THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ALPINE VALLEY IN SLOVENIA
Visitors to the Logar Valley make an important contribution to the preservation and nature-friendly development of the landscape park by paying an entrance fee for motor vehicles. The entrance fee allows visitors to park for the duration of their stay in the valley, to see the natural and cultural sights, to use the recreational areas and to enjoy the pristine nature of which the locals are most proud.
LANDSCAPE PARK
The Logar Valley Landscape Park is beautiful throughout the year. It contains over 40 listed natural values, from waterfalls, rock towers, caves and cliffs, to glacial boulders, trees of exceptional dimensions, flora and fauna. The Rinka waterfall is one of the highest waterfalls in Slovenia (90m). The park is home to the rare beautiful lady’s-slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), the largest orchid in Slovenia, and some endemic plant species also thrive: Cerastium Julicum, Allium kermesinum, Leucanthemum lithopitan. The mountain eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nests in the wider area of the Logar Valley, and the valley is also a habitat for Peregrine falcons.
THE LOGAR VALLEY TRAIL
The Logar Valley is one of the most beautiful alpine valleys in Europe. The Logar Valley Trail is a natural-ethnographic trail that leads through beautiful corners of the preserved nature and culture of the Logar Valley Landscape Park. Among them are the second source of the Savinja river, mighty rock boulders, a foresters’ and a charcoal burners’ hut, a hunters’ lookout, a giant juniper bush, and many others, all of which culminate at the Rinka waterfall.
About a kilometre after entering the Logar Valley, you will notice wooden signposts on the right-hand side before crossing a bridge. It takes around 2-2.5 hours (one-way) to walk the 7km trail. You can join the trail in several places along the valley, thus shortening the walk as desired. You can also hire a guide for a more detailed explanation and more information about the sights along the way.
WHAT TO SEE
• Discover exceptional natural values (Rinka waterfall, Palenk waterfall, Brložnica waterfalls, Rastocki waterfall, Logar linden tree, larch tree on the Klemenča jama pasture, spring of the Črna river).
• Discover the wealth of mountain flowers, among which there are many rare or even endangered species, and the animal world. The Logar Valley is a habitat for mountain eagles and peregrine falcons, chamois and ibex, and the indigenous Jezersko-Solčava breed of sheep.
• Visit the chapel of Christ the King, which the famous architect Jože Plečnik drew up plans for in 1930 on the initiative of farmers in the Logar Valley. However, his plans were never realised and the current chapel is the work of the architect Martin Golob.
• Learn about the heritage of wooden granaries, alpine pastures and charcoal burning, and see a foresters' hut.
WHAT TO DO
• The Logar Valley offers opportunities for a wide range of summer and winter activities: hiking, cycling, mountaineering, climbing, archery, photography, paragliding, horse riding, skiing, sledding, cross-country skiing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowshoing, ski touring, ice climbing
• Take a walk along the Logar Valley Trail, a natural-ethnographic trail that leads through beautiful corners of the preserved nature of the landscape park (a cca. 3-hour walk – one way – including stops)
• Visit the Rinka waterfall and continue up to the Frischaufov dom na Okrešlju mountain hut or visit the Koča na Klemenči jami mountain hut; you can also walk from the Logar Valley along the Solčava panoramic road to excursion farms.
• Visit a spring of acidic water
• Hire a local guide, who will enrich your visit by telling you about the numerous local legends.
Fairytale forest theme trail
WHAT TO TASTE
• While in the Solčava area be sure to try some of the local delicacies, such as Savinjski želodec (Savinja pork stomach), sirnek (salted curd cheese) and sirnek soup, masovnik, mutton, venison, žlikrofi, štruklji, buckwheat žganci, bratci, sour milk, homemade cheese, homemade bread and potica, butter, honey, jams, compotes, juices, liqueurs…
• Food is available at numerous hotels, guest houses, tourist farms, inns, mountain huts and alpine pastures