Bus from PLITVICE LAKES to KOLAŠIN

Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. The national park is world-famous for its lakes arranged in cascades, and 16 lakes can be seen from the surface.

The national park was founded in 1949 and is situated in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia.

The Plitvice Lakes originate in the south of the park area at the confluence of Bijela Rijeka (English White River) and Crna Rijeka (English Black River). These rivers originate south of the municipality of Plitvički Ljeskovac and unite at one of the bridges in this village.

In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register.

The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres (73,350 acres). About 90% of this area is part of Lika-Senj County, while the remaining 10% is part of Karlovac County. The lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 to 503 m (2,087 to 1,650 ft) over a distance of some eight km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about two square kilometres (0.77 square miles), with the water exiting from the lowest lake forming the Korana River.

The name Plitvice was first mentioned in a written document in 1777 by Dominik Vukasović, the priest of Otočac. This name was designated due to natural phenomena that have created the lakes. Nature formed shallow basins (Croatian pličina or plitvak, plitko means shallow), which have been filled with water. For centuries, water has changed the limestone and thus the landscape of this area.

The overall water body area of the national park is about 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi). The two largest lakes, Prošćansko jezero and Kozjak, cover about 80 percent of the overall water body area. These lakes are also the deepest, with a depth of 37 and 47 metres (121 and 154 ft) respectively. On Lake Kozjak, low-noise and ecologically-friendly electric boats are being used. None of the other lakes in the park exceeds 25 metres (82 feet) in depth. The altitude drop from the first lake to the last is 133 metres (436 feet).

The 16 lakes that can be seen from the surface are grouped into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes (Donja jezera).

The Plitvice Lakes national park is heavily forested, mainly with beech, spruce, and fir trees, and features a mixture of Alpine and Mediterranean vegetation. It has a notably wide variety of plant communities, due to its range of microclimates, differing soils and varying levels of altitude.

Scientists have so far listed 1,267 different plants out of 109 species that can be found within the area of the national park. 75 plants are endemic, which means that they have first been defined and classified in this area of the world or not far from it.

For reasons of the poor industrial development of this region and early introduced protection measures, a nearly untouched landscape has been preserved. In the partially primeval beech and fir forests various rare species, such as the brown bear have survived. At the Plitvice Lakes, all species continue to exist that have already existed before the coming of man. This is a rare case worldwide.

Kolasin is a city settlement in Montenegro.

The origin and meaning of the word Kolasin is not known. One hypothesis connects him with the Duke named Kolasin who founded the settlement. Another hypothesis says that perhaps Kolasin from the Sultan's decree was the same Kolasin found in the oral tradition and settlement of the Duke Kolasin.

With its great part the area of the municipality is located in border zone of subtropical and mild climate zone. This kind of in-between climate type is reflected with relatively dry and somewhat shorter summers. In the valley of the river Morača you can feel the influence of Mediterranean, and he climate traits of this area are largely conditioned with height altitude of the land and the presence of high mountains that isolate the currents from the south. 

Kolasin is one of the centers of Montenegrin mountain tourism. It has the advantage of being easily accessible by road and rail. Kolasin is located at the foot of the mountains Bjelasica and Sinjajevina, which offer excellent conditions for skiing. Due to the height of Kolašin (954 m), the city is considered an aerial spa.

"Biogradska Gora" National Park is in the town's vicinity, and is considered a premium tourist attraction. The development of Kolašin as a tourist destination is bolstered by opening of Bianca Resort & Spa, a luxury resort in town's center. Biogradska gora is under the strict protection of the state for a long time and beside the three other National parks in Montenegro it offers a range of events which can even better introduce you with the history and nature of this area.

Central moment of the entire national park is the fantastic Biogradsko Lake, which on the surface of about 23.000 m2 is located at the height of 1094 meters of height above the sea level. Around it there are walking paths.