Have you ever walked through a gorge? There’s no doubt that the Vintgar Gorge in Slovenia is a natural beauty but what makes visiting this spot worth it is not just its views, but its trails that let you walk through the gorge! Take a read, we’re sure you’ll want to add Vintgar Gorge to the backpacking list of activities while travelling in Slovenia.
What is the Vintgar Gorge?
The Vintgar Gorge is Slovenia’s most popular gorge – and arguably its most beautiful one. It’s often referred to as “Blejski Vintgar” or “Soteska Vintgar” in Slovenia.
Its size is impressive. It is 1.600 meters long and up to 250m deep, and tourists can visit it by following a very well mantained trail. Almost the entirety of the path has been built on a suspended wooden walkway, on the sides of the gorge. This is a one-way route, therefore, there is an entry point and an exit point. From the exit point, you can come back to the entrance by following a different path, making it a circular route.
The Vintgar Gorge has been created by the relentless flow of the Radovna river, which cuts deep between the hills of Hom (834m) and Borst (931m). We are in the eastern area of the Triglav National Park, just a few kilometers from lake Bled. At the Krnica village, the river takes a sudden turn, which can be explained by the area’s geological past.
HOW DID THE VINTGAR GORGE FORM?
During the last inter-glacial period, the Bohinj glacier blocked the flow of the Radovna towards the Sava Bohinjka at Bled, creating a lake that began to drain towards the Sava Dolinka at its lowest passage.
Having to overcome a considerable elevation drop, the river gained much strength and carved a 1,600-metre-long gorge amidst the steep precipitous rock faces that rise 50 to 100m high.
So, why is Vintgar Gorge the most popular and frequented gorge in Slovenia? The gorge of Vintgar is well-known for its exceptional value which makes it a geomorphological and hydrological natural attraction of national importance. Its water is so pristine you can see the riverbed at almost every point. Also, its proximity with the popular Lake Bled helped Vintgar gaining the popularity it deserves.
You need a ticket to visit the Vintgar Gorge, which can be bought either online or on-site. Keep reading to find all the information needed to plan your visit to Slovenia’s most beautiful gorge.
Are you travelling to Slovenia? Read also:
How to get to the Vintgar Gorge
Reaching the Vintgar Gorge is quite easy, especially if you’re already planning on visiting Lake Bled. The access point is located just 4 km from Lake Bled, and the gorge can be reached by car, bus/train, bike, and even on foot.
🚗 By car:
The Vintgar Gorge can be reached by car. The closest point near the entrance is Parking 1, and the road is paved the entire way. The parking spots are wide, and there is enough room even during high season.
🅿️ Parking at the Vintgar Gorge
The parking situation isn’t the easiest to understand here: in fact, there are 7 parking areas at Vintgar Gorge. On top of that, the parking areas aren’t clearly marked on Google Maps and some of them are often closed. This is why we highly recommend checking out our map for the exact location, as well as visiting Vintgar’s official website for updated info.
Parking 1 and 2 are located near the entrance. Parking 3 and parking 5 are located further, in the town of Podhom. Parking 4 is located in Blejska Dobrava, near the exit point of the gorge. Parking 6 and 7 are much further in Zgornje Gorje, about 30 minutes from the entrance point.
Campervans are only allowed in parking areas 4 and 5.
As of November 2022, parking areas 2, 3, and 5 are closed indefinitely. Parking costs 2€ for motorbikes, 5€ for cars and 10€ for campervans.
TIP: Which parking is best? Parking area 1 is the best option if you come from Lake Bled, while Parking area 4 is ideal if you come from Kranjska Gora / Jesenice. However, at the time of our visit (August 2022) Parking 1 was entirely dedicated to visitors with online ticket.
🚌 By bus:
Take the bus from the bus stop of Bled to the bus stop Podhom. From there, continue on foot to the entrance to the gorge (approx. 25min). On the way back, the most convenient option is heading to the bus stop in Zasip, following the green route.
🚆 By train:
Take the train in Bled for one stop, until you reach the town of Podhom, From here you can continue on foot to the entrance of the gorge (approx. 15 min).
To head back to Bled you can either go all the way back to Podhom, or continue from the exit of the gorge to the town of Blejska Dobrava, where you can take the train to Bled.
🚲 By bike:
You can easily get to the Vintgar Gorge by bike from Lake Bled or surrounding areas. While you are not allowed to carry your bike inside the gorge, you can leave it near the entrance and do the loop trail to visit Vintgar from there.
🚶 On foot:
If you are in the area of Lake Bled you can reach the Vintgar Gorge even by walk! In fact, Vintgar Gorge is just 4km from Bled with an elevation difference of +120m/-30m, making it almost flat for the whole way.
The whole loop trail from Lake Bled, including the visit to the Vintgar Gorge and the return to bled is 10km long. Check the map below for more details:
Hiking the Vintgar Gorge
Pretty much the entire trek at Vintgar was built on the sides of the gorge. It is a rather narrow wooden walkway, firmly attached to the rocks by means of steel beams. You will also encounter several bridges as the walkway swings from one side to the other of the gorge. This part of the trail is about 2km long and it is very pleasant, mostly flat.
Since you won’t visit the Vintgar Gorge on group tour, the time of visit highly depends on your pace. Expect the section inside the gorge to take you 1 to 2 hours.
As mentioned above, the trail is one way so you are only allowed to do it from the entrance (Point A, near Parking 1) to the exit (Point B, near Parking 4). From the exit (Point B), there are 2 possible routes to go back to the entrance: the red route (via the town of Blejska Dobrava) and the green route (via St.Catherine Church).
THE RED ROUTE:
Distance: 2.80km
THE GREEN ROUTE:
Distance: 3.75km
Both ways are not particularly demanding. There is some elevation gain, more than on the walkway, but nothing extremely challenging. It’s actually a pleasant walk in the woods on your way back to the entrance.
Near Sum Waterfall at the end of the trail there is a restroom, while along the red and green trail you there are some chemical toilets.
PLAN YOUR TRIP
Opening times
The Vintgar Gorge is open every day from April to November. The opening times change depending on the time of the year. Here is a table of the different opening times throughout the year.
| Time of the Year | Opening Time | Closing Time |
|---|---|---|
| April (weekends & holidays) | 9 AM | 5 PM |
| April (Mon-Fri) | 10 AM | 4 PM |
| May 1st – May 27th | 9 AM | 5 PM |
| May 28th – June 24th | 8 AM | 6 PM |
| June 25th – August 21th | 7:30 AM | 7 PM |
| August 22st – September 18th | 8 AM | 6 PM |
| September 19th – October 10th | 8 AM | 5 PM |
| October 11th – to closing | 9 AM | 4 PM |
Is Vintgar Gorge open in Winter?
Unfortunately not. The Vintgar Gorge stays closed in winter and it’s only open from early April to late November.
Best time to visit the Vintgar Gorge
While the Vintgar Gorge is beautiful year-round, the best time to visit it is probably during spring (April-May-June), as there is more water flowing in the gorge and you avoid the busy summer months.
Summer (Jul-Aug-Sept) has the best temperatures, but you will have to deal with a considerably higher number of tourists on the narrow wooden walkway. October and November means fall! Get ready to see the Vintgar Gorge in a very different and magical way.
Best time of the day to visit Vintgar Gorge
The best time to visit the Vintgar Gorge is either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Between 10 AM and 1PM the gorge is usually packed.
Tickets
You can find tickets information on Vintgar’s Official Website and book them here. Here is a brief summary of the ticket options available and related prices:
| Price [€] | Online booking available? | Price for groups | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | 10 | Yes | 8 |
| Student & Senior | 7 | Yes | 5 |
| Kids (6-15 years) | 3 | Yes | 2 |
| Kids (under 6 years) | 1 | Yes | 1 |
| Dogs | 3 | No | 3 |
Prices are per person and refer to a one-way visit. Group discounts are valid for groups of 10 people or more, but such groups must send an email at least 4 days before arrival at info@vintgar.si.
The online booking service works very well and we highly recommend it. This way you’ll make sure you can visit the gorge, skipping the line and parking at the closest parking lot available.
Avoid trying to sneak in out of opening hours. Both entrances are secured with metal doors which are locked during the night.
Do you have to visit the Vintgar Gorge with a tour?
Luckily not, and as far as we know there isn’t even a tour option available to visit it. This means you can visit the Vintgar Gorge on your own and at your own pace, not having to worry about being in a group.
Can you swim at the Vintgar Gorge?
Nope. Unlike at the Great Soča Gorge, you are not allowed to swim at the Vintgar Gorge. Visitors should follow the path for the entire way, without climbing over the fence or leaving the trail.
What to bring
A good thing to keep in mind is that the air temperature at Vintgar Gorge is similar (but slightly cooler) than the one of Lake Bled. In summer you don’t have to worry about jackets nor coats, as the temperature is pleasant during the day. During spring or autumn, wear warm clothes as it gets quite chilly in the gorge.
DO NOT bring strollers, as they are not allowed at the Vintgar Gorge. Similarly to strollers, wheelchairs also can’t enter the Vintgar Gorge.
Dogs are allowed, but they must be kept on a leash.
