A festive summer weekend is just around the corner – a time when Velika Planina traditionally welcomes many visitors from Slovenia and abroad. Saturday, 15 August, will be particularly special as we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption, with Holy Mass at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows at 2:00 PM.
If you are planning to visit Velika Planina over the coming days, here are 5 tips for a more enjoyable, safe and responsible visit.
1. START YOUR DAY EARLY
We recommend arriving at your starting point before 9:00 AM.
Not because you need to hurry – quite the opposite. So you won’t have to.
Early morning is one of the most beautiful times to experience Velika Planina. Temperatures are more pleasant, you have the whole day ahead of you, and plenty of time to walk among the pastures, visit the shepherds’ settlement and Preskar Museum, enjoy a traditional mountain lunch and make all those little stops that make a day on the mountain so special.
The cable car starts operating at 8:00 AM, and the chairlift at 8:30 AM.
We expect more visitors to arrive later in the morning, so arriving early is the best way to enjoy a relaxed start to your day.
2. CHOOSE A SUSTAINABLE, FAST AND SAFE WAY UP – WITH A VIEW
For your visit to Velika Planina, we recommend taking the cable car from Kamniška Bistrica. In just a few minutes, you will climb 850 metres from the valley to the mountain – without having to drive along mountain roads or look for parking at higher-altitude starting points.
We have also made additional preparations at the lower cable car station for the festive weekend. In addition to the regular parking areas, extra parking spaces will be available, and parking attendants will be on site to direct you to available spaces.
Please follow their instructions and park only in designated parking areas.
Park in the valley and take the cable car up to Velika Planina – fast, safe, sustainable and with beautiful views from the very first minute.
3. PARK RESPONSIBLY – KEEP THE ROADS CLEAR
Whichever starting point you choose, please park only in designated parking areas.
Do not park along roads, on meadows or in other areas that are not intended for parking.
The roads are used by local residents, landowners and other users, and most importantly, they must remain accessible to emergency vehicles at all times – including ambulances, firefighters and other emergency services.
Even if one vehicle parked along the roadside may not seem like an obstacle, several parked vehicles can quickly narrow the road or even block access completely.
If your chosen parking area is full, please continue to the next designated parking area.
If you are arriving from the direction of Kranjski Rak, parking is available at Rakove ravni, Ušivec and Mačkin kot. We recommend arriving early in the morning on this side of the mountain as well.
4. IF YOU CAN CHOOSE, VISIT DURING THE WEEK
Velika Planina is much more than a single festive weekend.
If your plans are flexible and you do not need to visit specifically for the Feast of the Assumption or during the weekend, we encourage you to choose a weekday for your visit.
The shepherds’ settlement, pastures, Preskar Museum, traditional mountain food, beautiful views and walking trails are here for you throughout the summer.
During the week, you can experience Velika Planina at a slightly different pace – with more time to stop, more peace to explore and even more opportunities to truly experience the mountain.
5. ARRIVE AS A GUEST, LEAVE AS A GUARDIAN
Velika Planina is more than a tourist attraction and a beautiful view. It is a living mountain pasture with a centuries-old shepherding tradition, where livestock graze and shepherds live and work, surrounded by a delicate natural environment that we want to preserve for future generations.
That is why we encourage everyone to follow our 7 Principles of Responsible Visiting:
1. We arrive as guests and leave as guardians.
Respect the mountain, its people and its shepherding traditions.
2. Mountain flowers are for our eyes, not our hands.
Leave them where they grow.
3. Animals live here – respect their space and rhythm.
Observe them from a distance, do not feed them and give them plenty of space.
4. Stay on marked trails to help protect the mountain.
Walking or driving off the trails leaves a lasting impact on the sensitive natural environment.
5. Take your waste back to the valley.
Whatever you bring with you, take it back with you.
6. Keep dogs on a leash so the mountain remains safe for everyone.
This helps prevent them from disturbing livestock, wildlife and other visitors. Always clean up after your dog.
7. When night falls, let only the stars shine.
Open fires and camping have no place on the mountain.
Five simple tips, one shared goal: to make your visit to Velika Planina enjoyable while respecting the people, animals and nature that make this place so special.
Arrive early. Choose a responsible way to reach the mountain. Park in designated areas. Follow the instructions of staff on site. And once you arrive – take your time.
The mountain is in no hurry. Neither should we be.
