Photos of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

The Plitvice Lakes National Park is probably Croatia's most popular tourist attraction, a chain of 16 terraced lakes, joined by waterfalls, extending into a limestone canyon. It is the oldest and the largest national park in Croatia - it was declared a national park in 1949 and was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979.

The Korana river flows through a karst landscape via rich forests; limestone tufa barriers created those lakes, connected by waterfalls. The total height difference between the lakes themselves is only 135 metres. Many walking trails and boardwalks allow access to all lakes and beautiful waterfall views.

Twelve upper lakes of different sizes have three waterfalls connecting them, the water flowing into Jezero Kozjak, the largest lake. The Korana river continues over two waterfalls to the other lower lakes. The Plitvica river joins, flowing over the highest waterfall, Veliki Slap, 70 metres tall. The Korana river continues northward, eventually forming a border between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.