Private experience of Rastoke and Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb

Karlo was an excellent tour guide. He went above and beyond to make our trip more enjoyable and memorable. He has excellent knowledge of Croatia and its history. The food provided was also amazing. Thank you for providing a brilliant opportunity and we will be using your services again to see the lakes in the summer months :)

Karlo provided a stellar day experience from Zagreb! He provided clear communication during booking and delivered as promised. The automobile was clean, with water and snacks provided by Karlo. His tours are planned well, and he easily answered questions and told us stories about each area we visited. We finished the tour with Karlo feeling like we learned a lot about Croatia and had a new friend in Zagreb!

My husband and I have travelled to many European countries over the years and have experienced every type of tour. THIS tour, however, was the best we have ever experienced in 30 years of travel! Not only was Karlo an extremely knowledgeable guide, but his secret gift which puts him above all others was how attuned he was to our interests/needs. Plitvice is a magical place with more than 90 waterfalls. Karlo knew all the trails and took into consideration what would work best for us. The day started with crystal blue skies but unexpectedly changed mid-afternoon to rain. My husband and I brought umbrellas but made the unwise decision to head out without them. Karlo knew better and was prepared anyway, bringing an extra umbrella for us in his backpack. One special highlight was the picnic lunch that Karlo personally made for us - delicious bread, cheese, pickles, and meats. That picnic, along with everything else Karlo did, created a day that is now a very special memory of a lifetime. I can’t emphasize enough what an extraordinary day this was because of Karlo’s attention to detail, his organization, and his wonderful personality. His preparedness, knowledge, and attunement to what would be best for us was unparalleled. We had 6 subsequent personal tours in Croatia on our trip and we always compared them to this one. It was extraordinary!

Karlo was an amazing tour guide and very knowledgeable about the area and Croatian history. We’d considered doing a bus tour, but the private tour with Karlo gave us more freedom to look around at our own pace. We had also previously considered driving ourselves with a rental car, but it was so much better having a local show us around. I’d recommend this to anyone and everyone. We went in Winter when the lake was all snowy and beautiful. If we come back in Summer I’d honestly do this exact same tour again just to see what it’s like when it’s sunnier.

​We visited Plitvice Lakes this December 2025 and Karlo from Bespoke Croatia made it an experience we will never forget. His knowledge of the park is vast, but what truly set him apart was his thoughtfulness. He set up a delicious picnic for us featuring a variety of homemade tasty treats that were just perfect for the setting. On the way, we did a quick stop at Rastoke, which was stunning—the background looks like a photoshopped Windows desktop wallpaper, it is so beautiful! We managed to get some great photos of the trip there. ​Karlo is a 'walking encyclopedia'—not just about the lakes, but also about movies and TV shows, which made the transit time fly by. He has an impeccable command of English and was incredibly patient with our kids. Punctual, friendly and driving a very comfortable car, he is the gold standard for guides. Highly recommended!

Piltvice Lakes NP was a beautiful winter wonderland the day we went with occasional light snow. The NP is stunning no matter what season you go. Karlo was very engaging. He provided some tasty sandwiches while we took the boat across the lake & also while waiting for the bus later. The Upper Lakes had already closed for the year (it was late Nov when we went), but we really enjoyed our time going thru the Lower Lakes while Karlo explained how the lakes were formed, and told us a bit about the fish, birds, and wildlife. He also was a great source of knowledge about the region on the drive to & from Zagreb. I have a hip issue, so it was enough time for my husband & I & Karlo took good care of us. I would highly recommend this tour! Susan

Karlo was the perfect host and guide when we visited Plitvice. His professionalism, knowledge and love of his country was evident and made for an enjoyable and informative day exploring the pristine national park and surrounds. As an experienced guide Karlo ensured our safety and enabled us to make informed choices when considering the different trails to explore. Our day could not have been more perfect…from pick up (yes, Karlo comes to you) to drop off every detail had been taken into account; Karlo even surprised us with an array of local delicacies personally prepared by him. Thank you Karlo, we wish you every success …you deserve it

Plitvice Park was spectacular; however, our guide, Karlo, made our day truly phenomenal. Karlo allowed us to take the day at our pace and he customized the activities and conversation to fit our interests and desires. He's personable, flexible, kind, and sincere in his interactions. He's someone you would want to share a meal with!

I had a perfect day with an experienced guide Karlo who helped me out with everything I needed. He suggested leaving earlier than originally scheduled to avoid the crowd and the heat, and this was a very wise idea. We left at 6:00AM and got to the park before the big crowd arrived (much later, there was a long line of people waiting for admission) and I was able to enjoy the scenery, the fresh air, and everything I saw. I am glad I chose this tour because I think this is something that would be difficult for a group tour to offer. Karlo was very knowledgeable, explained about the history of Croatia while we were driving, and gave all the information on the park and the surrounding areas. I also want to mention about a picnic lunch Karlo packed for us, cheese and homemade prosciutto, and all the goodies. He not only guides but also bakes bread and roasts almonds! I highly recommend this tour especially for those people who want to enjoy the time on your own pace!!

This was our first trip to Croatia and we started our travel in Split. My wife found Karlo's tour of Plitvice and suggested we take the 2 hour 40 minute ride from split to this GOEGEOUS UNESCO world heritage site. Honestly the kids were not thrilled about the duration of the trip. However, Karlo made this so easy for us. He sent a van to collect us from our Airbnb. The. Van arrived 15 minutes early but was happy to wait until we were ready. The trip was smooth and a gorgeous ride all the way to Plitvice. Our driver was AMAZING. He engaged us as much as we wanted to and from the national park. Once we arrived the park Karlo greeted PS us and took us on one of the most AMAZING days we had in Croatia. The national park is stunning and Karlo went above and beyond to make our experience truly memorable He engaged our 17, year old in the history of Croatia while keeping our 15 and 12 year old entertained along the way. In the middle of the tour, Karlo fed us some of the most amazing food straight from his family's farm. We indulged in an amazing lunch and conversation while we took a break from the tour. We have spent 10 days in Croatia and I can honestly say out of all the tour guides we have had Karlo has been the absolute best. Not only does he guide through Plitvice but he explained he has many other options for our next. Trip to Croatia. He mentioned truffle hunting as an alternate excursion. I really can't say enough about Karlo. Really wonderful person. So kind generous informative and caring. If we come back we will definitely give him a call for another amazing adventure. Karlo thank you from the bottom of out hearts!! PS - there are better photos but I cut the ones of our family out of this posting. Again what an amazing day!!