Travelling is already so expensive (the cost of transport and accommodations…), so let me show you some free/low-cost activities to do, follow my series “Slovenia on Budget”. It is for people who will travel by car.
If you want, you can first read
Day 4 – Tolmin and Around
The Forest covers about 60% of Slovenia. When I think about Slovenia, mountains, forest and waters come to my mind. In this post, we’re going hiking and seeing a lot of water courses. We’re going to the West side of Slovenia, in the Goriška region.
Tolminska Korita in Tolmin
The drive from Tržič (where I live) to Tolmin is quite tricky, it has a tons of mountains roads and turns. I’m always a bit worried when we drive to Tolmin, as I’m not sure how my stomach will take it… but the Tolminska Korita – Tolmin Gorges is soooooooo worth it! And a plus, it’s not crowded by tour bus tourists, but hikers.
For a little fee of 4€, you can hike in the Tolmin Gorges, which is part of the Triglav National Park. The paths are well maintained, but a good pair of shoes is recommended, as it goes up and down and near the water courses.
The water, believe it or not, is turquoise and very very clear. You can easily see the protected marble trout in the waters. I’ve always enjoy listening to the flow of water and childishly play in it – it’s just so relaxing! Within the Tolminska Korita, you can see Thermal Spring, the “Bear’s Head”, the Devil’s Bridge and so much more. For more information, you can visit the Dolina Soče Official Website.
Hidden gem in Kobarid
On our way back, we visited small hidden gem in Kobarid: the Kozjak Slap, which consists of six succession of waterfalls, but only the two last can be seen. The Veliki Kozjak is beautiful sight of nature: a 8 m high white waterfall, surrounded by a half dome, that drops into a pool of turquoise water. The only path there is by walking on a narrow and tiny wooden bridge and at the end, you get to stand on a platform of approximately 1 m large. Which makes taking photos a bit challenging!
We took the smoother road via Škofja Loka/Idrija on our way to Tolmin, but we drive back by via Kranjska Gora/Vršič Pass .
Driving through Vršič Pass
The Vršič Pass is the most famous and highest mountain pass in Slovenia. It was built during World War I, with a total of 50 turns. Each turn is numbered from 1 to 50 with the elevation.
Beautiful View from the top of the Vršič Pass
The sight on top is breathtaking, you can see waves of mountains in attitude. There’s also a small inns for travelers and adventures. It’s a quite famous cycle-challenger for bikers as well!
Be aware that the weather is chiller at the top (1611 masl), so wear an extra jacket.
Let me know how you’re liking the nature side of Slovenia by dropping me some comments below. Don’t forget to dress accordingly for hiking and to bring snack with you, but don’t forget the principle of “hiking without trace” – meaning, don’t throw your garbage in the nature.
I forgot to mention, there’s a surprise on Turn 17 of the Vršič Pass – make sure to make a stop. And if you can’t wait to find out, you can visit my Gallery for the answer. Tomorrow, we’re going around the neck of the chicken: Day 5 – Ptuj & Maribor.
(I’ve also randomly came across this post: This May Be The Most Beautiful River On Earth, from the Huffington Post.)
Let’s travel,
Anna.
Anna in Slovenia 