SLOVENIA TRAVEL DIARIES - By my friend Krishna Shashidhara

A day trip to Lake Bled and Bohinj from Slovenia's capital city Ljubljana using public transport

Lake Bled and Bohinj - I decided to travel to Slovenia, one of the more underrated European countries and it is an amazing place to visit. I arrived early in the morning after an overnight journey from Lindau, Germany to Ljubljana.
Bled and Bohinj were the places in my mind and decided to do a day trip there. I took a local bus from Ljubljana Main Bus Station to Lake Bled. This beautiful lake is located 475 m above sea level in the Julian Alps in the north-western part of Slovenia. Getting to Lake Bled by bus was quite easy, from about 6am to 10pm you more or less have hourly departures from the main bus station in Ljubljana. I took the bus at 7am. The journey itself to Lake Bled is a treat as you pass through the most scenic views. The first thing I did was to visit the tourist information center. They are quite helpful and they give you a good insight about the place and places to visit nearby. I would recommend to visit it before you go off exploring Bled.

The best way to see the lake is to walk along the shore or hire a boat so you can paddle around the lake itself. I decided to walk around it. The first view of Lake Bled is like it came out of a fairy tale and it is pure magic- from the emerald green lake, the church on an islet to the castle up on top of the hill. I found it to be a very romantic and special place to visit. The light drizzle of rain made it even more beautiful. There is a church, a castle and a museum in this tiny islet. I skipped seeing the Bled Castle on top of the hill (viewpoint) as I also wanted to visit Bohinj and was short of time. Lake Bled was a perfect place and a sight to behold all year long and make sure you stop by here on your visit to Slovenia, it is well worth the journey.

Hiking in Bohinj:
My next stop was Bohinj, which is further 45 min journey from Lake Bled. To all the people who love hiking, this is the place for you. I was mind blown seeing the gorgeous Julian Alps that shimmer and form the backdrop of Lake Bohinj. The weather was also perfect as it was not very hot making, it ideal to hike. I was conquered by this amazing beauty that will surely captivate anyone who visits Lake Bohinj. I just wished I had my swim gear and I could jump right in the water. From Lake Bohinj I hired a cycle to visit my next destination in my mind, Savica. It’s just 10kms away from Lake Bohinj and it is gorgeous. I was on cloud nine after I came across the spectacular waterfall, hidden amidst the steep walls of the Komarča. Cycling to Savica was totally worth it.
You get to see and feel the Julian Alps on one side and the greenery on the other side. I had to trek for about 30 min to reach Savica waterfalls. The path is well maintained and the steps regular for the most part, so it is not too difficult. They have built steps almost the entire way to the waterfall. There is enough space to cross path with people going in the other direction making it easier for cyclists and hikers alike.

The Savica Waterfall is the source of the Sava Bohinjka, known under the name of Savica to the spot where it flows into Lake Bohinj. It is one of the must-see sights for Bohinj first-timers, and it is possible that you will join those who visit Savica each and every time they come to Bohinj. Savica is very unique among world waterfalls – its watercourse is divided into two parts in the hidden undergrounds. The famous A-shaped waterfall normally comes into sight at an altitude of 836 m and is 78 m high. It is fed by the waters from the Valley of the Triglav Lakes and Pršivec that flow to it through a horizontal cave tunnel. The Karst cave with the source is full of syphons and lakes and is only accessible with a guide and proper equipment.

It was evening by the time I was done exploring these gorgeous places and it was time to head back to Ljubljana. Travelling back to Ljubljana was easy. I reached late night at 10 pm and checked in to a Hostel (Kva Hostel) back in Ljubljana to end my day trip to Bled and Bohinj in Slovenia. This was my first solo trip and it was entirely worth it. Yay! :)

Do check out my photos from my trip.