. All directions lead to Highway D1 that runs through the park and offers two entrances located 3 kilometers apart: Entrance 1 at the north side & entrance 2 at the south side.

The park is also near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the nearest border crossing being at Izačić. Turn right at the junction with Highway D217 to merge with Highway D1 at Grabovac, through which you enter the park from entrance 1. Continuing along Highway D504 will bring you to Prileboj, where it merges with Highway 1 close to entrance 2.

Entrance 1 is normally busier due to numerous day trippers from Zagreb, as well as being very close to the biggest waterfall in the lake complex.

Parking costs per hour (€1.50 per hour June-September) & is allowed only at the lots near both entrances; consequently it results in long wait times and illegal parking along the highway, especially in summer when tour buses and day trippers start flocking in at around 10AM. If you are a guest at a national park hotel however, parking is free within their property.

By bus
Some buses between Zagreb and Zadar or Split take a route along the road which passes by the park entrances. Ask the driver beforehand to make a stop at the either park entrances: or. The bus stops are indicated by a blue bus sign and a wooden hut.

Some buses may also stop by the adjacent towns where many visitors stay, such as Korenica or Mukenje at the south side and Rakovica or Slunj at the north side.

Among the other direct connections are Biograd na Moru, Vodice, Šibenik, Primošten, Trogir and even Novalja (island of Pag). Also there is a direct bus connection to the Krka National Park.

Buses in Croatia often do not run on time. They can come early or late, and either way they stop only long enough to pick up riders and then continue on their way. Especially in a place like Plitvice, which is quite a distance from other stops on a bus route. So get to the bus stop early and plan on waiting for a while. Bus schedules are usually posted at the tickets office at the entrances, but they may not reflect seasonal changes.

By taxi
Taxi drivers will await near the bus stations, more so entrance 2 than entrance 1, and will offer to drive for the same price of the bus ticket if around 10 persons are willing to take the taxi. It costs the same, takes an hour less and most probably they wouldn't charge for the extra baggage (The bus service charges extra). If the taxi driver is kind enough, he will also provide something like a tour guide and will leave you close enough to your destination. If for example you are waiting for the Zadar bus at 17:00, a taxi driver will be waiting 15 minutes early to attract customers, and when arriving at Zadar, if your are going to take the ferry, the driver might leave you near the pier.

On foot
The paths near the entrance of the park are extremely well maintained and it is a relatively short walk (about 1 hour) around the nearest lake.

Paths, mostly made of wooden planks or gravel, will take you through the whole park. In most places they are wide, but since the park is extremely well visited they can feel very crowded during the day.

The park have made some different routes through the park so it is easy to choose how much you want to or have time to see. A walk from one end of the park to the other normally takes around 4 hr, but due to the unique views the park offers it is a shame to be in a hurry. Take your time and enjoy it. The buses and boats are free so it is possible to plan a walk zig-zagging up or down the lakes and the many waterfalls, and then not have to walk back the same way.

Many of the paths can be used by disabled persons, but since there are a few steps here and there is some height differences between the lower and the upper lakes it will take a strong helper to get around with a wheelchair.

By boat
2 lines of small electric ferries connect far banks of the Jezero Kozjak, a bigger lake close to the entrance #2. One ferry crosses from north (P2) to south (P1) at west end of the lake and takes 2 minutes. The other ferry travels between the north terminus at the west (P2) and the east end (P3) and takes about 15 minutes.

The cost of the ferries are included in the entrance ticket and runs every 20 minutes from 7AM to 7PM.

By bus
2 shuttle bus lines run along the lakes (which are useful to take you up hills and to the entrances). The buses travel between station 1 (west of Entrance #1), station 2 (north of entrance 2), and station 3 (near Prošćansko jezero, the highest of the Upper Lakes),

The costs these buses are included into the entrance ticket.

See


Plitvice Lakes National Park is perhaps the most beautiful natural wonder in Croatia. In addition to the numerous waterfalls, a bevy of wildlife can be seen, including fish, frogs and a variety of bird species. The hottest attraction include the Veliki Splat, a 30-meter waterfall surrounded by nearby boulders to which tourists have access. There is also a large waterfall complex that can be access via a cave in the surrounding rock face.

Depending on how many lakes and waterfalls you want to explore, there are hiking routes marked by letters to guide you through the park, with hiking times ranging from 2 to 8 hours. The lower lakes are adjacent to Entrance 1, while the upper lakes are closer to Entrance 2.

Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera)

 * (Shrubbery lake or desired lake) at the highest lake of the National park, as well as the second largest by area and the second deepest.
 * Despite the name meaning "round lake", this lake isn't all that round. The ca. 20m high waterfall Lobudovaclinks Ciginovac with Okrugljak.
 * Despite the name translating to "big lake", it is one of the smaller ones
 * This name too ("small lake") is somewhat misleading, as it is 0.5 ha larger than the "big lake"
 * A bight is home to Galovac Waterfall At the highest waterfall in the Upper Lakes. North of this one there's the ca. 20 m high Prštavci waterfall.
 * Gradinsko comes from gradina which means "castle ruin". The name derives from the medieval (also Kozjak ruin) which is on the peninsula between Gradinsko jezero and Kozjak.
 * (Goat lake, ) The biggest and deepest lake in the national park. On an island in the lake (today called Štefanijin otok) goats are said to have been protected from wolves once.
 * A bight is home to Galovac Waterfall At the highest waterfall in the Upper Lakes. North of this one there's the ca. 20 m high Prštavci waterfall.
 * Gradinsko comes from gradina which means "castle ruin". The name derives from the medieval (also Kozjak ruin) which is on the peninsula between Gradinsko jezero and Kozjak.
 * (Goat lake, ) The biggest and deepest lake in the national park. On an island in the lake (today called Štefanijin otok) goats are said to have been protected from wolves once.
 * (Goat lake, ) The biggest and deepest lake in the national park. On an island in the lake (today called Štefanijin otok) goats are said to have been protected from wolves once.
 * (Goat lake, ) The biggest and deepest lake in the national park. On an island in the lake (today called Štefanijin otok) goats are said to have been protected from wolves once.

Lower Lakes (Donja jezera)

 * (524 m)

Do
The main attraction is obviously the hiking and walking in the area. Swimming is not allowed anywhere in the park.

Walking


Tip: If you arrive at the same time as a big group, walk one of the very well established routes in reverse. You'll probably be walking uphill for most of the trek, but you'll probably not see another person for a few hours.

Walking trails through the park, most of which are along the shores of the numerous lakes, are rarely steep. However, expect to climb a substantial fraction of your visit, and especially in the hot summer months this can quickly lead to dehydration. Few opportunities to buy drinks are available in the park, and the drinks sold at stands are expensive, so visitors are advised to bring the necessary water along with them into the park. Between 1 and 2 liter of water per person per day is advised. A hiking backpack is essential to comfortably carry water over long distances.

Backcountry hiking
While the lake complex is certainly the main attraction, those willing to venture out deeper in the nature would not miss out, in fact the majority of the park area is of wild forest beyond the lakes.

There are two main hiking paths with a good amount of ascents, to the west and east of the park, respectively. This is where you have better opportunity to observe wildlife such as wolves, deer, lynxes, and bears.


 * Medveđak at the eastern range connects three peaks of the Medveďak ranges and has a continual ascent of up to 300 meters high. During good weather, you will have wonderful views of the lake complex from way up high. The trail is accessible from the parking lot at entrance 2 and ends at entrance 1, with a total hike time of up to 2½ hours.
 * Čorkova Uvala trails begins from the third station of the sightseeing buses and ends at boat station 3, 30 kilometers long and travel time of approximately 7 hours. At the furthest point from the park after the namesake settlement, there is a steep 250-meter ascent to Mount Preka Kosa, the highest point of the national park at 1,100 meters above sea level. Alternatively, there is a shortcut called the Plitvica trail that branches out 7 kilometers into the former trail, meanders for about 2 kilometers with a moderate ascent and followed by a gentle descent, before rejoining the trail at the final 3 kilometers.

It is recommended to traverse the trail with at least one other person and/or a park ranger.

Buy
Numerous souvenir shops can be found near the entrances of the park. Caution is advised however, as many overpriced souvenirs sold as "authentic hand crafts" from Croatia are made in China.



Eat
The park offers few opportunities to buy food, with the exception of food stalls and restaurants around the entrances and ferry terminals. A large picnic area can also be found near the ferry terminals. All restaurants are managed by the park authority, and the food quality they serve is low compared to the prices they typically charge. Restaurants in the numerous hotels at the park entrances suffer the same problem. Visitors are advised to bring their own food into the park if possible (and of course, take the trash out as well!) The neighboring villages offer better eating opportunities, but require a short walk from the park entrances.

A local specialty are pancakes, which are typically served with Nutella or ground walnuts. Prices between and. Most restaurants or konobas have them on their menu in the dessert or snack section.

Drink
There are few places to stock up on drinks in the park, with the exception of which has 2 drink water fountains to refill bottles. However, no large bottles can be purchased there, so travelers must bring them from outside the park. On hot summer days, a supply of 2 liters water per person is a minimum, since considerable physical effort (climbing stairs) is required to get around the park.

Sleep


There is a travel agency at the entrance to the park. From here, you can organize for a homestay. There are numerous locals who will rent bedrooms in their house and provide food for a competitive price.

Lodging
Hotels within the national park are located near Entrance 2, less than 500 meters away to the actual lakes. While the accommodation itself can be expensive at face value, they are able to offer an extension of your one-day entrance ticket until check-out day, in addition to complimentary breakfast & parking. This can end up with a similar expense overall compared to staying outside the park.



Private house and apartment owners in the nearby villages of Mukinje and Jezerce, both in walking distance from Entrance 2, offer rooms for cheaper prices. In addition, visitors will have the chance to explore the lifestyle of rural Croatia and meet with local inhabitants. OpenStreetMap provides an overview of private guest houses and apartments in the area.

Camping
There is a camping site in the nearby town, mostly used by people visiting the park. Facilities are fine, good clean toilets, a small shop, and a couple of dining places. Camping can be made wherever you want; it is possible to choose a place between the trees, or a cosy hole in the hills or a more open place with a magnificent view.



As long as you are staying at the camping site, your ticket to the park can be renewed for free at the information office. It’s a good way to spend more time at the park and visit it outside the busier hours. Parking at the park is free, but if you don't want to drive the camping site arranges buses to and from the park in the main season.

Backcountry
The national park is a restricted area, limiting the opportunities for backcountry lodging. Firewood gathering and campfires are prohibited, just like fishing and berry gathering.

Stay safe
This area is one of the only remaining regions of Europe where bears roam. It would probably more interesting than dangerous to see a bear, but were you to surprise a mother and her cub because you did not expect to see bears at all, you could be in danger. A lone bear is more frightened of you than you are of it. Yell and bang something that makes loud noises, and the bear will almost always run off. Bears can run and climb faster than you can, and running signals “prey,” so don’t run.

As mentioned above, land mines may still be present in the forests around the national park, being relics left over after the Croatian Independence War. Although the park itself is cleared from mines and safe, do not wander off trails in forests outside the park boundaries.

Go next

 * Zadar, a port city and destination of many of the long distance coaches traveling through the Plitvice area.
 * Zagreb, the capital and largest city of Croatia with many sights.
 * Rijeka, the largest city in the Kvarner region.
 * Split, the second largest city of Croatia and home to another UNESCO Heritage site, Diocletian's Palace.