From Split: Self-Guided Plitvice Lakes Day Tour with Boat Ride
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Split, Croatia
- 12 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Avoid the crowds and take in the beauty of the cascading waterfalls and dramatic landscapes during this train ride through the Plitvice Lakes. Depart from Split in the morning for a scenic drive through the Croatian countryside. Enjoy listening to interesting facts long the way, and take time to explore at your own pace as you traverse both the upper and lower lakes.
- Enjoy dramatic scenery and cascading waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park
- Make the most of your time with this full day tour from Split with round-trip bus transfers
- Admire the national park with either a panoramic boat ride or electric train ride
- Hear some interesting facts as you drive around the countryside from your guide
What's Included
- Transportation by bus or van
- Panoramic boat ride
- Electric train ride
- Entry tickets to the National park (if option not selected)
- Guide
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- BookerMarulićeva ul. 4, 21000, Split, Croatia
Meet your guide at Marulićeva ul. 4. (Booker Travel Agency office). Please enter the office, where you will be checked in and greeted by your tour guide (it is necessary to arrive at the meeting point 15 min before the start of the tour).
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.7:30 am
Itinerary
1
Plitvice Lakes National Park
4 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 403 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Highly recommend this tour. We opted for the self guided tour and found it just enough time to spend at the park. Communication and transport was very organized, and our guide Sanja was amazing! Although the group was large, she was very friendly and attentive, and gave us a lot of information along the way. Thank you Sanja!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your nice words about our tour, we appreciate it. We are happy to hear that you liked our dear guide Sanja and her guidance. We wish to see you again on one of our other tours!
Kind regards,
Booker team
Plitvice lakes boasts an incredibly beautiful experience: from stunning waterfalls to crystal clear idyllic lakes, this walk is well worth the trip! My partner and I took the self guided tour, and we were the only ones to do so from our group, a decision we were a bit nervous about at first but later were very happy we made…
Positives
+ All of the staff at Booker are amazing, if you appreciate being led by a chatty, charismatic local guide, then the guided tour may suit you better.
+ As mentioned before the lakes are stunning, can’t fault them at all, a perfect setting for a day out with a partner, family, or friends.
+ Travel is well organised, clearly explained, well air-conditioned and fairly manageable even for those who don’t like travelling - the just under 3 hour journey there and back is split by a break in the middle, and the Croatian countryside views alone are gorgeous.
+ Even though we were the only ones of around 40 to take the self guided tour, we certainly did not feel left out and were taken care of every step of the way. If you are hesitant to take the self guided tour because you are afraid to get lost, or don’t want to have to navigate yourself, DONT BE! Your guide will explain everything very clearly, and the paths are very obvious when you’re there. Even if you were to get lost, your guide is only one call or text away to help you immediately.
Negatives
-The walk may be a little challenging for some… Half of the walk is an easy stroll through vibrant valleys of turquoise lakes, and the other half is walking up and down the hilly terrain - if you struggle with mobility, this walk may not be for you, but is very manageable for the average person.
- Pretty unavoidable for a place as beautiful as this but the queues at certain areas can be a little frustrating, particularly at the boat and “train” rides. When we arrived, our first stop was the train ride up, and unfortunately we had to wait almost an hour there for it, which is particularly annoying after a 3 hour journey to get there in the first place!
- This didn’t affect us as we went at our own pace, but we heard from a few, and read in other reviews that the tour can feel a little rushed. At the beginning of the journey when we were with the group, we also felt a little restricted as we just wanted to get going! If you are like us and just want to storm ahead to experience as much as possible at your own pace we would highly recommend self guided.
Things to note
! Bring your own drinks, my partner and I brought a bottle of water each and even that wasn’t enough for the two of us: the stretches of walk between stops is quite lengthy, and there isn’t any fill up points along the way, so make sure to be well stocked and stay hydrated particularly if you are going in the heat.
! Not as important but the same goes for food, the cafe that you can access halfway into your walk doesn’t have to be greatest selection of food and the queues are a bit long. If you are guided, you won’t be stopping there for long so a wait in the queue and a toilet break will probably result in you throwing your food down you like there’s no tomorrow!
Summary
All in all, the plitvice lakes experience is incredible, and is definitely worth the time, money, and effort. Do not be discouraged to go on your own adventure, we found it far better this way, but if you like the company of a big group and the wisdom of a friendly guide then choose guided.
A big thank you to all the booker staff, particularly George (our driver) and Larry (our tour guide) for providing us with an unforgettable experience!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review! We’re absolutely delighted to hear that you had an unforgettable experience at Plitvice Lakes and that you enjoyed the freedom of choosing the self-guided option.
It’s wonderful to know that our team made you feel well looked after throughout the day, even though you were the only ones in your group who chose the self-guided option. We’re especially happy to hear that George and Larry helped make your experience a memorable one — we’ll definitely pass your kind words on to them!
We also really appreciate your detailed tips for future travelers. Staying hydrated and bringing some snacks is definitely a great idea, especially during the warmer months.
Regarding the queues and crowds, Plitvice Lakes is an extremely popular national park, particularly during peak season, so waiting times at certain points can unfortunately be unavoidable and are outside of our control. The same applies to the park’s facilities, visitor numbers and internal transportation.
We’re also glad you mentioned both options. We always want our guests to choose the experience that suits them best — whether that means enjoying the knowledge and company of a guide or exploring independently at their own pace.
Thank you once again for choosing Booker Travel and for recommending us so warmly. We hope to welcome you back to Croatia for another adventure in the future!
Excellent tour with Booker, and Sanja was an exceptional tour guide. Everything was well organized, and the drive was very comfortable on a modern coach. Sanja provided quite a bit of information, both about Plitvice Lakes National Park and Split/Croatia in general. She was friendly, professional, and energetic throughout the day!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thanks for sharing your positive review of our tour. Feedback like yours gives us the motivation to continue developing and growing as a company. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the company of our dear guide Sanja as well!
Kind regards,
Booker Team
It seems like a long drive, but it actually was not bad at all. We saw most of the park and our guide Sanja was excellent!! She was very fun and enthusiastic and kept the group engaged with lots of interesting facts about the park and Croatia in general. The waterfalls and trails were so gorgeous and it's a very manageable day trip from Split.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Sana,
Thank you for your nice words about our tour, we appreciate it. We are happy to hear that you liked our dear guide Sanja and her guidance. We wish to see you again on one of our other tours!
Kind regards,
Booker team
It’s a very worthwhile tour. We really enjoyed Sanja. She did a wonderful job. We would recommend this tour. One of the highlights of our time in Croatia.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Rose,
Thank you for taking the time to write us such a nice review. We are glad that you had a wonderful day. Thank you for the kind words for our guide Sanja.
Kind regards,
Booker team
This tour is a race through the park to get to the end by 3:30 or 4pm. There were at least 10 of us (that I spoke with) who would have liked a slower pace. It felt like I had to run to keep up with the guide, whose primary responsibility once we were in the park seemed to be to keep us on a rapid pace.
The park itself is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. It would have been great to have 10 minutes to sit somewhere to observe a waterfall or two.
Back in time for dinner reservations, but I'd so much prefer an extra hour in the park (getting a sandwich to eat on the bus).
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you very much for your detailed feedback.
We are glad to hear you enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of Krka National Park. We understand your wish for a slower pace and more time to relax and take in the surroundings. Our tours are carefully timed to ensure we cover all highlights and return on schedule, especially considering other guests and logistical factors.
We appreciate your suggestion and will take it into consideration to improve future experiences.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts, and we hope to welcome you on another tour.
Kind regards,
Booker team
The national park is truly beautiful, but I can imagine in summer it gets very crowded! The bus journey is long but worth it. It would have been better if the directions for non-guided visitors were a bit clearer at the start, but overall it was a good day
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to hear you enjoyed the beauty of the national park and found the trip worthwhile despite the long bus journey. We appreciate your suggestion regarding clearer directions for non-guided visitors and will consider this to improve the experience. Overall, we are happy you had a good day.
Kind regards,
Booker team
This was a well organized tour and the guide was hilarious!! Very entertaining and informative. The waterfalls were so spectacular and the walk though the park was beautiful. I am so happy to have visited!
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review! We truly appreciate your kind words and are thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our tour! Your support and recommendation mean a lot to us. We look forward to seeing you again in the future and exceeding your expectations.
Warm regards,
Booker Team
Nice trip with Lorenzo. He is very funny and on the trip on the bus, he mentions a lot of fun and interesting facts about Croatia, etc.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Dear Caetn,
Thank you for leaving us your impressions. We are glad that you had a great time with our dear guide Lovro.
Kind regards,
Booker team
Klara is an amazing guide, very professional and funny. The parc and the lakes are so beautiful it was a perfect day.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback about our tour. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed our tour , and we’ll make sure that Klara receives the recognition she deserves. We hope to see you sometime again!
Best regards,
Booker Team
Such a great experience ! The lakes were beautiful and we were so lucky to have had Sandra as our guide, she was absolutely amazing !!!
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Dear Siena,
We are glad that you had an enjoyable trip with the company of our guide, Sandra. Thank you for taking the time to write a nice review for us. Have a lovely stay in Split!
Kind regards,
Booker team
Our tour was supposed to start at 7.30am and again changed to an earlier start which meant leaving our hotel at 6.30am to get to meeting point. Our guide Vice didn’t seem over enthusiastic and helpful he spent a lot of time on his phone. The coach was clean and comfortable but the journey was extremely long and not at all entertaining ☹️😴. We was dreading the return journey back to Split. I think the whole journey in total was 7 hours way too long. Our guide Vice arranged when we got there we all traveled to top by train as a group then when we reached the top us being the green bands (Economy) was left to do the tour by ourselves which we expected but did feel like we was totally outsiders as the guide stayed with the pink bands group he gave the tour. All though he kept in touch with WhatsApp for the meeting at the end. I feel we might as well have done this trip so much cheaper and got a bus to Plitvice from Split bus station (very cheap) bought our entry at the the Plitvice Lakes would have been the very same experience as we still would have been on our own and it would have cost a lot cheaper. Plitvice Lakes are naturally beautiful but would I do it again. NO!
Response from Host, Jun 2022
Dear,
thank you for your feedback and for the trust given. We are sorry to hear that our tour didn't meet your expectations and that you felt left out from the group. Considering many of our guests like to explore the park on their own, as a part of our offer, we have the unguided tour, which gives you free time inside the park while the guide does the tour with guests who have booked a guided tour. Had you let us know earlier that you would like to join the rest of the group, our guide would be happy to have you. We do hope we will get a chance to see you sometime again in the future on one of our other tours so that we could justify the trust you gave us.
Kind regards,
Booker team
Do not let the word economy put you off!
The 3 hours coach nearly put me off this tour also, but i am so glad we did not let it. The lakes and waterfalls are fantastic
Our tour guide messaged us on WhatsApp to confirm pick up point. We took a couple of sandwiches with us as advised there could be long queues at the lakes but there was a highway service station stop on the way there and on the way back that you could get coffee and food from. We never used the lakes cafe except to get coffee and cold drinks
The walking tour takes in some breath taking scenery and the guide was very knowledgeable and took loads of photos for us.
Response from Host, May 2022
Dear,
Thank you for joining our tour and giving us your trust. It really makes our efforts worthwhile. We hope to see you again on one of our future tours.
Kind regards,
Booker team
Breathtaking scenery, truly a once in a lifetime trip. Perfect to add a little romance to your Split holiday. Our tour guide (Vice) was the cherry on top. He was informative and friendly! Couldn't recommend enough.
Response from Host, May 2022
Dear,
Thank you for your positive feedback. We hope to see you again sometimes on one of our future tours.
Kind regards,
Booker team
excursion worse than a marathon, we had to walk 6 kilometers without being able to enjoy the scenery, impossible to take photos or eat or drink,
a guide who ran non-stop, we were only able to eat a snack around 3:30 PM and the worst part is I had to pay 20 euros again because I only had the audio guide
I returned exhausted and stressed without having been able to enjoy anything because we had to do worse than a marathon for fear of losing track of the guide
The driver and the guide were nice; regarding the organization, all of this must be specified in the excursion description, namely that there is a 6-kilometer walk.
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Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the pace and organization of the tour did not meet your expectations.
We would like to clarify that the walking route through the park is approximately 6 km and that this information is provided in the tour description and in the instructions sent to guests before the excursion. The itinerary is designed to allow guests to see the main highlights of the park within the available time, which is why the group needs to follow a certain pace.
We’re also sorry that you felt you didn’t have enough time to stop for photos, food, or drinks.
Kind regards,
Booker Team
Incroyable excursion aux cascades de plitvice! Le temps n’était pas de la partie malheureusement mais le paysage restait tout de même magnifique
Nous remercions infiniment Klara notre guide qui a fait en sorte que notre journée soit inoubliable et c’était reussi
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Dear,
thank you for your positive feedback. We are glad to hear that despite the weather you liked our Tour as well as our dear guide Klara! Hope to see you again!
Kind regards,
Booker Team
Trajet et visite très agréable en compagnie de notre guide Sandra! Elle est exceptionnelle (même si elle n'a pas regarder game of thrones).
Response from Host, Sep 2022
Dear Jeferson,
we are happy to hear that you had a lovely time at Plitvice. Thank you for taking couple of minutes to write a review, we appreciate it.
All the best,
Booker Team
Member Pricing
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$56.01
per personWas $58.96(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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