Parks Manager

National parks near Novaki, Zagreb County

Novaki sits inside the Velika Gorica area and reaches the same parks. See national parks near Velika Gorica for the full write-up.

Risnjak National Park is the closest national park to Novaki, Zagreb County — 99.1 km (61.6 mi) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 1 hr 54 min behind the wheel.

Risnjak, Plitvice Lakes, Northern Velebit, Triglav, and Paklenica make a full day trip — leave early. Brijuni, Krka, Kornati, Berchtesgaden, and Dolomiti Bellunesi are better with a night booked nearby.

Novaki has a population of about 2,001.

National parks near Novaki

Parks ranked by distance from Novaki
ParkStraight-line distanceEstimated driveRealistic trip
Risnjak National Park99.1 km (61.6 mi)1 hr 54 minDoable as a day trip
Plitvice Lakes National Park105 km (65.2 mi)2 hrDoable as a day trip
Northern Velebit National Park137 km (85.2 mi)2 hr 28 minDoable as a day trip
Triglav National Park165 km (102 mi)2 hr 52 minDoable as a day trip
Paklenica National Park166 km (103 mi)2 hr 54 minDoable as a day trip
Brijuni National Park186 km (116 mi)3 hr 11 minBest as a weekend
Krka National Park216 km (134 mi)3 hr 37 minBest as a weekend
Kornati National Park225 km (140 mi)3 hr 46 minBest as a weekend
Berchtesgaden National Park290 km (180 mi)4 hr 43 minBest as a weekend
Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park293 km (182 mi)4 hr 45 minBest as a weekend

When to make this trip

Risnjak National Park is generally best May, June, September, and early October, with April and late October as the quieter shoulder either side.

Winter is cool and wet at low elevation and snowy in the mountains, with reduced hut and refuge service.

July and August combine peak heat with peak domestic holidays. Shoulder months are both cooler and quieter.

Month-by-month detail for Risnjak National Park

Seeing more than one

Several parks near Novaki are close enough to each other to combine on one trip, so the drive from home only has to happen once.

Distances between parks near Novaki
PairApartEstimated drive
Plitvice Lakes → Northern Velebit49.5 km (30.7 mi)1 hr 5 min
Northern Velebit → Paklenica56.3 km (35 mi)1 hr 12 min
Plitvice Lakes → Paklenica61.3 km (38.1 mi)1 hr 18 min
Risnjak → Northern Velebit86 km (53.4 mi)1 hr 43 min

Planning a trip from Novaki

Distances here are straight-line and the drive estimate adds a road factor on top, but mountain passes and seasonal closures can change it a lot — a route that looks like three hours in June can be shut entirely in February. Confirm road status with the park before you commit to a date.

Read the Risnjak National Park guide

Other towns in Sveta Nedelja

Common questions

What is the closest national park to Novaki?

Risnjak National Park. It is about 99.1 km (61.6 mi) from Novaki, roughly 1 hr 54 min of driving.

Can I do a national park day trip from Novaki?

Yes — Risnjak National Park, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Northern Velebit National Park, Triglav National Park, and Paklenica National Park are within about a three-hour drive.

How many national parks are near Novaki?

10 parks are within reach of Novaki, 5 of them close enough for a day trip.

When is the best time to visit the parks near Novaki?

For Risnjak National Park, the closest one, generally May, June, September, and early October. Either side of that, April and late October stays quieter.