How To Visit Plitvice Lakes in One Day: Croatia’s Most Beautiful National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the most famous lakes in Europe and obviously in Croatia;

A day trip to Plitvice Lakes is a must-add to your Croatia bucket list! If you’re visiting Croatia, you must experience the natural wonders of the lakes of Plitvice.

On my first trip to Croatia, while I visited Zagreb, I took a day trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park; this national park and its breathtaking views had been on my travel bucket list for a while. I was very excited to go there.

I can assure you the photos you see online lives up to expectations; it’s a gorgeous place, even better in real. It’s a great day trip to take in summer and winter.

Here’s my travel guide on how to visit Plitvice Lakes in one day. And without a car as well for travellers who, like me, don’t drive.

---

How To Visit Plitvice Lakes in One Day From Zagreb or Split or Zadar

If you don’t drive or can’t rent a car, don’t worry. You can still visit Plitvice in one day. Some buses go to Plitvice, and if the idea of going alone doesn’t appeal, you can also book a tour of Plitvice.

It’d be a shame to miss out on this amazing National Park just because you don’t or can’t drive. It’s one of the best day trips from Split, Zadar, or Zagreb.

There are plenty of great things to do in Zadar, but adding a day trip to Plitvice is a great addition to your itinerary; you won’t regret it!

If you’re starting from Split, check out this comprehensive Split itinerary for a well-rounded Croatian adventure.

---

You should spend at least one full day at the lakes to maximise your trip to Plitvice.

Of course, it’s also a good option if you can spend the night over, but visiting Plitvice in one day is doable, so don’t worry.

Exploring Plitvice Lakes is a family-friendly activity, making it an ideal outing for you and your kids!

If you’re planning a family trip to Croatia, here’s a two-week itinerary crafted with children in mind.

In this Plitvice travel guide, I will share my experience, my itinerary for my day trip there, and all the tips I have for visiting the national park and planning a great day there.

Plitvice Lakes National Park Day Trip

Get from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes

So, if you’re wondering how to get to Plitvice Lakes, don’t worry; it’s quite easy.

Plitvice lakes from Zagreb

Plitvice National Park is 140km (87 miles) from the capital, Zagreb.

It takes roughly two hours by car or 2h15/2h30 min by bus. During the peak season, summer, there are a lot of buses running through every day.

It’s relatively easy to book a day trip by bus yourself but a bit more complicated during winter as there aren’t as many buses going to Plitvice. But there is still the option to book a tour to admire Plitvice lakes under the snow.

The bus goes from Zagreb’s central bus station to Plitvice entrance 1 and entrance 2.

Of course, booking a tour is an option all year round, not only during the winter.

Getting from Zadar to Plitvice Lakes

Take a bus from Zadar to Plitvice. Depending on the route (& traffic of course) you choose, it will take between 1h45 and 2h50.

Like in Zagreb, most buses run daily between April and October. The bus goes from Zadar’s central bus station to Plitvice Entrances 1 and 2.

You can always book an organised tour if you don’t fancy organising your day trip to Plitvice Lakes.

---

There are two entrances at Plitvice Lakes where you can start your exploration. Those two entrances offer several different routes to choose from, depending on your time and whether you want to take the longer route or not.

You can also find maps of those routes in the park and estimated times of how long it takes to explore those trails.

---

Plitvice Lakes Day Trip Itinerary From Entrance 1

Getting Around Inside Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice Lakes National Park covers over 73,000 acres of land.

Waterfalls link sixteen lakes in Plitvice, between the Mala Kapela and Licka Pljesivica mountains, which compose the National Park of Plitvice Lakes.

Getting around Plitvice is easy; everything in the park is well indicated, and you follow the trail you chose for the day. I’d say it’s pretty hard to get lost there if you respect the rules, don’t go off the trails indicated by the park, and respect nature.

I can assure you that Plitvice Lakes in Summer is a great day trip, so keep reading to plan one!

There are seven routes in total that go through Plitvice Lakes, starting from entrances 1 and 2. Routes A, B, and C start from entrance 1. Routes E, F, H, and K start from entrance 2. The trails from entrance 2 are the longest ones.

The shortest route is 3km long, and the longest is 18km.

You can check out the four trails in more detail here.

---

My Plitvice Lakes in One Day Itinerary

We chose to do Trail B. It takes 3-4 hours, so we thought including a lunch break would be perfect for exploring the park without rushing and taking our time.
Trail B includes a scenic boat ride on one of the lakes and a shuttle ride ( We choose to walk instead of using the shuttle, which is much nicer). This trail is very popular as you see many of the main points of interest in the park, and it’s easy to do in one day.

However, we could have quickly gone for trail C instead to see more of the park, as we still had plenty of time before our bus ride back to Zagreb.

Starting at Entrance 1

Our bus from Zagreb arrived at the entrance a bit earlier than anticipated, so we decided to check the souvenir shop to buy some beautiful blue rain caps, as it was a wet day, and to see what souvenir I wanted at the end of the day.

As I already said above, we chose to follow trail B. After arriving inside the park, when it was our time to enter, we checked out the map with all the trails, and that’s how we picked trail B. I had done no prior research, and I regret it now, as Trail C would have been a better fit.

When you first go down, you’ll be greeted by the lower lakes; you can take some breathtaking photos on the way down to The Big Waterfall and see that it’s swamped.

Veliki Slap (the Big Waterfall)

The moment you step into the park, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views; while they look beautiful, they’re even more impressive. They make you appreciate how wonderful nature is. I could have spent hours enjoying the views.

Arriving at entrance 1, the first thing you’ll see is Veliki Slap, and I recommend checking it out first; it gets hectic. The photos above show the crowd descending from the slippery bath to the fall. Those photos were taken in the afternoon, and it wasn’t nearly as crowded when we visited in the morning.

Once we finished the Big Waterfall, we followed the trail through the lower lake of Kaluderovac and stopped by Supljara cave before continuing.

I saw two people who fell on their butts. Luckily, they didn’t hurt themselves, but that wasn’t fun. I’d say it’s OK if you miss it. It was fun to check out, but it was complicated to walk around as it was rainy, so be careful.

There are signs at the cave entrance to warn you about that.

After visiting the cave, we continued exploring, following the trail B sign to check out the rest of the lower lakes: Gavanovac and Milanovac, all the way to Kozjak, where we found the resting areas with some food huts and tables to eat a picnic.

I took photos of the ducks for a small break while visiting the park. We visited Plitvice Lakes in the summer. It was a bit rainy that day, but it didn’t make the day trip less enjoyable.

After a break, we continued our route with the scenic boat ride on Lake Kozjak to join the other side of the lake.

The boat ride takes around 15 minutes, and the view is beautiful. It was still raining a bit when we were cruising through the lake, and the mountains were smokey, which gave the landscape an eerie atmosphere. It was a beautiful moment.

I’d have loved boating on the lake, but sadly, it was closed that day. I guess it was because of the rain.

At this point, you’d typically take the shuttle to rejoin the trail back at the entrance, as it is part of the trail. However, it felt like it would have been a shame to use the shuttle when we still had plenty of time left and could enjoy a pleasant afternoon stroll along the lakes to return to the entrance. We followed part of trail C to return to the entrance.

Make sure to mind your steps, especially when you walk backwards.

For the little story, I was going back to try and check what was behind a mot and almost fell into the lakes as the path crumbled under my foot; I landed on my knee and handed the day with a bloody knee.

After a quick toilet stop to clean my knee there, we returned to the entrance, chilled a bit more inside the gazebo, and enjoyed the view of the big waterfall before returning to the bus station to return to Zagreb.

---

Things To Do In Plitvice Lakes National Park

• Admire Veliki Slap (the Big Waterfall)

• Go down Šupljara cave 

• Take a boat ride on Lake Kozjak(it’s super fun but tiring)

• Admire the largest and deepest Lake, Kozjak

• Enjoy the many panoramic viewpoints

• Hike the different trails and admire the diverse flora and fauna while walking the wooden pathways

• Admire the Upper Lakes & Lower Lakes

You can find more of the main things to do in Plitvice on the official website’s map of places of interest.

Best Time To Visit Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice is open 365 days a year, making it a year-round destination.

August and July are the busiest time to visit the park. I saw Plitvice Lakes one day in August, on a cloudy and rainy day; therefore, the crowd were less, and it was a delightful visit; the mist gave the National Park an eerie vibe, as you can see in my photos.

While rain may not sound appealing, it’s good. Water levels tend to be lower during the summer, so waterfalls might be less impressive, so the rain helps.

The recommended periods to visit the park are Spring and Autumn. But Plitvice is an excellent destination all year round, as each season brings charm to the park.

In spring, the waterfalls roar; in Autumn, you can admire the beautiful autumn colours and foliage; and in summer, you get the best weather.

Buying Tickets To Plitvice National Park

You can buy tickets to Plitvice online to save time.

Prices change according to the time of the year.

One-day Adult tickets // children tickets

• Jan, Feb, March & Nov, December: 80 HRK (10.8 Euro or 11.85 US$). // 35 HRK (4.7 Euro or 5.2 US$)
• May & October: 180 HRK (24.15 Euro or 26.5 US$) //  50 HRK (7 Euro or 7.5 US$)
• June, July, August, September: 300 HRK (40 Euro or 44.5 US$) // 120 HRK (16 Euro or 18 US$ )

Children below the age of 7 can visit for free.

If you’re travelling with a dog, your furry friend can also visit Plitvice Lakes in one day with you on the lead.

How much time do you need in Plitvice National Park?

If you plan on visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park, then you need at least 7h to 8h, in my opinion, to visit the park’s main attractions without rushing and enjoying yourself.

---

---

Tips To Visit Plitvice Lakes

• Make sure to buy your Plitvice Lakes tickets in Advance – Tickets sell out quickly, especially during peak season. It would be best if you bought them in advance. The ticket you buy will have a time slot (which you can choose), so you can’t enter the park at any time. You want to buy in advance to get the best time slot possible.
• Arrive at the opening time if possible. Even if your ticket has a time slot, it is still best to arrive before the allocated time as many people will be waiting to enter or to buy a ticket if you haven’t done so online. You can also check the souvenir shop.
• Bring a picnic and snacks with you – you’ll spend a whole day there, so pack yourself a picnic or at least some snacks if you would instead buy yourself food at the park. There are resting areas with little huts that offer food service; however, it’s pretty crowded, so if you want to save time and money, I recommend you bring your picnic.
• Start at entrance 1, especially if you plan to visit Plitvice Lakes in one day; this way, you’ll get to the lower lakes and be able to check out Veliki Slap before it gets even busier.
• Remember to respect the rules – Plitvice is a UNESCO site, so it is forbidden to swim in the lakes and never let any garbage go anywhere.

---

What To Pack To Visit Plitvice Lakes In One Day

• A good pair of non-slippery walking shoes doesn’t have to be hiking shoes, but you need shoes that hold your feet and ankles well to avoid injuries. Some areas of the park get slippery.
• Sunglasses – the sun’s reflection on the lakes can feel aggressive, so wearing sunglasses helps.
• Sunscreen – make sure to protect your skin, especially when you visit during summer.
• If you’re visiting in winter, make sure to layer and wear a light jacket on top to block the wind and rain.
• Pack some snacks and water– You’ll be walking a lot and need the energy to keep yourself hydrated; it is a workout.

---

This concludes my Plitvice Lakes in a one-day itinerary, which includes all the best tips for planning your visit to this stunning national park!

I had a fantastic time visiting Plitvice Lakes in one day; I’d recommend you stay two days, however, if you want to explore the park entirely. I know I’ll do that next time as I would love to visit Plitvice during wintertime and admire the beauty of nature under the snow.

But if you’re short on time, one day to see the highlight of Plitvice National Park is more than enough, and this travel guide gave you all the best tips to plan a killer trip to Plitvice!

I hope you enjoy your one day in Plitvice lakes like we did!

Like this Plitvice Lakes One Day Itinerary? Please share it on Pinterest.
How To Visit Plitvice Lakes in One Day: Croatia National Park

---

✈ Best Travel Ressources To Plan Your Next Trip

✈ How To Find Flights?

– Skyscanner; it is a good comparator for finding the cheapest flights.
– Google Flights is also a good help when comparing flights.

✈ Where To Book Accommodations?

– Booking.com: plenty of options and ways to get discounts the more you book.

✈ Best Sites To Book Activities

– GetYourGuide when I can’t get a ticket directly on the website or if it’s easier to go through them.
– Klook if you need to book more than just activities and would like to get everything from the same website or different day trips—(i.e. transport cards, car rental, hotel…).

✈ Other helpful travel resources

– Radical Storage: If you need a place to keep your luggage for an extended period when you travel, I recommend using them.
– TheTrainline: If you love to travel by train like me, then TheTrainline needs to be your go-to website for train travel in Europe.

————————————————————————————————————-

Disclaimer: This resources box contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you book anything through my links at no additional cost. These links help me support the blog and generate more content. Happy travels!

Hey there! This post may contain affiliate links. It means I earn a bit of money if you purchase products through me, there is no extra cost to you and it helps me maintain this blog. Read more in my Privacy Policy