Plitvice Lakes Route C: Best Route in the Park (Step-by-Step Guide)

Distance: about 8 km (5 miles)
Time needed: about 4–6 hours
Start: Entrance 1
Includes: Lower Lakes, Upper Lakes, boat ride, shuttle train

Why Route C is great:

• Covers both Upper and Lower Lakes
• Includes the famous waterfalls
• Great for a full day visit
• Perfect balance of hiking and sightseeing

We started our hike at Entrance 1, which sits right above the Lower Lakes.

If you’re still trying to decide where to start, I compare the two in my guide to Plitvice Lakes Entrance 1 vs 2.

We arrived at the park around 9 am in May, about an hour after it opened. Even at that time, the crowds were already starting to build, which made me realize pretty quickly why everyone recommends getting there right at opening.

From Entrance 1, the trail immediately begins descending along a zigzag path into the canyon toward the Lower Lakes.

Within just a few minutes, the views start to open up.

As we walked down the path, we could hear the roar of the waterfalls echoing through the canyon before we could fully see them. Then the turquoise lakes slowly came into view below us.

It’s an incredible first impression and one of those moments where you immediately realize this place really is as beautiful as the photos.

The Lower Lakes section includes some of the park’s most famous waterfalls:

• Sastavci Waterfalls
• Veliki Slap (Great Waterfall)
• Velike Kaskade

As we continued down the zigzag path from Entrance 1, we started getting some of the first postcard views of Plitvice.

It had been raining on and off that morning, and the light drizzle created this really atmospheric, misty vibe throughout the canyon. The waterfalls seemed even more dramatic with the fog hanging in the air.

One of the highlights along this section is Sastavci Waterfalls, which are among the most famous waterfalls in the park, probably second only to Veliki Slap.

You’ll actually see them before you even reach the first boardwalk.

As we made our way down the trail, the view suddenly opened up and we could see Sastavci Waterfalls cascading in the foreground, with Veliki Slap towering behind it in the distance.

It’s the classic photo you see everywhere when researching Plitvice, but seeing it in person, with the mist rising around the waterfalls, was pretty incredible.

Once we reached the bottom of the zigzag trail, we stepped onto the wooden boardwalks that wind across the Lower Lakes.

This is where you really start walking right through the waterfalls and turquoise pools that make the park so famous.

We continued along the first boardwalk and crossed the Korana River. At the end of the boardwalk, we took the first detour to the right.

This short path leads to one of the biggest showstoppers in the entire park: Veliki Slap, also known as the Great Waterfall.

At nearly 80 meters (260 feet) tall, it’s the largest waterfall in Croatia and easily one of the most dramatic sights in Plitvice.

During our visit in May, the spring snowmelt made the waterfalls incredibly powerful.

As we walked closer, mist from the falls drifted across the boardwalks and filled the air, adding to that moody Plitvice atmosphere we had been experiencing all morning.

After visiting Veliki Slap, we came to a point where we had a few different route options.

From here we could:

• Option 1: Continue following Route C
• Option 2: Take the Alternative Cliff Walk (what we did to avoid crowds)
• Take a short detour to the Postcard View viewpoint (we attempted but failed)

Here’s a map view of those trail options:

Option 1: Continue on Route C

If you stay on the official Route C trail, continue following the signs past Velike Kaskade Waterfall toward Supljara Cave.

There’s an optional detour into the cave where you can climb some steps and exit onto the cliffs for a fantastic birds-eye view of Velike Kaskade Waterfall.

Unfortunately, the detour was closed during our visit, so we weren’t able to see the birds-eye view ourselves.

I added a courtesy image below so you can see what we missed.

Option 2: Alternative Cliff Walk (What We Did)

Originally we planned to stay on Route C, but by this point the crowds were already getting pretty intense.

This is where arriving at opening time would have helped.

To avoid the congestion on the boardwalks, we decided to take what I call the “Cliff Walk,” which was so much more relaxing.

To access it, take the steep staircase just to the left of Veliki Slap if you are facing the waterfall.

Once we reached the top of the stairs, we turned left and followed the trail along the cliffs until we reached the pier for Kozjak Lake.

This path offers incredible viewpoints looking down over the lakes, waterfalls, and winding boardwalks below.

From this higher vantage point, you can really see how the lakes cascade through the canyon.

Towards the end of the Cliff Walk, we also spotted another beautiful waterfall called Milanovacki Slap, where water from Kozjak Lake spills into Milanovacki Lake below.

Optional Detour: The “Postcard View”

There’s another viewpoint here known as the Postcard View (Vidikovac Viewpoint).

Sadly, we actually tried to find it but got a little turned around and eventually gave up.

Next time.

If you want to find it, here’s how:

After climbing the staircase near Veliki Slap, turn right instead of left and walk toward the road. Cross the small wooden bridge.

You’ll see a sign pointing left toward Restaurant Kozjak. Take the trail on the right side of that signpost.

The viewpoint is only a few minutes down that path and offers one of the most famous panoramic views of Plitvice.

Once we finished the Cliff Walk, we arrived at Kozjak Lake, where we boarded the electric boat that crosses the lake from Pier P3 to Pier P2.

The ride is included with your park ticket and takes about 20 minutes, providing a nice break from all the walking.

By the time we got on the boat, the line had already started to build behind us, so depending on the time of day you may need to wait a bit.

After the boat ride across Kozjak Lake, we began exploring the Upper Lakes section of the park.

While the Lower Lakes definitely steal the spotlight with their dramatic waterfalls, the Upper Lakes felt noticeably quieter and more peaceful.

Although not as grand as the Lower Lakes, this part of the park still offers some beautiful waterfalls and stunning emerald-green pools.

The color of the water here was incredible. Even with the intermittent rain and cloudy skies during our visit, the lakes were still glowing with that bright turquoise color.

It actually reminded me of what we saw at Vintgar Gorge and Kozjak Waterfall in neighboring Slovenia.

We combined Slovenia and Plitvice Lakes into one epic 9-day Croatia and Slovenia itinerary, and the water in all of these places had that same mesmerizing turquoise glow.

Navigating the Upper Lakes was incredibly easy.

We simply followed the wooden boardwalks and signs for Route C as they wound through the forest past a series of cascading waterfalls and peaceful lakes.

One of my favorite waterfalls in this section was Veliki Prstavac Waterfall, which is the second-highest waterfall in the park.

Another highlight was Galovacki Buk Waterfall, where the water spills dramatically into the emerald pool below.

Navigating this section of the park is extremely easy.

Just follow the wooden boardwalks and the signs for Route C.

One of the things I loved about Plitvice is how accessible it is.

Even though you’re surrounded by nature, the trails are very well-maintained and easy to follow. 

Once we finished exploring the Upper Lakes, we followed the signs to Station St3, where we caught the park’s shuttle train back to Station St1.

The shuttle runs about every 30 minutes and was a welcome break after several hours of walking through the park.

After getting off the train at Station St1, we walked the final stretch back toward Entrance 1 along the edge of the Lower Lakes.

As we made our way along the trail, we could look across the canyon and see Veliki Slap, the largest waterfall in the park, right where we had started our hike earlier that morning.

What really caught our attention though was the massive line of people just beginning their walk.

We were so happy we had started earlier in the day!

My husband and I are both big city walkers and pretty avid hikers, and I feel like there are some unspoken etiquette rules when it comes to walking on trails and sidewalks.

Let’s just say not everyone at Plitvice got that memo.

There’s actually a hilarious Instagram account in New York where someone rates people’s walking performance with a “walk score.” For example, three people walking side-by-side blocking the entire sidewalk might get a 1 out of 10.

If that system existed at Plitvice, the walk score might be around 4 out of 10.

Just bring a little patience and a good sense of humor, and you’ll be fine. 🙂

It took us about five hours to complete Route C. We arrived at 9 am and finished at 2 pm.

That included:

• stopping for photos
• enjoying the viewpoints
• waiting for the boat crossing

If you arrive early in the morning, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the route without rushing.

• Arrive right when the park opens
  Start early to avoid crowds in the Lower Lakes.

• Wear good walking shoes
  The wooden boardwalks can be slippery when wet.

• Bring snacks
  Food options inside the park are limited.

• Take the optional viewpoints
  Some of the best views come from short detours off the main trail.

Route C is easily one of the best ways to experience Plitvice Lakes National Park.

It allows you to see both lake systems, ride the electric boat across Lake Kozjak, and enjoy some of the most famous waterfalls in the park.

My husband and I visited Plitvice as a day trip from Zagreb, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our time in Croatia.

We booked our bus tickets through busbud, which makes it really easy to compare routes and book tickets online. We had actually used it before in Patagonia when traveling between Chile and Argentina, so we already knew it worked well.

If you’re planning to stay in the city, you can also check out my guide to the Best Things to Do in Zagreb for more ideas before or after your visit to the park.

Even with a little rain during our visit, we still found the experience absolutely incredible.

If you only have one day at Plitvice, Route C is the route I would recommend.

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Questions about our experience on Route C at Plitvice Lakes?

Let me know in the comments below!