Slap Pericnik Waterfall (Slovenia) – Hike + Tips + Photos

The Pericnik Waterfall in Slovenia is one of the most beautiful in the country with the possibility to walk behind it!
Off the beaten track, Slap Pericnik is set in the Vrata Valley and offers magnificent views.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit and walk, with photos, tips and map.

A great excursion not far from lake Bled, don't you think?

More photos after the planning tips.

How to get to Pericnik waterfall - Location & Map

• South of the village Mojstrana, North West of Bled
• Bled to Pericnik - 30min drive (30km - 19mi)
• You can drive to the carpark but the last 2km are unpaved
• You can also reach it on foot - A trails takes you from Mojstrana: the Triglaska Bistrica Trail
• Below is a map to help you get oriented and locate the waterfall:

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:

Visit Tips

• Price - Free access but carpark for a fee
• 10min uphill hike - easy access to the lower waterfall, more technical to get to the upper one
• Wear good shoes
• Have a towel in the car or wear a K-way on a cold day as you will be wet
• Protect your camera from the mist!
• Café with toilets at the carpark

Pericnik Waterfall in Winter

Pericnik is also very famous for its winter beauty. When the temperature drops, the water freezes, and the waterfall is covered with icicles dropping from the rock. Quite a sight! Very appreciated by photographers. Have a look here for a picture from one of them

Where to stay nearby

• The closest town is Mojstrana - Check out the best rated accommodations in Mojstrana
• Otherwise you are not far from Bled, it can easily be done as a half day trip - Check out the best rated accommodations in Bled

The last 2 kilometers are unpaved, so it is bumpy but not really difficult. And this is not in the mountains so no big drops on the side! Just trees.

A cafe house and a carpark are located at the bottom of the hike.
Past the carpark to same road leads to the Vrata valley.

From the carpark, you can see the lower falls in a clearing in the trees.

Across from the clearing don't miss the beautiful view of River Triglavska Bistrica with the summits in the background!

Let's learn a bit more about the Pericnik Falls. They were created as a result of glacial activity in the Valley of Vrata. When the glacier retreated, material was carried away by water in the valley, and here it created a conglomerate rock face.

The Falls are in 2 stages:

• The Upper Pericnick Fall (Slap Zgornji Peričnik) drops for 16m (52ft)
• The Lower Pericnik Fall (Slap Spodnji Peričnik) drops 52m (171ft) - This is where you can easily walk behind - pictures below in the article

Hike to Lower Pericnik Falls

Official hiking path

The official hiking trail to the Falls starts at the bottom of the clearing, left of the water as you can see in the photos below.

Unofficial path

There is also an unofficial walking path starting across from the café house. It is not as steep as the official one but with no indication.
There is a turn to the left at one point that you clearly see when you walk too far above but not on the way up. If you find it hard to walk up, you've gone too far!
The walk is a little steep but not that long. Just take your time and wear good shoes!

Under the fall

After 10 minutes of walking uphill, you find 2 bridges which allow the passage between both tracks below the waterfall. This is where you can see up close the conglomerate rocks transported by water from the glacier.

You discover the waterfall but not yet in its entirety.

Still partially hidden! Let's keep walking.

52 m Drop view

After a few more steps on the left side of the waterfall, you finally get to see the 52m drop in its entirety. The splash sends a lot of mist in all directions.

I did not have a wide angle, so it was quite difficult to capture the whole waterfall. In the photo above I used the panoramic function of the iPhone vertically. Not that bad...
You can also walk down to the pool level, but be ready to take a shower!

Walking behind Waterfall Pericnik 

The best part of the Pericnik Waterfall is that you can walk behind it. I did it in Iceland, behind Seljalandsfoss and it is as much fun!

I really like the overall experience with the roar of the splash reverberating on the rocks and the mist hitting your skin. (Once again, make sure you have something to protect your camera!)

The path is a little bit scary, with the drop to the pool of the fall on one side, but it is not too narrow, so I managed. Make sure you are wearing good shoes. The small rocks with the water make a slippery ground.

Falls from the other side

Once at the other end of the Lower Pericnik Falls, this is the view. Definitively worth the walk, don't you think?
Look at the size of the people across on the rock, this gives you an idea of the size of the waterfall!!!

And then you return and walk down...

Upper Pericnik Waterfall

Or if you are fit and don't mind a more technical walk (you have to hold a chain), you can keep climbing to reach the upper falls. 
The atmosphere is quieter and more intimate, but with only a 16m drop it is far less impressive. 

I decided not to hike up, but have a look here for a picture from another photographer.

Want to see more of SLOVENIA?

Discover more things to do & places to see in my Travel Slovenia Destination Guide.