Hiking in the Soca River Valley

Soca River is known as one of the most beautiful European rivers and once you see it you will know why. The incredible turquoise colours of the Soca River are simply unforgettable.

There are several ways to explore the beauty of the Soca river valley, including many adventure activities like kayaking, rafting, canoeing, etc. I chose to hike. Now I am no experienced hiker in any way. So, I was looking for an easy (or let’s say very easy ;)) trail. Then I read about the Kozjak waterfall or Slap Kozjak in Triglav National Park.

To reach Kozjak from Bled, we drove via the Vršič pass, the highest road pass in Slovenia. The hairpin twists and turns were exhilarating and so were the wild terrain and mountains rising high on one side. It seems that this route is very popular with motor bikers.

We passed Trenta (the source of the river) and Bovec (the go-to point for sports activities). We could see the Soca trickling and mostly the river bed was dry. Where was the famous colour? I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I was. Was I too late? Why didn’t I check if September was the right time to visit or not?

In around 2.5 hours, we reached out first stop near Kobarid. After parking the car (details mentioned below), we set on foot towards the Napoleon Bridge.

This was my first encounter with the colour of the Soca River. And I could have jumped with joy. Sheer joy!

After clicking a still-not-satisfied-amount of pictures, it was time to walk to the Kozjak waterfall. It’s located around 2km from the bridge. The trail is very well marked, and so the chances of getting lost are pretty slim.

After walking around 10 minutes, the river is back in sight (on the left), flowing parallel to the trail. After a few minutes, we reached a hanging bridge. The centre of the bridge is the perfect vantage point to see the river and click some more pictures 😉 We did not cross the bridge but continued on the same side of the trail instead.

As we kept walking, the trail turned right leaving the river behind. Now it was us and the tall trees of the forest. However, it did not take us long to reach the waterfall.

The approach to the waterfall is quite special. Stone bridges followed by a boardwalk followed by the waterfall!

The 15m waterfall creates an emerald green pool in a cave-like enclosure. Can you imagine this place all to yourself?

We followed the same route back to return to the car park. But before that, we stopped at the beautiful Soca River. While I sat there basking in the sunlight, feet dipped in the water, I could only marvel at the stunning colours of the river and it’s untouched, unspoilt raw beauty.

Good to know:

• There is no entry fee to see the waterfall.
• There is a car park around 100m from Napoleon Bridge. It’s “Pay and Display” and the machine only takes coins.
• Although it is an easy trail, the path gets slippery towards the end. Wear appropriate shoes.
• It is possible to take a dip into the water, so carry your swim clothes. Be warned though, the water is freezing cold brrr!

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Cheers,

Ameeta xx