All interesting Facts About the Pericnik Waterfall
The Pericnik Waterfall is always worth visiting. Take a walk under it on a summer day or admire its amazing ice candles in winter. Come and see for yourself.
Embraced by the Julian Alps and the Triglav National Park, Pericnik Waterfall, the mighty guard of the glacial Vrata Valley, invites you to an unforgettable adventure of unspoiled alpine nature with clear waters and valleys with breathtaking views of the two-thousand-meter peaks in the background. This natural gem of Slovenia is worth a visit. To make your journey easier, we have collected some essential tips and information for you.
What makes Pericnik Waterfall so special?
Peričnik Waterfall, with its 52 meters of height is one of the highest and most famous waterfalls in Slovenia. It is situated below Mt. Sleme and Višek mountain pasture. It is also protected as a natural heritage in the beautiful Triglav National Park. It is surrounded by a magnificent conglomerate wall, from where a large stream of water flows through the alpine Vrata Valley and into the Bistrica River.
There is a unique feature of the Pericnik Waterfall, as you can take a walk under the waterfall. A somewhat slippery path will lead you to the ledge behind the water curtain. When standing there you can observe and admire the incredible power of the falling water. The water drops will freshen you up in hot summer months, and in the winter, you will have the opportunity to see the majestic kingdom of ice candles.
You can climb a steeper path to the upper, 16-meter high Pericnik waterfall, which is a beautiful smaller copy of the highest waterfall below. Here you can also take a walk under roaring water and watch the water splash over a rocky wall. If you go down the lower bank to the opposite bank of the Bistrica stream and a few meters further up the scree, you can admire the picturesque view of both waterfalls.
Roaring Pericnik Waterfall in the spring
If you would like to combine a visit to the beautiful Pericnik Waterfall with other natural wonders in the Triglav National Park, go on a fun and exciting day trip with a group. Guided 7 Alpine Wonders tour is available in the spring, summer, and autumn. In spring, the Pericnik Waterfall is especially fascinating to see when the snow is melting from the mountains and creating a powerful, roaring and spectacular falls.
In autumn, this tranquil corner of nature is decorated in warm autumn colors, when you can create beautiful pictures. We’ll also be visiting other alpine gems, such as Lake Predil, Zelenci Springs, Vršič mountain pass and much more.
Winter magical scenery of icy candles
The conglomerate rock, which is very permeable to water, gives the Pericnik Waterfall a unique appearance. In addition to the base jet of water, the water also leaks out through thousands of tiny tunnels. Thus, the Peričnik Waterfall freezes in winter in the form of thousands of icy candles and drips and creates the most breathtaking view.
The magical scenery of ice candles is even more beautiful when nature is covered in snow and shines in the light. During the Christmas holidays, you will have the opportunity to see ice sculptures illuminated by spotlights. That gives them extra charm. Be careful as ice candles can fall, so observe this wonder of nature from a safe distance.
If you would like to experience a memorable winter day in the embrace of the Julian Alps and with a visit to the alpine natural wonder, join us on a guided tour, where we will hike on a snow-covered forest path from the village of Mojstrana to the spectacular Pericnik Waterfall, glittering with ice.
If you would like to extend the trip and see the natural gems in the Triglav National Park, which in winter get even more mysterious and romantic, then book a Winter Alpine Wonders tour. In addition to the outstanding Peričnik Waterfall, you will discover with your local guide other hidden winter natural wonders near Lake Bohinj, Pokljuka plateau, emerald green Zelenci Springs and the world-famous ski flying hill in Planica.
How to get to Pericnik Waterfall?
How to get to Pericnik Waterfall by car?
Coming from Ljubljana, leave the motorway at the Hrušica exit and follow the road in the direction of Kranjska Gora. From here you drive to Dovje village where you make a left turn towards Mojstrana and then continue on the road towards the Vrata Valley.
After 10 minutes and 4 kilometers of driving on the partially asphalted and macadam road across the valley, you will reach your final stop, next to the mountain cottage near the Peričnik Waterfall parking lot.
The Pericnik Waterfall parking lot is payable, with 3.50 € for cars, 2 € for motorcycles, 5 € for vans and 10 € for buses. On the other hand, there is no entrance fee. In the cottage, you can taste some of the traditional Slovenian dishes or go to the restroom. The cabin is open every day in the summer and all the weekends in December.
How to get to Pericnik Waterfall by bus?
During the high season, the tailbacks that extend from Mojstrana to the foot of the Triglav northern wall create some traffic difficulties. The Vrata Valley is jammed with vehicles, which is why the Pericnik Waterfall parking lot is also always full. If you go there by car, you take the risk of not finding an available parking space.
Therefore, it is best to take a free shuttle bus that runs every 5 minutes from Mojstrana village. You can park in a gratis car park in Mojstrana and walk to the bus station that is only a minute away. There are 8 stops on the Mojstrana-Vrata Valley bus route. You get off the bus at the fifth bus stop, near Pericnik Waterfall. During the summer season buses operate from 6 AM to 6:30 PM.
How to get to Pericnik Waterfall on foot?
A circular pathway starts at the Pericnik Waterfall parking lot from where it leads upwards and along the right bank of the stream across the bridges. The trail ascends steeply from the mountain cottage through the forest. After a 10-minute hike, you will reach the viewpoint of the 52 meters high Pericnik Waterfall. It is good to be cautious as the water splashes all around and therefore the rocks get wet and the terrain is a bit slippery.
If you would like to see the upper, less-visited 16 meters high Peričnik Waterfall, a steeper path will lead you there. It is only a 5-minute climb away, so we recommend that you also visit this beautiful natural wonder. Climbing to the upper falls is not recommended for younger children as the path is quite steep and demanding.
Hiking trail from Mojstrana to Pericnik Waterfall
You can also hike to the Pericnik Waterfall from Mojstrana village on a marked hiking trail in stunning alpine nature. The route is medium demanding and takes about 2 to 4 hours. Before the hike, you can visit the Alpine Museum in Mojstrana. A permanent exhibition will lead you through the history of Slovenian mountaineering. There is also a bivouac, demonstrating a storm high in the mountains.
The hiking trail starts at the Mojstrana Tourist Office and continues past the Pr Železnk holiday farm and along the Triglavska Bistrica River. The asphalt road turns into a macadam road at the power plant. Here is a bridge on the right side, where you continue walking up the river. Turn right at the crossroads and cross the bridge shortly afterward. At the end of the bridge, turn left into the road. If you turn right here, you will come to a smaller idyllic Lake Kreda.
Where the trail ascends steeply for the first time, continue to the left and over the bridge to the Triglavska Bistrica educational trail. After a few kilometers of hiking along the nature trail, you will reach a mountain cabin, from where you can already see the Pericnik Waterfall. From here, there is a 10-minute ascent to the first, 52-meter-high Pericnik Waterfall.
A trip through the beautiful alpine Vrata Valley
You can extend your visit to Pericnik Waterfall and make an all-day tour and explore the beautiful 10-kilometer-long alpine Vrata Valley, the longest glacial valley on the north side of the Julian Alps. You can drive around 6 kilometers from Pericnik Waterfall to the Aljaž mountain cottage at the end of the Vrata Valley. There is a payable parking lot just 200 meters in front of the cottage.
In the gable, the Vrata Valley ends with an extensive north face of Triglav. Just a few minutes from the Aljaž mountain cottage, you will have a magnificent view of the mighty Mt. Triglav, the majestic sphinx on the northern wall and of the other highest peaks of the Julian Alps. Next to the Aljaž mountain cottage, you can take a beautiful photo under the monument that is dedicated to the climbers, famous mountaineers and to all the climbers that lost their lives up in the mountains. This monument is also known as the grand mountaineering carabiner under Triglav.
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The best thing ever. I took my old boss to experience Slovenia in one day. And boy I am happy I chose Altitude Activities to do so. Our tour guide Jerry was awesome, funny and you could just see he knows what he is doing. We went to the canyon of Jermanka and even though there is a drop almost 45m high we felt extremely safe. Overall highly suggest going canyoning with Altitude Activities
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