Lower Lakes (Donja Jezera)

The Lower Lakes (Donja Jezera) are the smaller and more dramatic half of the lake system in Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Lika region of Croatia. While the Upper Lakes lie in an open dolomite valley, the Lower Lakes are strung along a narrow, steep-sided limestone canyon, and the water here seems to rush rather than rest. There are four of them: Milanovac, Gavanovac, Kaluđerovac and Novakovića Brod, each smaller than the great lakes above, and they are linked by waterfalls and terraces of travertine.

The canyon setting gives the area its own mood. The walls rise close on either side, hung with ferns, moss and small trees, and the lakes lie in deep green and blue pools between them. Waterfalls spill from lake to lake and in places fall directly from the cliff face, and the sound of water fills the canyon from end to end. Here the walkways sit close to the water, and in some places they run just above the foaming edge of a fall, so that spray cools the air on a hot day. Caves open in the cliffs, among them the Šupljara cave, which can be reached by a short side path in the area, and the limestone is riddled with small hollows and overhangs.

Visitors normally see the Lower Lakes by following the marked routes through the park. The paths, mostly boardwalks and short stretches of trail, run along the water, over the cascades and up and down steps, and the whole area can be covered at an easy pace in a couple of hours. The way leads from the foot of the Great Cascades (Velike Kaskade), through the lakes to the end of the system at Sastavci Waterfall, where the Korana River begins. Veliki Slap, the tallest waterfall in the park, is visible from the canyon, and the Plitvice Lakes as a whole are best understood by seeing both the upper and lower sections.

Because the Lower Lakes are at the downstream end, they are also the part where the water seems wildest. After rain or snowmelt the falls are loud and heavy, and in dry spells they become softer and more delicate. Every season brings a new look, from the fresh greens of spring to the red and gold of autumn and the ice formations of winter.

Wear shoes with good grip, as the boards can be wet and slippery, and bring a waterproof layer. An entry ticket to the national park is required, and the busiest hours are around midday in summer, so an early start is best. The Lower Lakes suit walkers, photographers and families.