How much does it cost to travel to Plitvice Lakes National Park?
You should plan to spend around $137 (kn942) per day on your vacation in Plitvice Lakes National Park. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $44 (kn302) on meals
- $29 (kn197) on local transportation
- $132 (kn911) on hotels
A one week trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park for two people costs, on average, $1,916 (kn13,186). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Plitvice Lakes National Park has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Plitvice Lakes National Park expensive to visit?
Prices in Plitvice Lakes National Park are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within Europe, which is known to be an expensive region, Plitvice Lakes National Park is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Valencia or Koblenz.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Plitvice Lakes National Park Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park?
The average Plitvice Lakes National Park trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Plitvice Lakes National Park travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
Category
|
Cost
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
kn911
($132)
|
Local Transportation 1
|
kn197
($29)
|
Food 2
|
kn302
($44)
|
Entertainment 1
|
kn253
($37)
|
Alcohol 2
|
kn54 -
163
($8 - 24)
|
Accommodation Budget in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Plitvice Lakes National Park is $66 (kn456). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Plitvice Lakes National Park is $132 (kn911). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Plitvice Lakes National Park? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Plitvice Lakes National Park is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $29 (kn197) per person, per day, on local transportation in Plitvice Lakes National Park.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$29
kn197
How much does it cost to go to Plitvice Lakes National Park? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Plitvice Lakes National Park will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Plitvice Lakes National Park can vary, the average cost of food in Plitvice Lakes National Park is $44 (kn302) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Plitvice Lakes National Park should cost around $18 (kn121) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Plitvice Lakes National Park is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$44
kn302
Entertainment Budget in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Plitvice Lakes National Park typically cost an average of $37 (kn253) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$37
kn253
Alcohol Budget in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $16 (kn109) on alcoholic beverages in Plitvice Lakes National Park per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$16
kn109
Water Budget in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $3.18 (kn22) on bottled water in Plitvice Lakes National Park per day. The public water in Plitvice Lakes National Park is considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$3.18
kn22
Plitvice Lakes National Park On a Budget
Plitvice National Park, Croatia
One of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe, Plitvice Lakes National Park is an area of green forests laced with a system of interconnected turquoise lakes. It was set aside as a national park in 1949, and was later designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
Sights
The natural sights at Plitvice National Park surpass the norm. With sixteen beautiful lakes flowing one into the next in graceful cascades and plummeting falls, its magnificence is undeniable. The lakes themselves emit a turquoise color like gems of the earth, while the falls run over limestone canyons draped thickly in green forest. The sixteen lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 meters to 503 meters over a distance of some eight kilometers. The waters then exit from the lowest lake to form the Korana River.
The forested areas of the park consist mainly of beech, spruce, and fir trees, as well as a mixture of Alpine and Mediterranean vegetation. It is home to a diverse array of animal and bird species like the European brown bear, wolf, eagle, owl, lynx, wild cat, and capercaillie amongst others. Fish, frogs, and many bird species also inhabit the lakes.
As far as special attractions go, one of the most visited areas is the Veliki Slap, a 78-meter waterfall surrounded by nearby boulders to which visitors have access. In the surrounding rock face there is also a cave that leads to another large waterfall complex.
Neighborhoods
The nearest cities, from where many people take day trip to the lakes, are Zadar and Zagreb. If you plan on spending more than the day, however, there are a variety of options closer to the park itself. Several large hotels are situated near the entrance to Plitvice, however, if you are looking for less expensive accommodations there are other choices available. A travel agent at the park entrance can help you find a homestay where locals will rent out their homes and provide food during your stay, or you can ask around and see if you can find a room at a lower cost in a local apartment. There is also a campground in the nearby town of Korana (8 km away), which many park visitors enjoy. Facilities include clean toilets, a small shop, a couple of dining places, as well as bungalows available for rent. The campground also arranges buses to and from the park in the main season. The town of Borje also has a campground, though it is 16 km away and has no bus service to and from the park.
Activities
Within the park the biggest activities are hiking and walking to admire the natural wonders of the lakes and surrounding area. There are a few trails that can be easily hiked in a day with planked walkways winding amongst the cascades and waterways. Be aware that swimming is not permitted anywhere in the park.
Food and Dining
In Croatian cuisine, types of dishes will vary with more seafood available closer to the coast and a different variety inland. Since Plitvice is more continental, some meals you might come across include stuffed peppers with mincemeat, rice, and mashed potatoes, a type of filled dough pastry called strukli, a hearty meat stew called cobanac, turkey with mlinci (flatbread pieces soaked in roasting juices), a spicy fish stew called fish paprika, and sarma or cabbage rolls filled with meat. There is also a long Croatian tradition of making salami, so be sure to try some while you are there. Within the park itself, there are some snack shops at the entrance and exit, as well as a large picnic area with a few food stands which can be reached by ferry across the main lake. Beyond this, many restaurants can be found along the road to and from Plitvice.
Transportation
The best way to get to Plitvice is from the nearby cities of Zadar, Zagreb, and Split.
Zadar Airport is the closest to Plitvice at about 130 kilometers away. From here, the best method of travel is to take a connecting bus to Zadar Bus Station, then another bus from here to Plitvice. The journey takes about 2 hours.
Zagreb Airport is another good point from which to reach Plitvice at about 140 kilometers away. From the airport, travelers can take a connecting bus to the main bus station in Zagreb, and then from here take one of the numerous buses to the Plitvice Lakes. The journey takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
From Split, there are direct buses connecting Split and the Plitvice Lakes, however, the journey is too long to make it there and back in one day (taking nearly 6 hours).
A ticket is required to enter the park, which you can acquire at the park offices upon arrival. With the ticket, visitors are offered free travel on the boats which run on the lakes.
Related:
Looking for a party in
Croatia?
Traveling alone to
Split or
Dubrovnik?
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.