Vintgar Gorge 2023 – Prices, opening hours, weather, etc.

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Vintgar Gorge, located only 5 km from Bled, and it is one of the most outstanding sights of Slovenia, perhaps even in Europe. This gorge is a top destination for hikers, families, and groups. We have summarized the most important information for you in this article. Everything about Vintgar Gorge: opening hours, tickets, weather, hiking, getting there, parking, maps, etc.

Vintgar Gorge is a 3 km long (one-way) steep-walled gorge dug by the Radovna River. The elevation of the gorge is only 80 meters, it takes about 1.5 hours to walk around in each direction. The wooden planks inside make the trip really enjoyable and wildly romantic.

Although the elevation is low and the route is easy, unfortunately, the gorge is not handicap-accessible, so you cannot use a stroller or a wheelchair.

Quick Details

The chart below gives a quick overview of the most important facts about Vintgar Gorge.

Photos

Where is Vintgar Gorge?

The gorge is located in the town of Zgornje Gorje, 4 km from Bled. You can find the gorge signposted as “Blejski vintgar” or “soteska Vintgar”. It's good to know, that the gorge is located near the Triglav National Park - officially not part of it.

• Address: Soteska Vintgar, Turisticno drustvo Gorje, Podhom 80, 4247 Zgornje Gorje, Slovenia

Tickets to Vintgar gorge

The ticket office is located at the entrance. You can pay by cash or credit card. Those who stay in Bohinj and have received a Bohinj card from their accommodation can buy a discounted ticket to the gorge (5-10% discount).

Adult tickets to Vintgar Gorge can now be purchased online! ?

You cannot reserve an exact time, you can just shop. We recommend that you buy your tickets in advance to make sure you have the chance to get in the day you planned. Of course, you can also buy tickets when you arrive, but in this case, you have the risk of running out of availabilities for that day.

Buying tickets online is only possible 30 days in advance and you have to choose a "slot". You can get an appointment every hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Be careful, if you miss your time, they will not let you in. If they still have a ticket for that day, you will need to buy a new one.

Is it possible to visit Vintgar Gorge individually?

Yes, it can be. To the best of our knowledge, there is no group tour available in the gorge. The appointments were invented by the management to try to disperse the crowd and make the trip to the canyon more enjoyable.

Everyone can explore the gorge on their own, at their own pace.

Vintgar Gorge opening hours

The gorge is open from early April to late November. The high season is in June, July and August. In these months, the opening times are the longest. In high season, Vintgar Gorge is open from 7 am to 7 pm.

The canyon welcomes visitors in the spring from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and in late fall (October, November) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Winter

Unfortunately, the gorge is closed in winter. From December 1st until the end of March you will not be able to visit it. There is very little chance of a snow-covered sight, as there is no snow in November.

The gorge is closed for safety reasons in winter. Due to ice and frost, in winter collapses occur inside. The resulting errors will be assessed and corrected by experts before the season starts so that the strait can be walked on again from April.

Bled- Vintgar Gorge distance

How to get to the gorge from Bled?

There are several ways to get to the Vintgar Gorge from Bled. It is possible to go in your own car and park in front of the entrance, or you can walk, rent a bike, take a shuttle from the main station in Bled (bus station), or get on a local bus that drops you off at the entrance.

The chart below summarises how much it costs and how long it takes to get there.

Bled - Vintgar shuttle bus

Hotel receptionists are able to provide information on bus services. There is a "shuttle bus" in Bled that transports tourists to local attractions, taking you to the Vintgar gorge.

The Shuttle bus runs on two routes: blue and green. Although both lines are good for visiting the Vintgar Gorge, based on the route description and the map, you will get to the gorge faster on the blue route, as the bus makes a detour on the green line. You can inquire more information about this at your accommodation or at the tourist office.

You can buy your ticket on the bus. With the "Julian Alps card" you can use the bus for free. Without it, the ticket costs approximately 1 euro. We recommend that you have a card and some cash on you as we do not know how to pay on the bus.

More about the gorge

Vintgar Gorge is the second most popular attraction in Slovenia after Bled and its lake. It was shaped by the Radovna River and it still shapes it to this day. Although the most famous river in Slovenia is the Soca River (i.e. Isonzo), it is only here, above the Radovna, that you can walk comfortably along wooden planks – into the gorge.

The towering limestone layer forms a wall on both sides. The walls were reinforced over time and they were fixed with nets to avoid collapses. We can walk through wooden planks from both the right and left-hand sides. The wooden "runner" is attached to the rock wall and/or stands on pillars. The pavement created in this way is carefully inspected, maintained, and repaired every year.

A rare and captivating sight unfolds before us in the gorge. In one moment we admire the rock walls, in the other, we can see flora literally growing from everywhere. We can see a fantastic view of wooden bridges and planks - and of course most of all, the rolling, roaring rapid stream.

In the Vintgar Gorge, the water of the river is crystal clear. Even at the deepest points of the river, you can see the bottom, as well as fish and trout swimming in the water. You do not have to expect a beast other than fish and a few insects.

The air in Vintgar Gorge is very clean. Sniffing the fresh, alpine air will be a real joy. Not only for the experience but also for health purposes it is a great excursion and program.

Vintgar Gorge has been in operation since 1893. Building it was dangerous and difficult. In addition to the safety designs, the contractors and authorities were constantly monitoring the solutions used when designing the tourist route, so that the gorge could retain its original condition and give a fabulous view as long as possible.

Excursion and hiking trail

⚠ Attention, change of route! The excursion or hiking trail in Vintgar Gorge has changed due to the coronavirus!

Several precautions have been taken by the gorge management regarding the coronavirus. One of them is that they changed the routes. Two-way traffic in the canyon has been eliminated so it is no longer possible to go back to the entrance through the planks (i.e. we are not going out of the gorge where we entered).

Previously, it was possible to get in and out at both ends of the strait. Two-way traffic has been discontinued for now, and now you can only one enter at one endpoint, and exit the strait at the other.

• Entrance: Podhom 80, 4247 Zgornje Gorje, Slovenia

• Exit: Sum Falls (in Blejska Dobrava)

Even before we reach the gorge, we get a taste of the fabulous world of Radovna. You can buy your ticket (if you have not bought it online) or souvenirs at the wooden cottage at the entrance of the gorge.

I suggest you buy souvenirs here when you enter, as the exit and entrance are not in the same place, so you may not come back.

The first half of the hiking route is the gorge tour itself. Here you can go through the strait on a very easy and spectacular trail. You will reach the end of the strait in about 1.5 hours and the road will only elevate 80 meters.

At the end of the tour, you will find the Sum Waterfall, which is worth taking a look at.

From here, there are two routes to exit the gorge and get to the parking lot. Both routes are well signposted. There is no big difference between the two routes in either ascents or distance. It is an individual preference which route you choose.

Two-way traffic may be reopened in the gorge if the authorities consider that the danger no longer exists. In this case, you will be able to travel backward through the gorge to where you want.

Route 1: In the direction of St. Catherine's Church

The hike across the forest is about 1.2 km long, with an elevation of about 90 m.

• The starting point is the green dot on the map
• The endpoint of the tour is the blue dot on the map

Route 2: Blejska Dobrava

This route, as well as the individual one, is an easy hike of about 20 minutes. This route runs along the other side of the strait. The end of the tour is a parking lot at the Blejska Dobrava Cemetery. From here, you can use your cell phone to find your way back to the parking lot.

• The starting point is the green dot on the map
• The endpoint of the tour is the blue dot on the map

Weather in Vintgar Gorge

To forecast the weather, it is best to use a weather app on your phone. The gorge is open every day, even in rain - an exception to this is if the weather is extreme.

The peculiarity of the gorge is that the passages are narrower in some places and wider in others. Where the gorge narrows, the temperature is lower due to the lack of sun and the precipitating water of the constantly roaring stream.

Is Vintgar Gorge open in the rain?

The gorge is also open in the rain. Therefore, if you go in cloudy weather, you should expect less crowd.

Although the wooden planks are not varnished or glossy and have some adhesion, they can become slippery in the rain! Therefore, your shoes should be ribbed and closed so they do not slip! In case of rain, bring a raincoat!

If you want to see the strait on a rainy day, you have the best chance in April, May, and June to take fabulous rainy photos. If you just want to avoid rain, September may be the best choice, as it is the least rainy month and you do not have to expect a big crowd, because school starts at that time.

Remember that it is not possible to visit the gorge in winter!

Vintgar Gorge is perhaps even more beautiful in the fall than it is in the summer

What should I wear?

Go to the Vintgar Gorge in comfortable clothing and athletic shoes. The most important thing is comfortable shoes. Choose footwear that you can walk in for hours, as you may not be walking back in the gorge, but you will be taking a small hike outside the gorge (see the excursion route menu above for details).

If you want to go to the gorge in slippers or sandals in the summer, put a pair of socks and sneakers in your bag so you can change at the end if you feel the need.

Other important accessories can be:

• One liter of water
• Sunglasses
• Tick and mosquito repellent
• Hoodie
• It is not necessary to use a hiking stick
• Cash for parking

Bring a liter of water, a pair of sunglasses, or a stole with you. Either spray yourself up with a permanent mosquito repellent at the car or take it with you and spray yourself halfway.

Parking

There is one parking lot in front of the entrance, and several in the area. The one belonging to the gorge is not free and has about 80-100 spaces (see the picture below with a blue sign). Parking can only be paid for in cash! There may be not enough parking spaces here in the high season. In this case, you will find several nearby parking spaces, but they are a little further from the entrance.

• To park, use this address: 4247 Zgornje Gorje, Slovenia

Parking prices

• Car 5 euros
• Caravan 10 euros
• Bus 15 euros

Kid-friendly?

The Vintgar Gorge with children, and with kids

Vintgar Gorge is especially suitable for excursions with younger children. Although it is easy to move along the bumpy route, there are higher steps, which is why it is not recommended to go to the gorge with a stroller.

In the strait, the paved roads are sometimes wider and sometimes narrower. Therefore, we advise you to leave the stroller in the car and take small children in the strait by hand.

Dog-friendly?

Yes. You can bring a dog on a leash into the gorge! For safety, you should also have a muzzle in case they ask for it.

Barrier-free?

Unfortunately, the gorge is not handicap-accessible, so wheelchair access is not possible.

How long does it take to walk around the gorge?

The gorge is 1600 m long, and can be walked in about 1-1.5 hours. Anyone who does not take a lot of photos and does not really stop can do so in less time. The return trip (depending on where you come back from) also takes about 1 hour. As always, how fast you finish depends on your individual pace.

Overall with parking, ticket purchase, comfortable walking, souvenir shopping, counts approximately 4 hours for the entire program.

Useful links

The official site of Vintgar Gorge can be found here. Knowledge of English, German or Italian is required to understand the site.