Plitvice in autumn
In the spring, the idea came up to take a trip to Plitvice, and now we finally managed to organize the excursion.
It turned into a family trip and it went very well. I wouldn’t say that the one-day version is the most relaxing, but as a first reconnaissance, it worked. I’m quite sure I’ll go back there to take more photos. But let’s start from the beginning. I set the alarm for a quarter to 3, went to bed around 9 the previous evening. Despite the early wake-up, I wasn’t too tired, but I did manage to forget my ID, which resulted in a pointless 20-minute detour, but at least it didn’t happen at the border. We made good progress, especially when we reached the Croatian highway. After that, there were only about 80 km left out of the 360, but by then I was tired, so I handed over the wheel and took a rest before the all-day hike.
We chose entrance number two because we wanted to take the H route. We parked the car, bought tickets, walked across the bridge over the road, and boarded the bus that operates within the park. Shortly after, the fun began! The first stop was Prošćansko Lake:
There was only a wooden path along one edge of this lake. Even at this point, I knew we were in for a beautiful day. The water of the lake was so clear that I had never seen anything like it in person. We walked about 100 meters along the lake and then continued through a small wooded area to the next one. Unfortunately and fortunately, it is forbidden to leave the designated path in most cases, according to the signs placed around. Unfortunately, because this makes it harder to find the best perspectives for photography; fortunately, because it keeps people from spoiling this gem of nature. Despite this, there are still some assholes who throw their cigarette butts and various trash around, but it’s still one of the most beautiful, cleanest places I’ve ever been. The next stop is Okrugljak Veliko Lake: Here was the first major waterfall:
The path led along the hillside, so it was very difficult to find a suitable spot due to the overhanging trees. But at one point, I noticed a well-trodden area on the hillside without any prohibition signs. So, I climbed up a bit and found a perfect spot where I could take photos to my heart’s content. Nearby, there was also this:
Somewhere around here, I was told that we were moving very slowly and there was still a lot left to cover. I knew it was impossible to photograph everything I wanted, so I pulled myself together and tried to pick up the pace. Once again, I was amazed at how clear the water was, simply incredible:
We continued to the next path leading to Galovac Lake:
You could already hear that something significant was coming up. And it was true; the largest waterfall of the upper lakes followed. I didn’t take a photo that captured the entire waterfall. The wind brought a dense spray of water, which continuously landed on the front lens. The sun was above the waterfall, putting me in full backlight, and I could only take a good picture from the wooden path if it weren’t for the constant tourist groups walking along it. Because of this, I had to set up the tripod in the water to keep it steady. I still managed to take some photos, but I focused more on a detail:
I had never seen such an impressive waterfall before, but time was passing, so I moved on. My little family was sometimes ahead of me, sometimes behind me, depending on how much time I spent photographing at each spot. Not long after, we reached Kozjak Lake, where we boarded a boat and took a breather while crossing to the other side. Meanwhile, these photos were taken:
On the other side, there was a large meadow with many benches, lots of people, and a café. I replenished my energy here, ran into a colleague, and then we continued on towards the next series of waterfalls:
In this section, we should have stopped at several places, as there were many missed opportunities and unphotographed spots. Most of these were located directly beneath or beside the wooden path, and we were too many people with too little time. So, for example, the cave was missed. This was probably taken near Lake Milanovac, but as I check the map and pictures online, I might not be naming it correctly. From here, we continued towards the largest waterfall:
I don’t think the picture conveys the scale of the 78-meter-high waterfall. But in person, it was an incredibly impressive sight. I had a great time enjoying the view, then started heading upwards. Along the way, I ran into a former colleague, PG, and his girlfriend. What a small world 
I took two more shots just because the view from above also looked great:
We slowly made our way to the bus terminal. We were quite lucky because we didn’t check the schedule for the last bus and managed to catch it at 6 PM, if I remember correctly. We got back to the bus departure point, took a short walk to the car, and headed home. On the way back, I started with a bit of rest, then took over the driving.
We had a small mishap near Zagreb when we missed our turn. We drove around for about an hour before a local guy gave us directions. Before reaching the border, I hit a low point, feeling extremely tired and wishing I could just collapse into bed. The 32 kilometers before Barcs felt like they would never end. But I managed to push through, and we finally got home by 1 AM.
It was beautiful! Without a doubt, I’ll be coming back to photograph and hike here again. However, it’s clear that the next trip will be at least two days, if not three. The early departure and late return were quite intense this time. Two days would be more comfortable, with the first day dedicated to the upper lakes and the second day to the lower lakes. After this adventure, I believe this approach would work better, especially for someone as determined to photograph every corner as I am. It’s decided, I need to visit in winter, spring, and summer to see the place in all its seasons. It was amazing!