We did research online before visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park (Plitvicka Jezera), but none of the travel guides are truly helpful. This park is magical, it would be a shame not being able to really appreciate the beauty after traveling from afar. Our Plitvice Lakes National Park Pro Tips will help you make the best of your visit, and totally transform the experience.
1 or 2 days in Plitvice Lakes National Park
If you have only 1 day, most people would consider prioritizing Lower Lakes. To be fair, advanced hikers can easily do both Lower Lakes and Upper Lakes (Program K) in one day as long as your start early.
2 days will allow you to explore at a slower pace, take lot of pictures, or just soak in the beauty all around you. Breaking it up in 2 days will also allow you visit the popular places first thing in the morning and less popular places later in the day to avoid the crowds, or simply get out of the park.
The National Park website lists out different walking programs/routes.
Get there by 7am
Or at least before 8am to avoid the crowds.
Even if you are not a morning person, it’s well worth it. Otherwise, you would be stuck in a long line on the boardwalk and lack peace and quite to appreciate the magical nature.
Enter from Entrance 1
Entering at Entrance 1 will save you time walking from/to the parking lot. The Entrance 1 parking lot is only 1 to 2 minutes walk to the actual Park Entrance 1 (the north entrance), whereas the Entrance 2 parking lot is about 15 minutes walk to the actual Park Entrance 2 (the south entrance) with hotels, restaurants, and no good sceneries in between. 15 minutes may be okay before you enter the park, but not so much after a long day of walking and waiting.
Entrance 1 takes you straight to the most famous and picturesque part of Lower Lakes boardwalk and waterfall Veliki Slap (Great Waterfall/Big Waterfall). Lower Lakes are more popular then Upper Lakes because of these two parts, and that means more crowded. If you want to take good photos and enjoy the most picturesque scenery without crowds, enter at Entrance 1 at 7am or 8am and visit them first, and then move on to other parts. You’ll be ahead of all crowds.
Buy tickets online in advance
Purchase tickets on the Plitvice Lakes National Park website. Select the entrance and time of entrance. There are limited number of visitors per time slot. If online tickets are sold out for the time you want, you can check this page for live updates for tickets available to buy at the entrance.
When you buy a two-day ticket, you select the entrance and time of entrance for the first day. On the second day, you can enter the park anytime from anywhere.
Download the app
The Plitvice Lakes National Park app is helpful in some ways.
- Program/route maps, points of interest, navigation, and live location of where you are
- Details of the park, programs, animals and plants
- Accommodations and restaurants
- You can mark your parking spot
Drones are banned in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Forget about brining a drone. You can’t fly a drone in Plitvice Lakes National Park anymore. Want birds eye views? Go to viewpoints.
Where are the viewpoints of Plitviče Lakes
The boardwalks are right at the lake level. Some trails may be a little higher than the lakes. If you want a viewpoint overlooking the waterfalls and lakes, there are a few options.
Viewpoints close to Entrance 1 for Lower Lakes
If you do any routes including the Lower Lakes (Program A, B, C, F, H, or K), this viewpoint close to Entrance 1 will be on your way and is right above the most picturesque parts of the Lower Lakes. There are several windows of view around the viewpoint.
Viewpoints in Plitvica Selo for Lower Lakes
The designed programs A through K don’t really take you to the west side of the Lower Lakes (Plitvica Selo), but there is a trail with lots of viewpoints. Ask the ranger if the western shore is open. There are two ways to access the west side.
- Hike from P3
The trail connects P3 and Veliki Slap (Great Waterfall/Big Waterfall).
2. Drive to Plitvica Selo
P3 is in Plitvica Selo. For the road to the trail with viewpoints, you can use use this google map pin closer to P3 and this google map pin closer to Veliki Slap.
Viewpoints as part of Program K for Upper Lakes
When you spend more than 1 day in the Plitvice Lakes National Park, you will likely have more time visiting these viewpoints on the western side of the Upper Lakes.
Appreciate the subtle beauty of Plitvice Lakes National Park
Most visitors just stop at waterfalls and take pictures, and then move along with the crowd. We find many other things just as beautiful if not more. The twinkling light shining through the leaves, the reflection on the lake, the submerged tree trunks and roots, the changes in water color, the wild flowers, the rainbows, the force of the waterfalls contrasting the serenity of the lakes.
Enjoy the view on the drive to Plitvice Lakes National Park
The National Park is one the most beautiful places in Croatia. So is the drive over, whether you come from Zagreb, Senj, or Zadar. About an hour radius of the park, you’d be off major highways, and the view is storybook stunning.
Upper Lakes may be closed after heavy rain
Check the official website for park condition and closure before you go. It shows the condition of the day. However, the rangers may assess first thing in the morning and open more parts in the afternoon.
Some parts of the trail and boardwalk may be flooded after heavy rain. Upper Lakes would be completely closed or partially closed before Lower Lakes are closed. Since Lower Lakes are more popular, the rangers put wood planks over slightly flooded parts of Lower Lakes to keep it open. However, visitors come from all over the world and many would love to visit Upper Lakes too. We would love to see more effort to keep Upper Lakes open when possible.
When Upper Lakes are closed, the shuttle to St3 is not operating. If you have time, you can walk on the paved road to St3 and see if you can access Upper Lakes from St3 if the access points close to P2 are closed.
Auxiliary entrances?
The majority of visitors enter the National Park from Entrance 1 or Entrance 2, but there are auxiliary entrances.
Auxiliary Entrance P3 from Plitvica Selo. There are hotels and restaurants so some visitors stay at Plitvice Selo. You can’t buy tickets at P3 so purchase online in advance. Either Entrance you choose would work at P3.
Auxiliary Entrance Flora is a checkpoint between Entrance 1 and Entrance 2, closer to Entrance 2. Choose Entrance 2 when purchasing tickets online.
Some parts may be closed due to construction
If you go on the official website for Lake Tour Programs (meaning suggested routes) ahead of time, you’ll see which programs/routes are available, and figure out which parts are closed. It might be helpful to ask the rangers at the entrance which parts are closed due to construction.
