Soteska Vintgar — Attraction in Gorje

Mystical Waters, Mixed Value. The Snake Queen Legend – A Hiker's Hidden Gem!

In early July, after exploring Lake Bled, I ventured into Vintgar Gorge. Walking alongside the remarkably clear and cool waters, I covered about 3.6 miles (approx. 5.8 km) in 1 hour and 20 minutes. The path, with its relatively gentle elevation changes of 724 feet (approx. 220.7 m), was quite pleasant. The crisp forest air mingled with the soothing sound of rushing water brought a sense of calm, and watching the trout dart through the icy depths was a delightful bonus!

Important Pre-Visit Notes:

Upon arrival, there were a few logistical points to navigate. To use the on-site parking (which has a 2-hour limit), you need to show a pre-booked entry ticket. Otherwise, a satellite parking lot, about a 10-minute drive away, is available. I paid 15 euros per person (total 30 euros) for entry, plus an additional 10 euros for parking. While a 10 euro discount coupon was offered for spending over 40 euros at the Vintgar Restaurant, I didn't get to use it. Also, be aware that if you arrive more than 20 minutes late for your timed entry slot (my slot was 2:07-2:10 PM), an extra 5 euro fee per person (total 10 euros) applies for admission. A safety helmet was provided at the entrance, a practical and somewhat charming touch.

While I chose to complete the gorge as a full hiking loop, it's good to know that a convenient shuttle bus service generally operates for those who prefer a one-way trip. After you've explored the gorge and returned your safety helmet, just head a bit further down past the final waterfall, and you'll find the bus stop (marked as P3 on the map).

Having explored various gorges in Austria and Bavaria, I found Vintgar Gorge undeniably beautiful. However, when considering the total cost of entry and parking, it didn't quite strike me as "exceptional value for money." Nevertheless, the gentle uphill stretch on the return path provided a nice, unexpected bit of exercise!

A Special Discovery: The Snake Queen Legend! During my hike, particularly along the return path, I encountered fascinating information about Slovenia's snakes. While learning about the 22 native species facing endangerment was impactful, it was the 'Legend of the Snake Queen' from the Julian Alps that truly captivated me. This mythical tale of a boy befriending a white snake and helping her retrieve a hidden crown was enthralling, offering a deeper connection to Slovenia's natural and cultural heritage. This story, displayed on information boards along the hiking loop, feels like a hidden gem best experienced by those who walk the full path. Those taking the shuttle bus might unfortunately miss out on this intriguing narrative!

Overall, it was a pleasant experience, though the pricing felt a little steep. Still, the enduring charm of the Snake Queen legend ensures Vintgar Gorge will remain a memorable part...

Do not go with young children!!!! Please see image for trail back through the forest. We went on this tour very enthusiastic on a Monday afternoon (29.04.24) close to closing hours, it was 16:30. We knew very well this route and it is magnificent. We had our 4 year old daughter w us. All was well going towards the end, but as we reached the cabin at the end of the trail, the personnel there forbid us to go back the same way we came saying very non challantly that the way back is through the forest up ahead, it is a really easy hike. Well you know what it is said about the theory and practice they don't match... Here is where our real adventure started. We went ahead and it was really steep, really not adequate for a child not to mention younger ones who are carried and for their parents. we returned after about 5-10 min in the forest because our child kept complaining that she was tired since we were only going up and much as we wanted we didn't see the plateau mentioned by the personnel... We went the second time in the forest since there is a tourniquet at the cabin blocking the way back, it didn't matter that we told them that groups of elderly people and some young people were going back the same way, they just said in the forest. We kept looking at the map who was showing us that we actually we were distancing ourselves from the car, going complete opposite directions. We were tired, angry and w a complaining child w us. Not a fun situation. No indicators as to where you are or how long it will take to reach the parking lot again. It was at least 30-40 min of steep trail w roots and mud road and in total until we reached some kind of civilization more than one hour. This is at St. Katerina church where the trail splits and from which point you have at least another 40 min to walk until parking or shuttle, on a very narrow dirt road. There is no shuttle schedule or none that we saw, no warning about the way back, we went thinking that we will go back the same way as many years ago when we went for the first time, no indicators and ultimately no understanding. Lucky for us we met a local family who guided us, but we saw many people confused as to where to go, turning back, lost. As for us we remained at St. Katerina waiting for my husband to bring the car because our daughter refused to walk anymore and we were tired of carrying her. In conclusion, we have been explained by the local people that it was too crowded the trail and accidents happened and we understand but what we do not understand is why there is no warning for the families w young children and elderly. We personally might have chosen not to visit. We were left no option, perhaps just not go to the cabin at the end and...

The gorge itself is beautiful, but the whole operation and the process around it is a pain. First of all, you can’t seem to book tickets online less than 2 hours before, even if there is still plenty of availability. Around 08.20 in the morning were in the process of booking tickets for the 10.20 timeslot on the website and it showed there were many tickets left, but while we were finishing our transaction (entering and verifiying creditcard details) the whole transaction was suddenly cancelled and the only option was to start a new booking for the 10.40 timeslot. The option for 10.20 just disappeared from the website at 08.20. When we arrived and tried to enter the gorge at 10.40, we were told our ticket was only valid at 10.47 (on the exact minute). What’s the point of a timeslot (from 10.40-11.00) if you are only allowing us in at exactly 10.47? Then we had to squeeze trough a very inconvenient gate with our dog. Once we did that, the person working the gate laughed and told us it would have been easier to use a dog gate. Why didn’t he tell us there was a dog gate when he saw us waiting in line for the gate for 10 minutes!? On the exit of the gorge, it was very chaotic. A busy café and shop, people standing everywhere. At the exit the dog gate was locked, so we had to squeeze through an annoying gate at the exit with our dog once again. From the exit (at the shop), the 2 different routes back were not very well marked. Then we had to do a 1 hour less than enjoyable walk back to the entrance. Why not turn it around? Start with the one hour walk and then walk the gorge the opposite way? That way the views of the gorge would be better and it’s more rewarding to see the gorge after walking up there instead of having to walk back after finishing the gorge. The walk back had more elevation gain than we thought and some parts were pretty slippery. Lastly, someone mentioned beforehand that there would be a parking near the exit so you could minimize the walking by parking there and taking the shuttle to the entrance. We tried to find information the night before about this option, but we could find anything about it on the Vitgar gorge website. There was also no mention on the website of the (paid) parking at the entrance. So overall we the website, information beforehand, the process of booking tickets and entering the gorge and the walk back made the whole experience less enjoyable...