Croatia > The central part of the country > Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice Lakes
N 44°53.908', E 15°36.405'
2008-08-12
http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
Our rating: 7.60
Overall rating: - Rate this place - 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Plitvice Lakes is National Park, the main natural treasure of Croatia. Since 1979 it is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage. There was no access for tourists prior to 1958. Since that time were built numerous wooden walkways and put pretty strict rules. Hallmark of the park are the waterfalls Veliki Slap and Sastavci. This is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Veliki Slap Waterfall & Sastavci Waterfalls ©www.robertthompsonphotography.com
It is forbidden to swim in the lakes of the park, although when we walked in remote, unpopulated parts, we've seen bathing tourists. You can not build fires, picnics, come with dogs. And nobody touch all the trees that fall into the lake.
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Because the trees and leaves are not removed, they quickly covered with calcicoles, which turning to stone and form solid deposits spanning the river. Because of this, more and more waterfalls appeared in the park every year. Height difference between the upper and lower lakes is 133 meters and the number of waterfalls already exceeded 140.
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
There are two main entrances to the park and various route options. Their plans are placed throughout the park and also on the tickets. We selected the route B. As indicated on the picture, we spent 4 hours. The longest route will take 8 hours, so one day is enough even for a complete visit. Choose the route and follow the signs. During the high season try to enter the park in the morning (8-9 o'clock) as at 11-12 arrive dozens of tourist buses.
Entrance 1. Route A ©np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
Entrance 1. Route B ©np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
Entrance 1. Route K ©np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
Entrance 2. Route E ©np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
Entrance 2. Route F ©np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
Entrance 2. Route H ©np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
Entrance 2. Route K ©np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
We entered through the entrance 1 and at first visited all the lower lakes and waterfalls.
Map of Plitvice Lakes ©wiva.ws
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Veliki Slap Waterfall & Sastavci Waterfalls ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Šupljara Cave at Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
There are boats between points P2 and P3 and 99% of visitors use them. But we went along the right bank on foot, walked more than an hour. Compared with the lower lakes, there was virtually no tourists. We even drank water from one of the creeks.
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
From the point P1, which is located near the entrance / exit 2, you can return to exit 1 in the electric car. But we went on foot, there is a very scenic route in the woods. Points ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4 on the map are the stops of the car.
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
On March 31, 1991 in the park was the first armed clash between Croatian police forces and Serb territorial defense within the Croatian war, military conflict caused by the exit of Croatia from Yugoslavia. Several times lakes were the battlefield, therefore, despite the well-developed infrastructure, even now mines are found in the vicinity of the park. Park works from 8 to 16, the cost of a day ticket in high season (july, august) $32, in other months is much cheaper. Find actual working hours and the cost of tickets at the official website .
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Plitvice Lakes ©Yuriy Buriak
Getting there: Plitvička jezera have not very good location. They can be reached by bus from Zagreb ($18, 2 hours and 15 minutes, schedule ) and from Split (~ $25, 4 hours and 30 minutes, schedule ). Independent tourists come in the evening, spend the night at the site, visit the lakes in the morning and leave in the afternoon.
Tags, Croatia: lake , waterfall Tags, all countries: lake , waterfall
- Rate this place -
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Our rating - 7.60
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Visitor's rating - 0.00
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help