A pleasant walk through conifers and pastures
Velika Planina invites with plenty of opportunities for walks and hikes across the mountain pasture showcasing natural and ethnological curiosities that you won’t want to miss. The fastest way to Velika Planina is by cable car from Kamniška Bistrica. From there, you can take a ski lift to the top, where you’ll be greeted with a magnificent view. Those who prefer a challenge can follow one of the well-marked footpaths to the top. In the winter, there’s a ski slope that will conjure up a true winter fairy tale for you to remember, together with friends and family.
Find ideas for a trip to Velika Planina
Herdsmen’s settlement
The herdsmen’s settlement on the pasture comprises some 140 huts. With its characteristic architecture, it’s the symbol of Velika Planina. The huts are covered with roofs made of traditional spruce shingles that reach almost down to the ground. The plateau really comes alive in June, with the arrival of shepherds who occupy the huts until September as they tend to their grazing herds. They’re only too happy to invite visitors for a taste of their homemade dairy delicacies, or even prepare an authentic shepherd’s lunch – sour milk and žganci – buckwheat or corn mush. Some of the huts are available to visitors, so there’s no reason why you couldn’t spend a night or two like the shepherds do.
Landmarks on the plateau
Take a break at the chapel of Snow Mary and descend to the famous Vetrnica cave, which is accessible via a narrow circular footpath. On the western edge of the plateau (Zeleni Rob) there's a picturesque natural window called Luknja (hole). The Dovja Griča cave (meaning wild rock) is located in the Tiha Dolina valley (Slovene for quiet valley), which is only nine metres deep, but known for the many folk tales that it inspired. Another site worth seeing is Preskar Museum where trnič is kept – a special kind of cheese characteristic of the Velika Planina area.
Authentic shepherd’s lunch
In the summer you can pick yourself up on the plateau with an authentic shepherd’s lunch – sour milk and žganci (buckwheat mush). The shepherds will be happy to offer you homemade cheese and other dairy specialties when you visit. Once on the plateau you can recharge your batteries with traditional shepherd's food, such as jota (bean and sauerkraut hotpot), ričet (barley stew), goulash, sausage with sauerkraut, Carniola sausage, buckwheat žganci or rolled dumplings with cottage cheese known as štruklji.
Virtual walk around Velika Planina
Now you can also experience the magic of the pastoral Velika Planina plateau down in the valley. In the Kamnik Tourist and Information Centre you can enter an interpretation room with two displays and use a VR headset to experience a 360-degree flight over Velika Planina. By means of 3D technology, the cultural heritage pearls of Velika Planina - Preskar Hut, Zabršek Hut, the Chapel of Saint Mary Major and a shepherds' settlement - will pop up before you.
Experience a virtual walk around Velika Planina
In the valley of the Kamniška Bistrica
Under Velika Planina, in the midst of pristine nature, you’ll discover three springs of the Kamniška Bistrica river. The best known of them is its main source, located near the mountain lodge Dom v Kamniški Bistrici. At the source you’ll find Plečnik Manor, a lodge designed by the famous Slovenian architect so as to blend naturally with the landscape. While tracing the river don’t forget to visit two gorges: Veliki and Mali Predaselj, the narrowest part of the Kamniška Bistrica riverbed, and the Orglice (Slovene for harmonica) waterfall is also well worth seeing.
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