Each spring, Velika Planina is covered in a characteristic purple carpet of blooming crocuses. This blooming period, which lasts only a few weeks, attracts numerous visitors, photographers, hikers, and nature lovers every year. It is considered one of the most beautiful natural scenes in Slovenia and offers a perfect opportunity for a spring getaway to the alpine world above the medieval town of Kamnik.
Visiting during the crocus bloom is not just an experience, but also an opportunity to help preserve nature for future generations. Let our steps be gentle and mindful. Let us show respect for everything that lives, grows, and tells its story on the mountain.
- Stay on marked trails to help preserve the fragile mountain vegetation.
- Admire the flowers where they grow – do not touch or pick them, so others can enjoy them too.
- Take everything you bring with you back down – the mountain is no place for litter, but for appreciating nature.
- Keep dogs on a leash at all times – for the sake of other visitors, livestock, and the peace of the plateau.
- Use marked trails and follow traffic signs – trust the marked paths, which are safe and environmentally respectful.
In addition to natural beauty, Velika Planina also offers insight into a rich herdsmen’s tradition. A walk along the themed educational trail “In the Footsteps of Shepherds” introduces visitors to the life of shepherds on the mountain, its flora, fauna, and the cultural heritage of Velika Planina.
When to visit?
For the best experience, we recommend visiting during weekdays or early in the morning, as weekends can be very crowded. The most beautiful sights can be seen in the early morning, when the flower carpet is fresh with dew and the views are breathtaking.
Getting to Velika Planina
The easiest and most sustainable option is to take the cable car from Kamniška Bistrica (Kamniška Bistrica 2, 1242 Stahovica). From the upper station, you can either hike to the top (45 minutes) or take the chairlift (7 minutes), which brings you to Gradišče – the summit of Velika Planina. The cable car and chairlift operate on a regular schedule, and continuously during peak times. The timetable is available on the official website.
If you decide to arrive by car, there are designated parking lots below Velika Planina:
- Rakove ravni (1.5-hour hike to the shepherds’ village)
- Ušivec (1-hour hike to the shepherds’ village)
- Mačkin kot – not accessible due to winter road conditions.
Daily parking fee: €12 (cash only)
If using Google Maps, please be cautious – navigation may direct you along unsuitable or local access-only roads (e.g., through the village of Krivčevo), which are not appropriate for personal vehicles. Use the main Podlom–Kranjski Rak road, which provides regulated and permitted access to the Velika Planina parking areas.
Taste Local Delicacies
On the mountain, you can enjoy daily meals at the Zeleni Rob inn, which features a spacious terrace and breathtaking views. They serve authentic mountain dishes such as stews, Kranjska klobasa (Carniolan sausage), sauerkraut, and buckwheat žganci. For a sweet ending, don’t miss the house specialty – sweet cottage cheese štruklji, a dessert famous across the region. On weekends, the Skodla snack bar is also open at the upper cable car station.
More info and contact:
📧 info@velikaplanina.si
📞 +386 1 832 72 58
