Adventure Awaits: Trekking, National Parks, and Natural Wonders in Lika-Senj
From a purely geographical point of view, Lika-Senj County represents the geometric heart of Croatia, being approximately halfway between Dalmatia and the northern regions, which gravitate towards the Danube River valley. It is also a land where the nature of Croatia manages to express itself at its best: the territory is the least densely populated part of the nation, here there is space for two of the most important Croatian National Parks: the Plitvice National Park and that of Velebit, and even the coastal areas offer ideas for relaxing holidays, surrounded by uncontaminated nature, including the northern part of the island of Pag, which is part of its territory.
The Velebit Coastal Chain
The Velebit coastal chain acts as a barrier to the freezing winds of the Balkans, and even in the middle of winter the climate of this stretch of the Dalmatian coast is not particularly cold, except in those few places where the bora manages to break out violently, as happens for example in the nearby region of Kvarner and around the city of Senj. South of Senj, the Velebit mountains create a rugged and imposing coast, which extends towards Zadar for over 100 km, bordered by some islands including the large Rab and Pag, which then form the so-called “Velebitski Kanal”. Here the coast offers few urban settlements but a lot of wild nature. In Karlobag, the most important center, a road branches off towards the interior, in the direction of Gospić, the main city of the interior, which is also one of the routes to get to Plitvice.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park was established in the aftermath of the Second World War, in 1949, and is certainly one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Europe, if not the entire world. In a valley nestled between green mountains and covered with thick forests, sixteen emerald lakes follow one another, in a riot of thunderous waterfalls, rapids, and picturesque streams. The particularity of this unique environment in the world meant that this park was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. The park extends for about 300 square kilometers, of which over 75% are covered with splendid beech forests, spruce forests, and thick patches of maple trees, to which must be added about 3,900 hectares used for pasture or covered mostly with meadows.
A Natural Wonder: The Lakes and Wildlife
There is no doubt that the most interesting heritage is given by the theory of lakes connected by small natural dams created by calcium carbonate which has settled on the thick submerged vegetation. The sixteen lakes of karst origin are connected by 92 waterfalls of various sizes, with some jumps approaching 100 meters in height. The visit takes place on a series of wooden walkways and allows you to walk on the water’s edge, enjoying the emerald green colors of the crystalline lakes.
Visitors can also try to spot the numerous species of animals that live hidden in the lakes or in the woods that surround them: roe deer, deer, foxes, wolves, bears, squirrels, nutria, and otters, while hawks and vultures circle in the sky. Let’s not forget the rich aquatic fauna, including trout and various crustaceans. Note for tourists: inside the park, you can fish in some areas with the prior release of a permit that is issued by the park rangers. The best times to visit the park are spring, when the flowers bloom and the banks of the lakes become colorful, and autumn, when the woods are painted in vibrant yellows and reds.
Exploring Plitvice
In summer, it can be very hot and the number of visitors is impressive, as it is home to the majority of the million visitors who come every year to pay homage to this magnificent landscape. Walking slowly along the bridges and paths, or choosing to explore on silent electric-powered panoramic boats, or taking advantage of the rubber trains that leave regularly from each of the two entrances, will take you into a fairy-tale setting, full of wonderful landscapes that will make your visit memorable. The park has opening hours from eight in the morning until sunset, all year round.
For those who are not afraid of the cold, a visit in winter is also recommended, when the waterfalls are embroidered with ice, and the snow-covered woods give a dreamlike dimension to the landscape, which, by virtue of the few visitors and the frozen waterfalls, resonates with the grandeur of silence.
Velebit National Park
The second national park not to be missed in Lika-Senj County, south of Karlobag, is Velebit, centered on the large mountain that gives its name to the protected area, which with its 1,757-meter high Vaganski peak dominates the coast around the island of Pag. In fact, there are two national parks here, one on the northern side of the mountain, the Nacionalni park Sjeverni Velebit, while the southern side of the mountain range is home to the Nacionalni park Paklenica, whose main attraction is the gorges of two canyons, Mala and Velika Paklenica, the latter being 14 km long.
Both parks are popular with trekking and mountaineering enthusiasts. The Sjeverni Velebit park is famous for both a historical trail, the Premužić’s Trail, and for the Kukovi mountain group, with as many as 40 peaks that exceed 1,600 meters in height, each with karst and erosional morphologies, which make these peaks particularly impressive.
Paklenica National Park
Paklenica National Park is well known among free climbing and mountaineering enthusiasts, as well as speleology enthusiasts, with over 76 objectives among pits and caves that open up in the mountains. It is worth mentioning the Vodarica Cave, 300 meters long, and the Bunova Pit, which drops to a depth of 534 meters.
Climate of Lika-Senj
The climate of the Lika-Senj region can be divided into three zones: the Dalmatian coast and the islands, the south-western slope of Velebit, and the interior. The coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with dry and warm summers, and mild, sometimes rainy winters, although the heaviest precipitation occurs at the end of autumn. The Velebit mountain range does not deviate much from this trend, even if the altitude tends to accentuate the continental characteristics, with colder temperatures in winter and some chance of thunderstorms during the summer season.
If we move east and north of the Velebit mountain range, the climate becomes markedly continental, with cold, snowy winters, temperatures sometimes dropping below zero, even below -10°C, while summers become hot and dry.
