Plitvice Lakes Hiking Guide & How To Ditch The Crowds

Plitvice Lakes is an astonishing national park in central Croatia, home to arguably some of the most spectacular lakes in Europe. There are 16 lakes here, to be precise, and each varies in colour — from deep blue to emerald green to vibrant turquoise — depending on the algae, mineral and microorganism content of the water.

It’s the remarkable colours here, as well as the myriad waterfalls, caves and unusual geology, that make this park so special.

However, as I’m sure you know, beauty can be a burden when it comes to tourism, and Plitvice Lakes is no different. This stunning national park can get absolutely packed. Particularly during the summer months, you’ll find hoards of people congregating around the main attractions.

As I visited Croatia in August (probably the busiest time of the year) I contemplated whether I even wanted to bother visiting, knowing how crowded it might be. But I was pleased to discover that it is possible to ditch the crowds at Plitvice Lakes — if you’re willing to walk a fair distance.

Plitvice Lakes hiking routes

There are 7 waymarked hiking routes at Plitvice Lakes, creatively named A, B, C, E, F, H and K. They are all very well-marked, so you can’t get lost if you stick to the paths and follow the signposts. Here’s the lowdown on each of Plitvice Lakes’ hiking routes.

Route A

• 2 – 3 hours
• View the map here
• Route A is the shortest and most popular route, and as such, you’ll be sticking with big crowds all day. You’ll start from Entrance 1 and explore the Lower Lakes, including highlights such as the park’s highest waterfall (Veliki Slap).

Route B

• 3 – 4 hours
• View the map here
• Starting from Entrance 1, Route B will explore the Lower Lakes before taking a boat ride, then a train ride, and finally a walk back to Entrance 1.

Route C

• 5 – 6 hours
• View the map here
• Starting from Entrance 2, Route C will take you around both the Upper and Lower Lakes, and also includes a boat ride and panoramic train ride.

Route E

• 2 – 3 hours
• View the map here
• Starting from Entrance 2, Route E explores the best of the Upper Lakes, showcasing the waterfalls and lakes in this part of the park.

Route F

• 3 – 4 hours
• View the map here
• After a short walk and a boat ride across Lake Kozjak, Route F will take you around the Lower Lakes and to Veliki Slap.

Route H

• 5 – 6 hours
• View the map here
• After a short walk and panoramic train ride, you’ll walk along the Upper Lakes, take a boat ride across Lake Kozjak, and walk along the Lower Lakes all the way to Veliki Slap.

Route K

• 6 – 8 hours
• View the map here
• A truly epic hike, Route K will take you around the entirety of Plitvice Lakes, showcasing everything it has to offer.

Plitvice Lakes Route K: The best way to ditch the crowds

If you want to get away from the crowds at Plitvice Lakes, I recommend you explore the park via hiking route K. This route loops around the entirety of the park, including up into parts where the other routes don’t go. Most people don’t have the time or desire to hike all day, so you’ll be in the minority.

Of course, hiking route K will still have crowds at times. It goes past the main attractions, such as the Big Waterfall, where people will be congregated all day. However, as you go deeper into the park, you’ll find yourself almost alone on the trail.

At 22km, hiking route K is the longest trail at Plitvice Lakes with an advertised completion time of 6 – 8 hours. However, it is a really beautiful walk and worth it if you’re a keen hiker.

Most of the hiking routes at Plitvice will require you to take boats and shuttles to get around the park. Route K is mostly just walking, although you will need to take the short boat ride from P2 to P1. This is a good thing though, as you do get a lovely view from the boat.

Route K starts the same way as routes A, B, and C. They all explore the Lower Lakes in their entirety, including the big waterfall (Veliki Slap) before heading to the P3 boat terminal. At the terminal, routes B and C will take the boat across Lake Kozjak (the park’s largest lake), whereas route K will continue around the lake by foot.

It was at this point that I found that the crowds started to fade and Plitvice became a lot more peaceful.

Route K will meander through a forested section, with views across Lake Kozjak. You’ll walk the length of this gorgeous lake, and will then reach an intersection between routes C and K. Route C would take you along the lower boardwalks around the Upper Lakes, whereas Route K heads up above the Upper Lakes, treating you to some truly beautiful viewpoints.

You’ll head up into a Beech forest with White Sedge habitat. Apparently, such habitats only exist on the steep slopes of the dolomite geological substrate, with prevailing shallow soils at altitudes between 650m and 1100m. The only recorded habitat of this kind in Croatia is at Plitvice Lakes. The forest also contains Spruce and Obtuse Maple trees, as well as other plant species such as Bird’s Nest Orchid.

The trail then comes back down to explore some of the Upper Lakes from up close. It meets up with Route C again here, but instead of getting on the shuttle bus from ST3, Route K continues by foot around the Upper Lakes and to the P2 boat terminal.

From the P2 terminal, you’ll need to take the quick boat ride to P1, where you’ll then hike along the opposite side of Lake Kozjak, all the way to ST1 and finally back to entrance 1.

It’s a lot of walking, but you’ll experience the very best of Plitvice Lakes — and, most importantly, without the crowds.

Where to stay near Plitvice Lakes

In order to complete hiking route K, you’ll want to get to the park early. As such, I recommend staying nearby, so that you can get to the entrance when it opens. This will also help you to avoid long queues at the entrance — most visitors visit on a day trip from Zagreb, Zadar or Split, and so will arrive later in the morning. Check out places to stay near Plitvice Lakes here.

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