Falling for Plitvica

Wow.

Just wow.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew Plitvica was famous for its waterfalls, and had seen a few photos, but it's one of those places you need to experience for yourself to truly appreciate.

Carlos, owner of the lodge we were staying at, advised us to walk the falls in a clockwise direction. This would take us past three lookouts, down to the Big Falls, across to the other side, up to a rest area, then onto a train to the north-west end of the lakes. From there we'd walk back to near the middle of the lakes and catch the ferry to the tourist centre down the road from the lodge.

The day started ominously, with grey skies, a light drizzling rain, and indication it would clear anytime today. Great.

On the plus side the walk towards the falls was gorgeous. It's autumn, and the forest floor was carpeted with orange and red leaves.

We made it to the first lookout, and the view was impressive. Not bad at all.

It just got better over the course of the day.

In retrospect the light rain was a good thing. It kept us cool during the most physically demanding part of the day, the walk down the carved stairs to the bottom of the canyon to the Big Falls - whch were literally breath-taking after a 20 minute walk - and up the switchbacks on the other side. 

At the rest area we caught the "train" (more of an articulated bus, which explained the absence of tracks) to the start of the falls. Especially fun when the driver took a corner way too fast, in true Croatian style, and the wheels of the last carriage juddered towards the edge. 

"Due to the rain" he said. Yeah, right.

Anyhow, this was the real payoff. From the top to the end there are four lakes, with twelve sets of drops not counting the river that feeds into the Big Falls. It looks like the entire system was designed by a team of one hundred of the world's best landscape gardeners. Waterfalls and creeks and ducks and trees and fish and mushrooms and more waterfalls. 

All of it natural, apart from the wooden pathway winding back and forth across the valley floor. One of the most spectacular nature walks I've ever done. I understand why UNESCO declared it a natural wonder.

We spent something like eight hours walking through the park. It was exhilarating. Exhausting, which is why I was grateful for the final leg being on a ferry across the lake, but exhilarating. 

Emma commented she could have done it all over again the next day. I agreed, and I'm sure Anna and Mario would too. We weren't able to do it again due to time constraints, but we are planning to come back in a few years, next time in spring.

We were half asleep by dinner time, but not so sleepy we forgot to ask the waiter for the recipe for the black bread we'd had the previous night.

By 9pm we collapsed. It would have been a perfect day apart from that damn mosquito...