In recent years, we have made it a tradition to include a short European stopover on our trips between the U.S. and India. This time, our journey led us to Croatia, with the highlight being a visit to Plitvice Lakes.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is often ranked among the top 10 national parks in the world and holds the distinction of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The park is located about 2½ hours from Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. We joined a guided group tour to explore this remarkable park. As its name suggests, Plitvice features a series of lakes (16 in total) arranged at different elevations and connected by a network of waterfalls, making it truly unique.

We chose Trail C, an 8 km route that begins with a brief boat ride across the lake to Station 2 (St2). From there, the hike wound through lush forests, alongside turquoise lakes and countless cascades. The trail was moderately inclined, but the wooden boardwalks gave it a rustic charm and made the walk enjoyable.

Reaching the top at Station 3 (St3), we caught a shuttle bus back, though there was about a half-hour wait to board. The bus dropped us at Station 1 (St1), where we descended into the canyon. This final stretch, a shorter hike of around 30 minutes, offered several excellent viewpoints of the park’s famous “Big Waterfall.”

Our tour concluded near the main entrance, where we enjoyed lunch at a restaurant that even offered vegan options. Some fellow travelers used the break to venture closer to the canyon floor for photos at the base of the falls.

After the park visit, the group split into 2 groups —some continued south toward Split city (a 3½-hour drive), while others returned to Zagreb.