Vintgar Gorge: The Complete Travel Guide!
The Vintgar Gorge is located near Lake Bled, inside the beautiful Triglav National Park, and is one of the most popular nature highlights in Slovenia. Due to its natural beauty, especially the impressive high rock formations and the breathtaking emerald green river, a hike in the gorge is a unique experience. So for many visitors, a walk through the Vintgar Gorge is high up on their Slovenia bucket list. This gorge is also a particularly popular place to visit for photographers, because really impressive pictures can be shot on the leisurely loop trail. But not only the gorge is beautiful. At the end of the Vintgar Gorge walk another highlight is waiting for you: The roaring Sum Waterfall, which is the highest river waterfall and one of the most beautiful Waterfalls in Slovenia.
In this travel guide we give you all the important information about a Vintgar Gorge hike, opening hours, prices and hike duration. In addition, we show you some amazing pictures, and tell you why a hiking tour through the Vintgar Gorge is really worth it.
Good to know!
The Vintgar Gorge is located only 4 kilometers from the resort of Bled. E-bikes for getting there can also be rented online on GetYourGuide.
The Vintgar Gorge is generally open from April to November, in winter the gorge remains closed. You can visit the gorge even if it rains.
You are not allowed to swim in the gorge due to safety regulations. The water is with around 5 degrees freezing and the rapids are dangerous.
Hiking through the Vintgar Gorge
Whether young or old, for families with children or accompanied by a dog – a hike through the Vintgar gorge is always a great experience. The gorge has a length of about 1.6 kilometers and the walk is very leisurely. The path is not particularly steep and it’s relatively easy to hike through the wooden paths and stairs. No special fitness is required here. For the walking time, including breaks and stops to take pictures of the gorge, you can expect a walk time of about 2 hours (round trip). Although the hike is easy, you should still wear good footwear, at least sneakers are recommended.
The entrance to the gorge is located next to a lovely restaurant where you can enjoy delicious and fresh trout. The hike starts with a walk over curved wooden walkways through the gorge. Always along the rushing river with its impressive rapids, past the Zumer galleries and over small wooden bridges, the hike offers numerous great natural landscapes and magnificent photo opportunities.
Tip: Of course, you can walk the Vintgar Gorge even when it is raining. Although the emerald-green watercolors do not show up so well, the gorge carries much more water than with sunny weather. Also, the waterfalls are even more powerful when it rains. All our pictures of the gorge were taken on a rainy day, which apparently did not detract from the walk of beauty.
The river that shoots through the gorge is called the Radovna River, which has made its way for thousands of years between the mountains Hom and Borst. The gorge was discovered in 1891, but at that time it was still impassable. Just two years later in 1893 it was opened to the public. Since then, this natural beauty has always enchanted its visitors. So, it’s no wonder that The Vintgar Gorge walk has become one of the most popular destinations in Bled region.
Other highlights of the hike are the small hydropower plant called Vintgar pod Sumom and the 33-meter-high stone bridge of the Bohinj Railway of 1906, which crosses the dam. Attention: Some visitors unfortunately confuse the hydroelectric power station with the Sum waterfall and think that they arrived at the end of the gorge. From here the hike still goes a bit further.
As mentioned above, at the end of the hike another nature spectacle is waiting for you: The Sum waterfall. Due to its approximately 13 meters height, it is the largest river waterfall in Slovenia and one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the region. Especially when it’s raining, this waterfall turns into a thundering nature wonder.
Now you can either hike the same route back (1.6 km) or take the loop trail Vintgar – Hom. From the last waterfall, continue past the churches of St. Katharina, Zasip and Podholm back to the parking lot. This circular trail has a length of 5.5 kilometers.
Tip: Swimming at Vintgar Gorge is not recommended because of the streams.
Walking time
Best you plan for this hike 2 hours walking time (walking pace including photo breaks). The way through the gorge is 3.2 kilometers go and return. If you decide to do the round trip, the route is 5.5 kilometers long.
How to get there and where to park your car
Getting to Vintgar Klamm is easy to organize, either you take the car, a taxi or the shuttle bus. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the village Gorje, which is about 4 km from Lake Bled. From Bled to the Gorge, it takes only 10 minutes by car. You can park directly at the large car parks at the entrance to the gorge. Parking is charged here and currently costs 5 euros per day.
In summer, there is a daily shuttle bus operating between Vintgar Gorge and Lake Bled. The bus cost 1 Euro per Person and will drive between mid-June and mid-September 2019.
Vintgar Gorge or Tolmin Gorge
If you have limited time, and you are not sure if you want to visit the Vintgar Gorge near Bled or the Tolmin Gorges you should definitely check out our article about the Tolmin Gorge.
The advantage of the Tolmin Gorge is that there are fewer visitors than at Vintgar Gorge. Walking the Tolmin Gorge is a bit more tiring than the walk at the Vintgar Gorge. The Vintgar Gorge is near Bled, Tolmin Gorge is 2 hours from Bled. But both gorges are really worth a visit and we really enjoyed both hikes. However, for many the tour through the Vintgar Gorge is one of the best hikes in Europe!
Guided Tours
Those who do not come by car can also join guided tours. Especially popular are trips to Vintgar Gorge from Lubljana. Or you can also borrow an e-bike from Bled and make your way up to the gorge. Unforgettable tours and excursions can be found here:
Prices & Opening Hours
The Entrance Fee to Vintgar Klamm currently costs 10, – Euro per person. Children and students receive discounts on their tickets. Dogs are allowed in the Vintgar Gorge, leashes are required in all areas.
In winter, from December to March, the gorge is closed. The Vintgar gorge is open again from April to November. Here are the current opening hours of the gorge:
- April – May from 8 am – 6 pm
- June, July, August 7.00 am – 7.00 pm
- September 08.00 am – 6.00 pm
- October – November 09.00 am – 4.00 pm
Tip: In summer, in holiday season and on the weekend, you have to expect a very high number of visitors. Therefore, you should start your hike either very early or very late.
Conclusion: The Vintgar gorge impresses with its vertical rock faces, the raging river, the spectacular wood paths and one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Slovenia. For a visit to Lake Bled you should definitely put this natural highlight on your must-see list!
Find the best accommodation in Bled:
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