Lake Bohinj Must-Sees: Waterfalls, Mountains and More!

Whenever we visit a new place, I always aim to check out not only the most popular attractions, but also a few lesser-known places. While most of you probably heard of Lake Bohinj, you might not have know of its equally-beautiful surrounding attractions. We only discovered these gems upon arrival and I’m really glad we did not miss out on them! Without further ado, here are a few Lake Bohinj must-sees which you should definitely include in your itinerary:

Lake Bohinj and the Villages

The first town you arrive to when you reach Lake Bohinj is the picturesque Ribcev Laz. A teeny-tiny village with over 150 inhabitants, it serves as one of the gateways into the Triglav National Park. We didn’t spend too much time here, only admired the iconic bridge adjacent to the St. John the Baptist Church. We also took a few shots of the majestic ibex, the symbol of Triglav, guarding the lake at its primary entrance.

We then headed over to the westernmost corner of the lake by the charming settlement of Ukanc (population: 41). We admired the lake clarity, the reflection of the mountains and the ever-moving clouds from the grounds of Camp Bohinj. The campsite was closed by then and we were lucky enough to enjoy this lovely panorama in complete silence, without any disturbances.

Slap Savica

We didn’t have any other plans for that day and spotted a sign saying “Slap Savica” with a kind of water symbol next to it. We followed the sign and quickly reached the parking spot leading to the entrance of the trail taking us all the way to Savica Falls. After coughing up a few euros for a designated parking space, we headed towards the entrance. We paid the access fee of 3 euros per person and followed the extremely well-marked path after crossing Sava Bohinjka, the Bohinj River.

The nature trail is extremely well-marked and chances are you won’t really get lost here. It also offers easy access to the waterfall, as it is filled with railings, stairs and other features helping everyone and anyone to the top. The entire trek lasts about half an hour if I remember correctly and the views are more than rewarding. See for yourself:

Savica is fed by the underground karst channels by some of the lowest lakes of Triglav. The A-shaped waterfall is nearly 80 meters high and can be found at an altitude of 836 meters. From this viewpoint you can not only admire Slap Savica, but also Lake Bohinj from a distance.

Not to mention the majestic cliffs of the Triglav Mountains:

Vogel Ski Resort

To get an even better view of the mighty Julian Alps, we decided to go even higher. We hopped on the cable car and were transported within minutes to an elevation of 1535 meters to Vogel Ski Resort. The clouds were gathered and the entire place was quite misty, so we didn’t see too much at first. But that all changed later on. The cable car set us back 16,5 euros round-trip and was worth every cent if you ask me.

As we reached the top, the mist didn’t really want to clear up. So at first we didn’t get a full-on view of all the surrounding mountain peaks. Instead we decided to do a bit of hiking in hopes of the weather clearing up.

We picked one of the easier, shorter hikes and after passing the main ski slope, we turned to the left and followed the extremely well-marked trail.

After a 30-minute walk or so, the weather finally started clearing up and we could get a peak at some mountain tops.

But only after reaching some abandoned buildings did the surroundings really show their true colors. I think these old buildings were used by shepherds and cheese makers. Nevertheless, the view from this plateau was beyond amazing.

Arpi found the perfect bench from which to get the perfect view of the Julian Alps. And he took the most breathtaking photos to prove it:

The weather quickly turned grey again and it looked as if it was about to rain. Since our equipment was lacking to say the list (we didn’t expect to do much hiking), we decided to turn back. I think that our timing was perfect, because as we were descending with the cable car, we were treated to this memorable view: (a perfect ending to a perfect day!)

Where to stay in the Lake Bohinj Area

There are many quaint little villages and picturesque towns in the Lake Bohinj area. Somehow we opted for the largest settlement of all, the lovely Bohinjska Bistirca (with a regular population of under 2K). The city isn’t too big, but it had everything we needed. It offered easy access to surrounding sites (including Lake Bled!) and offered plenty of amenities such as grocery shops and even a spa!

It is here that we found one of the best accommodation sites I’ve ever stayed in. Apartment Zvab lies at the heart of town, offering a charming apartment with two separate bedrooms and a well-equipped kitchen. The host, Katja, is one of the kindest hosts ever, greeting us with the utmost kindness and helping us out whenever we had questions. Besides boasting a budget-friendly price, the accommodation also has a view to die for: