Plitvice Lakes Premium Small Group Tour: Rastoke & Waterfalls

Walk the wooden trails between turquoise lakes at your own pace, with a guide who knows the stories behind them.

A small group tour of Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia with a stop in Rastoke village, led by an English-speaking guide and including park entry, boat and train rides. The tour runs 9 to 10 hours and prioritizes time to actually experience the places rather than rushing between stops. Pickup from Zagreb is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Rastoke and Plitvice Lakes

• Explore Rastoke village
• Take photos and sightseeing
• Travel to Plitvice Lakes National Park
• Walk wooden trails and see waterfalls
• Enjoy boat and panoramic train rides

The experience

The day starts in Rastoke, a village built around waterfalls and historic watermills with traditional wooden houses. You get free time to walk around, photograph the water features, and get a feel for the place before the group moves on to Plitvice Lakes National Park. The park itself is the main event: turquoise lakes connected by wooden walking trails, with waterfalls dropping between them. Depending on the season, the visit includes a boat ride across one of the larger lakes and a panoramic train ride through the park, so you see the landscape from different angles without spending the whole day on foot.

The guide is licensed and speaks English, and the operator built this tour around conversation and context rather than a checklist of facts. You'll hear about Croatian life, culture and traditions: the things that don't make it into guidebooks. Transport is by air-conditioned vehicle, and the park entrance ticket is included in the price. The whole day runs between 9 and 10 hours, which is long enough to actually settle into the places instead of watching the clock.

What’s included

• Visit to Rastoke village with its traditional wooden houses and waterfalls.
• licensed English-speaking guide.
• comfortable air-conditioned transport.
• entry to Plitvice Lakes National Park.
• electric boat ride and panoramic train ride through the park.
• pickup from Zagreb.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 26 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by CROUS TRAVEL

Is this one for you?Small groups keep the pace relaxed and give the guide room to talk about Croatian culture and history instead of rushing between photo stops. This suits anyone who wants to actually experience the places rather than collect them.

Top questions

What's the difference between Rastoke and Plitvice Lakes on this tour?

Rastoke is a small village known for its wooden houses, waterfalls and old watermills where you get free time to explore and photograph. Plitvice Lakes National Park is the main destination: a larger protected area with turquoise lakes, wooden boardwalks connecting them, and waterfalls between the different levels of water.

Does the tour include the boat ride and train ride at Plitvice?

Yes, depending on seasonal conditions, the visit to Plitvice Lakes includes both an electric boat ride across one of the larger lakes and a panoramic train ride through the park, so you experience the landscape from different vantage points.

How much walking is involved on this tour?

You'll walk the wooden trails between the lakes at Plitvice, but the tour also includes a boat ride and train ride so you're not on foot the entire time. The operator designed the day to feel relaxed rather than rushed, so the pace is manageable for most fitness levels.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to bring or pay for separately?

The price includes pickup from Zagreb, transport by air-conditioned vehicle, the English-speaking guide, entry to Plitvice Lakes National Park, the boat ride and train ride. Food and drinks are not included, so bring water and snacks or plan to purchase them during the day.

Does this tour pick me up from my hotel in Zagreb?

Yes, pickup from Zagreb is included in the tour price.