Plitvice Lakes tour: 16 lakes and waterfalls

Travertine barriers, 16 lakes, and a boat ride through a limestone canyon

A private tour from Ljubljana to Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Croatia, with hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide. You walk the Upper Lakes system across travertine barriers and waterfalls, then take a boat through the Lower Lakes set in a limestone canyon. The park's travertine formations are still evolving, reshaping the landscape continuously.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Plitvice Lakes National Park

• Walk across Upper Lakes
• Enjoy boat ride on Lower Lakes
• Observe travertine marble formations
• See magnificent waterfalls

The experience

The travertine barriers that separate Plitvice's 16 lakes are not static. They're still forming, which means the waterfalls and rock formations shift and change. You start in the Upper Lakes area, walking across the 12-lake system where travertine sills create natural dams and cascades. The barriers themselves are the draw here: they're rare geological features that have earned the park its UNESCO listing. After the walking section, you board a boat for the second half of the day, moving through the Lower Lakes, which sit in a limestone canyon and offer a different view of the same ongoing process.

Your guide speaks English and travels with you from Ljubljana, handling the drive and the route through the park. The tour runs 12 hours total, so the day is built around reaching both lake systems and giving you time to move through them without rushing. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, which means you don't coordinate a meeting point or arrange separate transport to the park entrance.

Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suited to walking on uneven ground. The park's paths follow the water and the travertine formations, not paved walkways. The entrance fee to Plitvice itself is separate and varies by season (roughly 10–40 euros per person), so budget for that when you book. Food and drinks aren't provided, though there are facilities inside the park where you can buy them.

What’s included

• Private transportation from Ljubljana.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private driver and English-speaking guide throughout the day.

Options for this experience

3 options

1-2 passengersUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included

3-5 passengersUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included

6-8 passengersUp to 8 per booking · Guide in English · 08:30Pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

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

Paid on site€ 40

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Roundabout Travel

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want a private vehicle and guide for the full day, which means no fixed schedule to follow and no sharing the route with other groups. The 12-hour span gives you time to walk both the Upper and Lower Lakes without feeling rushed, and the boat ride breaks up the day between the two sections.

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Top questions

What exactly are the travertine barriers that make Plitvice famous?

Travertine is a limestone mineral that forms where water flows over rock, creating natural dams and sills that separate the lakes. At Plitvice, these barriers are still actively forming, the geological process hasn't stopped, so the waterfalls and rock shapes are constantly evolving. That's why the park never looks quite the same from one season to the next.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

You walk through the Upper Lakes system, crossing the travertine barriers and following the paths between the 12 lakes there. After that section, you switch to a boat for the Lower Lakes. The walking is on natural terrain, so comfortable shoes matter, and you should have at least a moderate level of fitness to manage the paths.

Does the tour include entry to Plitvice Lakes National Park?

No, the entrance fee is separate and not included in the tour price. It ranges from about 10 to 40 euros per person depending on the season. Your guide will help you with entry when you arrive, but you pay the park directly.

What's the difference between the Upper Lakes and Lower Lakes sections?

The Upper Lakes are a system of 12 lakes separated by travertine barriers, and you walk between them to see the formations and waterfalls up close. The Lower Lakes sit in a limestone canyon, and you see them from a boat, which gives you a different perspective of the same geological features.

Is there time to eat during the 12-hour tour?

Food and drinks aren't provided as part of the tour, but the park has facilities where you can buy meals and refreshments. With 12 hours total, including the drive from Ljubljana, there's time built in for a break, though you'll want to plan what you want to eat ahead of time.