These Pictures Of Croatias Frozen Plitvice Lakes Are Out Of This World

Plitvice Lakes is Croatia’s largest natural attraction: an awesome series of lakes and cascading waterfalls surrounded by lush green vegetation. It’s hugely popular in the summer, but people are waking up to its potential as a winter destination, when its conflux of 16 lakes are transformed into a winter wonderland that sparkles with icy stalactites and snow-dusted pine trees. Tóth Tamás, a photographer-adventurer from Budapest, recently took a trip there and captured it in all its eerie, epic beauty.

Incredible Stalactites at Plitvice Lakes

Straddled between the coast and the capital Zagreb, the National Park is located in inland Croatia, a bucolic area defined by its agricultural way of life and unspoiled natural beauty. Located on the motorway that connects Split and Zagreb, the National Park is easily accessible by bus or car – and there’s a cluster of basic restaurants and hotels for visitors wanting to stay the night.

Otherworldly winter scene at Plitvice Lakes

These lakes have been carved out from centuries of travertine deposits – a calcium carbonate mineral that trickles downstream with the current, eventually hardening and creating a lattice of barriers and dams in which the lakes are formed.

The lakes’ eerie, bluer-than-blue color is a result of these minerals and organisms, which change color depending on when you visit and the angle of the sunlight.

Viewed at a height, the lakes take on an enchanting turquoise hue.

Plitvice is also home to 1146 kinds of plants, 140 species of birds and over 50 mammals. Wild cats, brown bears and deer skulk in the wooded foothills of the park.

Check out Tóth Tamás photo gallery for more breathtaking pictures.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.