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How many days in Plitvice Lakes? 2 days, so you can be at the waterfalls at opening time
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Plitvice is a chain of 16 named lakes stepping down a limestone valley in Croatia's Lika region, joined by waterfalls and crossed by about 18 km of wooden boardwalks. Most visitors come on a day trip from Zagreb or Zadar and arrive at the same hour as the tour buses. Stay one night, two days: walk the Upper Lakes late on the first afternoon, when the groups have left, and the Lower Lakes and the 78 m Veliki slap at opening time the next morning. Tickets are now sold online with a timed entry, so book before you go.
Short answer
One full day is enough to walk route C or H and see both lake groups, but in summer you share it with the crowds. Two days, with a night in the park area, lets you see each part at its quietest hour.
The 2-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Arrival and the Upper Lakes in the evening light
Morning. Travel to the park: buses from Zagreb take about 2-2.5 hours and from Zadar about 2 hours (roughly €15-25), and both stop at Entrance 1 and Entrance 2. By car, it is on the old D1 road between Karlovac and Gračac. Check into your room in Mukinje, Jezerce or one of the park hotels at Entrance 2, all within walking distance.
Afternoon. Enter at Entrance 2 with a timed ticket for the late afternoon; in summer the price after 16:00 is lower than the full-day rate. Take the electric boat across Kozjak, the largest lake, 4 km long and up to about 46 m deep, from stop P1 to P2, then walk the boardwalks of the Upper Lakes past Galovac and Gradinsko jezero, where water falls in dozens of small cascades over moss-covered travertine.
Evening. Take the panoramic train from the top of the Upper Lakes back down to Entrance 2 and the hotels. Eat in the villages around the park: a plate of Lika lamb or trout with Lika potatoes costs about €15-22, and škripavac, a squeaky young cheese, makes a good starter.
The boat, the panoramic train and the boardwalks are all included in the ticket. Keep your ticket with you; it is checked on the boats.
Day 2: The Lower Lakes and Veliki slap at opening time
Morning. Be at Entrance 1 when it opens (7:00 in summer) and walk down the zigzag path from the viewpoint above Veliki slap, the Great Waterfall, Croatia's highest at about 78 m. At this hour the boardwalks along Kaluđerovac, Gavanovac and Milanovac lakes are almost empty, and the water is at its clearest blue-green.
Afternoon. Walk on to the boat stop at the foot of Kozjak and cross to P2 if you want to repeat the Upper Lakes, or finish here. Most visitors walk route C (about 8 km, 4-6 hours) from Entrance 1, or route H from Entrance 2; the long route K loops the whole park in about 18 km. Have lunch at the Kozjak restaurant area near P2, or bring a picnic for the benches.
Evening. Leave by bus or car for Zagreb, Zadar or Split, or stay a second night and visit Rastoke the next morning.
Swimming, feeding fish and stepping off the boardwalks are forbidden, with fines. Wear shoes with grip: the planks are wet and have no railings in many places.
Only have 1 day?
With 1 day, enter at Entrance 1 at opening time and walk route C: the Lower Lakes, the boat across Kozjak, the Upper Lakes and the panoramic train back. It takes 4-6 hours and covers the essential park.
Got extra days?
A 3rd day can go to Rastoke at Slunj, about 35 km north, a village of old watermills where the Slunjčica river falls into the Korana in small cascades (about €5-6 entry to the mill area). Nearby, the Barać Caves near Rakovica have guided visits of about 45 minutes (around €10-12). Or drive on to the coast: Zadar and the Adriatic are about 2 hours south, and the Krka waterfalls, where you can see a different travertine system, are about 2.5 hours away.
Where to stay in Plitvice Lakes
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Korenica / Rakovica guesthouses | Family rooms (sobe) 10-20 minutes by car from the entrances, with home cooking. | €55-90 |
| Mid-range | Mukinje / Jezerce | Rooms and apartments within walking distance of Entrance 2. | €80-130 |
| Mid-range | Rastovača / Plitvica Selo | Village houses near Entrance 1 and Veliki slap, for an early start. | €90-140 |
| Comfort | Park hotels at Entrance 2 (Jezero, Plitvice, Bellevue) | Inside the park, a few minutes from the boardwalks; simple but convenient. | €130-220 |
Getting around
Inside the park, everything is on foot, on the electric boats across Kozjak and on the panoramic train between Entrance 1, Entrance 2 and the top of the Upper Lakes, all included in the ticket. The two entrances are about 2.5 km apart. Buses on the Zagreb-Zadar and Zagreb-Split lines stop at both entrances; buy a ticket in advance in summer, because some buses arrive full. A car gives you Rastoke and the Barać Caves, and parking at the entrances costs about €2-3 an hour.
What to eat in Plitvice Lakes
The Lika region is mountain country, so the food is hearty. Order janjetina (spit-roasted lamb), teletina ispod peke (veal slow-cooked under an iron lid in embers), trout from the local rivers, and the famous Lika potatoes. Lički lonac, a pot of meat, cabbage and vegetables, warms up cold days. Škripavac is a mild fresh cheese that squeaks on your teeth. A main costs €14-22 in village restaurants; park snack bars sell sandwiches and grilled sausages for €6-10. Finish with rakija, the fruit brandy.
Best time to visit
May, June, September and October are best: the waterfalls are full in spring after the snowmelt and the forests turn red and gold in October, while summer crowds are smaller. July and August are warm (25-28°C) and very busy, with the highest ticket price. Winter is cold, often snowy and beautiful, with frozen waterfalls, but some paths and the boats close and the upper part may be shut.
Month-by-month weather for Plitvice Lakes →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €30 | €55 | €90 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €40 | €70 |
| Sights & tickets | €25 | €40 | €55 |
| Local transport | €10 | €15 | €35 |
| Total per person, per day | about €90 | about €150 | about €250 |
Approximate 2026 prices; the park ticket is about €40 from June to September, about €23.50 in spring and October, and about €10 in winter, with cheaper late-afternoon entry in summer. Croatia charges a tourist tax of about €1.50-2.50 per person per night.
Before you go
Common questions
Do I need to book Plitvice tickets online?
In practice, yes. The park sells tickets online with a timed entry for each entrance, and from spring to autumn it limits the number of visitors per hour. Walk-up tickets are often sold out in summer. Book a few days ahead for July and August, and keep the QR code on your phone.
Which route should I take?
For one visit, route C from Entrance 1 or route H from Entrance 2 covers both lake groups in 4-6 hours, with the boat and panoramic train included. Route A (2-3 hours) only shows the Lower Lakes and Veliki slap. Route K, about 18 km, is for keen walkers with a full day.
Can I swim at Plitvice?
No. Swimming has been banned for decades to protect the lakes and the travertine barriers, which grow slowly from minerals and moss. Krka National Park has also banned swimming at its main waterfall. For a summer dip, go to the Korana river around Slunj and Rastoke, outside the park, or to the Adriatic about two hours away.
Is Plitvice good in winter?
Yes, for a quiet visit. Snow and frozen waterfalls are spectacular and tickets cost about €10. But days are short, the boats and parts of the boardwalks may close, and paths can be icy. Check the park website for open routes, wear warm boots, and plan the Lower Lakes only.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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