Plitvice Lakes: Exquisite Beauty
Croatia | December 11, 2010 | 1 CommentPlitvice Lakes National Park is located in the city of Zagreb and Zadar in Croatia. The place was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in late seventies. Famous for its natural beauty, it is Croatia’s most visited tourist attraction. Surrounded by mountains, this region is made up of dolomite and limestone. It is the first National park of Croatia. The area covered by this Park is largest among the eight National Parks of Croatia.
The natural splendor of Plitvice Lakes can be seen in the sixteen lakes that have the distinction of ever-changing colors of their water. Depending upon the constituent mineral and direction of the lakes with respect to the sunlight, these water bodies are endowed with a variety of colors like turquoise, blue, green etc.
The lakes are separated from each other by waterfalls. Plitvice Lakes are made up of travertine which is formed by the precipitation of limestone on hot springs. Different shades of travertine impart various auras to the environment. These structures act as natural dams for waterfalls. The lakes are divided into upper and lower ones and fall from a height ranging between 500 m to 640 m. The upper and lower lakes are known by the names “gornja jezera” and “donja jezera” respectively. These water bodies cover an area of more than 1.5 kilometer square. Some of the lakes that fall from the highest points are Prošcansko jezero, Ciginovac, and Okrugljak. The natural formation of travertine over years has granted this place the special importance.
The path going from lower to upper lakes gives a picturesque view of the outstanding scenery. Big Waterfall is located near lower waterfalls; it leads one to Supljara caverns. This place forms the background of various movie-shots in European countries. Plitvice Lakes National Park is known for its vivid scenes and beautiful imagery. The place abounds in wild animals like beers, cats, lynxes etc. More than 100 bird species are found here and about 70 of them are known for breeding.
The splendor of Piltvice Lakes has made it a favorite tourists’ attraction. Thousands of tourists travel to this place to have a look at nature’s charismatic beauty. The park is open throughout the year though longer hours are available during summer. A guided tour of about 3 hours can be taken if one wants to have a close experience with the natural surroundings. Hiking, cycling, boating etc. can be enjoyed in this marvelous place. The mesmerizing beauty of Plitvice Lakes gives an opportunity for a visitor to have a wonderful time here. There are a plethora of restaurants, picnic spots, and gift shops for the tourists to spend some quality time in the Park.
Accommodations can be possible with in the Park as there are 3 hotels that provide such facilities. Beautiful bungalows can also be booked in the campsite. Private accommodations can be arranged in the towns in the vicinity. The Park is accessible by bus and can be reached through the road connecting Zagreb and coast of Adriatic.
Save to delicious
Stumble it
I think the amazing colors and network of water falls that connects each of the lakes. Just a beautiful natural wonder.