Drive Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes, stop one night, then drive to Mostar?
Sep 6th, 2009, 12:20 PM
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Drive Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes, stop one night, then drive to Mostar?
The plan is to stay in Zagreb the night before, rent a car (driving solo) early the next morning, drive to Plitvice Lakes, spend 3-4 hours (which I understand is plenty of time), and drive toward Zadar and Split, stop somewhere in that area overnight, then drive on down and over to Mostar the next day. This on a Sunday-Monday in early October.
Google Maps suggests that's about 7.5 hours total driving (probably optimistic) split up over two days; maybe in reality it's about 9 hours with border crossings and such. Does that sound about right?
Where's the most convenient place to stop over between Plitvice and Mostar? I'm willing to call this a "rest" night and look for a place that is comfortable and not expensive, in a town that has at least some basic services. I'll be swinging back up to Split later in my trip so I don't need to stop there during this drive.
Any potential pitfalls about this journey? Suggestions?
Google Maps suggests that's about 7.5 hours total driving (probably optimistic) split up over two days; maybe in reality it's about 9 hours with border crossings and such. Does that sound about right?
Where's the most convenient place to stop over between Plitvice and Mostar? I'm willing to call this a "rest" night and look for a place that is comfortable and not expensive, in a town that has at least some basic services. I'll be swinging back up to Split later in my trip so I don't need to stop there during this drive.
Any potential pitfalls about this journey? Suggestions?
Sep 6th, 2009, 03:25 PM
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This is just a suggestion for you. I would prefer to drive from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes,then walk around the lakes and stay the night in Plitvice. The next day drive,early dep,to Mostar. I dont see the need to drive to Split then to Mostar if you are going back to Split.
We spent about 6 hours walking everywhere in the lakes. Not taking the boats or shuttles. I guess the crowds may be less in October,but by midday it was packed in early September.
Otherwise if you wish to drive to Mostar from Plitvice you could stay in Bihac.
The border crossings were very quick,apart from Slovenia/Croatia. They basically waved us through in Bosnia.
Your driving time may increase with trucks,caravans and tourist busses,so allow for that.
We spent about 6 hours walking everywhere in the lakes. Not taking the boats or shuttles. I guess the crowds may be less in October,but by midday it was packed in early September.
Otherwise if you wish to drive to Mostar from Plitvice you could stay in Bihac.
The border crossings were very quick,apart from Slovenia/Croatia. They basically waved us through in Bosnia.
Your driving time may increase with trucks,caravans and tourist busses,so allow for that.
Sep 7th, 2009, 11:20 AM
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Thanks for the info. I can definitely see the merits in staying over at Plitvice after my visit there and doing rest of that long drive the next day. That way, I can take my time hiking (and taking pictures) and not worry about the drive afterward; if I'm tired from my hike I can take it easy that night.
But my understanding is that there's not much going on in the Plitvice area at night. After it gets dark, what is there to do in the area? I'll be traveling solo...
Rick Steves suggests something a little different: spend the morning and early afternoon seeing Zagreb, then drive to the park later in the day, stay overnight there, and get up early the next day and see the park before the crowds arrive, then drive on. I'd consider doing that, except I have to drive all the way to Mostar that same day or stop another night somewhere.
But my understanding is that there's not much going on in the Plitvice area at night. After it gets dark, what is there to do in the area? I'll be traveling solo...
Rick Steves suggests something a little different: spend the morning and early afternoon seeing Zagreb, then drive to the park later in the day, stay overnight there, and get up early the next day and see the park before the crowds arrive, then drive on. I'd consider doing that, except I have to drive all the way to Mostar that same day or stop another night somewhere.
Sep 8th, 2009, 08:44 AM
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Hi, Andrew -
The time it takes to see Plitvice Lakes varies from person to person. The guides there will help plan a route for 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, or 8 hours (or more). The shorter routes take you only to a few of the highlights; the longer routes leave time for exploring more of the different settings that make up this magnificent park. I spent about 6 hours there and could easily have spent much, much longer.
I agree with huddoshols that it might make sense to consider spending the night in Plitvice and then driving from there to Mostar. If there is much of a night-life scene in Plitvice, I don't know about it, but I enjoyed having a delicious meal and just relaxing.
Hope that helps!
The time it takes to see Plitvice Lakes varies from person to person. The guides there will help plan a route for 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, or 8 hours (or more). The shorter routes take you only to a few of the highlights; the longer routes leave time for exploring more of the different settings that make up this magnificent park. I spent about 6 hours there and could easily have spent much, much longer.
I agree with huddoshols that it might make sense to consider spending the night in Plitvice and then driving from there to Mostar. If there is much of a night-life scene in Plitvice, I don't know about it, but I enjoyed having a delicious meal and just relaxing.
Hope that helps!
Sep 9th, 2009, 11:11 AM
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We were in that area in June. We spent the night at Plitvice and toured the park when it opened the next morning. We managed to get ahead of the crowds and walked pretty briskly, but with enough time for lots of photos. We skipped a short section at the top, but other than that saw everything. We left around 11 and drove to Mostar. It's a pretty long drive but push ahead and you can do it. Yes, it would be preferable to spend an entire day at Plitvice, but we had limited time in our itinerary and managed to squeeze it in. Glad we did.
Sep 9th, 2009, 01:38 PM
#8
"The Lakes are very overrated. Hated it actually."
Well, here's a vastly different opinion of Plitvice than the one above from my 2008 trip report:
"After breakfast, we rambled (there’s lots of rambling in national parks, as you can see) on a paved path about five minutes from the hotel to the actual entrance to the park, where we bought our tickets and waited for the shuttle to transport us to the Donja Jezera (Lower Lakes). I had read in Rick Steves’ book that it was best to start at the Lower Lakes, and although, as I have stated, I don’t follow his restaurant and hotel advice often, his tips on visiting tourist sites have, for the most part, been right on the mark. He didn’t fail us this time, either.
After a short tram ride, we began our hike, and the first views of Plitvice were breathtaking, to say the least. We overlooked a panorama of waterfalls and lakes, not to mention a hell of a lot of tourists walking on the boardwalks that wind through, around and over the lakes and falls.
After a short downhill hike, we saw the signs for Velicki Slap (not a Croatian wrestler, but meaning Big Waterfall), and we took the ten to fifteen minute detour to take pictures and experience the thunderous, cascading water.
The Velicki Slap is the tallest waterfall in Croatia. The numerous lakes are lined with wooden boardwalks with a twofold purpose: one to keep you on the path and away from any unexploded landmines (the first person killed in the war was a forest ranger at Plitvice) and also to preserve the delicate ecological balance of the park.
The Plitvice boardwalk system really is something to behold and something they would never allow in the litigious United States, since there were no rails to keep uncoordinated tourists from falling in. The lakes are incredibly pristine; so pristine that you are not even allowed to touch the water for fear of ruining the ecological balance (so you had better not fall in buddy!). Water in the turquoise lakes was so clear that the school of fish glistening in the afternoon sun were smiling (probably because they knew that they would not be dinner for any of the tourists).
At each and every turn, a new, incomparable vista awaited us with another series of waterfalls tumbling down into the gorgeous lakes. The more we walked, the more people we saw, but thankfully most were going the other way having started at the Upper Lakes, so thank you Mr. Steves for your recommendation.
I don’t have a clue how long it would normally take to navigate the Lower Lakes, because every minute or so one of us stopped to take another in a seemingly never-ending series of photographs. After going through the countless pictures we snapped, Kim and I agreed that even our best photographs could not capture the astonishing beauty that is Plitvice National Park.
When our walk through the Lower Lakes ended, we arrived at a lake that had picnic tables and a place to get some refreshments, including barbecue items that smelled tantalizing. We grabbed some water, and soon found ourselves transported by boat about twenty minutes across Jezero Kozjak (so beautiful that I didn’t even make a Telly Savalas joke) to the Gornja Jazera (Upper Lakes) region of the park.
The tranquility and serenity here is indescribable, and even though we were only half way through our journey at this amazing park, we all commented that Plitvice might be the most fantastic national park we had ever visited.
If possible, the Upper Lakes are even more beautiful than the Lower Lakes. “Unbelievable.” “Incredible.” “Remarkable.” “Stupendous.” You can go through a litany of possible adjectives, and I believe by the end of our hike every superlative known to mankind had been uttered not only by us but also by everyone we encountered on the trails of this wondrous park. Between the Buza Bar and Plitvice National Park, Croatia now had two of the most scenic spots on earth.
Our hike continued past where most tourists call it a day, and we were rewarded with even greater solitude and even grander views from above. Finally, the lakes and waterfalls became less and less prevalent, but by this time we were in “breathtaking scenery overload” mode.
At the end of the trail there was a sign explaining how the park was formed. Centuries ago there was a forested valley with a river running through it (actually, looking at a recent picture of Robert Redford, he might have been there). Over time, limestone was formed which broke off and caused the river to dam up and form the beautiful lakes and waterfalls that compose Plitivice. The unspoiled, white limestone lakes, submerged trees and schools of fish (not only are they happy fish, but educated, too) only add to the exceptional beauty.
We caught the bus back to where our day’s journey began, walked up to the hotel, showered and went out on the hotel balcony for cocktails (surprised?). We spent the late afternoon chatting with other guests on the beauty of this national park. Looking out onto the National Park, the four of us once again counted our lucky blessings for being so fortunate to experience a day like today."
We also loved Dubrovnik. Relax at the Buza Bar. have a great trip.
Well, here's a vastly different opinion of Plitvice than the one above from my 2008 trip report:
"After breakfast, we rambled (there’s lots of rambling in national parks, as you can see) on a paved path about five minutes from the hotel to the actual entrance to the park, where we bought our tickets and waited for the shuttle to transport us to the Donja Jezera (Lower Lakes). I had read in Rick Steves’ book that it was best to start at the Lower Lakes, and although, as I have stated, I don’t follow his restaurant and hotel advice often, his tips on visiting tourist sites have, for the most part, been right on the mark. He didn’t fail us this time, either.
After a short tram ride, we began our hike, and the first views of Plitvice were breathtaking, to say the least. We overlooked a panorama of waterfalls and lakes, not to mention a hell of a lot of tourists walking on the boardwalks that wind through, around and over the lakes and falls.
After a short downhill hike, we saw the signs for Velicki Slap (not a Croatian wrestler, but meaning Big Waterfall), and we took the ten to fifteen minute detour to take pictures and experience the thunderous, cascading water.
The Velicki Slap is the tallest waterfall in Croatia. The numerous lakes are lined with wooden boardwalks with a twofold purpose: one to keep you on the path and away from any unexploded landmines (the first person killed in the war was a forest ranger at Plitvice) and also to preserve the delicate ecological balance of the park.
The Plitvice boardwalk system really is something to behold and something they would never allow in the litigious United States, since there were no rails to keep uncoordinated tourists from falling in. The lakes are incredibly pristine; so pristine that you are not even allowed to touch the water for fear of ruining the ecological balance (so you had better not fall in buddy!). Water in the turquoise lakes was so clear that the school of fish glistening in the afternoon sun were smiling (probably because they knew that they would not be dinner for any of the tourists).
At each and every turn, a new, incomparable vista awaited us with another series of waterfalls tumbling down into the gorgeous lakes. The more we walked, the more people we saw, but thankfully most were going the other way having started at the Upper Lakes, so thank you Mr. Steves for your recommendation.
I don’t have a clue how long it would normally take to navigate the Lower Lakes, because every minute or so one of us stopped to take another in a seemingly never-ending series of photographs. After going through the countless pictures we snapped, Kim and I agreed that even our best photographs could not capture the astonishing beauty that is Plitvice National Park.
When our walk through the Lower Lakes ended, we arrived at a lake that had picnic tables and a place to get some refreshments, including barbecue items that smelled tantalizing. We grabbed some water, and soon found ourselves transported by boat about twenty minutes across Jezero Kozjak (so beautiful that I didn’t even make a Telly Savalas joke) to the Gornja Jazera (Upper Lakes) region of the park.
The tranquility and serenity here is indescribable, and even though we were only half way through our journey at this amazing park, we all commented that Plitvice might be the most fantastic national park we had ever visited.
If possible, the Upper Lakes are even more beautiful than the Lower Lakes. “Unbelievable.” “Incredible.” “Remarkable.” “Stupendous.” You can go through a litany of possible adjectives, and I believe by the end of our hike every superlative known to mankind had been uttered not only by us but also by everyone we encountered on the trails of this wondrous park. Between the Buza Bar and Plitvice National Park, Croatia now had two of the most scenic spots on earth.
Our hike continued past where most tourists call it a day, and we were rewarded with even greater solitude and even grander views from above. Finally, the lakes and waterfalls became less and less prevalent, but by this time we were in “breathtaking scenery overload” mode.
At the end of the trail there was a sign explaining how the park was formed. Centuries ago there was a forested valley with a river running through it (actually, looking at a recent picture of Robert Redford, he might have been there). Over time, limestone was formed which broke off and caused the river to dam up and form the beautiful lakes and waterfalls that compose Plitivice. The unspoiled, white limestone lakes, submerged trees and schools of fish (not only are they happy fish, but educated, too) only add to the exceptional beauty.
We caught the bus back to where our day’s journey began, walked up to the hotel, showered and went out on the hotel balcony for cocktails (surprised?). We spent the late afternoon chatting with other guests on the beauty of this national park. Looking out onto the National Park, the four of us once again counted our lucky blessings for being so fortunate to experience a day like today."
We also loved Dubrovnik. Relax at the Buza Bar. have a great trip.
Sep 9th, 2009, 02:08 PM
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We loved the Winnetou restaurant just up the road from Plitvice. Had a great dinner there. It was recommended by the owner of our sobe. Plitvice was way out of our way and it was a bit of a hassle getting there, but we liked it and were glad we saw it. Just depends on what you like.
Sep 9th, 2009, 02:53 PM
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Quoting from maitaitom with regard to the Plitvice Lakes: "the four of us once again counted our lucky blessings for being so fortunate to experience a day like today". I sure did, too!
I had an absolutely delicious meal at the Guest House Mukinja, where I spent the night.
I had an absolutely delicious meal at the Guest House Mukinja, where I spent the night.
Sep 11th, 2009, 07:06 AM
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The Lakes are gorgeous. We flew into Zagreb from the States, got our rental car at the airport, drove to the Lakes (exhausted from the flight, still not sure how we made it!), and hiked that afternoon. The hike was beautiful and invigorating and made the hours and hours (three flights!) of traveling worthwhile. And that was just Day 1 of the trip. We took somewhere between 100-200 photos. You'll love it. I think but am not sure if you are the same poster who is going to Ljubljana before Zagreb. If you are and if you like nature photography, you may also be interested in hiking the Vintgar Gorge which is a couple of miles from Lake Bled. The hike only takes 2-3 hours (the trick with time is getting there from Ljubljana) and is absolutely magical. We hiked it the last day of the trip that started with Plitvice and I loved it just as much.
Sep 11th, 2009, 07:28 AM
#12
I definitely second Cordelia's Vintgar Gorge selection. A nice surprise on our visit last year and can be incorporated with Bled on a day trip from Ljubljana or a few hour break from Bled if you stay there, which I also highly recommend.
Sep 11th, 2009, 07:44 AM
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Frenchwow: Being an old Yugoslavia and Plitvice fan from Tito's days (when the lakes were really rugged), I must say you are the first person to issue such utterly disparaging hatred for Plitvice (and Dubrovnik).
MaiTai....thanks for reissuing your excellent description for something that Frenchwow "hated"...she "hated" Dubrovnik, too....well, opinions are just opinions, that's what makes this forum I suppose.....but I've always felt tnat "hate" is rather a strong word which usually says something about the spewer.
stu t.
MaiTai....thanks for reissuing your excellent description for something that Frenchwow "hated"...she "hated" Dubrovnik, too....well, opinions are just opinions, that's what makes this forum I suppose.....but I've always felt tnat "hate" is rather a strong word which usually says something about the spewer.
stu t.
Sep 11th, 2009, 07:47 AM
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Andrew...my guess is that you will enjoy your visit to the park.....and do stay overnight before going on to Mostar. The border crossing is an easy one. We were fortunate enough to see the old bridge before it was destroyed (now totally rebuilt)..great photo ops in Plitvice and mostar..
stu
stu
Sep 11th, 2009, 08:09 AM
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Thanks everyone for your feedback; I have no doubts about visiting the lakes (or Dubrovnik!). I can't imagine driving from Zagreb to the lakes then on to Mostar on the same day. I'll stop somewhere in between...still haven't decided where! I'm leaning more and more toward the idea of coming late from Zagreb, spending the night at the lakes, then seeing them early the next morning (to avoid the crowds - and maybe better light for photographs!) then driving on all the way to Mostar. That sounds like a long drive, but suffrock did it...and I will have two nights in Mostar so a complete full day there, so that part wouldn't be rushed.
Sep 11th, 2009, 10:37 AM
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Hijack alert!!!(sorry Andrew, but seems like you're good to go)
Mai Tai...saw that you and Trace flew Air Tahiti... we've scheduled the same for October..using AA miles...clean way to go nonstop to CDG from LAX...leg room in steerage??? I believe it's an AirBus 340.
Stu
Mai Tai...saw that you and Trace flew Air Tahiti... we've scheduled the same for October..using AA miles...clean way to go nonstop to CDG from LAX...leg room in steerage??? I believe it's an AirBus 340.
Stu
Sep 11th, 2009, 10:48 AM
#18
Andrew is already dreaming about the Buza Bar!!!
Yes, there seemed to be more room in the cattle car area of Air Tahiti Nui. Liked the airline. Good food and pleasant service. Hope it still is.
Yes, there seemed to be more room in the cattle car area of Air Tahiti Nui. Liked the airline. Good food and pleasant service. Hope it still is.
Sep 11th, 2009, 01:14 PM
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not that it matters. It was a cold, miserable and very slippery day at the lake.2 nights there too many. Granted if you are a major nature person and hiker-fine. I am not. waterfalls not that impressive.
as for Dubrovnik-full of tour ships. Yes, dramatic entrance into the old town-fine for a day-not more.
Split in the other hand-has the old charming town + the promenade+a small beach+very good restaurants....
as for Dubrovnik-full of tour ships. Yes, dramatic entrance into the old town-fine for a day-not more.
Split in the other hand-has the old charming town + the promenade+a small beach+very good restaurants....
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