After numerous visits to Croatia over the last two decades, visiting Plitvice Lakes had still eluded me however 2018 was going to be the year that I ticked that bad boy off my Croatia Bucket List.
The beautiful autumn colours at Plitvice Lakes National Park had always drawn me in so when a certain wedding was to take place in October, Daddy and I knew we wanted to visit to see the fall leaves.
We left the Dalmatian coastline which was basking in sunshine and arrived into a very damp and foggy National Park where it was only 15 degrees!
Slightly disappointed with the foggy weather…we continued into the Plitvice National Park for a boat ride across the lake and a jolly little walk…
…the colours of the lakes didn’t pop as much as you see in photos of the Lakes on a clear day however the fog added a mystery…
…and ambience that not many people ever see…it did feel like an enchanted forest from a fairytale.
I’d heard that the crowds during the summer months are totally crazy and I can only imagine how bad it truly is during the peak season…
…it wasn’t too bad however we did encounter a few traffic jams…
…normally it was tourists visiting on an organised tour that were herded through the National Park.
Daddy and I had the pleasure of just wandering around the pathways which are nestled beside the lakes…
…taking a few snaps…
…we were rather tired bunnies…we had left the village just after 7am and it was over a 3 hour drive…
…the fresh air did us wonders…I hadn’t done my hair either in case you’re judging!
Daddy had visited many years ago during summer so he filled me in on some of the history of the park during our little hike around the lakes including what happened during the Balkan War when the lakes were filled with rubbish…
…we didn’t see anything stating that this was the case on this visit.
The natural beauty of Plitvice Lakes National Park is truly outstanding…
…the colours along with the autumn leaves even on a foggy day were breathtaking…
…just check out this waterfall…
…I may have gotten a little excited about said waterfall…
…and just look at this great vantage point…
…Daddy decided to get low for a photograph or two…thankfully he didn’t fall in…one day though…
…ahhh Autumn…a photographers dream!
We decided to go and check out the largest Plitvice Waterfall which is also the largest in Croatia…
…catching the boat to the next stop, we almost capsized on the way as the sun came out and highlighted the autumn leaves so everyone scrambled to the right hand side of the boat to grab a photo…
…I’m from New Zealand…I’ve seen bigger waterfalls…not to brag or anything…size does matter to Kiwi girls…
…even though I was a bit underwhelmed it was fun watching the tourists getting their perfect social media photo and the waterfalls were beautiful.
Dad and I enjoyed another walk around the lakes…
…this area was definitely a lot busier with tourists and there were times when it all got a bit too much and it felt a dangerous…
…there aren’t any handrails on the designated path so when people push you might end taking a swim with the fish.
After walking over 15,000 steps we took the boat back to our car park…
…and toddled off back to the Dalmatian coastline.
Travel Tips for Visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
- The Plitvice Entrance Fee is currently 150 kunas (Around £18-20) however during the week of our visit in Autumn, the cost was only 50 kuna…my frugal self almost had kittens.
- It’s a rather long drive getting to Plitvice Lakes from the Dalmatian Coastline so if you fancy a road trip then maybe start by flying into Zagreb and driving down via the Lakes to the Coast or vv. Our drive was just over 3 hours from Makarska using the motorway where there are tolls…the tolls were just over 120 kunas each way.
- There are two car parks on site which access different areas of the Plitvice Lakes National Park…we just stopped at the first one we saw and it was about a 10 minute walk to the boats. There are toilets and cafes at the car park and you can purchase your tickets here.
- You can make payment in either cash or credit card
- Take sensible shoes…I wore my superga and while they’re very comfortable…in damp weather they were a little bit slippery at certain points on our walk.
- There are cafes located inside the National Park however the quality of the food is okay if you aren’t picky…take your own picnic and enjoy the beautiful views.
- Our foggy weather was apparently a bit of a freak of nature as it was beautiful the days either side of our visit…but I’m glad it was foggy as it had that “je ne sais quoi” quality about it.
- Remember to take a winter coat, gloves and a hat with you as it is definitely a good 10-15 degrees cooler than the Dalmatian coastline when visiting the lakes…even when visiting during the summer months.
- No swimming is allowed within the National Park.
- No camping is allowed inside the National Park…I did watch a youtube video on how a couple camped inside the National Park for free hence they didn’t pay for entry…they were twats! When visiting Plitvice Lakes, there is plenty of accommodation options available around the National Park and surrounding towns. Don’t Free Camp!
- You can learn more about the visiting the Plitvice Lakes National Park by checking out the official website and also the UNESCO website.
xx
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