The breathtakingly beautiful place is Slovenia - Vintgar gorge is a 1.5 km gorge carved by the Radovna river, is a must visit place for anyone visiting Slovenia. A perfect place to spend a morning, this place is a 10 minutes drive from Bled city center (located 4km away) or a very beautiful and easy 1 hour walk through some lovely Slovenian villages and countryside.
When to visit :
The summer months of July and August can be extremely crowded. We visited in late September and would definitely recommend visiting in the shoulder season (late spring and early autumn) . The weather was great and crowds were less early in the morning. The rush starts at around 10 am.
How to get here :
Vintgar gorge is located approximately 4- 5 km from the Bled city centre.
You can either drive to the Vintgar gorge, take public transport or a private shuttle.
If you plan to take a car, try to reach early, parking tends to get difficult after 10 am.
Shuttle to Vintgar gorge is available from the bus station Bled and costs 1 euro one way. Return journey costs 2 euros, however the return shuttle is only in the evening at around 5 pm (as told by the bus driver), hence its better to buy one way ticket.
Another option is to take private shuttle with fixed departure and return times , like Mamut.
We took the 1 euro shuttle to Vintgar gorge at 8.00 am .
What to wear -
Dress in layers as all the walking will make you feel hot, especially in September. However, when you are closer to waterfalls, especially in the morning, it can get a little bit chilly so carry a light jacket.
Wear good walking shoes, as some parts of the walkways can be slippery.
The gorge -
Entry ticket for adults is 5 euros and for children above 6 years of age is 2.5 euros.
As soon as you enter, there is a small place selling few drinks and snacks and the toilets.
A wooden path is constructed along the gorge which leads to the Sum waterfall. Head back the same walkway admiring the beauty of multiple rapids and pools formed along the gorge. The tall canyon walls on both sides make for a spectacular setting to spend a morning.
The beautiful water is multiple shades of green… and crystal clear ! You can easily spot the trout swimming in there!
At one time you are walking past gentle flow and almost stationary pools and right after few meters it transforms into rapids!
Its surreal. We were mesmerized.
Towards the end of the walk, there is an old stone arch railway bridge, constructed in 1906.
Vintgar gorge with children -
The place is great to visit with kids! Older kids can enjoy the walk . It is best to carry babies and toddlers in baby carriers as strollers are not allowed and cannot negotiated the narrow wooden walkways.
Our little one enjoyed watching the waterfall and the fish in the water. But we saw families with older kids having whale of a time!
And return (we loved our journey back!):
On our way back, we chose to walk back to Bled. Its 4-5 km easy walk through picturesque villages and countryside.
Looking at the many many honey bees at work!!
And exploring dandelions on the way!!
Saying hello to cows! Lots of cows!
And just soaking the beauty around!
How much time is required for the trip:
Set aside atleast 3 to 4 hours to explore the gorge and head back (on foot). In case you are driving, the gorge itself will need atleast a couple of hours to explore.
The gorge is open for visitors from 7 am to 7 pm.
Important tips:
There is a small kiosk that sells coffee etc near the ticket counter, but don’t rely on it for significant snacks. Carry yours. Especially when travelling with toddlers and kids. They also come handy when you want to spend more time taking in the beauty while keeping little stomachs calm. Also carry water.
It gets cold near the water fall. Carry a light jacket.
The walkway may get slippery after rain, wear good walking shoes.
Toilet is only at the entrance.
The picture on the internet may give an impression of the place not being crowded, but it can get extremely crowded especially during summer months. Go early for some quiet time.
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