Plitvice Lakes National Park

Zadar Region

Croatia

May 27, 2015

Plitvice Lakes lies midway between Zagreb and Zadar.

A pocket guide published by the Zagreb Tourist Board, Zagreb and Surroundings posts this description of the Park:

The Plitvice Lakes National Park, a magical world of lakes, forests, waterfalls, moss, water and sunlight is a true natural monument, a unique phenomenon under the protection of UNESCO.

My guidebook has more detail:

The 295-sq-km (114 sq mi) of wooded hills enclose 16 turquoise lakes which are linked by a series of waterfalls and cascades.

Wooden footbridges follow the lakes and streams over, under and across the rumbling water for an exhilarating damp 18km (11 mi).

Animal life: bears, wolves, deer, boar, rabbits, foxes and badgers.  120 species of birds, including hawks and owls.

………………………….

I visited the park on a group tour from Zadar and hiked the misty trails.  Since the damp walkways were packed with noisy folks on other group tours, I saw not one bird, nor one wolf nor bear nor badger.

Nevertheless, the park is an extraordinary place and I’m more than happy that I made the trip. 

Recommendation: Come to the Park in the winter.  Book a hotel room or make camp near a waterfall or on the shore of a lake. You’ll be alone … with the boar, badgers, wolves, bears and birds. 

Exhilarating, to be sure.