Program B: Lower Lakes Loop

From the north entrance, the path drops into a limestone canyon and follows pools, cascades and lakes on wooden boardwalks. Short stair sections and compacted paths link the boards as they move between water levels. The named lakes on this route include Novakovića Brod, Kaluđerovac, Gavanovac and Milanovac. You keep meeting water at close range: flowing over low tufa dams, spilling beside the path, then gathering in deeper green pools. This is a managed visitor route with lots to look at, but the boardwalks and stairs make it uneven underfoot rather than a smooth promenade.

Veliki Slap, the Great Waterfall, is the main stop and the largest waterfall in Croatia. The route also reaches Sastavci, where several smaller falls step into the canyon below. Near the main waterfall, narrow boards can slow down when visitor groups bunch together, so leave time to pause instead of treating this as a quick photo stop. For a picture that shows the scale, include the lower cascades and pool beneath the main drop; a tight crop of the rock face loses the way the water steps down the canyon.

The electric boat gives your legs a break and a different view of the park. Look for Štefanijin Islet in the middle of Kozjak, with wooded hills and the canyon around it. The return includes the park’s panoramic vehicle and a walk along the upper east side of the canyon back to Entrance 1. These rides are included in the entrance ticket. The exact transfer sequence and stops were described differently across route materials, so use the current park map and on-site signs for where to board and rejoin the path.

The lakes sit in a former river valley, where calcium-rich water built porous tufa barriers that now hold one lake above the next. The park counts 16 larger named lakes, linked by waterfalls and smaller basins; those barriers still grow and reshape the flow. Kozjak itself was once divided by a tufa dam with a waterfall. About 400 years ago, rising water submerged the dam and joined the two lakes, which is why the boat now crosses one broad lake.

Start at Entrance 1, the north entrance. Paid visitor parking is beside both main entrances, and a public bus stop is close to Entrance 1. The park map marks toilets and food services at Entrance 1 and around the P3 lake stop, useful places to pause during a three-to-four-hour visit. Dogs are allowed on a leash throughout the park, including the boat and panoramic vehicle. Swimming is prohibited. Expect repeated stairs and narrow boardwalk passages, and check current transport service before setting out.