Slap Peričnik is an incredible waterfall, and is not to be missed on your trip to Slovenia! Located inside Triglav National Park, this waterfall is unique because you can walk directly behind it! The hike is short and steep, but worth every step and heart rate spike. Getting to Peričnik involves a bit of planning, but here are my top tips for hiking Slap Peričnik in Slovenia!
1. Do the hike first thing in the morning
Slap Peričnik is an incredibly popular hike, and can get very busy! After the drive, parking, and the shuttle to the trailhead, my “boots were on the ground” at about 8:45 am. On my hike up, I passed only one couple making their way down, and ended up having the entire waterfall to myself for about 20 minutes! It was great to be able to take it in without crowds (and have the privacy to take pictures and videos!). Other visitors slowly started to arrive and then on my way down. I ended up passing two large tour groups making their way to the falls. Hiking Slap Peričnik first thing in the morning is absolutely key!
2. Where to park
The trailhead is located here, inside Triglav National Park and just outside the town of Mojstrana. You are not able to park right at the trailhead, and are instead required to park in town and take a bus up. More on the shuttles below, but parking in town isn’t difficult (as long as you follow tip #1 and arrive early!).
I parked at the Slovenian Alpine Museum, located right in town here. Parking was €3 per hour, which is a little steep but if your plan is to just do Slap Peričnik, you won’t need to pay for more than 2-3 hours. Pay for parking inside the museum and display the receipt on your dashboard. You can also park in town at the Mercator, or in small lots along the main road. They fill up very quickly though! By the time I finished my hike and made my way back to the car at 10:15 am, the lots were all almost completely full!
3. Shuttles to the trailhead
From the museum, shuttles to the trailhead start running regularly at 9:00 am. I had arrived around 8:15 am, which meant other than waiting for 45 minutes, my other option was to take the free public city bus from the Mercator in town. I was a little hesitant, but turned out to be incredibly simple! The only difference was that this was a large city bus, where as the shuttle was a smaller sprinter van. It was a quick 5-minute walk from the museum to the bus stop and the bus showed up right on time. It was a very short ride up to the trailhead, and it couldn’t have been easier. After the hike, both the city busses and the shuttles will pick you up right at the trailhead to bring you back down. Again, both are free so you can just jump on whichever comes first!
4. What to wear
Deciding what to wear when hiking Slap Peričnik will of course depend on the season and forecast, but there are some staples no matter when you visit! No matter if you plan to go behind the falls or just get close, you’ll definitely want a waterproof jacket. Even away from the falls, you’ll experience drips and tons of mist. Waterproof is key! The trail to and from the falls, as well as the trails around and behind can also be slippery so wearing shoes with a good grip is important. Hiking boots would be best if you have them, but I was okay in my Hoka sneakers. You’re also at a higher elevation here, so I would dress a little warmer than you think- you can always shed layers if needed!
5. Prepare for a steep hike
The entire out-and back to Slap Peričnik is short but steep. The entire loop is less than 1 km, but it is straight up and then straight back down. Click here for a map detailing the elevation and entire loop. The hike up took me about 20 minutes, including a few breaks to catch my breath. There trail up is about half staircase, half steep incline. On the staircases, there are even some sections with handrails to make things easier. The switchbacks are a perfect place to take quick breathers! Once at the waterfall, it’s pretty flat going from one end, behind the falls, and out the other. The trail down is about the same, but taking it slow (especially if it’s wet) will be critical on the descent!
6. Scenic viewpoints
Slap Peričnik is actually visible from the moment you step out of the shuttle! From the road, you can peer through a clearing of trees and see the top half of the falls tumbling over the rocks. It’s a great intro to get you in the mood for the hike! After the climb, the first viewpoint is located to the left of the falls. Here, there will be large boulders to sit on (or set a camera/tripod on) and take it all in. The second viewpoint is on the opposite side of the falls. To reach this section, you’ll need to walk behind the falls- which is really the star of the show! This area is a bit closer to the falls (and is the better viewpoint in my opinion) with rocks to stand on for great photos. The third official viewpoint is right near the second, but a short uphill climb over a steep staircase. From here, you actually can’t see the top of the waterfall, so I’d recommend just sticking to the first two viewpoints!
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