Velika Planina is a stunning alpine pasture in northern Slovenia where you can find one of Europe’s few surviving high mountain herdsmen’s villages and enjoy easy hiking trails among free-roaming cattle during the summer months. It’s a fantastic place to enjoy some time outdoors while learning about the unique traditions of the local herdsmen and sampling some of their delicious dairy products. Although you can undertake a challenging hike to reach Velika Planina from the valley below, it’s definitely more fun to ride the cable car and chairlifts up to the summit, and there’s still plenty of hiking to do once you reach the alpine plateau. To help you get the most out of your visit here, we put together this visiting guide for Slovenia’s Beautiful Alpine Plateau, Velika Planina, which can be easily visited as a day trip from either Ljubljana or Lake Bled.
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You might also be interested in these pages (coming soon):
Best Things to See and Do in Bled (Slovenia)
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5-Day Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary
Best Hiking and Walking Trails Near Bled (Slovenia)
Velika Planina Location & Map
Velika Planina is located in north-central Slovenia, almost directly north of Ljubljana. (link to Google Maps)
How to get to Velika Planina
The journey to Velika Planina (a high alpine plateau) consists of three steps:
1) getting to the Kamniška Bistrica Valley (by car or public transit),
2) riding a cable up from the valley, and then
3) taking a chairlift to ascend the final section of the mountain before reaching the plateau.
*There are alternative ways to reach Velika Planina, including a challenging hike up the mountain, and we will present these options as well further below.
Getting to the Kamniška Bistrica Valley Cable Car Station
By Car: The Cable Car station station is about a 45-minute drive from the center of Ljubljana (38 km) and a 55-minute drive from Bled (60 km).
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Important: All Slovenian freeways and expressways are subject to tolls. All cars, motorbikes, and camper vans must have purchased a digital vignette online when they plan to drive onto a motorway or expressway. Digital Vignettes with periods of validity of 7 days, 1 month, 6 months or 12 months are available and can be purchased from the Slowenien Vignette website. They are not prohibitively expensive — for instance, the 7-day vignette for cars costs €13.90 (2024).
By Bus: You can reach the cable car station by taking two buses from Ljubljana. You will need to take a first bus from Ljubljana to Kamnik (see the Ljubljana bus website for up-to-date schedules and fares), and then a second bus from Kamnik to the cable car station (schedules and fares are posted here). The first bus takes about 50 minutes to reach Kamnik, and the second bus ride will take about 15 minutes (but you will also have to factor in the wait time at the Kamnik station).
By Train: You can’t reach the cable car station by train, but you can reach Kamnik by train from Ljubljana (see the Slovenian rail website for fares and schedules), and from there take the bus from Kamnik as indicated above. The Kamnik train station is a 7-minute walk from the bus station.
Arrival by Car & Parking: The car park is right next to the cable car station and parking is free. On busy summer weekends, the lot can fill up quickly so it’s ideal to try to arrive early. On busy days an additional car park is opened further from the cable car station in Kopisca (a few kilometres beyond the cable car station) with a free shuttle bus connecting the two.
Reaching Velika Planina from the Car Park
From the car park, the journey follows two parts: 1) taking a cable car that takes you most of the way up, and then 2) either hiking the rest of the way up (about 45-60 minutes with over 250 m of elevation gain) or using the chairlifts (about a 7-minute ride). Unless you are keen on doing lots of hiking, we recommend using the chair lifts, as there are plenty of hiking and walking trails available once you reach the Velika Planina plateau.
The Cable Car
Next to the cable car station, there is a wooden cabin that serves as the ticket office. There’s also an outdoor café with several picnic tables where you can enjoy a drink or a snack while you wait for the cable car. The cable car will take you on a 5-minute scenic ride that ascends over 850m in altitude and can take up to 32 passengers per journey. You’ll enjoy stunning views of the Kamnik Alps on your way up.
Cable car schedule: The schedule changes a lot throughout the year, so we suggest consulting the Velika Plenina website for up-to-date operating times. Typically, the cable departs every hour from 8 am to at least 4 pm in winter and to at least 6 pm in summer.
Cable car costs (2024): €26 per adult (includes chairlift and return) with reduced rates for students, seniors and children. €24 if you don’t want to use the chairlift and hike the rest of the way up.
The Chairlift
Taking the chairlift is quite straightforward and fun (and is included in your ticket price if you took the cable car & chairlift combo). The Chairlift runs continuously from 8:30 until 30 minutes before the last Cable car.
You’ll notice that the chairlift starts 30 minutes after the first cable car, meaning that if you are on the very first departure, you will either have to wait about 25 minutes or hike up the mountain next to the chairlifts.
The chairlift has three stations:
– Entry station (Šimnovec), elevation of 1407 m
– Middle station (Zeleni Rob)
– Exit station (Gradišce), elevation of 1665m.
As you ascend the mountain via the chairlift, you might notice several authentic-looking herdsmen cabins around the middle chairlift station. These were built around the 1960s and are not part of the original settlement. These were built for employees working in the area and were designed to resemble the original Velika Planina dwellings. Today you can rent many of these for an overnight stay.
The original settlement is located about a 15-minute hike from the upper chairlift station.
Toilets in Velika Planina: Note that toilets are available both at the base and summit cable stations and also near the intermediate chairlift station in the Golstina Zeleni Rob restaurant.
Dogs in Velika Planina: Your canine companions are welcome but must be on a leash at all times to not disturb the local wildlife. There is also a €5 transport fee for each dog to use the cable car.
Alternative Ways to Reach Velika Planina
You can also hike up to Velika Planina from several different points around the alpine plateau.
- Hiking from the cable car station. This is a strenuous hike that will take about 3 hours (one-way) with an elevation gain of over 1100 m. If you only want to hike up and not down, single-direction cable car tickets are available for purchase at the cable car station (though they are almost as expensive as the return tickets). You can find more information on this hiking trail here.
- Hiking from one of the three car parks on the other side (eastern side) of Velika Planina. Between Kranjski Rak and Velika Planina, there are three organized parking areas. You can park your car at any of these parking lots, from where different trails lead towards Velika Planina. You can find out how to access the parking areas here. The trails can take between 30 minutes to 2 hours of walking depending on the car park. All car parks have a daily parking fee of €10 (2024 – more for a van or motorhome). Also, note that the car parks are all 20-to-30 minutes further from Ljubljana than the cable car station is.
You can see in the map below the position of the three eastern car parks, relative to the Velika Planina plateau and the summit cable car station (far left on the map).
About Velika Planina and its History
Velika Planina is the site of one of Europe’s few surviving high mountain herdsmen’s villages, where traditional Alpine herdsmen culture is still alive. Each year, around the middle of June, the local herdsmen bring the cattle to Velika Planina, move into traditional herdsmen’s huts and stay there throughout the warm months to take care of the grazing cattle (typically until mid-September). The entire Velika Planina alpine plateau encompasses an area of almost 1000 hectares (about 10 square kilometres).
The Velika Planina alpine plateau is home to over 500 traditional huts, which are organized into a few distinct settlements. The largest is known as Velika Planina (which is also the name used to refer to the entire group of settlements), and others you are likely to cross during your exploration include the smaller settlements of Mala Planina and Gojška Planina.
The huts are single-room dwellings with shingled oval roofs extending nearly to ground level, making the space created by the extended roof suitable for sheltering livestock. There are very few permanent residents in the settlement, but in the summer months, it still has a sizable population of herdsmen who bring their flocks to these highland pastures.
Although archeological finds show that humans have been present in the area since prehistoric times, the first shepherds and herdsmen are believed to have arrived during the Middle Ages, with evidence of the first traditional huts dating from the 16th century.
Sadly, most of the original huts were destroyed during WWII, meaning that most of the huts you see today were rebuilt in the 1940s and are slightly larger with a few modern touches on the insides. There is one exception, however, as one hut was built to match the layout and size of the original huts – and this hut today houses the Preskar Museum (more on the museum below).
Beginning in September, many huts are closed for the winter, although in the past few years, some huts have become available for rent during the non-grazing season of September to June.
Visiting Velika Planina – The Herdsmen Trail and Things to See
When you disembark from the top chairlift station you are free to roam around as you please, as long as you stick to designated trails to not disturb the surrounding flora. However, we recommend following the “In the Footsteps of Herdsmen ” Trail, which we will abbreviate to the Herdsmen Trail from this point on. This trail follows a loop path through the alpine plateau with 11 points of interest selected to reveal the rich natural, cultural and spiritual heritage of
Velika Planina.
The Herdsmen Trail
Here is a map to give you an idea of what the trail will look like. When visiting, however, you won’t really need a map as the path to follow is well-indicated with good signage throughout the trail.
Trail length: 6.75 km
Elevation gain: 258 m – from the top chairlift you will descend this amount until Mala Planina and Gojska Planina (points 6 and 7 on the map), from which you will start ascending back to your original elevation.
Average time required: 1h30-2h (without stops) – but expect to spend about 3 hours here to visit all of the sights and attractions without feeling rushed.
After you visit point of interest #11, you will have the option to head towards the summit chairlift station to complete the loop or to the middle chairlift station. We recommend heading to the middle chairlift station, as this is where you will find the best place to grab a bite to eat and enjoy refreshments after your hike through Velika Planina, the Zeleni Rob restaurant, said by some to serve Slovenia’s best štruklji (cheese dumplings).
Notable Sights of Interest along the Trail
The Main Herdsmen Village (Velika Planina)
This is the largest settlement in Velika Planina and is your best opportunity to admire the unique architecture and shape of the herders’ dwellings.
The roofs are covered with pine shingles, which extend rather low. The name of the cottage in the Kamnik part of Velika Planina is “a herdsman hut” or “a shepherd’s home”, and a pine shingle is called “šinkel”.
Mala Planina & Gojška Planina
Whereas Velika Planina (which translates to “Big Plateau”) is the largest settlement in the area, the alpine plateau is also home to smaller settlements such as Mala Planina ‘Little Pasture’ and Gojška Planina ‘Gozd Pasture’ (named for the village of Gozd) – and there are several smaller ones scattered further away from the trail.
Our Lady of the Snows Chapel
The chapel of Snow Mary, which originally stood in the same place before WWII, is located slightly above the herdsmen’s settlement atop a hill. Like the rest of the settlement, the chapel was burnt down by German soldiers during WWII. It was finally rebuilt in 1988 — long after the other settlement dwellings had been reconstructed.
To visit the Chapel, you’ll have to take a short detour from the Herdsmen loop trail (around point #3).
Preskar‘s Hut (museum)
You’ll have to take a 5-minute detour from the Herdsmen trail to visit the museum, which you can do at the same time as you visit the chapel given their close proximity to one another.
The museum is located in the herdsmen’s main Velika Planina settlement and is open every day during the pasture season (usually mid-June until mid-September). Today, this cottage is distinct from the other cottages with its shape, size and modestly decorated interior, an example of what a typical herdsmen hut in Slovenia would look like – it is the only hut that was rebuilt according to the old traditions. As we mentioned earlier, the entire herdsmen settlement was burned down during WWII. Most of the herdsmen in this unfortunate event saw an opportunity to build a new and larger hut with separate stables.
The Grazing Cows
You probably already noticed them in some of the previous pictures – there are free-roaming cattle everywhere (from mid-June to mid-September). They are part of the scenery and definitely make the whole experience of wandering through this beautiful alpine plateau more memorable.
Please always maintain a respectful distance from them to not unnecessarily frighten them. If they come close to you, there is nothing to fear as they are very gentle animals.
Discover the Local Dairy Products
During the pasture season (mid-June – mid-September), when herdsmen return to the settlement and tend to their cattle, many are delighted to invite you to taste their dairy products or try a typical herdsmen’s lunch.
For a small price, you can taste some of their delicious cheeses, including
Trnic, is a type of pear-shaped hard cheese that is traditionally from Velika Planina. You can also enjoy a traditional shepherd’s meal on the mountain, consisting of sour milk and buckwheat porridge.
You typically find herdsmen selling food in dwellings close to the museum, such as FANI’s alpine dairy farm or Pastirski stan pri Škof.
The Giant Swing
This is one of the first things that you will see as you disembark from the chairlift’s upper station. Hard to find a swing set with a better view!
Where to Grab a Bite to Eat on Velika Planina
There are several spots to choose from around Velika Planina, depending on whether you want a snack, a full meal, or just to enjoy a beer from a scenic alpine terrace. As we mentioned above, you will have the opportunity to try some traditional dishes served and prepared by local herdsmen.
If you would prefer a more standard menu (with some local delicatessen) we can highly recommend the Zeleni Rob restaurant located by the middle chairlift station. You will find a little bit of everything here, and the restaurant can accommodate up to 50 guests indoors, while the spacious outdoor garden can host an additional 150 visitors.
If you would prefer to find something to eat towards the middle of your Velika Planina exploration, there are three mountain cabins with restaurants and outdoor seating. They are all close to one another, near Mala Planina: Domžalski dom, Crnuški dom and Jarški dom.
How Long to Spend in Velika Planina
If you plan on hiking the Herdsmen trail, we recommend planning to spend about 2 to 3 hours on the alpine plateau (if you were to walk the trail really fast without stopping much, you could probably complete the loop in about 1h30), and then factor in about another hour for making your way up and down the mountain via the cable car and chairlift. If you want to enjoy a sit-down meal during your time here, you will need to add time to our above estimate.
Best Time to Visit Velika Planina
We typically recommend visiting places during the shoulder season: there are fewer tourists, the weather is still nice and the prices tend to drop. However, for Velika Planina, you definitely want to visit between mid-June and mid-September to experience the traditional herdsmen culture, including a visit to the museum, try locally made dairy products and enjoy the scenery filled with free-roaming cattle.
Moreover, if you come during the month of June, you are likely to see the green pasture fields covered by pink-purple wildflowers known as nigritella lithopolitanica (a species of orchid endemic to a portion of the eastern Alps spanning Austria and Slovenia).
You can also visit Velika Planina during winter. Although you are unlikely to see any herdsmen or cattle, the snowy scenery will no doubt make the landscape magical. Veilika Planina is a popular alpine and cross-country skiing destination in winter, but you can still hike several trails trail as well. Also, the most visited event on Velika Planina is the midnight mass in the Our Lady of the Snows chapel in the herdsmen’s settlement. This unique event draws several thousands of visitors each year carrying torches and lanterns, creating a magical atmosphere.
Where to Stay in Velika Planina
Definitely one of the cool things you can do when visiting Velika Planina is that you stay in one of several traditional huts. Alternatively, if you plan on only visiting Velika Planina as a day trip, we also recommend great places to stay in both Bled and Ljubljana.
Other Sights and Attractions Near Velika Planina
Škofja Loka
Škofja Loka is a charming countryside town in northwestern Slovenia nestled in the foothills of the Julian Alps with a well-preserved medieval historic town center. Located a short distance from Ljubljana, the town is small enough that it can be visited in an hour or two but with enough things to see and do (including visiting a hilltop castle and several scenic bridges) to keep you busy for a good part of the day. Despite its obvious beauty, this gem of a town is definitely underrated as few tourists make their way here.
For more information on this lovely town, check out our guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Škofja Loka.
Radovljica
If you like the idea of small and charming medieval towns such as Škofja Loka, then you’ll love Radovljica. While Radovljica is even smaller than Škofja Loka and does not have an imposing hilltop castle, it more than makes up for it with its fun local shops, unique and quirky museums, and lively town square atmosphere.
For more information on this lovely town, check out our guide on the Best Things to See and Do in Radovljica.
Vintgar Gorge
Vintgar Gorge is a must-visit in our opinion for anyone who is spending more than a day in Lake Bled. The gorge itself is stunning. Wooden boardwalks follow the gorge’s walls and run for approximately 1.6 km.
The boardwalk also crosses the river on several occasions giving you spectacular vantage points to capture some of the river’s various features, including small pools, falls, and rapids.
For more information on visiting the gorge, including opening hours and access fees, check out our Vintgar Gorge Hiking and Visiting Guide.
Ljubljana
(coming soon)
Lake Bled
(coming soon)
Lake Bohinj
(coming soon)
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
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Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
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Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our guide on Slovenia’s Beautiful Alpine Plateau, Velika Planina, and that it will prove useful for planning your trip.
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