Walks Around Lake Bled and Bohinj: The 9 Best Routes

Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj lie a 37-minute bus ride apart on the eastern edge of Triglav National Park, and a path runs right round each of them. At Bled you walk below a castle on its cliff, with a church on an island in the middle of the water. Bohinj, about twice as long, lies deeper in the mountains, between Vogel and the Triglav range.

These nine walks start from the two lakes, four from Bled and five from Bohinj. They range from the flat 6 km lake path and the 20-minute climb to Ojstrica to the boardwalk through Vintgar Gorge and the meadows of the Voje valley. None of them needs a car or climbing gear.

Walk them between May and October, when the gorges, lifts and summer buses are running.

The 9 Best Walks Around Bled and Bohinj

Walks 1 to 4 start in Bled and walks 5 to 9 around Lake Bohinj. Each has its own panel on the map, numbered as in the list.

Choose by the time you have:

• An hour or two: the 6 km Lake Bled path, or the 20-minute climb from Velika Zaka to Ojstrica

• Half a day: Vintgar Gorge, 4 km on foot from Bled, or the 553 steps to Savica waterfall

• A full day: the 11 km Lake Bohinj trail, or Mostnica Gorge to the 21 m Mostnica waterfall

• Above the valleys: Uskovnica from Rudno polje at 1,347 m, or Vogel's top station at 1,535 m once its cable car runs again

Beyond the two lakes, our pick of the 10 best walks in Slovenia runs from the Soča Valley to the Adriatic coast.

1. The Lake Bled Walking Path

• Start: anywhere on the shore; the lake promenade is 200 m from Bled bus station

• Distance: 6 km round the lake

• Elevation gain: almost none; the path keeps close to the water at 475 m

• Time: about 1.5 hours

• Terrain: asphalt from the town to Velika Zaka, then an unpaved, sandy path

• Entry: free

• Getting there: bus from Ljubljana, 58 minutes to 1 hour 20, more than 40 a day on weekdays

The Lake Bled lakeside walk follows a path right round the water, and the tourist board puts it at 6 km and about 1.5 hours. You can join it anywhere, and from every side you see the church on Bled Island and the castle on its cliff above the north shore.

According to the tourist board, the asphalt section from the town to Velika Zaka is suitable for wheelchairs all the way. Beyond Zaka the path turns to sand and gravel. The last 3 km or so run along the south shore, past the hamlet of Mlino, back to the promenade.

Signposts along the Lake Bled walking trail give the walking time to each sight, like those on the other walks around Bled. The climbs to Ojstrica and Bled Castle both start from this path, 3 km and under 1 km from the bus station.

2. Ojstrica, Mala Osojnica and the Bled Round Trail

• Start: Velika Zaka, beside the campsite at the west end of the lake

• Distance: about 2 km for the loop over Ojstrica and Mala Osojnica; about 14 km for the Bled Round Trail

• Elevation gain: about 210 m to Mala Osojnica; about 685 m on the Round Trail

• Time: 20 minutes up to Ojstrica, 45 minutes to Mala Osojnica; about 4.5 hours for the Round Trail

• Terrain: a steep forest path with a section protected by cables, then steep steps down from Mala Osojnica

• Entry: free

• Getting there: on foot, about 3 km along the lake path from Bled bus station

Ojstrica, 611 m, looks down on Bled Island from the south-west. From the top the island sits in the middle of the lake, with the town and the castle behind it. The path leaves the south side of Velika Zaka and climbs about 135 m through the forest; the tourist board calls it short but steep.

Mala Osojnica, 685 m, is higher and about 45 minutes from the lake, and Velika Osojnica, 756 m, is 20 minutes further on. From Mala Osojnica a flight of steep steps leads back down to the shore.

The Bled Round Trail links these viewpoints with Bled Castle, Kuhovnica and Straža in one loop from the Bled Heart on the lake promenade. The tourist board gives about 14 km and 4.5 hours, and its own route listing grades the loop as difficult, with about 685 m of climbing.

3. Vintgar Gorge on Foot From Bled

• Start: the centre of Bled, on a signposted route through Blate and Podhom

• Distance: 4 km to the entrance, then 1.6 km through the gorge and 4.1 km back on the King of Triglav Trail

• Elevation gain: about 130 m on the walk in and about 160 m on the gorge loop

• Time: 50 minutes to the entrance, 45 minutes through the gorge and about 2 hours back

• Terrain: asphalt lanes, then a one-way boardwalk and forest paths with 80 steps

• Entry: All-in-One Pass €15 for adults and €5 for children up to 15, April to October, booked for a time slot

• Getting there: on foot from Bled, or the Vintgar Shuttle e-bus from Bled bus station every 15 minutes for pass holders

Vintgar is a gorge 1.6 km long and up to 250 m deep, cut by the Radovna on the eastern edge of Triglav National Park. Wooden galleries and bridges were fixed to its walls and opened on 28 August 1893, and the route through the gorge runs one way only.

The walk in from Bled follows lanes through Blate to Podhom, about 4 km and 50 minutes, so you need no car park or shuttle. At the far end, 1.6 km on, the river drops over the Šum waterfall, and the King of Triglav Trail, 4.1 km long, brings you back to the entrance.

4. Bled Castle Hill and Straža

• Start: the castle bathing area on the north shore for the castle; the south-east end of the lake for Straža

• Distance: 300 m up Rikli's path to the castle; about 1 km to the top of Straža

• Elevation gain: about 125 m to the castle; about 170 m from the lake to Straža

• Time: 10 minutes to the castle; about 30 minutes up Straža

• Terrain: a lit footpath with railings to the castle; meadows and the forest fitness trail on Straža

• Entry: castle €19 for adults, 8:00 to 20:00 from April to October; Straža free on foot, chairlift €7

• Getting there: both paths start within 1 km of Bled bus station

Rikli's path, the main footpath to Bled Castle, climbs 300 m from above the castle bathing area in about 10 minutes. It is lit and has railings all the way up.

Until about 30 October 2026, the second footpath, from St Martin's church and the rowing promenade, is closed while rockfall nets are fitted. Until then, use Rikli's path to reach the castle.

Straža, 646 m, is the small ski hill on the south side of town. Walk up across the meadows and through the forest on the fitness trail. Or ride the chairlift and come down on the summer toboggan, a 520 m track that ran until 18 October in 2026.

5. The Lake Bohinj Trail

• Start: Ribčev Laz, by the bridge and St John's church at the east end of the lake

• Distance: just over 11 km round the lake, or either shore on its own

• Elevation gain: about 170 m, in short climbs above the water

• Time: about 3 hours of walking

• Terrain: forest paths and tracks, impassable on the north shore after prolonged rain; part of the trail follows a road

• Entry: free

• Getting there: bus to Ribčev Laz from Bled, 36 minutes, or from Ljubljana, about 2 hours

Lake Bohinj is the largest natural permanent lake in Slovenia: 4.1 km long, 318 ha and 45 m deep. The national park's trail round the lake is just over 11 km. You can walk only the north or the south shore, then return by bus or boat along the south side.

On the north shore the path runs through the forest. After heavy rain the Govic spring can burst out of the rock above it, and the path is then impassable.

At the west end, 4.1 km along the lake, the trail passes Ukanc, where the Savica flows in. It returns along the south shore to the church of St John the Baptist at Ribčev Laz, which was built before 1300.

6. Mostnica Gorge and the Voje Valley

• Start: Stara Fužina, the village just north of the east end of the lake

• Distance: about 5.5 km one way to the Mostnica waterfall

• Elevation gain: about 250 m

• Time: about 2.5 hours one way

• Terrain: paths on both sides of the gorge, linked by bridges, then a track across the Voje meadows

• Entry: €4 for adults, cash only, 1 April to 30 November; free with the Julian Alps Card

• Getting there: Bohinj shuttle to Stara Fužina in summer, or a 1.7 km walk from the Ribčev Laz bus stop

Above Stara Fužina, the Mostnica has cut a gorge about 2 km long, in places only a shoulder's width wide. The deepest trough, 20 m, lies below Devil's Bridge, a single stone arch where the paid section starts. Further up, the water has hollowed out a rock arch known as the Little Elephant.

Above the gorge the valley opens into the Voje meadows, at just over 700 m, where cows graze in autumn. The track climbs gently, with only two short ascents of about five minutes each, to the 21 m Mostnica waterfall at the head of the valley.

7. Savica Waterfall From Ukanc

• Start: the Bohinj Zlatorog bus stop in Ukanc, at the west end of the lake

• Distance: about 3.5 km to the car park below the falls, then 553 stone steps

• Elevation gain: about 260 m

• Time: about 1 hour to the car park, then 20 to 25 minutes up the steps

• Terrain: a marked forest footpath, then the steps, which are not suitable for prams

• Entry: €4 from age 16 since 1 August 2026, free under 16 and on the first Sunday of each month

• Getting there: Arriva bus to Ukanc, 44 minutes from Bled; Bohinj line 9 runs to the falls until 1 November 2026

Savica is the main river feeding Lake Bohinj, and it collects its water in the Triglav Lakes Valley above. It leaves the cliff as a 78 m waterfall in the shape of an A, and the 553 steps from the car park are the only real climb.

From Hotel Zlatorog in Ukanc a marked path reaches the car park in about 1 hour, and a mountain hut there serves food. The falls close in heavy rain, storms, snow or ice, and in October they open from 9:00 to 17:00.

8. Mount Vogel's Plateau by Cable Car

• Start: the Vogel cable car's top station, 1,535 m, above Ukanc

• Distance: about 3.2 km one way from the top station to Šija

• Elevation gain: about 415 m

• Time: about 1.5 hours to Šija; 30 minutes to the Zadnji Vogel pasture

• Terrain: an easy marked mountain path across the high pastures, with no water on the way

• Entry: cable car €32 to €35 return for adults in summer 2026; closed for maintenance until 1 December 2026

• Getting there: bus to Ukanc, then about 300 m from the Vogel crossroads stop to the valley station

The Vogel cable car is closed for maintenance until 1 December 2026, and the company will announce the reopening date. Its 2026 summer season ran from 24 April to 22 September, and the car lifts you about 1,000 m above Lake Bohinj.

From the top station, a 30-minute walk drops to Zadnji Vogel, a working mountain pasture at 1,413 m. A marked path climbs to Šija, 1,880 m, in about 1.5 hours, and Vogel itself, 1,922 m, is about 3 hours away on a partly difficult path. The cable car company warns that there is no drinking water on these mountains, so carry it up.

9. Uskovnica Pasture From Rudno Polje

• Start: the car park at Rudno polje, 1,347 m, on the Pokljuka plateau

• Distance: about 3.8 km one way, 7.6 km there and back

• Elevation gain: about 190 m, all on the way back up to Rudno polje

• Time: about 1 hour to the hut

• Terrain: forest roads and dirt tracks

• Entry: free

• Getting there: summer only: Bohinj line 6 from Bohinjska Bistrica, 25 June to 13 September 2026, or the Bled Bus Pokljuka line, 1 June to 30 September 2026

Uskovnica is a herders' pasture of wooden huts and hayracks on the south-eastern edge of Pokljuka, the forested plateau between Bled and Bohinj. From Rudno polje, at 1,347 m, the path drops gently to 1,154 m, so the climb comes on the way back.

Koča na Uskovnici, the hut on the pasture at 1,154 m, opens all year and has 13 beds in seven rooms plus 17 places in shared rooms. When the summer buses stop, walk up from Stara Fužina in about 2 hours instead.

Bled or Bohinj: Which Suits Walkers?

Bled is the easier first base and Bohinj the better one for long days. The official figures show how much busier Bled is for most of the year.

Over 2025, Bohinj had about two-thirds of Bled's tourist arrivals, but in August 2026 it had nearly nine in ten. Bohinj is quieter mainly outside the summer holidays. Bled's short walks suit a first day, while Bohinj's walks fill whole days.

Most walkers sleep in both. Spend the first nights in Bled, then move to Stara Fužina or Ribčev Laz for the longer walks; the bus between the lakes takes 37 minutes.

How Hard Are the Walks?

None of the nine walks needs climbing gear. The hardest parts are short: the cables below Ojstrica, the steps at Savica and the steep steps down from Mala Osojnica.

• Flat and easy: the Lake Bled path and the Lake Bohinj trail, on paths and tracks close to the water

• Short but steep: Ojstrica and Mala Osojnica, Rikli's path to the castle and the steps to Savica

• Longer days: Vintgar on foot from Bled, Mostnica and the Voje valley, Vogel to Šija and Uskovnica

Vintgar is the one walk with rules you cannot bend. The boardwalk runs one way only, helmets are compulsory, prams cannot pass and the gorge is not recommended for children under 3.

At the top of Mala Osojnica, keep back from the edge, where the rock drops steeply towards the lake. In July and August, start early, because afternoon thunderstorms are common in the Julian Alps. The emergency number is 112.

Signposts give the walking time to each destination. Between them, follow the Knafelc blaze, a red ring round a white dot, which has marked Slovenian paths since 1922. Triglav, 2,864 m, and the routes between the high huts above Bohinj need mountain experience; our sister site covers hiking in Triglav National Park.

Best Time to Walk Around Bled and Bohinj

The season runs from April, when Vintgar and Mostnica Gorge open, to October, when the lifts close and most summer buses have stopped. Average highs below are from the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) for 1991 to 2020, at Lesce near Bled and Bohinjska Češnjica in the Bohinj valley.

• April and May: highs of 15 to 20 °C; Vintgar and Mostnica open in April, and Vogel's lifts ran from 24 April in 2026

• June to August: highs of 24 to 26 °C; the Bled Bus and Bohinj shuttles run, and Vintgar opens at 8:00

• September: highs of about 20 °C; several Bohinj shuttle lines stop on 1 September, and Bohinj gets 211 mm of rain, one of its wettest months

• October: highs of about 15 °C; Vintgar's season ends during the month, and Straža's chairlift closes on 18 October

• November to March: Vintgar is closed, Mostnica stays open to 30 November, and the forest road to Uskovnica closes in winter conditions

For most walks, May, June and September are the best months: the paths are dry, the gorges are open and the buses are running. In July and August, walk early and keep the afternoons for the water.

Snow can lie on Pokljuka in spring, and the Vogel plateau is about 8 °C cooler than the valleys in July. Bohinj also gets about 1,940 mm of rain a year, nearly half as much again as Lesce's 1,327 mm.

Getting There and Between the Lakes

The road from Bled to Bohinj follows the Sava Bohinjka up its valley, and the regular bus covers the 28 km to the lake in 37 minutes.

• Ljubljana to Bled: Arriva bus, 58 minutes to 1 hour 20, more than 40 a day on weekdays

• Ljubljana to Bohinj: hourly bus, about 1 hour 55 to the lake at Ribčev Laz and 2 hours to Ukanc

• Bled to Bohinj: 21 buses on weekdays and 12 on Saturdays, 37 minutes to the lake and 44 minutes to Ukanc

• Ljubljana airport to Bled: direct bus, 31 minutes, hourly from 9:00 to 20:00

• Around Bled: the Bled Bus runs from 1 June to 30 September, and the Vintgar Shuttle leaves Bled bus station every 15 minutes

• Around Bohinj: organised shuttle lines in summer, with a 24-hour ticket; line 9 runs to Stara Fužina and Savica until 1 November 2026

Trains stop at Lesce-Bled, 4 km from Bled, and at Bohinjska Bistrica. Until 12 November 2026, buses replace the trains between Jesenice and Vintgar while works around Jesenice close the line.

From Bohinjska Bistrica, the car train runs under the mountains to Most na Soči in 42 to 49 minutes, for walking in the Soča Valley. On foot, stages 5 and 6 of the Juliana Trail link the two lakes over Pokljuka, in two days of about 21 km each.

Know Before You Arrive

Vintgar runs on timed tickets, Mostnica takes cash only and the summer buses stop in autumn, so a little planning saves a wasted morning.

Vintgar Tickets and Opening Hours

Each All-in-One Pass is valid for one entry on the day and time slot you book, and it is not sold at the gorge's visitor centre. Buy it online, or in person only at the VINTGAR LIP car park.

The pass includes the e-shuttle from Bled bus station, which starts 20 minutes before the gorge opens. Walking against the one-way route costs a €50 surcharge, and so does a lost or damaged helmet.

Opening hours in 2026, April to October:

• April to 31 May: 9:00 to 16:00

• 1 June to 5 July: 8:00 to 17:00

• 6 July to 30 August: 8:00 to 18:00

• 31 August to 20 September: 8:00 to 16:00

• 21 September to the end of the season: 9:00 to 15:00

How Much It Costs

The walks themselves are free; you pay only at the gorges, the waterfall, the castle and the lifts, and on the buses.

• Vintgar Gorge: €15 All-in-One Pass for adults, €5 for children up to 15

• Mostnica Gorge: €4 for adults, €2 for children aged 7 to 14, cash only

• Savica waterfall: €4 from age 16, free under 16

• Bled Castle: €19 for adults, €7 for children

• Straža chairlift: €7 a ride

• Vogel cable car: €32 to €35 return in summer 2026

• Local buses: Bled Bus €5 a day; Bohinj shuttles €2 for 24 hours, not valid on Arriva buses

• Arriva buses: Bled to Lake Bohinj €4, Ljubljana to Lake Bohinj €9.50

• Tourist tax: €3.13 per adult per night in Bled and €2.50 in Bohinj

Ask your host about the Julian Alps cards: the Bled card is free for guests of partner hotels and covers the Bled Bus and Mostnica Gorge. The Bohinj card, from €21 for 3 days, covers Savica, Mostnica and the local buses for guests staying two nights.

What to Pack

Bohinj gets about half as much rain again as Bled, and the Vogel plateau averages 17 °C in July against 26 °C in the valley.

For any walk:

• Walking shoes or light boots with grip

• A waterproof jacket and a warm layer, even in summer

• A sun hat and sun cream

• A day pack and snacks

For Bled and Bohinj:

• Euros in cash for Mostnica Gorge, which takes no cards

• Your Vintgar booking for the time slot you chose

• Enough water for Vogel, where there are no springs on the paths

• Walking poles for the steps down from Mala Osojnica and the descent from Šija

Bled First, Then Bohinj

Sleeping at both lakes lets you walk Bled's short routes first, then Bohinj's longer days from a village below the mountains.

The move is one bus ride of about 40 minutes, but booking two sets of hotels for the summer is the hard part. Our self-guided Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj Walking Holidays week takes care of it.

• 6 days / 5 nights, May to October, from Bled to Stara Fužina

• Three nights in Bled: Vintgar Gorge on day 2, then the Bled Round Trail on day 3

• Two nights in Stara Fužina: the bus to Bohinj and Vogel on day 4, then Mostnica Gorge and the Voje valley on day 5

• Included: 3-star hotels with breakfast, a digital guidebook, a GPS app and support while you walk

For Pokljuka and Kranjska Gora as well, Lakes and Valleys of the Julian Alps runs for 8 days from Bled to Kranjska Gora. You can ask us about dates for either week.

On the last morning, walk from Stara Fužina to Ribčev Laz. There the church of St John the Baptist has stood by the bridge over the lake's outflow since before 1300.