The Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Logar Valley
North of Ljubljana, a range with a Dolomite-like appearance remains in the shadow of the more famous Triglav. The Kamnik-Savinja Alps offer steep paths, mountain pastures and the spectacular U-shaped glacial Logar Valley, a corner of Slovenia still little travelled.
Foto: Gianfranco Mingozzi (director) / Ugo Piccone (cinematographer) (Public domain) — Wikimedia Commons
Slovenia's mountains, in the imagination of travellers, coincide with Triglav and the national park that surrounds it. That is where hikers, climbers and organised trips concentrate. Yet little more than an hour from Ljubljana rises another range, just as rocky and almost Dolomite-like in appearance, which strangely stays to one side: the Kamnik and Savinja Alps. Pale walls, sharp spires and deep valleys, but with a fraction of the visitors. Those who choose them find real mountains and a more intimate atmosphere.
The Logar Valley
The jewel is the Logarska dolina, the Logar Valley, one of the best-preserved U-shaped glacial valleys in the Alps. You travel it inland as far as the cirque that closes it, dominated by the walls, and right at the head lies the Rinka waterfall, one of the highest drops in the country, reachable with a short but steep walk from the car park at the end of the valley. The valley is protected as a landscape park and retains an agricultural character, with farms and meadows that make it a pastoral scene at the foot of the rocks. Alongside it open two other sister valleys, the Robanov kot and the Matkov kot, even quieter and wilder.
At altitude
For those wanting to climb high, the slope offers high mountain huts and still-active pastures. A classic is the Velika planina plateau, reachable by cable car and chairlift from Kamnik, where a shepherds' village survives with its characteristic wooden huts with sloping roofs: a unique place, where in summer milk and cheeses are still made. From the Logar Valley you climb instead to the border passes with Austria, such as the panoramic saddle above the Rinka waterfall, from which the gaze embraces both sides of the range.
How to get there
You arrive by car from Ljubljana, climbing towards the town of Kamnik or along the Savinja valley to the village of Solčava, from which the road to the Logarska dolina sets off. Public transport here is scarce, so a car makes everything simpler. Once on site the network of marked paths allows both easy valley-floor walks, suitable for everyone, and far more severe climbs towards ridges and peaks. The difference is stark: the valley floor is a gentle walk, while the paths that climb to the summits are steep, with exposed and equipped sections that require a sure foot, mountain experience and, on the more demanding routes, proper gear. It is terrain to assess honestly against your own abilities.
When to go
The ideal period is the heart of summer and early autumn, from July to September, when the high-altitude paths are free of snow, the huts open and the pastures in full activity. September in particular combines settled days, cool temperatures and fewer people: the valley, crowded with day-trippers on August weekends, returns to quiet on weekdays and later in the season. To avoid the few moments of crush it is best to arrive early in the morning, especially at the head of the Logarska dolina where parking space is limited.
This area is also a small paradise of living Alpine traditions. Along the panoramic Solčava road, which links the three valleys with a series of hairpin bends overlooking the walls, stand isolated farms where cheeses are still made and the traveller is welcomed. Stopping at one of these pastures for a glass of milk or a taste of mountain cheese is as much part of the experience as the walk itself, and helps support a mountain community that endures in a secluded corner of the country.
A practical tip: even though the Logar Valley can be visited comfortably, do not underestimate the climbs at altitude. The weather in these Alps changes rapidly and summer afternoon thunderstorms are frequent; set out early in the morning, check the forecast and plan to return before the afternoon. If you stay for several days, sleeping in a valley farm or a hut lets you experience the mountain in the best hours, at dawn and dusk, when the day-trippers have gone and the walls light up with colour.
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Practical info
When is the best time to visit The Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Logar Valley?
The recommended time is July, August and September, when it is less crowded.
Where is The Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Logar Valley?
The Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Logar Valley is located in Northern Slovenia.
