Slap Boka Waterfall (Bovec, Slovenia) – Photos + Hike + Tips

Considered one of the mightiest falls in Slovenia, the tall and wide Slap Boka waterfall is visible from the main road through the Soca valley. 
Located South of Bovec, you can also hike to a viewing platform.
Below is my guide to plan your visit with tips, photos and map.

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With no emerald pool like Savica, Boka is not the most famous Slovenian Waterfall...
And it is not the highest waterfall in Slovenia either...
But it is tall and wide and can be seen from the road, so it is quite well-known.

Below is a view of part of the Boka Waterfall:

• As you can see in the image below, the Boka water comes from an underground cave
• It arises as a karst spring at 725m
• It first flows on a ledge
• And then drops down for 106m
• After that, the water runs down a steep slope for 30m

On the image below you can see the waterfall when it is rushing after heavy rain. The picture on the right shows you the top section before dropping and its amazing location in the Soca Valley.
Flow varies greatly during the year. In Spring and Autumn, it can reach 100m3/s whilst in Summer in can drop to as low as 2m3/s.

How to get to Slap Boka location map

• The Boka falls are located in West-Slovenia, just South of the town of Bovec
• Bovec to Slap Boka = 7 min drive
• Ljubljana to Boka waterfall = 2h30 drive
• Bled to Boka Waterfall = 1h45 drive
• Below is a map to get your oriented and locate the waterfall of Boka:

This location is included (with GPS coordinates, map of location and planning info) in my travel guide eBook that helps you easily plan your Slovenia road trip:

How to see the Boka Waterfall

You have 3 options to see the waterfall

• From the road - Just park North of the bridge or by the hotel and enjoy the views from there
• Hike to the platform (15 to 20min) - wear good shoes, the rolling rocks are slippery! (as you will see below, I don't think it is worth it if you don't have much time)
• Major hike through the riverbed when it is not at full flow or to the right of the bridge up to the spring, but both are technical and difficult.

The Boka Waterfall is clearly indicated as you are driving along the main road of the Soca Valley.
So you can park near the North end of the bridge or near the hotel South of the bridge.

Walk around and you will already see the waterfall quite well, especially if you are there when snow is melting or after heavy rains.
When I saw it, it was not that powerful:

From certain angles you can see a portion of the lower part of the waterfall.
What is impressive is the contrast between the big cut in the karst and the forest all around.

Below are a few photos of the Boka waterfall hike to the viewpoint.

And here are a few shots from the viewing platform.
There are some nice signs with explanation about the waterfall and the geology of the region.
As you can see in the 2 first pictures, you are not that much closer to the waterfall... 
To my opinion the view is not worth the hike. 
But it might be better when the waterfall is rushing in spring...

And with the big zoom on my camera, here is a closer look at Slap Boka:

As I said earlier, you can also hike through the riverbed (when there is almost no water) and to the right to climb to the top.
However, it gets technical and small rock avalanches may change the paths overnight.

According to this story of climbing to the top, there are also a lot of spiders in Summer... and it is not for people with vertigo (see this video)

If you take the time to stop at the waterfall, I really recommend you take 5 minutes to stop by the hotel. There is a small bridge with a fantastic view of the Soca valley and the emerald river. It was one of my favorite views in the valley.
This is a frequent departure point for Kayaks and Rafts

• If you are interested in Kayaking, see activity program here
• But if you prefer rafting, check out this option

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