We left home little after 6 am in order to arrive to Plitvice early. As we approached the park area, the clouds landed down and the thick mist covered the countryside landscapes, which in some places resembled a lot like certain areas in Finland. We finally found the entrance number 2 to park, which is closer coming from the south. There are two entrances to the park, number 1 is easier to reach coming from north. After getting the car parked it was time to get the tickets. At the moment tickets cost 150 kn (about 20eur) per adult, during peak season in July-August the price rises to a 250 kunas. The price includes rides by electric train and boat in the park are if they are on the route you decide to take. There are a number of different route options to choose from, they are well marked on the paths wandering around the lakes and the waterfalls. The shortest are only a few kilometers, you can extend the route and at the same time increase the amount of things to see and experience. We decided to take Route H, less than 9 kilometers long path which covered the entire area nicely including train and boat rides. On the way we did a few extra steps and after nearly at the finishing point we then took a walk by the lake instead of final train ride increasing the length of the walking to total of 14km.
We started off from the upstream as the electric train took us to the starting point of our route on upper lakes. From there we then started our way towards the lower lakes gradually as does the water also. The path is mostly a wooden "bridge" that takes you forward as the water flows under your feet. At some points there is of course also normal trails on ground, like when you are passing the lakes. The surroundings for these paths are amazing. Larger and smaller waterfalls and little cascades just emerged one after another in this lush greenery creating almost fairy tail atmosphere. They just came and came as the route went on. Between them you have these calm lakes and you can truly de-stress yourself by walking along the shore of the lake under the trees as branches are almost reaching the surface of the clear water. Then again you can hear the sound of the next waterfall getting closer... So beautiful. Waterfall overdose easily obtained.
The highest waterfall in the park is the last one going downstream so it was at the end of our selected route H. It was great, but somehow I would have to say that I was more impressed by the waterfall clusters in the first part of our route before the boat ride to lover lakes. In addition, at that stage of the day the crowd began to be already too much in our scale. The big guided groups filled the path and the landscape. Fortunately instead of the scenic train ride we chose to walk to our final destination. The tranquil path went along the water´s edge of the big lake, just a few other people and there was also a spot where Tiuku was able take a refreshing dip in the clear lake. Swimming for humans is forbidden throughout the park, very understandably. If even part of thousands of park visitors would refresh themselves in cool water, it would be a complete disaster and would certainly ruin not only the water quality but also the ecosystem of the area. And the idea of towels and floaties spreading over the narrow paths is quite appalling.
To conclude, Plitvice is definitely worth a visit. Even though there is a bit of of driving if coming from the Split area. We drove the fastest route in the morning, that is the motorway, but we returned home via road number 1, the so-called "old road". It is nice well-paved road that takes you through Gračac, Knin and Sinj. I recommend this option, the route has some great sceneries and more to see than what you get driving the motorway.
Check list for Plitvice's visitor:
* Go early! I would say you should be there by 8 am at the latest, the park will open at seven o'clock. This is to avoid the most crowded times and at least in some part of the route you can walk at your own pace and not with the thousands of others. I promise that an early wake up would be worthwhile in this case. The early start is even more recommended during the high season.
* Spring, fall and winter. The park is open all year round and I would personally recommend visiting especially in the spring before the start of the high season and on the other hand after the high season during the autumn colors. If you travel to Zagreb for its famous Christmas Market, why not take a relaxing trip away from the bustle of the city to see the winterish Plitvice?
* Book the whole day for this. Do not plan anything special for the evening because the day will be long and all the wonderful this place has to offer will ultimately wear you out a bit. And it is worth taking time to really enjoy of it.
* Take good shoes. Hiking shoes are not needed, but the flip flops can be a bit uncomfortable and slippery, especially on uneven wooden bridges. It is a good idea to leave the high heels at the hotel, the sneakers or some of the slightly firmer shoes are good.
* Take something to drink and little snack with you. The area has a few cafes selling food and drinks, but they are crowded and of course quite expensive. A few bottles of water in the backpack together with maybe some fruit and ready-made sandwich will be nice to have. Remember to take all the trash with you after your brake.
* Enjoy the sight also without the camera lens. Even though I myself did take quite a lot of pictures, it's also important to enjoy the moments in live and save them as mental memories in addition to the digital images. Relax and breathe the fresh air. Plitvice is not a place for stress but for the wondering of the gorgeous and relaxing nature.
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