What to do and see in the Kranjska Gora area in one day

Explore the heart of the Triglav National Park, and find out what to do and see in Kranjska Gora in one day: waterfalls, lakes and even a ski jump!

Slovenia is all about nature. The country has countless Natural Parks, but only one National Park, the Triglav National Park. It is on its northernmost edge where Kranjska Gora is located. A small but cute village, and the place where the road towards the Vrsic pass begins, a mountain road that helps cross the National Park (do not attempt it during winter, it is closed).

The Kranjska Gora area is full of nature, amazing landscapes and unique sights. Unfortunately, when travelling, the time available is limited. However, I strongly recommend spending some time in the area and visiting its most important sights.

This list does not feature any major hike, as it would take most of the time of a single day. Instead, if you can only spend one day in the Kranjska Gora area, diversify and explore the following spots. This is what to do and see in Kranjska Gora in one day.

How to get to Kranjska Gora

This article covers three main places in the Kranjska Gora area: the Jasna Lakes, the Planica Ski Jump and the amazing Pericnik waterfall, one of the most impressive ones in Slovenia (even more in winter, when it is completely frozen).

Getting to Kranjska Gora is pretty easy. Most people either come from Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, or from Bled, the village by the world-famous lake with an island with a church in it. Either way, you will need a car to visit all the spots listed here in one single day.

It will take you less than 1-hour drive to get to the three spots. However, if you want to use public transportation, some connections simply do not exist. Whereas it is possible to get to Kranjska Gora easily, both Planica and Pericnik are not easy to access without a private means of transport.

Best things to do in Kranjska Gora area

Visit Jasna Lakes

Slovenia has so many lakes. The small Jasna Lakes might not stand out for their size, but it is by their shore that you can see one of the best views of Slovenia. Mount Triglav, the tallest mountain of the so-called Julian Alps, and its surrounding giant peaks are reflected on the surface of two alpine lakes.

Park your car in any of the nearby parking lots. You will need to pay for it, otherwise, you could get a parking ticket. Prices vary depending on the month of the year, being way cheaper during winter than in the warm summer months.

Due to their size, it won’t take more than 30-40 minutes to walk around the two small lakes. During this time, make sure to take some photos and admire the surroundings. Check the giant photo frame and the iconic Kozorog statue. Both of them are perfect places to capture the essence of Jasna Lakes

The time of the year when you visit the lake will greatly affect your experience. All the photos in this article are from early winter, and as you can see, the lakes were already frozen. Most of its surface was even walkable! Nonetheless, during the warmer months, check the reflection of the mountains on the lake. It is probably one of the best easy-to-access photo spots in Slovenia. If you visit during early winter as I did, you can get both of them, the reflection and the snowy and dreamy landscape.

If you have some free time, make sure to also explore the nearby river, and maybe even get to the hanging bridge (location here).

Discover the Planica Nordic Centre

Winter sports are something big in Slovenia. With the first snowfall, winter resorts open their doors. However, even if you visit the Kranjska Gora area outside the cold season, there is one place worth visiting. The Planica Nordic Centre is a place where young Slovenian athletes train to become elite athletes.

What makes this place special, though, are its ski jumping facilities. If you have never seen one of them in real life, this is the moment to do it. There are different slopes, heights…

Moreover, if you are lucky enough to visit during winter, you will (most likely) find athletes training. Or even national or international competitions! Getting to the Planica Nordic centre is very easy. Just be careful and don’t miss the exit or you might end up in Austria, as it is very close to the border. Google Maps will guide you there without any problem.

Hike the Pericnik Waterfall

If there is one thing that you should do or see in the Kranjska Gora area, this is hiking to the Pericnik waterfall. No matter the time of the year, it is probably the most famous waterfall in Slovenia (although not the most visited one).

Getting there is quite easy during most of the year. You can drive all the way to the Koča pri Peričniku, a mountain hut by the side of the road, and exactly where the short hike to the waterfall starts.

This hike is really short, but it is a must. When there is no snow (or ice), it is a circular route that goes from the mountain hut to the waterfall. From there, it is possible to go “through” the waterfall, reach a viewpoint and then walk back to the mountain hut.

How to hike Pericnik Waterfall in winter

However, the valley where the waterfall is, the Vrata valley gets a lot of snow during the winter months. And lots of snow also mean very low temperatures. The road to the mountain hut gets covered by snow pretty fast, and it can be dangerous to drive in it.

Yet, this does not mean that the hike can’t be done. Instead, leave your car at one of the parking lots by the road (I left mine here), and walk the 2-3 kilometres to the mountain hut.

In fact, there is a really beautiful path by the road (on the other side of the river) that will lead you through a beautiful forest, crossing the river a couple of times. This path is marked and easy to follow at all times, and I highly recommend it! Even during the summer months consider leaving your car before the hut, it is so worth it to get lost in the Slovenian forests.

Once at the waterfall, during winter BE VERY CAREFUL. The view of the frozen waterfall will be one of the highlights of your trip but do not attempt to do the circular route. There are endless icicles and the path is completely frozen. Both things can be even deadly. From both viewpoints, you will not have any problem, and the view is fantastic. The only issue can be slipping a bit one the way up or down. Hiking poles or crampons can be helpful if you are not used to hiking in the snow.

To visit both sides of the waterfall during winter you will need to walk from the mountain hut to the first viewpoint and get back to the road. From there take the second path, the one that gets to the second viewpoint.

This article is based on my own experience, and I did not require hiking poles or crampons. Yet, some people might need them.

Other things to do in the Kranjska Gora Area

There are plenty of other things to do and see in the Kranjska Gora area. Some of them are seasonal (see below). If you like nature, hiking or winter sports, this can be a nice place to spend a few days.

Practise winter sports

Although the Planica Nordic Centre ski jumps might not be available for everyone, Kranjska Gora is heaven for winter sports fans.

It has countless ski resorts and first-class winter sports facilities. These are perfect for skiing, ice climbing, skating, ski touring, sledging… Any winter activity you can name, you will be able to do at Kranjska Gora.

Within the Triglav National Park consider visiting other winter sports worthy areas such as Lake Bohinj, where you can ride the Vogel cable car and spend the day skiing with nice views over the Triglav mountain.

Hike the Julian Alps (Mt. Triglav)

If snow is not your cup of tea, visit the Julian Alps during summer. It is in the Kranjska Gora area where you can see the best views over Mt. Triglav. When the snow melts and the valleys show their green colours, it is time to hike!

There are endless hikes to do in the Kranjska Gora area, but the most impressive one might be climbing the Triglav itself. Although it is still on my bucket list (December is not the best month to do it), there are plenty of tours or hiking guides if you are not used to long hikes.

Kranjska Gora is at the heart of the Triglav National Park and has plenty of things to do and see. Slovenia has lots of other interesting places to visit, check my other articles about Slovenia below. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message via Instagram (@aniolvisuals) or through the contact form. For other inquiries send a message at hello@aniolvisuals.com.