How to Avoid the Crowds at Plitvice Lakes (Local Tips)

I'm Sarah, a Canadian who has lived in Croatia for 13 years. With my Croatian husband Ivan, I run Royal Croatian Tours. Plitvice Lakes is Croatia's most famous national park, which also makes it the busiest: more than a million people visit every year. Last June we took our kids, set the alarm for 4 am, and had the waterfalls almost to ourselves. Here's exactly how to beat the crowds.

Waterfalls at Plitvice Lakes National Park — Plitvice Lakes National Park

How to Avoid the Crowds at Plitvice Lakes (Local Tips)

1. Be at the entrance when the park opens

This is the one tip that really works, and our guide confirmed it: arrive before opening time (7 am in summer). We left Zagreb at 4:30 am, ate breakfast sandwiches in the car, and were the fourth car in the parking lot at 6:45. Until about 9:30 the trails were nearly empty, there was no queue for the boat, and by 10 am the big tour groups started to arrive. By 9 am it felt like we'd already had a whole day.

2. Buy your tickets online, in advance

Plitvice limits the number of visitors per hour. Buy your tickets on the park's official website at least 48 hours ahead and choose your entrance (1 or 2) and hourly time slot. If you just turn up, your slot may be full and you could wait an hour or two to get in. In July and August, book as early as you can.

3. Start at Entrance 1 with the big waterfall

From Entrance 1, one of the most stunning views of the park is right at the start, looking down on the lower lakes and Veliki slap, the "big waterfall". At 78 metres it's the tallest waterfall in Croatia. Seeing it first, before the crowds, is magical.

4. Pick the right trail

There are eight marked routes, from about 3.5 km to 18 km, and they're very easy to follow. With kids we chose route B (about 4 km, 3 to 4 hours), only slightly longer than route A but with much more to see, including the lower lakes and the boat across Kozjak lake. If you're fit and start early, the longer routes C and H add the upper lakes.

Turquoise lake and waterfalls at Plitvice — The colours change with the light, minerals and algae

5. Know how the boat and shuttle work

Your ticket includes the electric boat across Kozjak lake and the shuttle bus. You can ride the shuttle as often as you like, but the boat only once (they scan your ticket). The boat runs about every 20 minutes and carries around 100 people: at 9:30 there was no waiting at all, while later in the day the queue can be long.

6. Leave the stroller at home

The wooden boardwalks and steps aren't stroller friendly, and the park itself recommends baby carriers. The paths also run right next to the water without railings, which is part of the magic but means keeping a close eye on toddlers.

7. Don't plan to swim

Swimming is not allowed anywhere in Plitvice: it protects the incredibly clear water and the fish, plants and animals that live here. (Swimming at Krka's waterfalls has been banned since 2021 too.)

8. Come in June or October

The lakes are fed by underground springs, so they never dry out and the park is open all year. We love June, when everything is lush and green but not too hot, and October, when the leaves change colour and the crowds are gone. Winter, with snow and frozen waterfalls, is beautiful too.

A few Plitvice facts our kids loved

Plitvice became Croatia's first national park in 1949 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
It has 16 lakes connected by some 90 waterfalls, like a staircase built of water.
The name comes from plitko, Croatian for shallow, after the shallow lake basins.
The forests are home to bears, wolves, deer and owls, though they're shy and you're unlikely to see them.

Our secret viewpoint

After the park, we drove to a viewpoint outside the park where you look down on Veliki slap from above, and then to a second spot that, for Ivan, is the most beautiful view of all. Hardly anyone knows how to get there, so we keep it for our guests: join our private day trip to Plitvice Lakes and Rastoke and we'll take you there.