5 spectacular Slovenia waterfalls you need to see
Slovenia, a small and often overlooked European country, is blessed with some truly spectacular nature and diverse landscapes. Besides its glacial lakes, blue-green rivers, mountains and caves, you’ll also find dozens of amazing waterfalls in Slovenia, the majority of them nestled in the scenic Julian Alps region.
During my Slovenia road trip, I had a chance to visit a bunch of waterfalls, each of them unique in its own way.
In this post, I’m sharing some of the most breathtaking Slovenia waterfalls together with all the details and tips for visiting them.
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Top 5 Slovenia waterfalls:
1) Kozjak Waterfall
Located just outside the town of Kobarid, Kozjak Waterfall is considered one of the most beautiful Slovenia waterfalls and it’s easy to see why.
A 30-minute walk through a forest takes you to a viewpoint where you’ll see the wonderful Kozjak Waterfall plunge down into an emerald pool. The moss-covered rocks and the dark limestone gorge around the waterfall create an ethereal dreamlike ambience.
Although Kozjak Waterfall is only 15 meters (50 feet) tall and not particularly powerful, it’s the mystical surroundings that make this place so fascinating. The only downside is that it’s a highly popular tourist attraction so come early if you want to enjoy this natural marvel without the crowds.
Swimming in Kozjak Waterfall is prohibited but if you’re craving a refreshing dip just go to the nearby Soča River – a stunning blue-green alpine river. For the ones looking for an adrenaline rush, there are canyoning tours where you can rappel down the Kozjak Waterfall, such as this one.
Related post: Rafting on the Soča River in Slovenia, an experience not to miss
Getting there: Assuming that you’re arriving by car, the closest parking lot to Kozjak Waterfall is located next to a campground called Kamp Koren. The price for parking is 1.5 EUR/hour. From there it’s an easy half an hour walk to the waterfall.
Entrance fee: 5 EUR per person
2) Savica Waterfall
Savica Waterfall, one of the most famous waterfalls in Slovenia, lies in the heart of Triglav National Park, just a short drive from Lake Bohinj.
Hidden between steep rock walls, this majestic two-part waterfall is often considered to be among the most beautiful waterfalls in Europe. The water flows here from the mountains as an underground stream and bursts out of the rocky walls before dropping 78 meters (256 feet) into a gorgeous turquoise pool below it.
Since Savica Waterfall is a popular spot both among locals and tourists, expect to see a lot of visitors here in the summertime, all trying to get that perfect waterfall shot.
Swimming in Savica Waterfall is not allowed and there’s also a big fence blocking the access to the pool at the base of it in order to preserve its beauty.
Getting there: If you’re arriving by car, make sure to park at the official Savica Waterfall parking lot (1 EUR/hour). We parked our car on the side of the road before the official parking lot, not knowing that this is prohibited, and got a 100 EUR parking fine, so don’t make the same mistake!
From the parking lot, it’s a 15-minute uphill walk on a well-marked trail.
Entrance fee: 3 EUR per person
3) Peričnik Waterfall
Situated in the mountains of Triglav National Park, the 52-meter (171 feet) Peričnik Waterfall is certainly one of the most impressive Slovenia waterfalls.
It’s an incredibly scenic place surrounded by a beautiful landscape but what makes this waterfall really stand out from the rest is the fact that you can walk behind it. A small trail leads you right behind the water curtain where you’ll be surrounded by the roar of the gushing waters and get sprayed by its mist – an experience you shouldn’t miss when visiting Peričnik Waterfall!
While you’re there, go explore the upper smaller waterfall as well. It’s like a mini version of the lower part. You might notice that the signs describe the upper waterfall trail as ‘very difficult’ but don’t let that scare you – we found it pretty easy.
P.S. Peričnik Waterfall also looks spectacular in winter when the water freezes and forms thousands of icicles.
Getting there: There’s a parking area near the base of the waterfall which usually costs 3 EUR but when we were there, there was nobody to collect the money. From the parking lot, a short 10-minute walk up the hill will bring you to the main viewpoint.
Entrance fee: free
Related post: Slovenia road trip itinerary for 5 days
4) Boka Waterfall
Next up on my list of best waterfalls in Slovenia is the mighty Boka Waterfall near the charming mountain town Bovec.
Featuring a 106-meter (348-feet) vertical drop, Boka Waterfall is a true spectacle of nature and is both the tallest and most powerful waterfall in the country. In fact, its height is continuously increasing due to the incredible erosive power of the falling water.
Getting there: Park your car in the free parking lot on the east side of Boka River. Even though you’ll be able to see the waterfall from the road, I recommend doing the 15-minute hike to the official viewpoint.
The trail is on the west side of the river and is easy to follow. It will definitely give you better views than what you get from the road but you’ll still be pretty far from the waterfall.
From this viewpoint, it is possible to hike even further up to get closer to the waterfall but it’s a very steep hike that takes about an hour. We only hiked to the lower viewpoint but I’ve heard that the views from higher up are much better!
Entrance fee: free
5) Virje Waterfall
Nestled among the mountains near the town of Bovec, Virje Waterfall will enchant you with its dreamy ambience. This waterfall is only 12 meters (39 feet) tall but what it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty.
At the base of the waterfall, there’s a dazzling emerald pool that you can swim in. On a hot summer day, it must be an amazing feeling to jump into this clear ice-cold water. During our visit, the weather wasn’t great so we just admired it from a distance.
The water level of Virje depends greatly on the needs of the nearby hydroelectric power plant, so if you’re lucky you might see the waterfall much fuller than we did.
On the right side of Virje Waterfall, there’s a steep path that leads you to the top of the waterfall where you’ll find some rock pools and a beautiful view of the area below.
Just a few minutes’ walk from the parking lot is the Glijun Spring, which is where Virje Waterfall gets its water from. When we were there, it was a really misty day which created such a mystical and otherworldly atmosphere around the spring. It’s definitely worth the short walk.
Getting there: Right outside Plužna village, there’s an official parking lot where you’ll need to pay 5 EUR if you’re arriving by car. From there, a 5-minute walk down the hill will take you to the front of the waterfall.
Entrance fee: free
Read also: Visiting Iguazu Falls, the world’s most beautiful waterfall
Slovenia waterfalls map
On this map, I’ve pinned the locations of the above-mentioned 5 best waterfalls in Slovenia. As you can see, they’re all located in the mountainous northwestern part of the country. Click on the top left corner of this Slovenia waterfalls map for more details.
Final tips for visiting waterfalls in Slovenia
- If you visit Slovenia in the peak tourism season (July-August), keep in mind that each of these waterfalls receives lots of visitors. If you want to avoid the crowds, arrive early.
- Even in the summertime, showers and thunderstorms are common in the mountainous parts of Slovenia, so make sure to bring a rain jacket.
- In the Slovene language, ‘slap’ means waterfall so if you see signs with this word, know you’re on the right track.
Best time to visit Slovenia waterfalls
In late spring, the waterfalls look the most spectacular as they are fed by the melting snow from the mountains. Summer months offer the best weather but this is also when the water levels are lower and the waterfalls receive the most visitors.
For more inspiration for planning your trip, have a look at my Slovenia road trip itinerary and my post on the 10 most beautiful places in Slovenia.
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