Plitvice Lakes National Park: Ultimate Guide to Croatia's Waterfalls

Plitvice Lakes is the oldest and largest national park in Croatia, protected since 1949 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. It is a chain of sixteen terraced lakes, connected by more than ninety waterfalls and set in a deep forested valley, where the water builds its own barriers out of tufa, a soft limestone rock that grows layer by layer as minerals settle out of the rushing water.

The lakes are split into the Upper lakes, set in a wide dolomite valley, and the Lower lakes, dropped into a narrow limestone canyon. Wooden footbridges run right over the water so you walk between the falls, and an electric boat crosses Lake Kozjak, the largest of them. The colour is the famous thing, turquoise and green shifting with the minerals and the light.

Plitvice is the single busiest natural site in Croatia. In July and August the footbridges are packed and there are queues at the entrances, so arrive for the first entry slot or go in shoulder season. There are two entrances, and the routes are well marked, from a couple of hours to a full day. Swimming is forbidden, anywhere, to protect the lakes.

For photographers, the lower lakes in the canyon photograph best early before the crowds, and a neutral-density filter smooths the waterfall water. Bring real shoes, the boardwalks are slippery when wet.

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