3 Fun Bohinj Hiking Trails to Check Off Your List While in Slovenia

Lake Bohinj is one of the most beautiful destinations and places to visit in Slovenia!

This gorgeous lake surrounded by the Julian Alps is tucked away in the middle of the Triglav National Park. And while it’s not an uncommon destination to visit, it’s still a lot less busy than the neighbouring Lake Bled.

There are so many amazing hikes you can do near Lake Bohinj that you can easily spend weeks if not months here. It can be quite challenging to pick which ones to do if you have a limited time here.

In this post, we’ve highlighted our favourite Lake Bohinj hikes that we did during our recent visit.

These hikes will take you from viewpoints overlooking Lake Bohinj from above to waterfalls and a stunning gorge as well.

There is a wonderful variety of hiking trails around Bohinj and the ones we recommend in this post are perfect if you’re spending a few days near Lake Bohinj.

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3 fun hikes to do around Bohinj, Slovenia

All of the hikes mentioned in this post offer something completely different. That’s why we recommend doing all of them if you have the time!

Bohinj is such a beautiful little place deep in the Triglav National Park past Lake Bled. Bohinj is surrounded by mountains and at the foot of the Julian Alps where you can find the tallest mountain in Slovenia, Triglav (2863m). It’s one we’d love to hike one day but it’s not on this list (for now at least). 

Instead, these hikes take you through a gorge, to a stunning waterfall, and up the mountain to an awesome viewpoint of Lake Bohinj or even simply the walking trail around Bohinj Lake.

You’ll be able to find all the basic information about each Bohinj hike in this post along with links to much more detailed guides of each hike.

We’ve done all of these hikes near Lake Bohinj ourselves and they’re all quite moderate hikes with awesome views. 

These three hikes will give you a great impression of the area and why there’s so much hype around this part of Slovenia.

Vogar Viewpoint is probably the least touristy hike out of the three we did. It is also the most challenging one.

Many of the locals know about it and hike up to Vogar quite often. When we hiked up we actually ran into a group of Slovenians enjoying a nice barbeque and drinks at the top of Vogar where the restaurant is. 

The hike itself takes you through the town of Stara Fuzina where the hike begins. From there you’ll actually hike in the same direction as Mostnica Gorge before you turn off the trail and up the mountain. 

Out of the hikes we recommend around Bohinj this is the only one that actually takes you up into the mountains.

You zig-zag your way up the mountain until you reach a restaurant where there’s one final 5 minute trail that leads you to the most beautiful viewpoint overlooking Lake Bohinj.

In a way, it’s a little similar to the Velika Osojnica Viewpoint overlooking Lake Bled. Both views overlook lakes from above and this one in Bohinj is extra cool because you can truly see most of the lake from the viewpoint.

Once you take in the view from Vogar Viewpoint you can head back to the restaurant just behind the viewpoint. They have picnic tables for warm sunny days and a cozy fireplace for the colder day you want to warm up inside for a few minutes.

It’s a nice place to relax for a while before making the trip back down to Stara Fuzina and Bohinj.

We really love the fact that this is a more local hike (at least that was our impression) and you don’t get the big groups of tourists like on some of the other hikes. 

We have a much more in-depth guide to the Vogar Viewpoint where you can get more information on the hike and the details of where to go. It truly is one of the best Bohinj hiking trails you can do.

Read more: Hiking to the Famous Vogar Viewpoint Overlooking Lake Bohinj

Savica Waterfall is another popular hike in the area that can actually be done either by a guided tour or by yourself!

You can visit Savica Waterfall on a day trip from Ljubljana where you can go on a full-day guided tour and see this beautiful waterfall.

Of course, if you’re like us and already in the area or planning on going to Bohinj yourself then you can easily get up and do this awesome hike right from Bohinj.

One thing we absolutely love about Savica Waterfall is that you can do the short version or you can do it as a longer half-day hike. So it totally depends on how much time you have in Bohinj and what type of hike you’re looking to do. 

The 5-6 hour hike (half-day) starts right at Lake Bohinj and you get straight on the Julina Trail. The Juliana Trail takes you around Bohinj Lake before connecting with the trail to the Savica Waterfall. 

Once you finally get around the lake you’ll start to make your way up the mountain and then you’ll finally connect to the “short version of the hike” where you’ll meet most other hikers who only do the short version of the hike.

You can read all about the Savica Waterfall hike here where we dive into all the details about the hike.

For the short version of the hike, you’ll drive up to the parking lot where the official trail starts. There will be a small little cabin where you have to pay €3 per person to enter this section of the hike to get to the Savica Waterfall viewpoint. 

The long version of Savica Waterfall hike:
From Bohinj to Savica Waterfall and back down to Bohinj will take roughly 5-6 hours.

The short version of Savica Waterfall hike:
From the Savica Waterfall parking lot to Savica Waterfall and back to the parking lot can be done in around an hour with time at the Savica Waterfall to take pictures and relax.

Read this post about Hiking to The Beautiful Savica Waterfall From Bohinj here.

Our full guide on Savica Waterfall explains the trail in detail, the starting point, what the hike looks like, and everything else you need to know about the trail.

Mostnica Gorge is one of our favourite hikes to do around Lake Bohinj. The hike itself doesn’t actually start right at Bohinj but instead in the neighbouring village of Stara Fuzina. 

Stara Fuzina is also a great little place to stay if you plan to hike around Bohinj for a few days. We stayed in town at the Old Mill House and it was the most unique and cool experience. 

Back to the hike though… It starts by walking through the village of Stara Fuzina until you connect with the trail further up where the gorge begins.

Over the years, this trail has become more touristy and you now have to pay €3 per person to enter the gorge (at least during peak season).

You’ll see a tiny little cabin-looking building at the start of the hike. From there you basically follow the gorge the whole way up until you get to Voje Waterfall. 

We have a whole guide on the Mostnica Gorge hike here where you can see what the trail looks like and what you can expect on this hike. 

You’re going to be in for a surprise at how powerful the water running in Mostnica Gorge is. The best part of the whole hike is that you’re constantly surrounded by incredible views. Of course, the cherry on top is Voje Waterfall at the end of the hike.

There’s also a restaurant next to the Voje Waterfall where you can have a beer or a snack if you want to treat yourself after hiking up all the way. This is also a nice little rest stop before making the same trip back down to Stara Fuzina after you’ve seen everything.

On the way back down to Stara Fuzina you can actually hike back down on the other side of the Mostnica Gorge and turn it into a bit of a loop trail.

For more info check out our Mostinca Gorge guide and enjoy one of our favourite hikes in the Bohinj area.

Read more: Exploring the Stunning Mostnica Gorge Next to Lake Bohinj

What to pack for hiking in Bohinj

On any of these hikes, we suggest you bring both food (or snacks) and water. There are a few shops in Bohinj where you can grab some snacks before you start your hikes.

For water, make sure you bring enough for the duration of your hike. Especially if you do the Vogar Viewpoint or the long version of the Savica Waterfall, you want to make sure you bring a lot.

We recommend you bring a reusable water bottle if possible. We always bring our LifeStraw bottles which allow us to drink water from basically anywhere since it makes any water microbiologically safe to drink through it’s membrane technology filers.

When we hiked all around Bohink in early October, and since a few of the hikes are deep in the trees, it did get quite chilly. So pack a few layers depending on what time of year you’re going to be in Bohinj. And if you go in summer, make sure you also bring sunscreen and maybe a sun hat.

We normally go a little over-prepared and throw everything imaginable we may need into our Osprey Daylite backpacks. Everything from our tripod to a power bank and all the food we may need for the specific hike. 

The best part of hiking around Bohinj (and especially the hikes we recommend) is that they all have restaurants along the trail. So you’re never far from a toilet, a place to get water, or somewhere to get warm soup!

The restaurants really come in handy and it’s so nice to relax and have a coffee or a soup once you’ve made it to them. Usually, they’re up near the top of the hike or next to one of the viewpoints which is super convenient. 

Packing list for hiking around Bohinj:

• ​​Water! We always fill up our LifeStraw bottles before hikes and even during them when possible. Make sure to fill it up beforehand on most of the hikes and then you can always refill at the restaurants. All three of these hikes have restaurants along the trails so it should be quite easy.
• Sunscreen is highly recommended when hiking in Slovenia during the summer months. Some of the hikes are more hidden and in the trees, but there will always be sections where you’re exposed to the sun.
• A power bank is always nice to have on any hike you do! You don’t want a dead phone halfway through a hike or when you have to navigate back to your accommodation.
• Bring some snacks to enjoy up at the viewpoints and lookouts. 
• It’s always nice to have hiking poles! On all three of these hikes, hiking poles will come in handy.

Where to stay near Lake Bohinj

One of the nice things about staying near Lake Bohinj or Stara Fuzina is that it’s less touristy than staying in Lake Bled for example.

You’re also much closer to a bunch of amazing hikes, and it’s more affordable to stay around here. (Although now it’s become quite a popular destination as well which means prices for accommodation have also gone up slightly around here).

We have a few awesome accommodations we can recommend if you plan to stay near Lake Bohinj for a few days and hike around the area.

Read more: Top 5 Bohinj Hotels for an Unforgettable Stay

How to get from Ljubljana to Bohinj 

Having a car to explore Slovenia is probably the easiest way to get between all the different cities and hiking spots.

Buses do run and, actually, there is a bus directly from Ljubljana to Lake Bohinj so it’s actually not that inconvenient if you don’t want to drive.

So renting or having a car is ideal but it’s doable by bus which is great! 

You can also check out this guide on getting from Ljubljana to Lake Bled and Bohinj.

Rent a car in Ljubljana 

Renting a car is by far the best option for these hikes in and around Lake Bohinj.

Cars are fairly affordable to rent from the Ljubljana Airport and being able to drive will save you lots of time getting to and from all the trailheads.

We always use DiscoverCars to compare prices between all the different companies. Usually, booking through DiscoverCars is the cheapest option.

You can look at different rental car options from the Ljubljana Airport here.

Taking the bus to Bohinj

You can actually take a bus directly from Ljubljana that goes through Lake Bled and then stops in Bohinj.

Arriva is the main company that does these bus trips daily and they run quite frequently during peak season and less frequently during the offseason. 

Before you visit Bohinj to go hiking

Check the weather in Bohinj

No matter where you hike, you should always check the weather before you go. You don’t want to get caught in the middle of the gorge, on top of the mountain, or deep in a forest when a storm comes rolling in.

You can see the weather for Lake Bohinj here. All of the hikes are right next to Bohinj so the weather will be very similar to what is says for Lake Bohinj.

Of course, you’re in the mountains and the weather can be unpredictable so it’s better to pack a few extra things in your bag and be over-prepared.

Bring hiking shoes

Almost everywhere in Slovenia up in the mountains proper hiking shoes are recommended. We wear them on all mountain hikes we do. It makes the hike so much more enjoyable.

It’s also a lot safer, especially with all the loose rocks, roots, and other things you might find on the trail.

We hiked around Lake Bohinj in early October and because of all the rain, the majority of the trails were muddy and filled with water. It would not have been fun with regular walking shoes!

Other related questions to Bohinj hiking

What is the most popular and difficult trail in Bohinj?

If you combine popularity and difficulty then the most popular trail and difficult trail in Bohinj is ‘Around the Visevnik’ (Okolo Viševnika).

With a distance of 8.5km return trip and 791 meters of elevation, this beautiful hike above Lake Bohinj in the Triglav national park will keep you busy for 3.5-4.5 hours.

How long does it take to walk around Lake Bohinj?

It can take anywhere from 2.5-4 hours to walk around Lake Bohinj. You can do a full loop around the lake where you’ll find marked signs including a section along the Juliana Trail on the north side of Lake Bohinj.

Alternatively, you can walk on the north side of the Juliana Trail from the Lake Bohinj town center and then go return the same way. The south side is road the entire way so the north side is by far the most enjoyable side.

Is Lake Bohinj worth visiting?

Lake Bohinj is similar to Lake Bled but a lot less touristy with more of a local feel to it. We actually prefer Lake Bohinj over Lake Bled.

Lake Bohinj is located deep in the Triglav National Park with mountains surrounding it on all sides. It is so beautiful!

If you’re looking for a taste of Slovenian nature and mountains then Lake Bohinj is totally worth visiting. 

When is the best time to go hiking in Bohinj?

The best months to go hiking in Bohinj are between May and October when the mountains aren’t covered in snow and most hikes in the Triglav National Park are accessible.

There are still plenty of hikes like Mostnica Gorge, Savica Waterfall, and the Bohinj loop trail that are easily accessible all year round. 

You may also like…

• Top 5 Bohinj Hotels for an Unforgettable Stay
• Walking the Scenic Bohinj Lake Trail: A Must-Do in the Triglav National Park
• Hiking to Velika Osojnica Viewpoint Lake Bled
• Exploring the Stunning Mostnica Gorge Next to Lake Bohinj
• Hiking to the Famous Vogar Viewpoint Overlooking Lake Bohinj

Recap of 3 Fun Bohinj hiking trails to explore

All three of these Bohinj hiking trails can be done all year round. In the winter months, you’re going to have to be a bit more careful, especially hiking up to Vogar Viewpoint with some snow up in the mountains. 

Mostnica Gorge can also be extremely beautiful to do in winter. If you do get the chance though we recommend visiting Bohinj and hiking during the warmer months of the year. That way you can enjoy being outside, in nature, with the sun shining down on you as you hike to these beautiful viewpoints. 

Bohinj is such an awesome place to go hiking because you have the easy and more popular trails like Savica Waterfall and Mostnica Gorge to Voje Waterfall but then you also have the whole mountain range to explore. Vogar Viewpoint is just a taste of what you can expect when hiking in the Julian Alps above Lake Bohinj.

We hope you have an awesome time in this magical part of Slovenia surrounded by mountains, fresh air and awesome hiking trails. We loved our time in Bohinj and hope you do as well. 

Feel free to DM us on Instagram @redwhiteadventures or leave a comment below if you have any questions about Bohinj and hiking in the area.

We have plenty of recommendations for places to visit, things to do, places to stay, and even some of the best restaurants in Bohinj.

Enjoy your time hiking in Bohinj and exploring this beautiful part of Slovenia!

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