A Green Ring Detour Into the Kamnik-Savinja Alps
Most first-time visitors to Slovenia never make it to Logar Valley, and that is exactly its appeal. While buses queue at Lake Bled and boats shuttle tourists to its island, Logar Valley sits about 80 km north of the capital in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, reachable in roughly an hour and a half by car and rarely mentioned in the same breath as the country’s headline lake. It belongs to the Green Ring, the loose crown of hills and small towns around Ljubljana that also includes Kamnik, Škofja Loka, Kranj and Velika Planina — the alpine-adjacent counterpart to the capital’s UNESCO-listed old town.
Logar Valley (Logarska dolina in Slovene) is a classic U-shaped glacial valley: a flat green floor a few hundred meters wide, walled in on three sides by limestone peaks that climb past 2,000 meters, and closed at its head by the Rinka waterfall tumbling out of a hanging side valley. There is no lake, no island, no castle on a bluff — just pasture, scattered wooden homesteads, grazing cattle, and a silence that most Slovenian destinations closer to Ljubljana have long since lost.
Where Logar Valley Actually Is
Logar Valley lies in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps Regional Park (Kamniško-Savinjske Alpe), a protected landscape distinct from the better-known Triglav National Park further west. The valley itself is a dead end: a single road runs along its floor for about seven kilometers before the terrain forces it to stop, which is part of why it has stayed quiet — there is no through-traffic, only people who came specifically to see it.
Geographically, this places Logar Valley in the same alpine register as Kranjska Gora, the Vršič Pass and the Soča Valley further west, though it is much closer to Ljubljana and does not share their fame. It is easy, on a map, to lump all of Slovenia’s mountain valleys together. They are not interchangeable: Logar Valley has neither the dramatic pass road of the Vršič nor the emerald river of the Soča, but it offers something those places do not — a wide, walkable, family-friendly valley floor that most visitors can take in in half a day.
Getting There From Ljubljana
The most direct route from Ljubljana runs north through Kamnik, then follows local roads up into the Kamniška Bistrica valley system before climbing east toward Logarska dolina. Expect around 80 km and roughly 1h30 of driving each way, more if you stop in Kamnik itself, which most visitors do since it sits directly on the route.
A rental car gives the most flexibility, since it lets you stop in Kamnik, detour to Velika Planina, and set your own pace on the valley walk. If you would rather not navigate mountain roads yourself, an organized day trip covers the same ground with a driver and usually a guide.
a guided day trip from Ljubljana that drives out to Logar Valley and back removes the need to plan the route yourself, and most itineraries build in a stop in Kamnik on the way.
Public transport into the valley itself is limited and not really built for tourists on a schedule — this is one of the few corners of the Green Ring where car-free travel is genuinely inconvenient rather than just slower.
What Makes Logar Valley Different From Bled and Bohinj
Because all three places sit against a mountain backdrop, it is common to see Logar Valley described loosely as “another Bled” or folded into the same day as Bohinj. Neither comparison holds up on the ground.
Lake Bled has its island, its perched castle, and a very specific tourist rhythm: boat out, church bell, boat back. Lake Bohinj is larger, wilder, and sits inside Triglav National Park, Slovenia’s only national park, with mountain trails and a cable car radiating out from the shoreline. Logar Valley has no lake at all. Its centerpiece is the valley floor itself and the waterfall at its far end, and its administrative home — the Kamnik-Savinja Alps Regional Park — is a separate protected area from Triglav National Park, even though both ranges look similar from a distance.
If your itinerary already includes Bled or Bohinj, Logar Valley is not a substitute stop for either — it is a different kind of alpine morning, best treated as its own outing rather than a swap. Readers deciding between the lake regions should start with our comparison guide on Bled versus Bohinj rather than trying to fold Logar Valley into that decision.
Walking the Valley Floor and the Rinka Waterfall
The standard visit follows a gravel and boardwalk path along the valley floor from the main parking area near the entrance to the Rinka waterfall at the far end. It is close to flat, well-marked, and manageable for most walkers, including families with children in strollers for at least the first stretch. Along the way, the path passes several of the valley’s old wooden homesteads, some still farmed, some converted into small cafés or guesthouses, with grazing meadows running right up to the tree line on either side.
The Rinka waterfall itself drops from a hanging valley above the main floor — a smaller, quieter cousin of the more famous cascades further west near Bovec and the Soča Valley, but no less dramatic against the surrounding cliffs. From the base of the falls, more ambitious hikers can continue upward toward the Okrešelj mountain hut and the ridgelines beyond, moving from an easy valley walk into genuine alpine hiking within the space of an hour.
For a longer trek through the surrounding peaks, our dedicated guide to hiking in Logar Valley covers trail options for both casual walkers and those wanting a full day in the mountains, and our broader hiking and mountains category rounds up comparable trails elsewhere in Slovenia.
The Panoramic Road, Horse Carriages and Homesteads
A narrow toll road runs the length of the valley, and driving it slowly — or better, walking or cycling it — is part of the experience. Horse-drawn carriage rides operate seasonally from near the entrance for visitors who would rather not walk the full distance, a nod to how the valley was worked and traveled long before cars.
Several of the traditional homesteads along the route are still family-run, some offering simple meals of local cheese, cured meat, and homemade juice on outdoor terraces facing the mountains. This is one of the few places in the Green Ring where agritourism, rather than a museum exhibit, is the way you encounter local history.
Pairing Logar Valley With the Rest of the Green Ring
Logar Valley rewards being treated as one stop on a longer loop rather than a destination in isolation, since the drive there and back passes directly through some of the Green Ring’s other highlights.
Kamnik is the natural anchor for the day: a compact medieval town with a small old core, roughly on the direct route between Ljubljana and Logarska dolina, and an easy place to break the drive for coffee or lunch.
a short guided walk through Kamnik’s old town, drink included is an efficient way to see the town’s highlights without losing much of the day.
From Kamnik, a mountain road climbs to Velika Planina, a high pasture plateau dotted with round-roofed herders’ huts that has become a Green Ring highlight in its own right — a very different alpine mood from the valley floor below, reached by cable car and chairlift rather than on foot.
Further afield in the same region, Škofja Loka preserves one of Slovenia’s best-kept medieval town centers, and Kranj adds an underground layer with tunnels dug beneath its old town.
a Škofja Loka town tour that includes a traditional honey bread workshop pairs well with a Green Ring day that starts early enough to fit in Logar Valley as well.
Visitors building a longer alpine loop rather than a single day out should also look at Kranjska Gora and the Vršič Pass further west — a bigger undertaking, covered in our Julian Alps adventure itinerary, and genuinely a different trip from the Green Ring, not an extension of it.
Practical Tips: Toll, Parking, Weather and What to Bring
A few things are worth knowing before setting out:
- Vehicle toll. Cars pay a small entrance toll at the valley gate, which covers the road and parking further along; walkers and cyclists do not pay it.
- Parking. The main car park sits near the valley entrance, close to the start of the walking path to the waterfall — driving further in is possible on the toll road but adds little if your plan is to walk.
- Weather swings fast. As with anywhere in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, clear skies over Ljubljana do not guarantee clear skies in the mountains; check a local forecast rather than the capital’s before setting out, and bring a layer even in summer.
- Facilities are seasonal. Cafés and carriage rides along the valley operate mainly from late spring to early autumn; outside that window, expect a quieter and more self-sufficient visit.
- Phone signal is patchy once you’re past Kamnik, so download offline maps of the route in advance.
| Compare | Logar Valley | Lake Bohinj |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | Flat glacial valley floor with waterfall | Large natural lake inside a national park |
| Protected area | Kamnik-Savinja Alps Regional Park | Triglav National Park |
| Distance from Ljubljana | ~80 km, ~1h30 | ~90 km, ~1h30-2h |
| Typical visit length | Half a day | Half a day to a full day |
| Crowd level | Low | Moderate, higher in summer |
| Main draw | Rinka waterfall, valley walk | Lake shore, Vogel cable car, hiking base |
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Logar Valley
Is Logar Valley the same place as Lake Bohinj?
No. Lake Bohinj sits inside Triglav National Park around Slovenia’s largest natural lake, while Logar Valley is a separate glacial valley in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps with no lake at all. They share a mountain backdrop, which is why first-time visitors mix them up.
Do I need to pay to enter Logar Valley?
Vehicles pay a small per-car toll at the valley entrance, which covers road upkeep and parking further in. Walking or cycling in does not require a toll.
Can I visit Logar Valley without a car?
It is possible but slow, since public transport into the valley is limited compared with Bled or Ljubljana itself. Most independent travelers combine Logar Valley with a rental car day trip through the Green Ring, or join an organized tour from Ljubljana. Our guide to getting around Slovenia without a car covers where this approach works well and where it doesn’t.
Is Logar Valley part of Triglav National Park?
No. Logar Valley lies in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps Regional Park, a separate protected area east of Triglav National Park. The two ranges look similar from a distance but are managed and visited independently.
What is the walk to the Rinka waterfall like?
It is a gentle, mostly flat walk along the valley floor from the main parking area, suitable for most fitness levels and manageable with children. The waterfall itself drops from a hanging valley at the head of Logar Valley.
When is the best time to visit Logar Valley?
Late May through September gives the most reliable weather and open facilities. Winter can bring snow that closes side trails and some visitor services, even though the valley road itself often stays passable.
Can I combine Logar Valley with Kamnik in one day from Ljubljana?
Yes, this is the most common way to see it. Kamnik sits on the direct route between Ljubljana and Logar Valley, so a single day trip can cover the town, the valley floor, and the waterfall walk without excessive driving. For those weighing a self-drive day against a booked tour, our car versus organized tour comparison walks through the trade-offs.
