Elly Shofia
Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the natural landscapes in Croatia. This place is located about 130 km south of Zagreb and about 150 km north of Split.
Residents know this park as Nacionalni Plitvicka Jezera Park, which is close to the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This national park consists of dense forests, several beautiful lakes and waterfalls. The water flows in the middle of a dense forest, which makes the scenery in this area beautiful.
This national park covers an area of 114.6 square miles, the largest national park in Croatia.
This place presents natural beauty and biodiversity. Therefore, in 1979 this place became one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Croatia.
Read also: Chocolate Hills, Thousands of Beautiful Hills Surrounded by Dense Forests
Contents
Terraced Lakes in the Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice Lakes includes 16 terraced lakes with clear, blue water. The lake flows and creates a natural dam of travertine that develops from algae, bacteria, and moss.
These travertine dams grow about 1 cm per year due to algae and bacteria build-up.
These lakes flow down the mountain, that’s why the lakes are grouped into upper and lower groups. The majority of lakes are in the upper group.
Most of the funds are small and all cover an area of 1.9 sq km.
Waterfall Surrounded by Dense Forest
The river and creek that form this lake and waterfall flow down the mountain for about 5 miles with elevations of 1650 feet to 2087 feet.
The water flow in this area seems to cut through the dense forest. The flow of water gives rise to a terraced lake whose flowing water forms many beautiful waterfalls.
There are various waterfalls in this area, some large, and small. The largest waterfall is at the end of the lake and is called Tamparan Veliki.
The waterfall reaches a height of 255.9 feet. The second-largest waterfall is in the upper group of lakes, called Galovacki buk and reaches 82 feet in height.
Dense Forest Area in Plitvice Lakes
This National Park has biodiversity. This dense forest area consists of beech, spruce, and fir trees.
Then there are also Alpine and Mediterranean plants. There are more than 1,265 plant species, 75 of which are endemic.
There are 55 species of flowering orchids with seasonal colors, the whole year presents different colors. Each season will bring different colors and beauty.
Wild animals in this forest area include brown bears, wolves, lynx, and European wild cats. There are 321 species of butterflies with different colors.
Read also: Vinicunca, the Enchantment of Rainbow Mountain with 14 Colors
Best Time to Visit Plitvice Lakes
This park is beautiful all year round, but in certain seasons its beauty increases. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Plitvice Lakes.
In spring and early summer, the trees are lush and dense with cascading waterfalls.
In autumn, the leaves from the trees will fall and reveal a beautiful combination of colors. The brown and yellowish colors of the trees are combined with the blue of the lake and waterfall.