Plitvice Lakes Route K

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's flagship natural attraction — 16 terraced freshwater lakes connected by 90 named waterfalls and travertine dams, cascading 130 m through a forested limestone valley in the Lika region. Inscribed by UNESCO in 1979 and the country's first national park, it's defined by the water's vivid blue-green colour (from high dissolved limestone) and the wooden boardwalks that thread through the cascades. Route K is the longest of the park's eight lettered routes — a full-park loop of around 18 km that covers both the Lower and Upper Lakes.

The route starts at the north entrance (Ulaz 1), descends past Veliki Slap — Croatia's tallest waterfall at 78 m — into the Lower Lakes (Donja jezera), and threads through the dramatic Sastavci cascades and the dolomite canyon. A short free boat ride across Lake Kozjak — the park's largest — links Lower to Upper. The Upper Lakes section traces the western shore of a chain of progressively smaller lakes and waterfalls to the trail's high point at Prošćansko Lake, then loops back along the northern side through the Stubica viewpoint with a panoramic view of all 16 lakes spread below. Cumulative climb is around 530 m, all gentle.

Plitvice is open year-round (though some boardwalk sections close in winter ice). Best season is May–June (high water, blooming) and September–October (autumn colour, fewer crowds). Summer is hot and very busy — pre-book online for entry tickets (€40 in summer, half-price after 4 PM); the park caps daily visitor numbers. Route K is the only route that escapes the bus-tour crowds in the busy middle sections — most groups stick to the shorter A/B/C routes around the Lower Lakes. Sturdy walking shoes essential; the boardwalks are slick when wet. Drone use is banned park-wide.