Sastavci Waterfall

The Sastavci Waterfall is one of the falls that make up the Lower Lakes (Donja Jezera) section of Plitvice Lakes National Park, and it comes at the very end of the chain of lakes. The name comes from the Croatian word for a confluence, and it refers to the place where the streams flowing through the park join and pour over the last great travertine barrier, before the water continues as the Korana River. In practice that means the fall is both the closing act of the lakes and the start of the river that runs out of the park.

The drop is roughly 25 metres, and the water spreads across a broad wall of tufa in a series of sheets and threads, softened by moss, ferns and hanging vegetation. Sastavci is not the highest fall in the park, a title that belongs to Veliki Slap, but it has a gentle, curtain-like beauty and a wide setting. A pool at the foot reflects the green of the surrounding trees, and the mist from the fall keeps the air cool and the rocks glossy. After heavy rain or the spring snowmelt, the flow grows heavy and loud; in late summer it can become thinner and more delicate.

You reach it on the park's network of wooden walkways, which follow the Lower Lakes and the Novakovića Brod lake above the fall. The route is clearly signposted, and the walk is a mix of boardwalk and path, with a few sets of steps. Sastavci sits close to Veliki Slap, so the two falls are often seen together on the same stretch of the lower circuit, along with the Great Cascades (Velike Kaskade) and the Plitvice Lakes as a whole. The Upper Lakes (Gornja Jezera) lie further up the valley.

Access requires an entry ticket to the national park, and it is best to go early in the day, since the walkways are crowded around midday in summer. Wear shoes with good grip, because the boards stay damp. Photographers will find the best light in the morning, when the sun begins to reach the water, and softer, even light on overcast days.

Sastavci suits walkers, photographers and anyone who wants to see the less showy side of Plitvice. It does not need a long detour, because it lies on the standard route, and it is a pleasant pause before the climb or the walk to the next section of the park.