Plitvice Lakes
If you’re a travel photographer planning a trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia, this is the guide for you!
Table of Contents
What is Plitvice Lakes?
Plitvice Lakes is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. It was on my bucket list for years. I will never forget the experience of standing feet away, and even right above the waterfalls!
Plitvice Lakes is a national park in Croatia. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The valleys are filled with crystal clear, yet vibrant blue waters. You explore much of the park on top of boardwalks that snake through the lakes and waterfalls.
The park is split into two main areas. The Lower Lakes contain more of the classic photography spots in the park. The Upper Lakes includes hiking trails that take you inland and up to a beautiful viewpoint.
What time of year should you visit Plitvice Lakes?
I recommend visiting Plitvice Lakes in May/June or September/October. These months encompass the shoulder seasons before and after summer. There are fewer crowds, lodging is cheaper, and temperatures are pleasant.
I visited Plitvice Lakes at the beginning of June in 2025. When I returned to my hotel after visiting on my first day, someone asked me, "Pretty busy, right?" Honestly, I expected much worse, especially compared to crowds I've seen at national parks in the United States.
The different seasons bring different photo opportunities depending on what you're looking for. Winter is nothing short of a wonderland with the waterfalls frozen over. That said, the Upper Lakes is likely inaccessible in winter due to snow and ice, so you would be missing out on half the park. Winter also brings the shortest opening hours, and most hospitality facilities are closed. The hotel I stayed at closes during the off season.
In spring, the waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes come back to life. The melting snow fuels the waterfalls, eventually reaching their peak flow before summer's arrival. The vibrant greens of the plants slowly return as temperatures get warmer.
In summer, the true colors of Plitvice Lakes shine. The days are long. Rain is limited. The weather is nice. As summer goes on, the power of the waterfalls will slowly wane, but you surely wouldn't be disappointed. Like anywhere else in the world, summer is high season, meaning more crowds and more people in your photo. In one spot, I waited an hour to get a photo without people in it.
In fall, the waterfalls are at their weakest, but the glow of the reds and oranges in the autumn leaves more than makes up for it. With summer gone, so too are the summer crowds.
What do you need to know about admission?
If you know your dates, make sure you purchase your tickets ahead of time. Especially during peak season, tickets will sell out. The official website for Plitvice Lakes has more information about tickets, as well as a link to the ticketing website. If you do not purchase a ticket in advance, you can try to buy one at the Entrance 1 and Entrance 2 ticket offices.
When you buy your ticket in advance, you select an entry time, a specific entrance, and your stay duration (for example, 8:00 AM at Entrance 1 for two days). Entrance 1 is at the north end of the park, which is where the Lower Lakes area is. Right past the entrance, you’ll be treated to some of the most iconic views. Here is the location of Entrance 1 on Google Maps.
Entrance 2 is at the south end of the park, which is where the Upper Lakes area is. Here is the location of Entrance 2 on Google Maps. Overall, the Upper Lakes is not as crowded as the Lower Lakes, so choosing this entrance might offer a more peaceful experience.
Admission also includes the boat ride between the Lower Lakes and Upper Lakes. This is the fastest and most convenient way to get between the two areas. Depending on the time of day, you may be waiting in line to get on the boat.
If you purchase a one-day ticket, you cannot reenter the park if you leave. If you purchase a two-day ticket, you are allowed to reenter the park on your first day. On your second day, you can enter the park at any time, but you cannot reenter the park if you leave. There will be park staff manned at all three entrances to scan your ticket and enforce the reentry policies.
How do you get to Plitvice Lakes?
I recommend renting a car for your visit to Plitvice Lakes. When I visited Croatia, I had a rental car the entire time. I thought driving in Croatia was straightforward. They drive on the right side of the road, which I'm used to. If you're not from Croatia, make sure you research basic traffic laws prior to renting a car. For example, it is illegal to turn right at a red light in Croatia.
You can also take a bus to Plitvice Lakes. Most bus options are likely out of Zagreb or Split. This option is more budget friendly compared to renting a car. However, taking a bus means you are at the mercy of the bus schedule. With a rental car, you have the freedom to enter immediately when the park opens and leave right at closing time. These times are very opportune for photography because very few people will be in the park. If you are staying overnight, then you also must figure out how to get to your accommodation.
There are also tours that will guide you through Plitvice Lakes. Many of these tours will include transportation to and from the park. However, as a travel photographer, I highly recommend against a guided tour. I tend to linger longer than the average person so I can get the perfect photo. If you're with a guided tour, the pace is determined by the tour guide. I enjoy photography at a leisurely pace.
If you drive to the park, there are parking lots at both entrances. There is a parking fee that is valid for the entire day. However, depending on where you stay, you might be able to leave your car at your accommodation and walk right into the park.
Where should you stay?
I recommend staying in Plitvica Selo. There are a good number of accommodations in this little area that you can drive to. I stayed at B&B Plitvica Creek. I left my car parked there during my stay, so I did not need to pay for parking.
There’s actually a third entrance to the park on this side of the lakes. It took me about 20 minutes to walk to this entrance, granted my accommodation was further away than most others in Plitvica Selo. The third entrance is also very close to the Lower Lakes boat ramp where you board to get to the Upper Lakes. Here is the location of Entrance 3 on Google Maps. There is also a small amount of parking off the road adjacent to Entrance 3. On my second day, I did choose to drive to Entrance 3 and park there.
One potential downside of staying in Plitvica Selo is the lack of restaurants. Most accommodations serve breakfast and dinner, including where I stayed. The food was actually very tasty. They also coordinated a dinner time with me at breakfast, so as soon as I arrived, there was a steady stream of food ready to flow my way.
How much time should you spend at Plitvice Lakes?
I spent two full days at Plitvice Lakes National Park and I recommend you do the same! Even though the park can be fully explored in one day, as I said earlier, I prefer a leisurely pace for travel photography. Two full days also allows you to revisit any areas in different lighting conditions.
For example, the waterfall photo at the top of this page was taken on my second day. On my first day, I did pass this waterfall in the afternoon. By then, the face of the waterfall was completely in the shade. I wanted a photo of it in sunlight. On my second day, I made sure to pass by this waterfall in the morning to get the lighting conditions I wanted.
I think it's difficult to plan for the light at Plitvice Lakes. The countless waterfalls face all sorts of different directions, so knowing when the best light is for every waterfall is a difficult task. Much of the Lower Lakes is also inside a valley, so the valley walls create different shadows throughout the day.
One full day provides one sunrise and one sunset photo opportunity when crowds are minimal. A second full day provides double that. If nothing else, a second full day gives you some time to grab a seat, take in the views, and relax.
What photography equipment should you bring?
If I return to Plitvice Lakes National Park, this is all the camera equipment that I’ll bring with me.
Canon R6 | This is the camera body that I shoot with.
Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 Lens | Most of the photos I captured at Plitvice Lakes were taken using this lens.
Canon RF 70-200mm f2.8 Lens | The Lower Lakes area has a hiking trail along the edge of a cliff that runs parallel to the water. There’s also a panoramic viewpoint of the Upper Lakes area that you can hike up to. A telephoto lens would provide the opportunity to capture compressed images from these higher vantage points.
Tripod | If I’m being honest, I think the only photo I took using a tripod was a photo of myself at the Entrance 1 viewpoint. If you want to take long exposure photos of the waterfalls, then a tripod may be necessary. However, the boardwalks aren’t ideal for setting up and the hiking trails are pretty narrow. If it’s a crowded day, you’re just going to be in the way. I didn’t take any long exposure photos because I wanted to convey the power of the water. When you take a long exposure, I think it takes away from the power of the water.
ND Filter | If you want to take long exposure photos of the waterfalls, then an ND filter may be necessary.
Polarizer Filter | I don’t own one, but I think a polarizer filter could be pretty valuable at a place like Plitvice. Glare can be an issue whenever taking photos with water, which is the exact issue a polarizer filter solves.
Remote Shutter | If you want to take photos of yourself, a remote shutter is a must! If you’re using a tripod, a remote shutter will also eliminate any additional camera shake from pressing the trigger.
My Best Photography Advice for Plitvice Lakes
Go early and stay late. The waterfalls are beautiful, but I think the boardwalks and hiking trails are equally beautiful. Some of my favorite photos from Plitvice Lakes are the photos of the trails without any people in it, like the ones I’ve shared here. There won’t be any harsh lighting to contend with either.
My first day in the park, I went early, then left to go eat breakfast at my hotel mid-morning, then reentered the park. I had a two-day ticket, so reentry was allowed. If you have a one-day ticket, then you wouldn’t be able to reenter the park after leaving.
Forget about golden hour lighting. Don’t get me wrong. Golden hour lighting is beautiful. However, with the landscape of the park, I didn’t particularly like the golden hour light.
I went to the viewpoint at Entrance 1 for sunrise. This is probably the most classic view of Plitvice Lakes. Only half of the waterfall was under the golden light. The rest of it was in the shade, which I didn’t like. I preferred the photos I captured during the day with the vibrant greens, turquoise waters, and shimmering waterfalls.
Since golden hour lighting is early morning or late in the evening, I think a better use of that time is to focus on the boardwalks with minimum people present. That way, you can use as much time as you want finding nice boardwalk compositions without being interrupted.
Turn on your camera’s histogram. It can be very easy to blow out the whites in your image since the water in the waterfalls is going to be the closest thing to white. By turning on your camera’s histogram, you can see if you’re clipping any data before you take the photo. I use the histogram for every single photo I take on my camera.
Don’t forget to turn around. Many of the trails are designed for one-way traffic. The official park maps will show these routes. But just because you’re walking in one direction doesn’t mean you can’t turn around. There might be a beautiful photo composition right behind you.
Get your steps in. My first day in the park, my phone recorded 34,000 steps. On my second day, my phone recorded 24,000 steps. If you want to get into
No drones. I’m a firm believer in respecting the rules of the places you visit, no matter where you are. Drones are not allowed at Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Don’t forget to enjoy the park! Plitvice Lakes National Park might be one of the most beautiful places I’ve been. Sure, it can get crowded, but there’s a reason for that. There’s a big difference between looking through your camera and sincerely immersing yourself in the beauty of Plitvice Lakes. If you truly connect with Plitvice Lakes, then I promise your photos will be even more meaningful.
