Plitvice Lakes Tours: Top 5 Must-See National Park Experiences

Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes National Park is, you know, pretty awesome. It’s not hard to see why, with those stunning, terraced lakes and gorgeous waterfalls. A Plitvice Lakes experience is totally a highlight for many travelers hitting up Croatia. Choosing the perfect tour can be, just maybe, a little overwhelming given the many choices, you know? This rundown offers, arguably, some really helpful insights, looking at, more or less, the five top-rated Plitvice Lakes tours. We’ll see which tours are worth your time, really focusing on those things that give you the most value for, very much, your money and create some lasting memories.

1. Full-Day Guided Tour from Zagreb

Okay, so many trips to Plitvice begin in Zagreb, and going with a, well, very structured tour can, it’s almost, be your best bet if you’re staying in the capital. You hop on a bus for, very, a really scenic drive, usually with a stop or two for coffee or a bite. This tour typically includes, in a way, entrance tickets – which are great, ’cause that means less stress when you show up. The guide will lead you, sort of, on the trails, sharing tons of interesting facts regarding the park’s geology, the plant life, and animal inhabitants.

The upside? Super convenient and you can leave the directions to someone else! A smaller group size usually means a, really, more personal experience, allowing for loads of questions and conversation. Think along the lines of intimate and friendly. Then there’s the value, you know? Round-trip transport plus entry, all looked after, is, arguably, often worth the cost alone. It can be quite a journey. For some folks, yet, being tied to a timetable and a fixed route may be a drawback, though. If you favor wandering at your own speed, this setup can feel, it’s almost, slightly limiting.

If you find yourself wanting, like your own self-directed experience and want total flexibility on how long you hang around at the waterfalls, this one might not be, typically, what you want. But when you’re after a hassle-free experience, someone else handling the logistics is quite liberating! So think of how little you need to plan yourself, and this could be an attractive selection. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes Tour)

2. Private Tour from Split

Okay, now this is when you feel like, you know, really treating yourself. Hiring a personal tour from Split brings the comfort and flexibility that you, arguably, wouldn’t get from anything else. You ride in, well, style, maybe in a fancy sedan or a roomy van, and you make every decision, where to stop for lunch, the length of your hiking time, etc. Usually these personal guides just know all the hidden gems and all the best photo locations, and so that’s something! Plus, that knowledge? Priceless, really. You get the guide all to yourself, who can give the tour based off, pretty much, your own interests.

The drawbacks could be? Very simple. Costs. You will have to pay more for exclusivity, absolutely. Still, when you’re splitting the fare with family, the increased comfort and freedom makes up, very, for the higher price. Imagine never queuing, enjoying tailor-made schedules, and enjoying super comfy rides, even between locations. It, in a way, feels amazing. One point is, for travelers looking to dial things up on the convenience level and preferring personalized experiences, arranging a personal tour definitely should be taken into consideration. When it is within budget, then why wouldn’t you! See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Plitvice Lakes Private Tour)

3. Plitvice Lakes Day Trip from Zadar

Zadar makes a splendid start location and that’s because day trips to Plitvice will give you, almost, a full encounter with the parks without long travel times. Count on around 1.5 to 2 hours, driving each way, giving you a, really, generous length of time to walk on foot around the famous lakes and through the attractive woodland areas. Often, the trips from Zadar mix guided walk sessions with breaks that let you venture out yourself. Meaning, this one is great when you enjoy that happy medium involving being alone and also insights out of tour guides. You find the top places in no time. This blends a balance and you get to wander a little independently.

Being in comparison with excursions leaving from places such as Split or Zagreb, traveling from Zadar gives you just a little less travel time – great once you don’t really want to use the whole day simply sitting in vehicles. Still, bear that, usually, trips starting off from Zadar usually have only some options in comparison to ones found in larger spots, meaning perhaps, a decreased array of times for departure or distinctive options in itinerary choices. What I mean to say is you may need to become accepting regarding the times offered or which actual areas you see. Yet for many, you know, shorter transport times are the priority! See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Plitvice Lakes Day Trip)

4. Small-Group Tour from Split or Trogir

Okay so these smaller scale tours running from Trogir/Split tend to be something of a sweet middle place. The group stays smaller and much more personalized as it’s often limited, say, to roughly fifteen or twenty tourists, making certain that a far more relaxed and warm setting than huge bus trips. Typically, they cover travel from the resort towns and, clearly, admission into Plitvice, providing a fairly smooth excursion from start through to end. Furthermore, tours of this style generally include enough time in the park in order that you, in some respects, get both the upper as well as the low lakes, while possibly offering free time designed for discovering at your own pace or lounging during a picnic.

With a bit fewer people and much more personalized conversation you get a good amount of advice from guides while you find yourself capable of getting to determine additional travelers. The one real trade off might just often be, that it can’t compare into the private level of tailor-made experiences as given during independent adventures neither so cost effective for budget friendly backpackers similar to going on open travel alternatives. Nevertheless for somebody attempting an enjoyable average between price simplicity & unique experience. They could certainly present that excellent level, truly. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Plitvice Lakes Small-Group Tour)

5. Multi-Day Tour Including Plitvice Lakes

Alright when you want the excursion mixed together as, in fact, part of a bigger holiday throughout Croatia think about some lengthier travels featuring more destinations as, honestly, the tour moves. These visits vary quite a lot though typically they go with some further places for instance other gorgeous country wide areas, amazing spots over the seacoast and historical towns including Dubrovnik or perhaps Split, along with Plitvice.
Doing tours more than some weeks provides an incredibly deep strategy and yes it covers far more within only 1 get-away, providing that feeling as you are actually witnessing Croatia and no, just, exclusively its lakes.

The primary disadvantage is this you commit for just a lengthier length for which you stick much less intently upon Plitvice; however for most who is seeking out an entire trip across Croatia this truly turns into that fantastic solution in that this lake experience suits nicely when using other memorable locations, quite the total Croatian thing to do actually. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Plitvice Lakes Multi-Day Tour)

Read our full review: Plitvice Lakes National Park Tours Full Review and Details