Plitvička National Park

The oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest in Croatia. I would go as far to say that no trip to the country would be complete without a stop to this UNESCO World Heritage listed site. I present to you Plitvička National Park in pictures.

 

Getting In

The best way to get to the Park is from Zadar or Zagreb. In the high season, buses are more regular throughout the day. I went in late April, which is the low season. Connections from Zadar were not very favourable (first bus out was 1430hrs). Considering the ride takes about 2.5 hours, i would only have gotten to see the entrance to the park and make a mental note for another day's visit.

  

Which means i made the trip to the park from Zagreb (i had to go to the capital anyway). My bus out was at 0730hrs from the main bus station. It was a comfortable 2 and a half hours before the bus stopped us along the main road outside the entrance to the park.

There are several routes one can take in the park. These range from the 2-hour to an eight to 10 hour trek around the area. Don't worry about walking around in circles though. The paths are marked clearly with the different routes one can take so you won't get lost. I took route that's supposed to take you 5-6 hours (i think it was route C) and finished it in a cool 4 hours at a leisurely pace.

Getting Out

Buses for Zadar and Zagreb pass the main road from 1630hrs onwards. There are several connections to each city. Alternatively, minibuses ply the routes to get you to your destination in almost half the time. I was waiting for my bus to Zagreb when a minibus came along, charged me just about the amount the bus would have cost, and brought me to Zagreb about an hour before the bus would have. It's a pretty good option especially if you're alone.

Oh, one more thing: temperatures might be slightly lower at the park so be sure to check the weather chart before going. :)