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Plitvice Lakes on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Plitvice is fine on a budget if you stay in village guesthouses and visit outside peak summer. A realistic daily minimum is about €90 per person sharing a room, including the park ticket.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €30 | €55 | €90 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €40 | €70 |
| Sights & tickets | €25 | €40 | €55 |
| Local transport | €10 | €15 | €35 |
| Per person, per day | €90 | €150 | €250 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Plitvice Lakes day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The streets and bridges of Rastoke in Slunj, with water running between the old mills (some private viewing areas charge a small fee)
- The Korana river and its canyon viewed from the old D1 road near Entrance 1
- Sunset walks in the villages of Mukinje and Jezerce
- Walking and cycling the country lanes of Lika around Korenica
- The Korana bridge near Rastoke and the river swimming spots in Slunj in summer
- The boats and panoramic train inside the park, which cost nothing extra once you have a ticket
Cheap eats
- Škripavac, the squeaky young Lika cheese, as a starter
- Lika potatoes with trout, about €15-22
- Home cooking at a family guesthouse (sobe)
- Picnic from a Korenica supermarket, a few euros
- Grilled sausages and simple dishes at village restaurants, roughly €10-15
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in family guesthouses (sobe) in Korenica or Rakovica, about €55-90 for a double, 10-20 minutes by car from the entrances. Mukinje and Jezerce near Entrance 2 cost a bit more but are walkable.
Getting around cheaply
Buses from Zagreb or Zadar (roughly €15-25) stop at both entrances. Inside the park, the boats and train are included. Without a car, choose accommodation within walking distance of an entrance.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Entrance 1 at opening, Veliki slap and the Lower Lakes (park ticket)
- Lunch: picnic at the benches near Kozjak, about €8
- Afternoon: boat across Kozjak and the Upper Lakes (included)
- Evening: trout and Lika potatoes in a village restaurant, about €18
- Total: about €90 including a shared guesthouse room
More ways to save
- Stay overnight to enter early; day-trippers arrive from mid-morning.
- Check route availability before buying in winter.
- Bring your own snacks and refill water before entering.
- Book bus tickets ahead in summer, as some buses arrive full.
- Choose route C or H to cover both lake groups on one ticket.
- Combine with Rastoke on the same trip if travelling by car.
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Common questions
Can you visit Plitvice on a budget?
Yes. Village guesthouses, picnics and the bus keep costs to about €90 per person a day, including the ticket.
How do I get to Plitvice cheaply?
By bus from Zagreb (about 2-2.5 hours) or Zadar (about 2 hours), roughly €15-25.
Do I need to book tickets online?
In practice, yes, especially from spring to autumn, when entry is timed and limited per hour.