Great Falls (Veliki Slap), Croatia

Quick Facts

---

Accessibility: From start of hike: 10/10 (easy); To reach the base: 7/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 285′ / 87 m
Length of Hike: 0-1 mile / 0-1.6 km round-trip

The Record

---

Plitvice Lakes National Park is honestly a masterpiece of nature. The main focus of the Lower Lakes is most likely Veliki Slap, or the Great Falls. Standing at 285 feet, it is the highest waterfall in Croatia and serves as the dramatic centerpiece of the trail. What makes this landmark so captivating is the variety of perspectives it offers. You begin the journey with a breathtaking panoramic view, where the falls look grand even from afar. After hiking down to river level and navigating the iconic wooden boardwalks across the turquoise water, you eventually find yourself at the very base of the falls, feeling the sheer power and mist of the plummeting water up close.

Visiting in early March offers a completely different experience than the crowded summer months, characterized by a serene, wintry atmosphere. Non-summer months have a significantly lower entry fee compared to the peak summer rates. However, it’s a trade-off. while the park is quieter, not all sections or trails are accessible due to snow or maintenance. During our trek, the boardwalks were a bit icy, and required careful footing.

Despite the chilly conditions, we successfully completed the loop to take in the surrounding cascades before heading toward the shuttle boat. These boats ferry visitors across Lake Kozjak, linking the Lower and Upper Lakes, along with the parking areas. We arrived later in the day and were able to complete the loops within 2-3 hours.

Directions

---

1. Set your GPS to Plitvice Lakes National Park. It’s on Road D429, is rather winding, and you could be approaching from any direction. Getting there isn’t the “difficult” part…it’s which parking lot to choose.
2. To view and/or reach Veliki Slap, the quickest approach is to go to the Parking Area for Entrance 1. Entrance 1 is further to the north along D429, and is on the other side of the road from the entrance.
3. If you park at Entrance 1, you can walk on a pedestrian bridge over the road to Entrance 1. We bought our tickets online, and so few visitors were there that the attendants could look up our tickets without difficulty. You should be able to see the waterfall after passing through. You can also hike from here to get a closer view.
4. There is a way to “arrive” at Veliki Slap if you park at Entrance 2, but it requires a boat crossing, a shuttle bus, or a significant amount of hiking. Check out the park map for more info on that.

Where in the World is Great Falls (Veliki Slap)?

---