Exploring Plitvice Lakes in the Winter: A Day Trip from Zagreb
Is it Worth Visiting Plitvice Lakes in the Winter? - Planning My Trip
Is it worth visiting Plitvice Lakes in the winter? That was the question I asked myself as I considered how to spend my last day in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite being known as a summer destination, I learned that visits to Plitvice Lakes were common during the winter. So, I decided visiting Plitvice Lakes in the winter was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up.
I would be visiting Plitvice Lakes on December 31st and hoped to make it back to Zagreb in time to ring in New Year’s Eve 1999. To get to Plitvice Lakes for my winter visit, I had two options, book transportation and explore Plitvice Lakes on my own, or book a tour package with a guide. After doing some research, I decided to book roundtrip bus transportation from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes without a guide. I wanted to make sure that I could explore the park at my leisure and enjoy its snowy magic.
Exploring Plitvice Lakes in the Winter: A Day Trip from Zagreb - Table of Contents
- Planning My Trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park
- Getting to Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb
- Entering the Park
- Exploring Plitvice Lakes National Park
- The Walking Paths
- The Waterfalls
- The Turquoise Water
- The Big Waterfall
- Returning to Zagreb
- Some Tour Options
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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Taking the Bus to Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb
Getting to Zagreb's Main Bus Terminal
My day began with a 6:00 am wake-up to ensure I was on time for my bus from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes. With my hotel located in the city center of Zagreb, I chose to catch the street trolly to Zagreb’s main bus terminal.
I purchased a day pass for the Zagreb Street Trolly from the Newspaper stand. The cost of the trolly was only €3 for 24 hours. After a short wait, a Line 6 Trolly arrived. I rode five stops, taking around 10 minutes to Zagreb’s main bus terminal. As I arrived, I was excited to set off for my winter visit to Plitvice Lakes.
The Bus Ride from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes
I arrived at the bus terminal around 7:15 am for a 7:30 am bus departure to Plitvice Lakes. The night before, I purchased my ticket and printed it out in the business center at my hotel. Had I not done that, I would have been able to pick my ticket up at the ticket counter.
After using the restroom for an inexpensive €0.50, I found the bus by following the signs to departure station 216. The bus was waiting, and I was able to board immediately. Despite having an assigned seat, the driver told us to sit anywhere. The lack of assigned seating was great, as I was able to have two seats to myself. The bus quickly departed, and I was officially on my way to Plitvice Lakes.
Arriving at Plitvice Lakes Bus Station #1
The bus ride to Plitvice Lakes was relatively comfortable and included a few stops along the way. The last 30 minutes to Plitvice Lakes involved a bunch of switchbacks on narrow roads, which caused me to feel slightly nauseous.
We arrived at Plitvice Lakes Bus Station #1 about 2 hours and 25 minutes later. The bus stopped at both Plitvice Lakes Stations (#1 and #2), but because it was winter season, it was only possible to enter Plitvice Lakes National Park from Park Entrance #1. The only people who did not get off at Plitvice Lakes Bus Station #1 were the people with luggage who needed to check into their hotels. Most of the hotels are closer to station #2.
At this point, it began to snow. The wind made it seem like it was snowing even harder than it actually was. I was glad that I brought with me my raincoat, winter jacket, and waterproof pants. I also thankfully had my rain cover for my backpack.
With my waterproof boots and a baseball cap, I was able to stay relatively dry. The temperature was around 30 degrees, but it felt colder due to the wind. Other than a little bit of wetness from the fluffy snow (sometimes mixed in with some freezing rain), I was reasonably comfortable during my winter visit to Plitvice Lakes.
Entering Plitvice Lakes National Park - A Winter Visit
Plitvice Lakes is a UNESCO World Heritage location, and during the summer, it can be exceptionally crowded. During the winter, the crowds are much smaller. I was happy to see that there were only about five people in line to get into the park.
After a quick stop at the restroom, I purchased my ticket and entered Plitvice Lakes National Park. During the winter, the Plitvice Lakes ticket office closes at 2:00 pm. The park itself stays open later until 5:00 pm.
Exploring Plitvice Lakes National Park During the Winter
At this point, the snow at Plitvice Lakes was causing poor visibility, and I could not keep the snow off my camera lens. You can clearly see the dilemma I was facing in the photos below.
Rather than try to fight the crowds to get blurry pictures, I decided to walk all the way to the Big Lake and take the ferry across. The photos below were taken from just inside the entrance to Plitvice Lakes National Park later that day.
A Winter Ride on the Big Lake Ferry at Plitvice Lakes National Park
That walk to the Big Lake Ferry Terminal took about an hour. It was still snowing so hard that I decided to take the ferry towards Plitvice Lakes Entrance #2.
Walking to Plitvice Lakes National Park's Entrance #2
After disembarking the boat, I walked up a bunch of steps and found entrance #2. From entrance 2, there are some additional trails to the upper lakes that were open. The recommended time for them was 4 to 6 hours, which would have caused me to miss the bus back to Zagreb.
A Second Snowy Ride of the Big Lake Ferry
After checking my weather app, it appeared that the snow would be breaking within the hour. I walked around the snowy landscape and enjoyed the beautiful views of the Big Lake. About thirty minutes later, I got back on the ferry.
A Winter Meal at the Restaurant Near the Big Lake Ferry Terminal at Plitvice Lakes
At Plitvice Lakes’ Big Lake Ferry Terminal, there was a tiny restaurant, and since I still had a few minutes before the snow broke, I ordered some food. I had an excellent burger, fries, and two sausages for €`2. The meal stop also allowed a chance to warm up from the cold.
A Brilliant Plan for My Winter Visit to Plitvice Lakes
When the snow had started falling earlier during my visit, I devised a plan. I believed that most people were going to begin at Plitvice Lakes National Park’s Entrance #1 (lower lakes) because it was the only entrance selling tickets and then exit at Entrance #2 (upper lakes).
I was exactly correct, and by the time the snow had stopped falling, I had almost the entire lower section of the park to myself.
Working backward meant there was no waiting for tourists to line up for the perfect selfies or photos, meaning I got plenty of pictures of the beautiful lakes and waterfalls without anyone in the background.
The Walking Paths at Plitvice Lakes During the Winter Season
The path around the Lower Lakes at Plitvice Lakes is an easy hike. It is a mix of paved concrete, wooden planks, and gravel. There are few guardrails, so since it was winter and icey, I was cautious to not slip into the cold water.
I saw very few people during my walk around Plitvice Lakes National Park. During the winter season, Plitvice Lakes National Park is relatively empty of tourists.
The Waterfalls at Plitvice Lakes National Park During the Winter Season
Plitvice Lakes is literally filled with waterfalls in every direction. Since the weather had cleared up, I was able to get good photographs of the waterfalls that I couldn’t get during the snowstorm.
Below are some of my favorite photos of the waterfalls during my winter visit to Plitvice Lakes.
The Turquoise Water at Plitvice Lakes is Still Visible During the Winter Season
Plitvice Lakes was so much more spectacular with the additional visibility. About halfway back to entrance #1, the sun came out, and I was able to see the magical turquoise colors of Plitvice Lakes. I again backtracked a bit to get some additional shots of the lakes I had just passed.
The turquoise-colored water of Plitvice Lakes is typically more spectacular during the summer season. I was glad that the sun came out, and I was able to get a few photographs of the spectacular color.
The Big Waterfall at Plitvice Lake National Park During the Winter Season
The highlight of the Lower Lakes at Plitvice Lakes is the Big Waterfall, which is the first stop on the main path.
The Big Waterfall at Plitvice Lakes is spectacular up close, but the viewing areas by the entrance allow for better pictures.
Returning to Zagreb from Plitvice Lakes National Park
Walking to Plitvice Lakes Bus Stop #1
By the time I got back to Plitvice Lakes’ Entrance #1, it was around 2:25 pm. My return bus would be arriving at 2:45 pm.
The extra few minutes gave me some time to use the restroom, buy something to drink, and take a few pictures of the entrance.
As I exited, there was a man who was quite upset that he wasn’t allowed to enter the park. Ticket sales closed at 2:00 pm during the winter season at Plitvice Lakes National Park. A man was watching the gate and not letting anyone in. Despite this man’s pleading, he was not allowed entry.
The Bus Ride Back to Zagreb
My bus was around 15 minutes late. Despite being a different company, there was once again no assigned seating. Ignoring my assigned seat, at first had a row to myself.
Along the way back, we stopped at many roadside bus stops. By the time we got back to Zagreb, we had a full bus, including the seat next to me.
Arriving Back in Zagreb in Time for New Year's Eve 2019
The ride back was much quicker. I am not sure if it was because the weather had improved or that this bus driver drove faster. According to my speed app, this driver drove around 85-100 kph the entire way. On the drive to the park, the driver drove closer to 50-70 kph during the winding stretch approaching the park.
I arrived back at my hotel around 5:45 pm, feeling accomplished as I had made the most out of my winter visit to Plitvice Lakes National Park. A lot of the information online made the journey seem much more difficult than it actually was. Despite the weather issues, everything was reasonably close to on time as most of the park was open. I highly recommend visiting Plitvice Lakes during the winter.
After a brief nap, I was ready to enjoy New Year’s Eve 2019 in Zagreb.
Some Tour Options for Plitvice Lakes National Park
I do not necessarily recommend taking a Plitvice Tour. Once you are at the park, it is pretty easy to get around on your own. I know that some people really prefer the expertise of a guided tour. Below are some links to various Plitvice Lakes Tours.
I am an affiliate partner of Viator. If you book a tour using one of the links, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. If interested in a tour, I would greatly appreciate it if you would consider booking using one of my links.
Prices are accurate as of March 2024.
 From Zagreb to Split or Trogir: Private Transfer with Plitvice Lakes - $524.63 Start your day driving from Zagreb to Split or Trogir city with stop on Plitvice Lakes, the most beautiful and the oldest national park in Croatia. Do not miss breathtaking landscapes that includes a series of colorful lakes and waterfalls. |
 Private tour to the national park Plitvice Lakes from Split or Trogir - $496.41 Costumize the tour the way you like. Choose the starting time, make stops when you want, choose the language of the tour. |
 Zagreb to Dubrovnik with Plitvice Lakes - $1,056.61 The easiest way to travel from Zagreb to Dubrovnik might be flying, but you'll miss out on a few things you might see on the way if you choose to travel there with a car. |
 Private Plitvice Lakes National park tour - $364.14 Plitvice Lakes are a full day tour but be sure that they are the most beautiful thing in Croatia. We have 8 national parks and this is the only one protected by the UNESCO. I always like to point out that it is not a „picnic destination“ – we are not in a single spot, we are constantly walking (at least 6 km) and exploring many small and big waterfalls. After the tour we can make a stop in one of the local restaurants in the area. |
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