To introduce the travel diary section of my blog, I will begin by one of the most beautiful area I could ever see in my life : the National Park of Plitvice, in Croatia. I was very lucky last august when I could visit this area.
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The National Park of Plivtice : an heavenly landscape
This park is composed of 16 big lakes connected by little rivers and almost 92 waterfalls. This area is made from travertine barriers, naturally made by limestone deposited, and creating lakes whose level 
growed up slowly during centuries. These lakes are connected with rivers and splendid waterfalls.
The park was added in the worldwide patrimony by UNESCO in 1979, and is really well preserved from human activities : the region has escaped from concrete and real estate we usually often see on our european littoral. Also, the dammage caused by the recent Serbo-Croatian war, whose the region was the main scene, are not visibles nowadays. The only exception done to the protection of this highly fragile environment was to allow tourists to discover the Plitvice region, and at the same time with respect to the local ecosystem, thanks to discrete infrastructures which melt in the landscape. Also note, due to this environment frailty, fishing or swimming are not allowed in the lakes, and a lot of efforts are done to let this nature jewel was wild as it is possible. In addition to the various vegetation, the fauna is also interesting : insects, numerous trouts, bears, roes, harts…
The visit of the park
I recommend you to begin your visit early morning, from the north entry, to walk along the lower lakes, and admire the big waterfall Veliki Slap. Also, when beginning early morning, you will avoid the crowd, especially in high season. During your walking, you will use footpath near the lakes, or ways in wood logs above lakes and watercourses. Coming down to the south (therefore ascending to the upper lakes) you will have the choice to use walks allowing to circle the big lake Kojzak (best choice for hikers, or the choice to use the boat or the panoramic bus line.
These nature trails are well marked, and with the help of maps provided at the park entry, orientation is easy. Several circle routes are also suggested, with average time needeed to cover each of them.
A very important warning : if you go there with your children, be very careful, as footbridges over lakes and waterfalls do not have guardrails, and some footpath overhang sometime heights and falls. I advise you to be watchful and alert, as for every trekking or walks in nature. Also note sometime, during the high season period, you may encounter crowd and difficult to cross walkers on the narrow pathways.
The Plitvice region is immense (almost 300 km²), and a panoramic bus line allow to go quickly from a point to another in the park. Also included in your admission, a cross over the Kojzak lake with the shuttle, linking the upper lakes region (in the south) to the lower lakes region (in the north of the park). I also saw a rowboat service available on the south entry (ulaz 2), allowing to taste all the tranquility and serenity of this place (on a part of the Kojzak lake). Also note that a shuttle is used to cross over Kojzak lake from entry 2 to footpath going to upper lakes.
Depending on the period (high or low season) and the moment in the day, you can find more or less crawd in some places. For example I notices that a region of upper lakes (Proscansko, Ciginovac, or Galovac lakes) were very calms at end of afternoon, due to their distance from the south entry, mostly at the end of the afternoon, close to the end-of-service hour of panoramic bus line. The consequence will be, thatcalm and serenity overlays to the beauty of this natural landscape. But do not forget to go back to entries before nightfall…
Going there, finding accomodations
Located not far from the Bosniak border, the park is easilly accessible halfway from the road linking Zagreb to Zadar. You also can take Zagreb-Zadar bus line. The best is to stay there 2 or 3 days, to take time enjoy your sojourn. And there a many way accomodations near there. First you have the choice of the 3 hostels near the south entry of the park, but book your room in advance, if not you won’t find available rooms during high season (that was my own case)… You also have the choice of the numerous private lodgings and accomodations near there, in the many villages along the road near Plitvice Park (search “Zimmer” indications). You can contact local tourism informations of travel agencies if you want to book a room. These private accomodations are often affordables, and you will be heartly welcomed. Note that if you do not speak croatian, your host will often speak german, and sometime english.
The Plitvice National Park on your desktop wallpaper
You will find in Landscape-Photo.net images gallery several large wallpapers about Plitvice lakes and waterfalls, and Croatia. These desktop backgrounds can be downloaded free (see conditions of use of the images).
Learn more…
Some useful and interesting links on tourism in Croatia, and National Park of Plitvice :
- Croatian embassy in the US
- Croatian embassy in the UK
- Croatian tourism office
- Official Plitvice National Park website
- Offical UNESCO webpage about Croatia.
Finally, do not forget to read some guides and books on Croatia before going there.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice ! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.