The Plitvice Lakes have formed in a depression between the Mala Kapela mountain in the west and the Plješevica mountain in the east amidst the Dinaric Alps. The national park is world-famous for its lakes arranged in cascades. Currently, 16 lakes can be seen from the surface. These lakes are a result of the confluence of several small rivers and subterranean karst rivers. The National Park covers a total area of 300 square kilometres, whilst the lakes join together over a distance of eight kilometres.
Through different climatic influences and the large difference in elevation within the protected area, a multifaceted flora and fauna has been created. The national park area is home to many endemic species. The beauty of the National Park lies in deep woodland populated by deer, bears, wolves, boars and rare bird species.
The national park is located at the national route D1 Zagreb–Split between Slunj and Korenica. No matter where you are in Croatia, you can visit Plitvice lakes. From Zagreb bus station you can then take one of numerous buses to the Plitvice Lakes; journey time is about 2 hours 20 minutes. More and more airlines now fly to Zadar Airport, so it’s actually not a bad place to start from if you’re planning a visit to Plitvice Lakes. No matter where you are in Croatia, there is no problem to come and visit Plitvice Lakes.
The Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia’s most popular tourist attraction, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979. Located roughly halfway between capital city Zagreb and Zadar on the coast, the lakes are a definite must-see in Croatia.
