Avoid these mistakes that many tourists make at Lake Bohinj.
As Lake Bohinj is one of my favourite places and I live in Slovenia, I often go there. When I’m on the shores of the lake, I can see the mistakes that holidaymakers make. I also know where the secret spots are that they don’t even know exist. So here are the 7 mistakes not to make when you’re by the lake. These very specific tips will greatly improve your visit to this magnificent Slovenian lake.
Don’t go and see the Savica waterfall
What to do in Bohinj ? The Bohinj tourist office sends all tourists to the Savica waterfall. I wondered why for a long time, as this waterfall is not the most beautiful in Slovenia. Tourists are sent to this waterfall because they have to pay for it and also because it is located at the other end of Lake Bohinj. This prevents visitors from crowding the entrance to the lake.
A waterfall that is often crowded in summer and of little interest
My advice: Save yourself the climb, the expense of paying for tickets (€3 for an adult ticket) and the 456 steps to get there… Don’t crowd in with the other tourists at the foot of the waterfall.
To see a beautiful waterfall in Slovenia, go to
- The two fabulous Pericnik waterfalls,
- The gigantic Boka (Soca valley)
- The Kozjak waterfall, the star of Instagram
- The adventurous Gozd Martuljek waterfall
Don’t stay just a few hours at Lake Bohinj
As they are only 26 km apart, many tourists combine a visit to Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj in the same day. If you’re only spending a few days in Slovenia, this is a good solution (get up very early as you won’t have enough time to explore both lakes during the day), but if your holiday lasts a week or more, I’d advise you to spend at least one full day at Lake Bohinj.
3 days at Lake Bohinj – never a dull moment!
Between the swimming, the walks/hiking, the viewpoints, the cafés and all the sporting activities on offer, there’s no way to get bored in the Lake Bohinj region.
Don’t arrive at the lake in the afternoon in summer
In summer, if you arrive by car at the lake in the early afternoon, all the parking spaces will already be taken (there are relatively few around the lake) and these car parks are rather expensive at the lakeside. If you’re staying for the day, it’s best to opt for the P.R. at Bohinjska Bistrica.
In July and August, arrive at the lake in the morning if possible!
During the summer months, it’s best to arrive fairly early in the morning and spend the whole day at the lake (but not too early either – you’ll understand why later). If you arrive in the afternoon, or if you don’t want to pay too much for parking, follow the advice below.
Tip: Park for €5 in the village of Bohinjska Bistrica and take the beautiful cycle path to the lake, or take the bus from Bohinjska Bistrica (parking is also cheaper – see here for details). The map and car park prices are here. Check it before you come.
Don’t drive to the lake on a summer weekend
In July and August, Lake Bohinj is a popular spot. As the number of visitors increases each year, the lake’s facilities become too small at the height of the season. To ensure that the lake retains its wild character, the nearest car parks to the lake are at €3/hour in July/August and for a maximum of 2 hours (parking at €2/day upstream on the Bohinjska Bistrica shuttle bus). The following geographical information will give you a better idea of the problem in summer: this magnificent lake is in a cul de sac, at the end of a valley, with only one road leading to it.
Warning: Don’t park anywhere near the lake – you risk a €50 fine.
If the weather is extremely hot, there is likely to be a traffic jam on the way to Lake Bohinj
On summer weekends, as more and more slovenes join the tourists, a traffic jam can form on the road between lakes Bled and Bohinj. Remember that if the temperature in Ljubljana is over 30°C on a Saturday or Sunday in July or August, it’s probably not a good time to drive to the lake at 11am.
Tip: There is, however, a very simple solution: take the train to Bohinjska Bistrica (a pleasant 1-hour 50-minute journey from Ljubljana or 25 minutes from Lake Bled – Bled Jezero station) and then join the lake via a magnificent 5km cycle path that winds through a beautiful valley.
Don’t cycle around Lake Bohinj, but …
Cycling around Lake Bohinj? Not a good idea! Not only is the southern shore a small, busy road, but the north-western shore, after the village of Ukanc, is a narrow footpath that is off-limits to bikes.
Tip: Walk half way round the lake along the north shore!
Here’s what to do when you get to Lake Bohinj
Go to the village of Ukanc by electric boat or by bus (a good idea as it’s much cheaper than the boat) and then set off on a hike along the north shore. Make sure you have good shoes beforehand. I’ve created the maps below to help you find your way around.
You’ll also find all the directions for a beautiful cycle path beside the lake in the rest of the article (it’s the path you saw in the image at the top of the paragraph).
To remember: While I don’t recommend cycling around the lake, I do strongly recommend cycling to Lake Bohinj. Stop a few kilometres before the lake and finish by bike. You can also combine the bus or train with this 7 km one-way cycle route.
Don’t go up to the Vogar viewpoint
No question about it, the view over Lake Bohinj from the Vogar viewpoint is magnificent. So why not go? The 1 hour 05 minute walk up to the viewpoint is downright strenuous (500 m ascent!). The path is steep, with countless large rocks. On the way up, as on the way down, this path is a real pain!
Instead, climb up to this other secret viewpoint over Lake Bohinj
It’s not worth the effort, especially as you can also get a great view of the whole length of the lake in just over 20 minutes’ walk (Go to Pec, a secret spot).
Note, however, that if you’re looking for a big hike and continue walking after reaching the Vogar viewpoint, this steep ascent is well worth the effort (then reach Pršivec).
Tip: Make use of the very interesting option of taking the bus up to the Planina Blato mountain pastures from the village of Srednja vas. Leave your car in the village. Information here.
Beware, you won’t be able to reach the Soca valley quickly
The Soca is a beautiful Alpine valley where an emerald green river flows, an Alpine paradise known throughout Europe by white water sports enthusiasts. When readers send me plans for their holidays in Slovenia, I’ve noticed that they often envisage linking Lake Bohinj and the Soca Valley, because on the map, these two tourist areas seem very close together. In reality, Slovenian geography means that this is not the case at all! As you can see from this relief map and photo, once you reach Lake Bohinj, an arc of mountains over 2,000 m high will block your path to the most westerly part of Slovenia and the Soca Valley.
A mountain range over 2,000 metres high separates Lake Bohinj and the Soca Valley
Lake Bohinj lies at an altitude of 526 m. Remember that getting from Bohinj to the Soca Valley takes time. Either take the auto-rail at Bohinjska Bistrica, or a very winding road that passes through the small ski resort of Soriska Planina, or head back towards Bled, then Kranjska Gora and climb over the Vrsic pass. This will take you 2 hours 15 minutes. A particularly pretty route!
Don’t come too early
It’s a great idea to get up very early on your holiday to see the sun rise over Lake Bled , but when it comes to Lake Bohinj, that’s not often a good idea. Even on a sunny day, the lake is often shrouded in thick fog.
This thick fog gives Lake Bohinj a Scottish lake feel.
It’s very beautiful and poetic , as you can see from the video I shot on the shores of the lake, but if, like me, you got up at 5am, the four hours spent in the cold and fog before the blue sky broke are a long time. If you want to see this beautiful spectacle, coming at 8.30am should be enough. No need to get up at the crack of dawn! There you have it, this article may have saved you a few hours’ sleep during your holiday.
Tip: You can use this webcam to see if there’s fog on the lake.
Don’t visit the Mostnica Gorge
The tourist office also recommends the Mostnica Canyon. The starting point is the village of Stara Fuzina. You walk through the forest on a path that runs alongside the gorge. The views of the canyon and river are pretty, but all too rare. The view above is the best you’ll get. At the end of the canyon, a friendly mountain inn serves traditional dishes (Planinska koca na Vojah). If you’ve never seen a canyon before, you might enjoy this activity, but as someone who has already done some canyoning, I found that it wasn’t worth the two hours of effort and the three euros charged for the entrance (plus parking, which also has to be paid for!).
In short, knowing the lake well, I think there are better things to do in Bohinj than these gorges.
To sum up, even though it’s far from boring and uninteresting, I wouldn’t recommend walking along this canyon if you’re only spending one or two days at the lake. If you’re spending a week at the lake, go for it! I’ve got friends who live in Slovenia who love this place.
Things to remember about visiting the lake
- If possible, cycle to the lake
- Swim on the north shore (less crowded)
- Look for car parks before arriving at the lake
- Also take the mountain pastures route
- Hire a canoe two hours before sunset
- Walk up to the Pec viewpoint
- Spend a whole day at the lake, not just a few hours
- Stay around the lake if you love nature and the mountains