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Exploring the Emerald Waters of Vintgar Gorge, Bled, Slovenia
What is Vintgar Gorge
The 1.6 km gorge just 4km outside of the picturesque town of Bled was carved by the Radovna river over thousands of years. The canyon walls are between 50 and 100 meters high along the eroded path of the river has created. The emerald-like water has formed wonderful pools, rapids and calm still sections that tourists have been coming to gaze at since 1893 when the first wooden walkways were installed. Before that, the true beauty that lay here was but a mystery to almost all!
Visiting this jaw-dropping place
I had researched this place briefly before but to be honest I didn’t really know too much about it. The photos I had seen looked like it was something that we really needed to do but I never expected to be completely blown away by the place.
We decided to cycle the short distance to the gorge from Bled, it was quite a chilly day and the rain started pretty much as soon as we had set off. But visiting Vintgar gorge is a great activity to do on a rainy day when pretty much everything else is called off and the lake itself has poor visibility.
Our Favourite Travel Camera & Lens
Sony A7IV & Sony FE 24-105 f4
The Sony a7IV is the perfect travel camera. Offering incredible image quality, great portability and a varied lens selection.
Our favourite travel lens is the Sony FE 24-105 f4. it’s a great all-rounder, super sharp and a perfect focal range for travel.
As soon as we approached the gorge and heard the roaring of the water we were pretty excited to see what was in store. The river starts out quite tame as locals stand waist deep in the icy waters fly fishing. Even in this section the colour of the water looked like nothing I had ever seen before. The clarity and deep green hue just left me in awe.
From the shallower beginnings the gorge soon opens up dramatically to reveal the true majesty of this rugged canyon. Here the wooden walkways snake their way across from one side of the gorge to another and cling to the high walls. They transport you over the top of fierce waterfalls and close to the stunning emerald waters below.
Our Favourite Backpacks
Osprey Fairpoint/ Fairview
We’ve used the Osprey Fairpoint/ Fairview for all our backpacking adventures over the past 5 years and highly recommend them!
The main area of the pack opens like a suitcase, which is great for using packing cubes to keep everything organised and they even come with a detachable day pack!
It really feels like something from a dream, the deep canyon and quiet, unspoilt atmosphere making you feel like you have stumbled across an undiscovered gem. As the walkways wind alongside the river you are greeted with one spectacular scene after another. The water so clear you can see right down to the bottom of the river where fish swim and old fallen trees lie. The water is so beautiful it almost feels like an invitation to jump in!
The Vintgar Gorge was a complete revelation for us, from not knowing it existed just a day before we set out to visit it to it becoming one of the most amazing places we have ever visited. The true beauty of this place can’t even be put down into words or captured by a photograph. A trip to Bled would be worth it for this alone!
How to visit for yourself
The gorge is around 4km away from Bled but the route is quite simple and sign posted. In my opinion the best way is to rent out a bike, you can explore the lake earlier on in the day and head over here for the afternoon as we did. That way the trip takes much less time, it can get a little hilly as you pass through a small village, but at least the ride back to Bled is fast and fun! I would give at least 2 or 3 hours for the trip and to explore the gorge.
The gorge is also really reasonably priced:
Adults: €4
Students: €3
There are also shuttle buses that run from many of the outdoor shops in Bled, these are a little more expensive and you will likely be in a group but if you can’t/ don’t want to walk or ride then it is still possible. Our favourite shop has to be Mamut, right by the bus station, for outdoor activities in Bled!
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The gorge is open from 08.00 to 19.00 and may be closed during the winter.
Have you ever seen water this colour?! Where?
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