Triglav National Park is one of the most popular sights in Slovenia. There are really spectacular highlights to see, which is why the Triglav National Park should not be missing on any Slovenia road trip. We will now introduce you to the best things to do in the beautiful Triglav National Park, tell you what to expect, how much time you should spend in the National Park and what we think are the best tips to make your trip unforgettable.
Triglav National Park Slovenia
Triglav National Park is not only the most beautiful, but also the only national park in all of Slovenia. It was first established as a protected park in 1924 and then as a proper national park in 1981. It is about the size of Berlin with its area of 838 km². The park is named after Slovenia’s highest mountain, Triglav, which is 2864 meters high. This is enthroned majestically in the middle of the national park, but can only be climbed by real mountaineers and not on a normal hike.
The Triglav National Park stretches from Lake Bled in the east over the Vrsic Pass in the north, Bovec in the west to the Tolmin Gorge in the south. By the way, you can find a good overview map of the Triglav National Park here.
The most famous legend of the Slovenian Alps is Zlatorog, a chamois with golden horns. There are many legends about this mythical figure, which revolve around greed, love and betrayal. Statues of this chamois buck can be found in the Triglav National Park at Lake Bohinji and Lake Jasna, among others.
The highlights of Triglav National Park are some of the most beautiful in all of Slovenia and should not be missed on any Slovenia road trip. Which sights in the Triglav National Park you should see in any case we tell you now.
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Accommodation in Triglav National Park
Since the national park is quite large, it makes sense to make several overnight stops here. We recommend accommodation in Bled on the eastern edge of the park and in the Bovec region on the western edge of the national park. This way you don’t have to drive too much and still don’t have to change your accommodation every day.
Accommodation Recommendation in Bled
Penzion Pibernik in Bled
Penzion Pibernik is a family-run bed & breakfast in a quiet location.
The hotel is located on a large meadow surrounded by a forest above the Sava River, only 300 m from the main road to Lake Bled.
You can reach the lake very quickly on foot. Nevertheless, you are in a quiet environment in the middle of the forest.
Penzion Pibernik | Check Prices*Accommodation Recommendation in Bovec
If you are not traveling with a camper or campervan then we can recommend the following beautiful hotel:
Hotel Mangart is brand new and welcomes you with a wonderful view of the mountains. It is located in Bovec, so you are very quickly at all the highlights of the
of the Soca Valley.
- Each room has a balcony and free wifi
- There is a whirlpool and sauna
- Free parking is also available
- wonderful alpine panorama
Hotel Mangart | Check Prices*
Top 12 Things To Do in Triglav National Park
We describe the most beautiful highlights in Triglav National Park from north to south. This way you will get the best overview and you can also combine the sights well in an itinerary through Triglav National Park. How such a road trip can look like we tell you below.
#1 Lake Bled
Lake Bled in Slovenia is probably one of the biggest highlights in the region and should not be missed on any Slovenia road trip. That’s exactly why we included it on our list. Even though it is not part of the Triglav National Park. But it is in the immediate vicinity, so we turn a blind eye here 😉
Lake Bled really offers a dreamlike fairy tale scenery like from a Sissi movie and no matter from which side you look at the glacier lake, the panorama is simply magnificent. Here at Lake Bled there are countless sights, beautiful hikes and of course the famous (and very tasty) Bleder Cream Cake.
The place is really extremely touristy, there are many restaurants, cafes and souvenir stores here. Apart from the lake, we didn’t find the place really beautiful. Therefore, it makes sense to concentrate on the lake and the surroundings during a visit. You can also book a tour to the most beautiful sights* directly. Here you can discover the greatest highlights and get a lot of information.
Tour to the best Sights at Lake Bled | Check Prices*
Lake Bled is relatively manageable, measuring 2 km x 1.4 km, so you can easily go around it on foot or by bike, as the distance is just under 6 km. What makes Lake Bled so special is Bled Island (the only island in Slovenia, by the way) and Bled Castle, which sits high on a rock above the lake. Truly one of the most beautiful lakes we have experienced on our travels so far.
Learn more about the beautiful Lake Bled here: Lake Bled I The best tips to the Slovenian highlight
#2 Lake Bohinji
Lake Bohinj is less than an hour away from Lake Bled, yet it seems like another world. It’s just hardly touristy here. There are only a few restaurants and much less visitors. It’s all much more natural and pristine. You can enjoy nature much more. The lake is also beautiful and you can also walk once around the lake here via a beautifully landscaped path in just under 2.5 hours.
We think that Lake Bohinj is not as spectacular as Lake Bled with its small island and Bled Castle. Nevertheless, you should pay a visit to Lake Bohinj, because the spectacular Mostnica Gorge is located nearby.
#3 Mostnica Gorge
Mostnica Gorge is located very close to the beautiful Lake Bohinj and is a spectacular hike along a special gorge in the middle of the Triglav National Park. Even though Mostnica Gorge is not super long, it is extremely beautiful and can be admired very well from the hiking trail that runs parallel to it.
The river runs here sometimes totally calm and then again completely wild, for example when it flows through the narrow gorge. At the narrowest point, the gorge is only a few meters wide and allows the water to flow through at very high speed and wildly.
The path through the forest is really extremely beautiful and not always easy to walk. You run over large roots, have to cross small streams and also the one or other moss-covered rocks is there. The forest smells wonderfully of coniferous wood and looks super untouched and natural.
Our hiking tips for the Mostnica Gorge you can read here: Mostnica Gorge I Hiking Highlight at Lake Bohinj
#4 Vintgar Gorge
The Vintgar Gorge is clearly the most beautiful gorge at Lake Bled. If you’re in the area, you simply must stop by here. The hike along the narrow gorge is really spectacular and one of the most popular sights in Slovenia. If you are sporty you can also take an e-bike tour from Bled to the Vintgar Gorge*.
E-Bike Tour to Vintgar Gorge | Check Prices*
The Vintgar Gorge is a narrow gorge washed out by the Radnova River between the Hom and Boršt mountains. You can hike along the gorge on narrow wooden paths for almost exactly 1.6 km and enjoy spectacular views of the river and the steep rock walls next to you.
The steep cliffs are overgrown with greenish shimmering moss and grasses. The gorge is sometimes wider, sometimes narrower. You walk sometimes on the left side and sometimes on the right side of the roaring river. The water has a beautiful turquoise color, while it flows with a loud roar under you through the gorge. The Vintgar Gorge is a really great natural highlight in the Triglav National Park and should be part of your visit.
We have written down more tips for the Vintgar Gorge here: Vintgar Gorge Hike I Tips, Parking & Highlights
#5 Pericnik Waterfall
Not far from Lake Bled is the small village of Mojstrana. Here you can park your car for free and walk along a beautiful river to the Pericnik waterfall. The path runs idyllically through the forest and offers wonderful views of the river and the surrounding mountains. After about 45 minutes or 4 km (the last 500 meters you have to walk on the road) you will come to a restaurant with a parking lot. You could drive directly here by car on the well-built road.
In the high season the parking costs 3€ for 2 hours. In the off-season, when the restaurant is also closed, parking here is free. For the hike to the 52 meters high Pericnik waterfall there are 2 ways. We recommend you to take the right path for the ascent and the left one for the descent.
This way you can experience the waterfall during a nice round trip. The right path is quite steep directly through the forest. The path is not well marked or not marked at all. So you should rely on apps like maps.me to find the right path. You will first come to a vantage point where you can see the waterfall from below and can already guess what awaits you.
If you then follow the path further up you come to the foot of the waterfall and now really notice why this waterfall is so special. The path runs directly behind the waterfall. So far, we only knew this from Seljalandsfoss in Iceland. Everywhere water drips from the rock walls and one runs here like under a gigantic shower. It is not possible to get through here dry.
On the other side of the waterfall the wind blows the spray then again really in the face, but that is part of the experience. There is also a staircase here that will take you a little higher. You should invest the extra 5 minutes in any case. Once we reached the top, we suddenly felt like we were in déjà vu. Because it looked exactly like where we just came from.
The explanation is that here we see the second (about 16 meters high) step of the Pericnik waterfall, which falls into a similar basin as the step below. From here you also have a great panorama of the valley through which you arrived. If you follow the very well-maintained path down from here, you will arrive back at the parking lot after about 20 minutes.
#6 Jasna Lake
Lake Jasna consists of two artificial lakes at the foot of the Vršič pass. But even if these lakes were created by man, you do not notice this, because they blend beautifully into the surrounding natural scenery. Lake Jasna is very well developed for tourism, which means that there is a restaurant, a beach bar and you can even rent SUPs (Stand Up Paddle) here. You can take a nice hike around the two lakes, which only takes about 30 minutes.
There are benches everywhere from where you can admire the lake and the ducks swimming on it. And if it’s warm enough you can even go swimming in Jasna Lake. The lake consists of really crystal clear turquoise water and with the mountain panorama around it, it’s a really very beautiful setting.
#7 Vršič Pass
The Vršič Pass is the highest mountain pass in Slovenia and takes you up and down an incredible 50 hairpin bends to 1611 meters above sea level. A ride over this spectacular alpine pass is a must on any Slovenia road trip, whether you’re traveling by motorcycle, car or campervan. Built over a hundred years ago, the Alpine pass still fascinates on any road trip through Slovenia. As a relic from the old days, the curves of the serpentines are still laid out with cobblestones. This is very rare in the Alps.
On top of the peak there is a brilliant hike that takes you to the viewpoint Slemenova Spica. The way there is really spectacular and for us the most beautiful hike in all of Slovenia. At the southern end of the mountain pass (actually at hairpin bend 49) you can also see the source of the Soča river.
More about the spectacular alpine pass can be found here: Vršič Pass I What to expect at the highest pass in Slovenia
#8 The Soča River
The Soca River is one of the most spectacular highlights in the Triglav National Park, accompanying you from the Vrsic Pass in the north to the Tolmin Gorge and beyond. The Soča is a total of 137 km long before it flows into the Gulf of Trieste in Italy. With its narrow gorges, turquoise waters, rapids and suspension bridges, this river is truly the most beautiful natural highlight in Slovenia and should be part of your Slovenia itinerary.
In addition, outdoor sports are very important here, you can do whitewater rafting* or go on a kayak through the river*.
Rafting Tour in Soca Valley | Check Prices*
Almost all the time you are driving on road 206 along the water, so you almost always have a view of the wild and often raging river. We couldn’t get enough of the brightly shining color of the river and were always wondering how nature manages it so beautifully.
More information about the Soča River and the highlights in the Soča Valley can be found here: Soča Valley I 7 spectacular highlights & travel tips
#9 Great Soča Troughs
One of the most spectacular parts of the Soča River are the Great Soča Troughs. These are pools washed out by the river over thousands of years, located in a narrow gorge or ravine and just look incredible. The water here is also crystal clear, although very wild in most places. There are several viewpoints here to see the Great Soca Troughs and you can even go swimming here – at least in the hot summer months.
In addition, there is also a path that runs several kilometers along the river and always allows great views of the troughs.
More information about the Soča River and the highlights of the Soča Valley can be found here: Soča Valley I 7 spectacular highlights & travel tips
#10 Sunik Water Grove
The Sunik Water Grove is a real insider tip at the Soča River and can be reached on foot from the Great Soča Troughs. We also recommend you to do this hike from the parking lot of the Great Soča Troughs (Google Maps), because just the way there is beautiful. In about 45 minutes you will walk first along a road and later picturesquely along a narrow path along the river.
You can also drive the route by car and park on site for free (Google Maps). The first waterfall at the Šunik water grove is pretty awesome. It is shaped like a large cauldron (or a U) and so the water runs at almost 180 degrees several meters down the moss-covered rocks. It looks really wonderful!
The path then leads you further into the forest. The path alone looks like something out of a fairy tale. You walk over moss-covered rocks, everywhere you see water flowing. The water is really everywhere.
It runs out of the rocks, comes out of the earth and forms everywhere small watercourses, waterfalls or ponds. The landscape is really totally mystical and beautiful. The path is well developed and leads you dry feet through the very humid forest. A really special hike in the Triglav National Park.
#11 Kozjak Waterfall
The Kozjac waterfall near the village of Kobarid is really a special highlight in the Triglav National Park. After a short hike you will pass a great viewpoint of the Soca river and after about 30 minutes you will reach this special waterfall. On the last hundred meters there are several small bridges to cross the water. You can also simply walk through the ankle- to maximum knee-high water, if you wear sandals.
Then go around a small corner and you will see it. The Kozjak waterfall runs about 10 meters in a kind of small cave down a rock wall. The special thing about this waterfall is that you are almost surrounded by rocks and in the middle you can still stand (almost dry feet) to admire the waterfall.
#12 Tolmin Gorge
Tolmin Gorge is also the southernmost and deepest point of Triglav National Park. In addition, the rivers Zadlaščica and Tolminka flow together here and form a beautiful gorge, which you can discover during a short hike. The water here, as in the neighboring Soča, is wonderfully clear and extremely turquoise blue. It flows very wildly through a rocky gorge and has created a landscape that you simply have to experience.
The circular route takes you past a small sandy beach, the Bear’s Head and ends at the Devil’s Bridge. If this list is not enough to convince you to visit the Tolmin Gorge, here is some more information:
Tolmin Gorge I 5 tips to the gorge highlight in Slovenia
Tips for Triglav National Park
Itinerary through Triglav National Park
On your Slovenia road trip, a trip through Triglav National Park is simply a must. The travel route through Triglav National Park is put together quite quickly, as there are very few roads in the region. If you are coming from Germany or Austria, you should start with the highlights in the north. So start with Lake Bled and the Vintgar Gorge, then drive over the Vrsic Pass towards the Soca Valley and end the Triglav National Park road trip at the Tolmin Gorge.
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Does Triglav National Park charge Entrance Fee & What are the Opening Hours?
The great thing about the national park is that it’s completely free, so you don’t have to pay an entrance fee. There is also no entrance gate. Therefore, there are no opening hours, but the Triglav National Park is open all year round. Only the drive over the Vrsic Pass is not possible in winter because of snow. However, the remaining roads are still passable and thus the Triglav National Park can be experienced even in winter.
Best Time to visit Triglav National Park
Even though you can go to the national park in winter, as mentioned above, this is of course not the recommended time to travel. You can visit the Triglav National Park from April to October, but the best and warmest time to travel is of course the summer months of July and August. Then it is so warm that you can even swim in the Soča or Lake Bled without any problems.
We were here at the beginning of October in the low season and found it a great time to travel. There are much fewer tourists on the road and the prices are somewhat lower. But many campsites are already closed and the sun shines of course no longer as long as in high summer.
How many days should I spend in Triglav National Park?
Since the park is relatively large and offers many incomparable highlights, we would recommend you to plan at least 5 days here, better are a week or more. The variety of attractions here is simply incredible: hiking, swimming, outdoor activities like rafting or just marveling at what nature has created here. For Triglav National Park you should take enough time.
Wild Camping in Triglav National Park
Wild camping is unfortunately forbidden in Triglav National Park as well as in the rest of Slovenia. But in the national park it is more strictly forbidden than in the rest of the country and is also more strictly pursued and punished. We were on the road with our campervan Bruno and after intensive research we did not dare to stay overnight outside campsites.
One reads very often that police checks are carried out and then penalties of more than 100 Euro person are imposed. But there are more than enough official campsites in the Triglav National Park. Unfortunately, these cost relatively much, you have to calculate for a campervan with 2 people with 35-60 Euro depending on the season.