Croatia's Plitvice National Park

Somehow, well over a year ago, I stumbled upon a few pictures of a Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia.  I have no idea how or where I saw them, but the place looked absolutely stunning.  And since Tom and I love outdoor adventures, it actually became the impetus for this entire trip (despite being one of the shortest visits!).

View of Park From Above (with visitors on boardwalk)

Plitvice isn't exactly the easiest place to get to (its located in Eastern/Central Croatia) but it's definitely worth the effort.  We first took the longest, hottest train ride of all time from Budapest to Croatia's capital, Zagreb, where we spent the night.  Our plan had been to rent a car and drive to Plitvice the following morning, but someone (who shall remain nameless) realized several days into our trip that he had forgotten to pack his drivers license. (Of course, someone else had her driver's license stolen in Rome so she probably shouldn't point fingers.)  Luckily, though, we were able to get tickets for an early morning bus and re-book to a hotel close to the bus station instead.  When we arrived (despite being somewhat groggy and/or motion sick), we pretty much just threw our bags into our room and immediately headed out to the lakes to begin our hike.  

Walking on the Boardwalk

As expected, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking.  The entire park is basically a never-ending series of lakes and waterfalls, which you can walk around (and sometimes over) through a system of inter-connected trails and boardwalks. And, as if that wasn't enough, what makes the place incredibly unique is the bright turquoise color of the water (similar to what we saw in Banff a couple years ago). However, unlike in Banff (where the color is caused by rock flour carried in through glaciers), the bottom of the lakes get their color from magnesium carbonate (and looks slightly different colors in different light).  The water is also ridiculously clear due to the fact that the water source is very pure and the fact that the bottom of the lakes aren't mud, sand, or pebbles, but have become travertine (through a complicated chemical process that I don't really understand).  So, when peering in, you can actually see all the way to the bottom.  It was really crazy to be able to see all of the trees, leaves, ducks, and fish so clearly in the water.  It was like opening up a whole different part of the world to us that we rarely see.

Plitvice Lakes

Waterfall!

More Water!

This picture looks crazy, but this is how clear the water was!

Looking Down at the Fish in the Clear Water (no trick photography here!)

Hiking Over Waterfalls

Shuttle Boat Between Upper and Lower Lakes

The park is divided into the "upper lakes" and "lower lakes," with many miles of trail between them. But, it's really easy to spend as much or as little time hiking as you want, since shuttles and boats also transport visitors to the most scenic spots in the park.  Tom and I spent about two hours hiking each the upper and lower sections of the park (taking the boat between the two), and of course, spent a lot of time just looking around and taking in all of the scenery.

However, as much as we enjoyed our day, I wouldn't exactly describe it as a "nature experience."  This might sound crazy after seeing the pictures, but you have to understand that in high tourist season (as it is now), there are hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of people out and about in the park.  And, since all of the trails are very narrow its hard to strike out on your own.  Many times, in the most popular areas, we felt as if we were moving through an assembly line or that it was more of a "theme park" than a national park.  But, since the views are amazing in every direction you look, it's very easy to still see all of the most beautiful sights and to get amazing pictures.  (You just may not feel completely relaxed and back in touch with nature after doing it!)

(We had a misunderstanding about whether or not we'd do "big arms" in this photos)

More Falls

Such Smooth Water!

Attempted Artsy Shot

Tourists on the Trail

Beautiful Plitvice

Despite the crowds (which I think are just impossible to avoid anywhere during summer in Europe), Plitvice was an absolutely gorgeous place, and one I'd go back to in a heartbeat.  It also made me realize that I've really missed hiking this past year, and I'm looking forward to exploring some new parks when I get to Virginia (although I doubt I'll find anything that rivals this!).  Since Plitvice, we've made our way down to Split (on the Dalmatian Coast), and I'm looking forward to telling you all about our adventures here next time.

Alla Prossima,
Erin

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Sun. July 21:  It was relatively cool (75 degrees) in Plitvice, but we're roasting in Split (we're taking an afternoon siesta at the moment since its sunny and in the mid-90s!).  Thank goodness our rental apt. has air conditioning!!