DAY 9
Drive to Kranjska Gora along the Vršič Pass with stops at Great Soča Gorge, Šunik Water Grove, and Slemenova Spica
We had one last fantastic breakfast at our B&B in the Soča River Valley before packing up the car and hitting the road.
The day’s drive would take us further north into the Julian Alps. Most of the day would be spent on the road, but we had a few stops planned to break up the drive and stretch our legs.
We first drove back toward Bovec where we saw some waterfalls a couple of days earlier. This time, we drove further past the town until we reached the Great Soča Gorge.
We parked our car and picked up a trail running alongside the edge of the gorge. We were a bit lost on where exactly to go, so we spent some time wandering back and forth, doing our best to interpret the limited signage along the trail.
It was hard to get a clear view of the water from the trail given how deep and narrow the gorge is. I’m not sure if we just weren’t in the right place or if the trail is simply not the intended way to experience the gorge, but I definitely expected something more given the popularity and number of online reviews.
We did see a number of kayakers making their way through the gorge that seemed to be having a blast — I imagine this is probably the best way to really experience it. Obviously with a toddler we weren’t able to partake in any of the adventure sports that the region is known for, so I’d definitely be interested in coming back another time to give the Great Soča Gorge another shot.
Afterward we drove just a bit further down the road to check out the Šunik Water Grove. I randomly stumbled across this small nature preserve while looking for a place to stop for a picnic. This turned out to be such a lovely spot that was more memorable than the much more famous gorge.
A series of trails meandered through a wooded area that was crisscrossed with a creek and babbling, moss-covered brooks. It was so delightful just wandering around, enjoying an easy stroll through nature. It was a magical place — the photos really don’t do it justice.
We eventually settled on a mossy spot by the river and laid out our picnic blanket for lunch. If we didn’t have more of a drive that day, I could definitely see spending a whole afternoon here just relaxing by the water.
After lunch we were back on the road once again.
Our next leg of the journey would take the Vršič Pass, a high mountain pass that’s known for its breathtaking views of the snow-capped Julian Alps. The road is not the most direct way to get from one side of the Alps to the other — there’s actually a car train that connects Most na Soči to Bohinj that tunnels straight through the mountain — but if you have the time and enjoy a road trip, it is really worth the detour.
The road has more than 50 hairpin turns but was overall a very manageable drive. We made a couple of stops along the way at scenic overlooks so Dan (the de facto driver) could properly appreciate the view.
We made a stop at the highest point of the pass to take a break and hike the Slemenova Spica. At this elevation, the ground was still covered in a layer of snow, which we weren’t expecting and were definitely not prepared for.
We didn’t want to miss out on getting to experience one of the best hiking trails in the region, so we decided to forge ahead with the hike despite the snow. We managed to make it about a half hour along the trail before deciding to turn back. Even though we didn’t make it very far, it was still totally worth it. The views of the Julian Alps were breathtaking.
From the trailhead we had another half-hour drive down the mountain until we reached our destination for the night at the end of the Vršič Pass. We stayed the night at a self-service apartment just a few minutes drive outside of Kranjska Gora, a ski town with a nice lake.
There wasn’t much near the hotel, but there was luckily a nice restaurant called Brunarica Kosobrin just a short walk away serving up some traditional and very hearty Slovenian cuisine.
Where we stayed: Hiša Kosobrin
DAY 10
Lake Jasna and Pericnik Waterfall
For breakfast, we headed back to the same restaurant as the night before, which as it turns out, is owned by the same family that owns the hotel. Afterward, we checked out of our apartment and made the short drive over to Kranjska Gora to check out the lake.
At the heart of Kranskja Gora is the beautiful Lake Jasna, the main attraction in town.
We went for a stroll around the lake and in just a few minutes, Luna was sound asleep in her stroller. We stopped by a coffee shop next to the lake to enjoy a relaxing coffee break while she slept.
We grabbed a seat in the shade with a hard-to-beat view of the crystal-clear alpine lake and Julian Alps. This ended up being one of the most zen moments of the whole trip. There’s nothing better than a well-timed nap on vacation.
After the nap, we said our goodbyes to Kranskja Gora and the Julian Alps and continued on our way. Our destination and home base for the next several nights would be Lake Bled, just a half-hour drive away.
We made just one more stop along the route to check out one of the most popular waterfalls in the area, Pericnik Waterfall.
As per usual, the hike to the waterfall was short — you could even see the falls from the trailhead. The most unique aspect of this waterfall is that you can walk behind it, very similar to the spectacular Seljalandsfoss waterfall in Iceland. The falls is also one of the tallest in Slovenia, and the heavy mist it generates from 52 meters of free-falling water results in a nice rainbow effect at its base.
From the falls we drove just a short distance further until we arrived to Bled.
Don’t miss it…
This post is a part of a larger two-week trip around Slovenia. Check out the full itinerary and an overview of the trip here!
