Programme C: From the Lower to the Upper Lakes

What programme C is

It is the day crossing from Entrance 1 (Rastovača): an 8 km circuit that joins the lower and upper lakes. You walk the canyon below, cross Lake Kozjak by electric boat, climb on foot through the lakes above and return almost the whole way in the panoramic vehicle. The park gives it 4 to 5 hours on its English page and 4 to 6 on the Croatian one: count on almost a whole day if you stop for lunch.

It is the programme that sees almost all the park with a single ticket and without doing the 17 km of the K routes. If you come from Zagreb or sleep in the north, it is the natural choice.

The route step by step

1. Lower lakes. You go down from Entrance 1 into the canyon and walk the boardwalks beside Novakovića Brod, Kaluđerovac, Gavanovac and Milanovac. At the start you have the Great Waterfall (Veliki slap), 78 m, the highest in Croatia, which falls from the Plitvica stream and joins the lakes at the Sastavci, where the Korana is born.
2. Electric boat across the Kozjak. On reaching the foot of the Kozjak, the park's largest lake (81.5 ha), you board the boat and cross it lengthways. The boat is included in the ticket; on the long line it leaves every 30 minutes.
3. Upper lakes on foot. From the other end of the Kozjak you begin to climb the chain of upper lakes: Gradinsko, Galovac, Milino, Vir and the others, separated by tufa barriers and dozens of small waterfalls. The highlights, according to the park, are the Veliki and Mali Prštavac.
4. Return in the panoramic vehicle. From the end of the walking stretch, the panoramic train takes you down towards Entrance 1. The park says the return is "mostly" in this vehicle, which is also included.

The climb through the upper lakes is gentle and continuous. The most tiring stretch is usually the beginning, going down and up the canyon of the lower lakes.

When to go

Programme C needs the upper lakes open. The park explains that in winter they usually close and that they reopen in early April, depending on the weather, so in practice it is a spring-to-autumn plan. May and June bring more water to the waterfalls; September and October, fewer people.

The boats and train have timetables: in November 2026 the long boat line leaves from 8:00 to 14:30 and the panoramic vehicles run until 15:30–16:00. If you enter late, you may be left without transport to return. Check the season's hours on the park website.

Tickets and price

It is included in the general ticket, with day and time slot. In 2026 an adult pays €23 in April, May and October and €40 from June to September (€25 after 16:00, or after 15:00 in September, although at that hour you do not have time to do C). Under-7s do not pay; ages 7 to 18, €6 to €15. The online purchase cannot be changed or refunded.

Getting there and parking

Entrance 1 is next to the D1. The car park is paid on leaving, by the hour: with 5 or 6 hours inside, allow €10–12 in summer. The Zagreb to Zadar and Split buses stop next to the entrance and there is free left-luggage.

Water, food and rests

It is 8 km and several hours inside: carry water and something to eat in your rucksack. For a coffee and something sweet, the park has Kozjak Caffe & Pastry; ask at the entrance where it is in relation to your route. On leaving, Lička kuća, opposite Entrance 1, serves Lika cooking.

With children or a dog

With children who already walk well it is manageable, because the boat and train split the day. With a pushchair, no: there are steps and narrow boardwalks. Dogs may go, on a lead along the whole route. Swimming is banned in the whole park.

If you prefer to start at the top and finish at the Great Waterfall, programme H does a similar route from Entrance 2.