During our month in Zagreb, Croatia we knew we wanted to visit Plitvice Lakes National Park. We had seen and heard so many good things about it. Honestly the only negative we heard was that the summer crowds can make it much less enjoyable. Well, we were in luck! It was almost November so we’d have a better chance of enjoying a peaceful park experience.
In our experience in Croatia thus far, we had noticed that taking the train is not nearly as common than in other parts of Europe. Taking the bus and sometimes even a short flight is much more affordable and convenient. We checked the mobile app GetByBus for a possible visit to Plitvice and noticed that it would take 2 hours and 30 minutes to get there. “That’s a long trek for just a day trip. We’d spend a whole 5 hours on the bus!” That’s when we decided to make it a long weekend.
On the park’s website, there were accommodations listed so we went about figuring out whether:
they were in our price range
they looked nice
they were close to the park
Hotel Jezero stood out to us due to the restaurant on-site, pool, and fitness center. Even if we didn’t use the amenities, it would be nice to have the option if the weather wasn’t ideal for hiking during any part of our stay.
We booked Hotel Jezero from November 1 through November 4 (Fri-Mon), thinking it would give us ample time to explore the park and just relax.
If you're interested in seeing the park up close and personal, check out the video we put together below.
If you’re interested in our travel specifics (including pricing), the information below is for you!
Bus
Use the GetByBus mobile app - provides digital tickets
2 hour, 30 minute trip each way from main Zagreb bus station
Zagreb-Plitvice Lakes round-trip: 275 kuna including tax (or $41.09 USD) for 2 people
There is an additional charge of 7 kuna per bag if you want to store it down below.
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Plitvice Lakes National Park
Admission:
60 kuna (or $8.94 USD) per person. Keep in mind this was as of November 1st so non-peak season pricing was in effect. In the summer, expect to pay at least double.
If you stay at one of the hotels just outside the park (literally a 2 minute walk to the park entrance) then *they will validate your park ticket for the remainder of your trip*. For example, we bought a single day’s admission and then had the hotel validate our ticket for an additional two days of hiking.
Examples of drink options inside the park:
Local beer: 23 kuna (or $3.43 USD)
Espresso: 12 kuna (or $1.79 USD)
Soda: 20 kuna (or $2.98 USD)
Examples of food options inside the park:
Chicken burger or cheeseburger: 40 kuna (or $5.96 USD)
Sausages with fries: 55 kuna (or $9.84 USD)
Hotel Jezero
1,982 kuna for 3 nights for 2 adults (or 660 kuna per night). $98.36 USD per night.
Breakfast included
Pricing is per person rather than per room (as in the states)
Other charges:
There is a bar/cafe and souvenir/convenience shop on the ground floor of the hotel. We went there once or twice per day during our stay.
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Dinner: the buffet option was the most popular and what we opted for it all three evenings (mostly out of convenience). The cost was 120 kuna (or $17.88 USD) per person which is on the more expensive side for Croatia.
Total cost of dinner and bar/cafe charges over 3 full days: 1,143 kuna (or $170.35)
TOTAL COST OF THE TRIP
Overall, we felt like the trip was well worth it for the chance to get out of the city, breathe some fresh air, and go hiking in an incredibly beautiful national park. We highly recommend it to others if you’re ever in Croatia. Just pay attention to the time of year in order to avoid the worst crowds.
Cheers!
-Eddie + Megan
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