Slovenia's Top 13 Gorges - Address, prices, opening hours ...

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Slovenia's most beautiful natural treasures are connected to the water in some way. It is enough to think of Lake Bled or the Zelenci Reserve. In addition to the lakes, there are also popular waterfalls (such as Pericnik Waterfall or Martuljek) and fabulous gorges.

The natural heritage of the green country is also its main tourist attraction. The gorges occupy a prominent place both in tourism and in our hearts.

The country is small, but with about an hour’s drive, you will almost certainly stumble into a gorge or a canyon. So let's look at the most popular ones.

Quick Details

#1 Mostnica gorge

Korita Mostnice

Near the village of Stara Fuzina, in the alpine Voje Valley, you will find the approx. 2 km long gorge formed by the stream Mostnica. The gorge is very narrow in some sections, some of which are less than 1 m wide. It has its deepest point under the Devil's Bridge (20 m).

This bridge was built in 1777 by Baron Ziga Zois to make it easier to transport coal and iron mined from the nearby mountains. The stone bridge is also interesting from an engineering point of view, as it was formed with a single arch over the steep ravine.

Its most beautiful parts are the small elephant-like rock and the small bridge. In summer, you can visit the Mostnica gorge for an entrance fee, which can be explored around it.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 1 hour 10 minutes / 92 km
• Address: Korita Mostnice, Mostnica, Stara Fužina, Slovenia

#2 Vintgar Gorge

Blejski vintgar

Vintgar Gorge near Bled is one of the most visited sights in the country. The highly esteemed natural treasure has been transformed into its form of the Radovna River - and continues to do so to this day. You can witness this by entering the gorge.

The gorge is 1.6 km long and can be walked through a built-in, safe wooden-walled route. Admiring the water, we can listen to its roar and meditate in its pools and waterfalls falling from the walls.

We can cross small wooden bridges over the river, it is good to make hiking boots because the road is often slippery and dangerous. At the end of the gorge, we can see the 15 high Sum waterfalls, one of the rare river waterfalls in Slovenia. In 1-1.5 hours, you can walk around the gorge for a pleasant walk.

It is only worth doing this because it is one of the most beautiful natural formations in Slovenia, where you can also find a pleasant cool in summer.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 45 minutes / 60 km
• Address: Turistično društvo Gorje, Podhom 80, 4247 Zgornje Gorje, Slovenia

#3 Tolmin Gorge

Tolminska Korita

The gorge is located in the Soca Valley, at the confluence of Zadlascica and Tolminka. The closest to it is the town of Tolmin of the same name. The gorge is a real romantic place, where you can admire the turquoise river from the routes built both below and above.

The Tolmin Gorge is part of the only national park in Slovenia, the Triglav National Park, and at its lowest point. The hiking trails were built between 1954-58.

Through these, you can get to the thermal spring and also see the Dante (Zadlaska) cave, which was named after the poet Dante Alighieri who was here in the 14th century. It is also believed that the cave so inspired him that he used it to describe hell in The Divine Play. A natural bridge over the gorge is Bearhead, a huge rock that has wedged between the two rock walls.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 2 hours / 105 km
• Address: Tolminska Korita, Zatolmin 66a, 5220 Tolmin, Slovenia

#4 Dovzan Gorge

Dovžanova soteska

The gorge is not only beautiful, but it is also a significant excavation site. The oldest and largest fossils are 270 million years old. The Dovzan Gorge is of great geological value to the country thanks to these fossils. The hiking route is approx. 1 km long.

The gorge and its surroundings are under increased protection. This is because there is a huge amount of fossils in the area. The fossilized animal and plants remain date from the Paleozoic period.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 45 minutes / 52 km
• Address: Dovžanova soteska, Trzic Bistrica Bridge, Dolina 1, 4290 Tržič, Slovenia

#5 Soteska Pekel (Hell Gorge)

Pekel (next to Ljubljana) is a wild, rugged formation. The gorge is 1.5 km long and was dug by the river Otavscica. There were several mills in the barely accessible gorge, the remains of some of which can still be seen today.

You can discover beautiful pools and waterfalls in the gorge. The weather is pleasantly cool in summer, and nature creates wonderful ice sculptures in winter.

The first route was built here a century ago by coal burners who went to the forest for firewood. Tourists were first allowed to visit in 1897, at which time the gorge was also called the heaven of hikers. It was officially opened to the public in 1904, but the routes were not built until 1925.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 40 minutes / 30 km
• Address: Soteska Pekel, 1353 Borovnica, Slovenia

#6 Bistriski Vintgar Gorge

Bistrița vintgar

You can walk along the road for 6 km along the river Bistrica, in a wonderful natural environment. You don’t have to be an experienced hiker to explore the gorge, anyone can walk it in 3-4 hours.

If you plan a trip here, you need to know that it is not so much a gorge as a deep valley. There will be no dramatic rock walls many meters high, yet the tour holds excitement.

You can see a Roman quarry, the remains of old mills, and one of the thickest trunks of a pine tree in Europe with a diameter of 605 cm, split in two by a bolt of lightning. The largest town closest to the gorge belongs to Maribor, and the gorge itself belongs to the town of Slovenska Bistrica.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 1 hour 10 minutes / 110 km
• Distance from Maribor: 30 minutes / 26 km
• Address: Zgornja Bistrica 158, 2310 Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia

#7 Pokljuka

Pokljuška soteska

Anyone who is near Bled should make a detour to this gorge on the fantastic Pokljuka plateau. Lush vegetation, natural bridges, and caves adorn the 50 m deep ravine.

The Pokljuka Gorge is less well-known than the nearby Vintgar, so there is no crowd of tourists here. In the narrowest part of the gorge, you can cross wooden bridges, these were named the galleries of Prince Andrew; the locals made them in the 1930s. It is also worth taking a helmet with you because of the stagnant pieces of stone.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 1 hour / 64 km
• Address: Pokljuška soteska, 4247 Zgornje Gorje, Slovenia
• Opening hours: Every day during the season (we know it is closed in winter)
• Admission: Free

#8 Krcnik gorge

Krčnik

You will find the picturesque Krcnik gorge near Brda in western Slovenia, surrounded by special formations. The tiny gorge is approx. 6 m deep and 40 m long. The grooves here are 0.5 - 6 m wide.

The strong flow of the river constantly deepens the pools. In the gorge, you will also find a waterfall, which is 1.5 m high - as well as a 5 m long bridge. The gorge has been under nature protection since 1985.

• Website
• Address: Naravni spomenik Krčnik, soteska z naravnim mostom 5212 Dobrovo v Brdih, Slovenia
• Opening hours: 0:00 - 24:00
• Admission: 0 euros / free

#9 Kamniska Bistrica

Kamniska Bistrica

Next to the Velika Planina in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, you will find an alpine valley and town of Kamniška Bistrica. The area is famous for the fact that the 33 km long Bistrica River comes to the surface here, as 3 separate springs.

The valley holds many natural attractions, the most popular of which is the main source of the Bistrica River and the smaller Mali Izvirek spring, the Veliki Predaselj, Mali Predaselj gorges, and the Orglicewaterfall. The waterfall is 30 meters high and is the largest waterfall in the area.

The gorge is located in the Kamnik district. If you want to hike through the valley, you have to drive to the village of Zgornje Stranje and park there.

• Ljubljlana distance: 45 km / 40 mins
• Opening hours: 0:00 - 24:00
• Admission: 0 euros / free

Hidden gorges in Slovenia

And now come the canyons and gorges that can only be seen with an official tour guide on a tour (groups of 4 to 10 people, between € 40 and € 120). There are 4 such "secret" gorges in Slovenia. All are located near Bovec in the Triglav National Park. These tours are known as canyoning.

#10 Susec Gorge

Sušec

This family-friendly playground is located close to Bovec. The canyon formed by the Susec River can be explored on a small group tour in about 2 to 3 hours. You have to move forward in the pools and grooves carved by the river. You can slide on the smoothly washed stones - or jump if you have a lot of energy and courage. Susec can only be visited on a guided tour. You can only enter the gorge with a permit or a local guide.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 2 hours / 115 km
• Admission: 30 - 50 euros for a guided tour
• Opening hours: May - October
• Difficulty: easy, beginner, family-friendly
• Min age: 10 years

#11 Fratarica canyon

Compared to the Susec canyon, Fratarica is more advanced, but it is still one of the easiest canyoning tours. It is essential to use a rope or jump off some small cliff. The gorge is located not far from Log pod Mangartom.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 2 hours / 120 km
• Admission: 40 - 70 euros for a guided tour
• Opening hours: May - October
• Difficulty: Beginner (no canyoning experience needed)
• Min age: 16 years

#12 Kozjak Gorge

Kozjak waterfall is one of the most visited attractions in Slovenia. Still, many don't know, that there is a hidden canyon behind the falls. The canyoning tour follows the river in the wildly romantic gorge.

Due to the length of the tour and the use of ropes, it is considered more technical, and intermediate. The minimum age is 16 years.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 2 hours / 100 km
• Admission: 70 - 90 euros for a guided tour
• Opening hours: May - September
• Difficulty: Medium (no canyoning experience needed)
• Min age: 16 years

#13 Predelica canyon

The most difficult of all the gorge tours is the Predelica Canyon. Although the Predelica can be divided into two parts - the upper is only recommended for professionals - the lower section is also quite a challenge, so it is not only recommended for those with previous experience.

The beauty of the canyon will make up for the physical challenges. You don't have to expect weight. The tour that does not spare charisma also starts from Bovec or Log pod Mangartom.

• Distance from Ljubljana: 2 hours / 140 km
• Admission: 80 - 120 euros for a guided tour
• Opening hours: May - September
• Difficulty: strenuous (with prior experience only)
• Min age: 18 years