National Park Plitvice: Land of the Falling Lakes

National Park Plitvice Lakes, an UNESCO World Heritage site, is the largest national park in Croatia. The park is famous for its 16 lakes arranged in cascades and interconnected by numerous waterfalls. Situated in the mountainous karst area of the Senj-Lika county, the park extends over 296.85 square kilometres.

Photo gallery

National Park Plitvice Lakes, an UNESCO World Heritage site, is the largest national park in Croatia. It is situated in the mountaineous Lika region of Croatia, aproximately 90 km from the coast.

The park has a grand collection of cascades, waterfalls, gallery of lakes, primordial (ancient) forests and diversity of animal life.

The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colors, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colors of lakes change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.

The sixteen lakes which are formed by natural dams of travertine limestone are separated into upper and lower lakes.

The national park is situated in an altitude ranging from 1279 m at Seliski vrh to 367 m at Koranski most (Korana bridge).

Flora - thousands of plants species

Within this relatively small area, there are 1267 plant species belonging to 112 families. A special attraction of the park are carnivorous (carnivorous) plants. Ancient forests of the park have been preserved in its natural form, untouched by the man.

The most common forest within the National Park Plitvice Lakes is a mountain beech forest which covers the area below 700 meters above sea level. The majority's Dinaric beech and fir forest that covers the area above 700 meters above sea level. The richness of plant species in the park is also due to the diversity of surrounding grassland areas.

Fauna - the animal world of the Plitvice Lakes

The protector and the mascot of the National Park Plitvice Lakes is a bear which roams freely in thick dense forests. The park has also a population of wolves, otter, wild cats, roe deer and lynx. More than 50 mammal species are also found in Plitvice area: dormice, shrews, voles, marten, mink, hedgehogs, wild boar, and others.

The lakes and waterways also feature a rich life. Plitvice Lakes and their tributaries generally have the main features of the typical mountain water trout, but other species can be found too.

Insects including butterflies are among the most frequent number of species in terrestrial habitats.

Activities for visitors in the National Park

There are few kilometers of marked trekking and hiking trails, wooden pathways and wooden bridges to walk and explore the natural environment that is constantly changing and is simply astonishing.

Visitors' paths and trails are of easy difficulty level, descending from an altitude of 636m to 503m above the sea level. Cycling, skiing and rowing a boat on the lake are other popular activities.

Visitors have also available Plitvice train by which they can reach some more distant area of the national park and enjoy the panoramic views of lakes. Visitors can also use electric boats that sail the largest lake Kozjak which links the upper and lower lakes.

There are also a number of rest areas with restaurants and outdoor sitting areas where visitors can have a lunch or take a break or simply enjoy the view with a glass of cool drink.

YouTube Video

Below is a short trailer of the fantastic BBC Documentary on Plitvice Lakes National park. You can see the full length documentary (48 minutes) at the YouTube.

Welcome to a fairy tale world of secrets and transformations, which like Sleeping Beauty lay undisturbed for centuries... In these dark forests lies a hidden treasure, a shimmering natural jewel. Here the elements merge to create a magical landscape like no other.

Its strength lies in almost supernatural ability to regenerate and heal itself. This restless landscape is constantly in motion, continually building new basins and dams, creating waterfalls and cascades.

The savagery and the splendour of nature combine to create the kingdom formed and ruled by water. Each season brings its own beauty, re-shaping this ever evolving world... Winter or summer, from caves of ice to terraential cascades, nothing escapes the spell which water casts over this world.

This is Plitvice, Land of the Falling Lakes.