Bovški Gamsovec Climb

Itinerary

The tour is possible from either the Upper Sava Valley (Kranjska Gora / Bled) or the Soča Valley (Trenta / Bovec).

We park our cars in the Vrata Valley, a spectacular Alpine valley underneath the Triglav North Face, and head towards the mountains on the opposite side of the valley. We'll be looking at the massive Triglav North Face practically the whole day together with Triglav, the highest peak of Slovenia, and the highest mountain hut at Kredarica. In parts the trail is unforgivingly steep and exposed, but generally safe as it's nicely secured with a cable. At first, the trail takes us through a forest, then climbs open gravel slopes and finally a rocky wall until we reach the top. There, the welcoming grass offers a perfect spot for a picnic with mind-blowing views of Triglav, Križ Lakes, and other craggy mountains of the Julian Alps.

The return takes us down the greener southern slopes, speckled with countless wild flowers, while it's also not unusual to meet Alpine ibexes. We refresh ourselves in the Triglavska Bistrica, a crystal clear stream that sources underneath Mt. Triglav. We finish the tour in the nearby Aljaž Hut and cheer to a great adventure with an ice cold drink!

If you extend the tour into two days, we spend the night in the Pogačnik Hut at Kriški Podi, 300 meters below the peak of Mt. Bovški Gamsovec. It's a cute little hut at 2,050 m, located by three mountain lakes, also known for herds of Alpine ibexes and chamois wandering freely nearby. On the first day we climb 1,200 m to reach the hut (4 h), go see the three Križ Lakes (2-3 h), and spend the night in the hut. On the second day we climb the peak of Bovški Gamsovec, 2,392 m, and then descend back down to the valley (5 h).