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Mount Vogel Day Hike: High above Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

Mount Vogel (1922 m) is a popular hiking destination in Slovenia, because of its proximity to Lake Bohinj and its accessibility.

The hike to Vogel begins with a swift cable car ascent to Vogel Ski Resort, where you’ll have dazzling views of Slovenia’s largest lake and the high peaks of the Julian Alps, including Mount Triglav

The ultimate summer day is hiking to Mount Vogel in the morning and swimming in Lake Bohinj in the afternoon.

If you want to hike Mount Vogel along a longer multi-day route, check out this self-guided Triglav National Park Adventure by Slotrips.

Mount Vogel, Southern Julian Alps
  • Trailhead: Vogel Cable Car mountain station (also called Rjava Skala) / Ski Hotel Vogel 
  • Parking: Vogel Cable Car valley station | Google Maps
  • Distance: 11.1 km circuit
  • Time Needed: 5 hours 
  • Elevation Gain/Loss: 782 meters
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Minimum Elevation: 1367 meters
  • Maximum Elevation: 1922 meters
  • Route: Vogel Ski Hotel (1527 m) – Orlove Glave (1682 m) – Šija saddle – Vogel (1922 m) – Planina Zadnji Vogel (1413 m) – Vogel Ski Hotel (1527 m)
  • Where to Stay in Ukanc: Apartments Ukanc (midrange), or Villa Park B&B – ADULTS ONLY in Ukanc
  • Recommended Trail MapJulian Alps: Hiking Map FB WK141 1:50 000 (Freytag + Berndt)

Mount Vogel Hiking Map


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 running, 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.


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.


Mount Vogel Hike Route Description

Lake Bohinj from Vogel Cable Car Mountain Station, Vogel Peak Hike, Slovenia

This hike to Vogel begins at the Vogel Cable Car mountain station.

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 exit the cable car, walk to the viewing platform, and relish the birdseye view of Lake Bohinj.

You can only access this platform when you get off the cable car, and shortly before getting back on. Often there’s a cloud inversion in the morning. 

Hiking to Orlove Glave Chairlift, Vogel Ski Resort, Slovenia

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.

It’s included in your cable car ticket and it’ll trim off 1.3 km of your ascent. 

Šija Saddle, Vogel Day Hike, Slovenia

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 and when you get to 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. 

When you look to the North, you’ll see Mount Triglav towering above all the other peaks of the Julian Alps. 

Crossing Šija Slopes to Vogel, Slovenia

Crossing the Šija slopes, the hiking trail is very pleasant at first. After about 10 minutes of easy-going walking, the trail descends.

Some parts are a bit tricky, but there are some iron pegs to assist you. 

Mount Vogel Day Hike, Slovenia

At the saddle, there’s a signed intersection pointing you straight on to Vogel (50 minutes) and right to Zadnji Vogel Planina.

You’ll be returning to this spot after you summit Vogel.

Mount Vogel Hike, Julian Alps, Slovenia

Initially, 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. 

Mount Vogel Day Hike, Julian Alps, Slovenia

Enjoy the summit. 

Mount Vogel, Slovenia, Day Hike from Lake Bohinj

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 station. 


Where to Stay near Mount Vogel


Ukanc

Midrange | Set in a quiet location ringed by forest, the top-rated Bohinj Apartments Goldhorn Kingdom (Apartmaji Kraljestvo Zlatoroga) is a 3-star apartment complex (1-2 bedrooms). Each unit has a fully-equipped kitchen with a dishwasher. Extra perk: daily housekeeping. 

Midrange | Apartments Ukanc offers clean and functional apartments in Ukanc. 

Luxury | Chalet Apartments ALPIK offers cozy 1-3 bedroom apartments with well-appointed kitchens in a fairy-tale-like location in Ukanc. 

Luxury | Villa Park B&B – ADULTS ONLY is a bed and breakfast with a large garden situated next to the Savica stream, which flows into Lake Bohinj.

Look for accommodation in Ukanc.


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. 

Budget | Hostel pod Voglom is located along the southern shore of Lake Bohinj. This budget-friendly accommodation offers simple twin, single rooms, triple, and quadruple rooms. Bathrooms are either private, or shared. From the hostel, it’s a 20 minute walk (1.8 km) to Ribčev Laz, the closest village (restaurants, shops, etc…). You can rent kayaks, SUPs, and bicycles on-site. 

Midrange | Apartments and rooms Cerkovnik is located in Ribčev Laz, a mere 10-minute walk to the lakeshore (1 km). This sparking clean accommodation offers double and triple rooms as well as well-equipped apartments. Breakfast is available for an additional fee. On-site parking is free. 

Luxury | The newly renovated Hotel Bohinj is 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, Hotel Bohinj is the most striking hotel in the Bohinj region.

All rooms have air-conditioning. Guests are treated to a healthy and delicious breakfast buffet. You can also enjoy dinner at the hotel and indulge in a wellness package.

Look for accommodation in Ribčev Laz.


Stara Fužina

Midrange | Ideal for families, the top-rated Pr `Agotnik apartmaji sobe Bohinj offers spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments with fully-equipped kitchens, and washing machines. 

Midrange | The recently renovated Residence Novak Bohinj offers stylish one-bedroom apartments with fully equipped kitchens in an idyllic area of Stara Fužina. Guests love the idyllic surroundings and mountain views, the proximity to Lake Bohinj, and the kind hosts. There’s a minimum stay requirement of 2-3 nights.

Midrange-Luxury | Apartmaji Triglav is a stylish aparthotel in Stara Fužina with an on-site restaurant and bar and spa and wellness center. Rooms are clean, modern, and feature balconies, kitchenettes and seating areas. Guests particularly love the mountain views and the hotel’s proximity to hiking trails and the lake. Breakfast is included. 

Luxury | Hotel Majerca is a lovely boutique hotel with an on-site restaurant in Stara Fužina. The restaurant extends onto a grassy lawn, 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. 

Look for accommodation in Stara Fužina.



Slovenia Trip Planning Essentials

Use our Slovenia Travel Guide to plan an unforgettable trip.


When to Visit Slovenia

Summer and Fall Seasons. The best time to travel to Slovenia is between May and October.

The best time to hike in the Slovenian Alps is between June and October. For hut-to-hut hiking, we recommend planning your trek between early July and mid-September.

Winter Season. For skiing and winter activities, the best time to visit Slovenia is between mid/late December and March.


Where to Stay

We’ve summarized our favorite destinations and accommodations in Best Paces to Stay in Slovenia, including Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj, Logar Valley, Kranjka Gora, and Kobarid.


How to Explore Slovenia

Small Group Guided Hiking Tours

If you’re a solo traveler, or friend group who would love to explore Slovenia’s hiking trails with a knowledgeable and licensed mountain guide, consider booking one of these small group hiking tours.

All of these tours are designed by Slotrips, a trustworthy local tour operator that crafts meaningful and memorable itineraries. 

Best Walks in Slovenia is an 8-day hiking tour (day hikes only) with fixed and guaranteed departure dates between late May and late September. 

Discover the Slovenian Alps  is an 8-day hiking tour, which combines a 3-day hut-to-hut hike in Triglav National Park with moderate day hikes. 

Best of the Julian Alps Hut-to-Hut is a 3-day hut-to-hut hike in the heart of the Julian Alps. This guided tour departs every Monday from July to September. Hikers have the option to add on Mount Triglav summit with an IFMGA licensed mountain guide.

Self-Guided Hiking, Biking, and Rafting Tours

If you love hiking independently, but want a professional to handle the logistics of bookings, transfers, and luggage storage (when applicable), then we recommend booking a self-guided trip like Mountains and Lakes Hut-to-Hut, or Crossing the Julian Alps.

During shoulder-season (May and October), you can hike, bike, and raft along the 4-day Alpe Adria Trail Adventure, 9-day Mountains to Sea route, or 8-day Best of Alpe-Adria and Juliana Trail.

Road Trip

Though public transit is very good in Slovenia, some destinations like Logar Valley are not accessible with transit. 

If you want to explore more off-the-beaten-path and remote areas of Slovenia, we recommend renting a car. 

Check out our itineraries for road trip inspiration:

Use the intuitive Discovercars.com car rental reservation platform to search for and book car rentals. This easy-to-use booking platform compares car rental deals from 500+ trusted providers, so that you can choose the best option for your trip.

Tip: If you can only drive automatic transmission cars, as opposed to manual transmission cars (stick shift), book your car rental as early as possible.

Check car rental rates here


Top Things to Do


Slovenia Guidebooks


Slovenia Hiking Guides

Slovenia is heaven on earth for hikers. We recommend allocating sufficient time to discover both the Julian Alps and the Kamnik Savinja Alps.

In Best Hikes in Slovenia, we’ve summarized the most thrilling day hikes and multi-day hikes across the Slovenian Alps, ranked by difficulty.

If you’re interested in hut-to-hut hiking, read our guide to Slovenian Mountain Huts and Hut-to-Hut Hiking in Slovenia.


Mount Vogel Day Hike, Julian Alps, Slovenia

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Sabrina Brett

Hello! I’m a spirited traveler on a quest to hike in the most picturesque alpine and coastal destinations across Europe. In 2016, I left my home and job in San Francisco, California, to move to Germany, and later Austria. The following year, I launched this blog to help like-minded travelers experience unique and exciting ways to travel authentically. I have a B.A. in Music and a B.S. in Political Science.

This post may contain affiliate links.

5 thoughts on “Mount Vogel Day Hike: High above Lake Bohinj, Slovenia”

  1. I see you can just buy a single ticket for the cable car. Would you recommend taking the ride up to the top and walking all the way back down? I am staying in Pod Voglom so only limited by daylight.

    Reply
    • Hi Martin,

      There are trails that lead from the Vogel mountain station to Ribčev Laz, but we haven’t hiked them. I recommend reaching out to the Bohinj tourist office.

      Kindly,
      Sabrina

      Reply
  2. Thanks Sabrina; I got a very quick and helpful reply from the tourist office. They said it’s a 2-3 hour walk back to Ribčev Laz from the cable car, and that the ski run is closed for maintenance. It’s closer for me to go back to Ribčev Laz anyway.

    Reply
  3. I would not recommend walking back down from the cable car to Ribcev Laz at this time. Many trees have fallen down across the route and even when they can be passed the signed route is not obvious. Tourist Information are are aware of this and also do not advise the walk until it is cleared,

    Reply

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