Mount Vogel Day Hike: High above Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

Mount Vogel (1,922 m) is a popular hiking destination in Triglav National Park, thanks to its proximity to Lake Bohinj and relatively easy access.

The hike begins with a quick cable car ride to Vogel Ski Resort, offering wide views over Slovenia’s largest lake and the high peaks of the Julian Alps, including Mount Triglav. For a perfect summer day, hike to Mount Vogel in the morning and swim in Lake Bohinj in the afternoon.

If you want to extend the hike, you can combine the Rodica and Vogel summits, as we did. It does make for a fairly long day hike.

Multi-day hikers can tackle the Mount Vogel summit along this multi-day, self-guided Triglav National Park Adventure by Slotrips.

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Mount Vogel Hiking Map

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Tips for Hiking to Mount Vogel

1. The Vogel Cable Car runs daily every 30 minutes from 8 am until 6 pm, during high season, and from 8 am until 4 pm, during low season. 

2. There’s a free parking lot directly at the Vogel Cable Car valley station.

3. Your Vogel Cable Car ticket includes the Orlove Glave Chairlift. If this chairlift is operating, definitely take it. 

4. There’s a restaurant at the mountain station called Viharnik Café. Grab a drink here, but skip the food.

5. Start your hike as early as possible. This is a popular peak and it’s crawling with people by late morning.

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How to Get to the Vogel Cable Car

Drive to the western side of Lake Bohinj to the settlement of Ukanc.

After passing a large camping area (on your right), a road branches off to the left to the Vogel Cable Car valley station. Park here.

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Mount Vogel Hike Route Description

This hike to Vogel begins at the Vogel Cable Car mountain station. When you exit the cable car, walk to the viewing platform to relish the bird’s-eye view of Lake Bohinj. This platform is only accessible when you get off the cable car, and shortly before getting back on. Often there’s a cloud inversion in the morning. 

If you’re trying to find the station on a trail map, locate Ukanc and then follow the line up to Rjava Skala. 

When you get to the mountain station, bear right and follow signs to Vogel (3 hrs), Rodica (3 hrs) and Šija (1:30 hrs). Descend towards the Orlove Glave chairlift lower station. If this chairlift is operating, take. It’s included in your cable car ticket and it’ll trim off 1.3 km of your ascent. 

From the top of the Orlove Glave Chairlift, follow signs to Šija (peak). The trail traverses the ski slopes of Vogel Ski Resort to the top of the Šija chairlift.

Continue straight for another 300 meters. When you arrive at the the saddle below Šija peak, turn right towards Vogel, signed 1:40 hrs (left leads to Rodica). You’re now on the Slovenian Mountain Way, marked with the number 1. 

Looking north, Mount Triglav rises above the surrounding peaks of the Julian Alps.

The traverse across the Šija slopes is pleasant at first. After about 10 minutes of easy walking, the trail descends. Some parts are a bit tricky, but there are some iron pegs to assist you. 

At the saddle, there’s a signed intersection pointing you straight on to Vogel (50 minutes) and right to Zadnji Vogel Planina. The trail returns to this spot on the return journey.

nitially, the trail is secured with steel cables. 

The path continues along the rocky slopes of Vogel for 30 minutes. When you reach an intersection, turn left to the peak (signed 15 minutes). In 5 minutes, you’ll reach the Vogel ridge and it’s another 10 minutes to the very top.

Enjoy the summit. 

Follow the same route back down to the saddle (40 minutes) and then take the left turn to Zadnji Vogel Planina.

Descend all the way to a grassy meadow, where there will probably be some grazing cattle, and then continue on to the Zadnji Vogel Planina, where there’s a hut. You can take a break here and try some homemade cheese, cottage cheese, sour milk, and buckwheat spoonbread.

Continue straight along the road (not the left one going downhill) to the Ski Hotel (30-40 minutes). A marked path branches off to the right.

You can take the trail or the road. Both will lead you to the Vogel cable car mountain station. 

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Where to Stay near Mount Vogel

Ukanc

Ukanc is the closest settlement to the Vogel cable car mountain station. I’d argue that it’s the prettiest place to stay around the lake, but also the least convenient. Take a look at the Bohinj Apartments Goldhorn Kingdom (self-catering), Chalet Apartments ALPIK (self-catering), and Villa Park B&B – ADULTS ONLY (B&B).

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Ribčev Laz

Ribčev Laz is the main hub at Lake Bohinj, with a direct bus connection to Lake Bled and onward to Ljubljana. Here, you’ll find a cluster of eateries, grocery stores, and boat rental shops. 

We stayed in Hotel Bohinj, located in the center of Ribčev Laz, only a few meters from Lake Bohinj. Designed to impress as much as to pay homage to the region’s cultural heritage, the striking hotel features air-conditioned rooms, a delicious breakfast buffet, on-site restaurant, and spa (extra charge).

Sparkling clean Apartments and rooms Cerkovnik, a 10-minute walk to the lakeshore, offers double and triple rooms as well as well-equipped apartments. Breakfast is available for an additional fee.

The most budget-friendly stay around the lake is Hostel pod Voglom, located along the southern shore of Lake Bohinj, a 20-minute walk from Ribčev Laz. This hostel offers simple twin, single rooms, triple, and quadruple rooms with either private or shared bathrooms. You can rent kayaks, SUPs, and bicycles on-site. 

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Stara Fužina

We’ve also stayed in Hotel Majerca, a 3-star boutique hotel with an on-site restaurant, a 10-minute walk to the Fužinski Bay swimming spot. The restaurant spills outside into a garden with views of farmland backed by the Julian Alps. It’s wonderful to start and end your day here. The al fresco breakfast is phenomenal. 

There are many excellent self-catering accommodations in Stara Fužina including Pr `Agotnik apartmaji sobe Bohinj (2-bedroom apartments), Residence Novak Bohinj (1-bedroom apartments), and Apartmaji Triglav (aparthotel).

Learn More: Where to Stay around Lake Bohinj

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More Julian Alps Travel and Hiking Guides

Julian Alps Destinations:

• Where to Stay in Slovenia
• Triglav National Park
• Lake Bled
• Kranjka Gora
• Kobarid
• Pokljuka Plateau

Julian Alps Hikes:

• Julian Alps Hiking Trails
• 4-Day Triglav National Park Hut to Hut Hike
• 2-Day Mount Triglav Hike
• Viševnik
• Debela Pec
• Martuljek Waterfalls
• Vintgar Gorge
• Seven Lakes Valley
• Pericnik Waterfall

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