Plitvice Lakes tours: guided visits and day trips
There are three ways to see the lakes. You can walk a program on your own, you can book a guide for an organized group, or you can join a day trip sold by an operator in a city such as Zagreb or Split. The tours listed below come from different operators, and what they include differs from product to product.
The park offers a guide for organized groups of 15 or more people, reserved in advance. The 2026 prices are for the guiding service, not per person and not a transfer package. A guide is never required to enter: the programs are marked, and you can follow them yourself.
Our picks: Plitvice tours
Our take: the Zagreb tour adds Rastoke and includes entry; the Zadar trip has guide, boat and train with entry paid on the day; the local full-day walk starts at the park with a flexible time.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Plitvice and Rastoke guided tour with ticket
- Park entry ticket
- Licensed guide
- Stop in Rastoke
Park entry, a licensed English-speaking guide, the boat across Kozjak and a stop in Rastoke. From November to March the boat and train may not run.
Check availability →
Plitvice day trip from Zadar with guide and boat
- Coach from Zadar
- Guide
- Boat and train
Coach transport, a guide, the electric boat and the train. Park entry is extra and paid in cash on the day.
Check availability →
Plitvice full-day walk with a local guide
- Local guide
- Flexible start time
- Small group or private
A local guide with a flexible start time, viewpoints and breaks, as a small group or private. Park entry is extra, 10 to 40 euros by season.
Check availability →Plitvice Lakes tours and day trips
Guided visits and day trips to Plitvice Lakes, with live prices and availability. Check whether the park entrance ticket is included before you book.
Three ways to visit compared
What you arrange yourself and what a price covers in each case.
| Option | Who it suits | What you arrange | Price basis in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-guided visit | Individuals, couples and families | Buy a ticket with a time slot, pick a program, follow the markings | Adult day ticket €10 to €40, by season |
| Park guide | Organized groups of 15 or more | Reserve the guide in advance with the park administration; tickets are separate | €120 half day, €170 full day, per guided visit |
| Day trip with an operator | Visitors who want transport and a plan arranged | Check what is included: entry ticket, transfer, guide, return time | See the listings above |
For most small parties, a self-guided visit with a time-slot ticket is enough, because the programs are marked and the boat and the panoramic vehicle are part of the ticket. A guide fits an organized group of 15 or more. A day trip suits visitors who do not want to organize the bus or car themselves. Prices for tickets are on the tickets page.
The park guide for groups
The guide service is meant for groups, not for single visitors. The 2026 conditions are:
- Group size: for organized groups of 15 or more people. One guide leads at most 50 people.
- Languages: Croatian, English, Italian and Spanish.
- Booking: reserve the guide in advance with the park administration.
- Half day: up to 4 hours, €120 per guided visit.
- Full day: 5 to 6 hours, €170 per guided visit.
- Cancellation: within 24 hours of the start, 50 percent of the agreed guide fee is due. If nobody turns up, the full guide price is due.
The price covers the guiding. It is not a per-person ticket, so every member of the group still needs an entry ticket. The guide is not a transport package from a city either.
What to check before you book a day trip
The same words can mean different things in different offers.
Is the park ticket included?
Some offers add the entry ticket, others sell only the transport or the guide. The ticket costs between €10 and €40 per adult depending on the season, so the difference matters.
Ticket prices →Which entrance and which program?
The entrance decides your route. Programs A, B and C start at Entrance 1, programs E, F and H at Entrance 2. Ask which one the tour uses.
Entrance 1 or 2 →How much time do you get in the park?
A bus from Zagreb takes about 2 h 30 min and from Split at least 3 h 30 min. A day trip needs time for that journey twice, so check the return time against the program you want.
From Zagreb →Language and cancellation
Check the guide language and the cancellation terms. Park programs with boat or panoramic vehicle depend on the schedule, so ask what happens if the weather or the timetable changes.
From Split →Visiting without a guide
You do not need a guide to enter the park. Buy a ticket for a time slot, choose a program and follow the markings. The programs run from 2 to 3 hours on foot (program A) to 6 to 8 hours for the big walks K1 and K2. The boat across Lake Kozjak and the panoramic vehicle belong to the programs that use them. See hiking routes for lengths and durations.
The same rules apply to everyone, with or without a guide: swimming is banned, animals must not be fed, you stay on the marked paths and drones are not allowed.
Plitvice Lakes tours: frequently asked questions
Do I need a guide at Plitvice Lakes?
No. The programs are marked and you can follow them yourself. A guide is optional and the park offers one for organized groups of 15 or more.
How much does a guide cost in 2026?
€120 for a half day of up to 4 hours and €170 for a full day of 5 to 6 hours. The price is for the guided visit of a group, not per person. Entry tickets are separate.
In which languages is the park guide available?
The guide works in Croatian, English, Italian or Spanish. Reserve the guide in advance with the park administration and state the language you need.
Does a day trip include the entry ticket?
It depends on the offer. Some include it, others do not. Read the description of each tour before you pay, and compare with the ticket prices.
What if I cancel a guided visit at short notice?
Within 24 hours before the start, 50 percent of the agreed guide fee is due. If the group does not show up, the full price is due.
Is this site run by the park or by a tour operator?
No. This is an independent guide with no connection to the park administration, the Croatian National Tourist Board or any tour operator. Tours listed here are offered by separate operators.