Plitvice With Entry Tickets

A 12-hour Plitvice Lakes day trip from Split, booked through the live listing.

Overview

This twelve-hour day trip from Split bundles the two things that cause the most hassle on a visit to Plitvice Lakes National Park: the entry ticket and the transport. Run by BOOKER, a Split-based travel agency, it starts at the Booker office on Marulićeva ul. 4, where you meet your English-speaking guide and group before boarding a coach for the drive to the park. Along the way the guide gives live commentary on the Croatian countryside and local history, a detail several travellers singled out as adding real value to the journey.

Once inside the UNESCO-listed park, the group walks the trail between the upper and lower lakes, passing cascades, waterfalls, flowing springs and flowering meadows on the park's picturesque walkways. After the hike you rest your legs with an electric train ride and a panoramic boat trip across some of the lakes, before one last look at the waterfalls and the drive back to Split. There are café breaks on the outward and return legs, but food and drinks are not included.

It suits travellers who want the logistics handled in one booking and don't mind a long day on a coach. The pace inside the park is brisk, as reviewers repeatedly note, so it works best for people who would rather see everything in a well-organized loop than linger at every viewpoint. One reviewer found it worked well for both groups and solo travellers.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Booker officeThe day starts at the Booker travel agency office on Marulićeva ul. 4 in Split. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.
2. Coach to PlitviceA roughly 3.5-hour drive with live commentary on the countryside and local history along the way.
3. Café breakA 30-minute stop at a local café. Food and drinks are at your own expense.
4. Guided park tourAround 4.5 hours in Plitvice Lakes National Park, covering the trail between the upper and lower lakes with a guide.
5. Boat across the lakesA 20-minute river boat trip across some of the lakes, plus an electric train ride to rest your feet.
6. Coach back to SplitThe return drive takes about 3.5 hours, with a 20-minute café break on the way, ending back at the Booker office.

What To Expect From The Tour

A day this long and this packed rewards a bit of preparation. Here is what past travellers and the listing suggest you sort out before you go.

• Brisk pace. Several reviewers describe the pace as fast, with limited time for photos at key viewpoints. The trade-off they mention is that you see the full long route, train, upper lakes, boat and lower lakes, without worrying about the buses. Expect a full 4.5 hours of walking and riding through the park.
• What to bring. Food and drinks are not included, so pack water and snacks or budget for the café stops. One reviewer advised bringing a jacket in October, a reminder that the weather can be cool at that time of year.
• Long coach ride. The drive is about 3.5 hours each way, so plan for a full twelve-hour day. Reviewers say the guides use the time well with commentary on the lakes, Croatia and the places you pass through. It is a lot of sitting either side of the park visit.
• Getting there yourself. There is no hotel pickup. You make your own way to the Booker office on Marulićeva ul. 4 in Split for the morning departure. Factor in time to find the address the night before.
• Solo friendly. One reviewer noted the tour works for both groups and solo travellers, and met other solos on the day. The guides are reported to look out for everyone and keep the group's spirits up.
• Wildlife watching. A reviewer reported spotting salamanders and credited the guide's wildlife commentary for knowing to look. Keep an eye on the water and streams as you walk the trails between the lakes.

Common issues. The pace is the main complaint: reviewers say it is fast and leaves little time for photos at viewpoints, even though you cover the whole route. The day is long, with roughly seven hours of coach travel around the park visit. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, and food and drinks cost extra at the café stops. Some travellers hesitate between this tour and going independently, though at least one who chose the tour felt it was the right call for the organization alone.

Common Questions