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    The Peričnik waterfall in winter, with icicles hanging from the rock wall and snow around the pool, near Mojstrana

    Mojstrana, Triglav National Park

    The Peričnik waterfall, at the gateway to the Vrata valley

    Facts checked on
    Lower fall
    52 m
    Upper fall
    16 m
    Where
    Vrata valley, above Mojstrana

    The Peričnik waterfall is in the Vrata valley above Mojstrana, inside Triglav National Park, and it's one of the few you can walk behind. It has two drops, the lower one 52 m and among Slovenia's highest, the upper one 16 m. From the summer bus stop at the Peričnik hut it's about ten minutes on foot.

    What I would check before going

    What I would do

    Walking behind the water makes Peričnik a visit children remember. I'd bring a waterproof and shoes with grip, because the path is wet and slippery, and carry on up the valley towards Vrata afterwards.

    Bookings I would make

    The practical bit

    Before you go to Mojstrana, this

    1. 01 Most beautiful

      Walk behind the water

      Very few waterfalls let you pass behind them, and Peričnik is one. The path crosses under the lower fall to the other side, over wet and slippery rock.

      Slovenia waterfalls

    2. 02 To save money

      A free bus in summer

      In summer 2026 the bus from Mojstrana to the Vrata valley was free, stopping at the Peričnik hut, and a circular electric van ran from the Alpine Museum.

      Mojstrana

    3. 03 My tip

      Go in spring

      Tourism Kranjska Gora recommends spring, when the snowmelt swells the waterfall and its power is most impressive.

      Vrata valley

    4. 04 Getting there

      A path from the Alpine Museum

      A signposted path leaves the Slovenian Alpine Museum in Mojstrana for Peričnik; you can walk or cycle it.

      Slovenian Alpine Museum

    What the Peričnik waterfall is like

    When people talk about Peričnik they really mean two waterfalls. The upper one is 16 metres and the lower one 52, and it’s the lower fall you visit, one of the highest in Slovenia according to the tourist board. The water drops over a conglomerate wall and has changed course several times as it cut into the rock, and the traces show today as grooves in the wall. At one point the upper channel was blocked and for a while the water fell in two streams.

    It’s protected as natural heritage. There were plans to harness its power for electricity, but they were dropped because of nature protection rules, and thank goodness for that.

    Walking behind the water

    What makes the visit unique is that the path runs behind the lower fall to the other side. Tourism Kranjska Gora rightly points out that very few waterfalls allow this. The path is wet and slippery, so take it slowly in good shoes, and expect to get a little damp from the spray, which on a hot July day is no hardship at all.

    The best time is spring, when the snowmelt swells the waterfall and its force increases. In summer it’s easier to get to, and in autumn the valley’s woods give it a different colour.

    How to get to Peričnik

    A signposted path leaves the Slovenian Alpine Museum in Mojstrana for Peričnik, and Tourism Kranjska Gora recommends doing it on foot or by bike. In summer 2026 there was also a free bus to the Vrata valley, from 15 June to 30 September, stopping at the Peričnik hut, and a circular electric van between the museum and the waterfall. From the information board by the hut it’s about ten minutes on foot to the lower fall.

    Drivers are best off parking at Na Prodih in Mojstrana and finishing the trip by bus or on foot, because the Vrata valley has a traffic regime and limited parking.

    To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Mojstrana on Expedia and filter by area before price.

    And then, the Vrata valley

    Peričnik is only halfway. Carry on up the valley and you’ll pass beneath the Galleries, hollowed and sometimes overhanging conglomerate rocks above the stream, until you reach the Aljažev dom hut below the great north wall of Triglav. It’s all on the Vrata valley page. And if waterfalls are your thing, the guide to Slovenia’s waterfalls covers the rest of the country.

    If you are short on time, see the best tours in Peričnik waterfall and pick one that fits your day.

    To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Mojstrana on Booking.com and filter by area before price.

    Getting to Peričnik

    HowDetails
    On foot or by bikeSignposted path from the Slovenian Alpine Museum in Mojstrana
    Summer bus (2026)Free 15-6 to 30-9 as far as the Peričnik hut
    Electric van (2026)Loop from the Alpine Museum; weekends in June and September, daily in July and August, 9:00-16:00
    From the hutAbout 10 minutes on foot to the lower fall

    Tourism Kranjska Gora, checked on 17-10-2026.

    The great north face of Triglav from a path in the Vrata valley, framed by trees, under a blue sky with white clouds

    The great north face of Triglav from a path in the Vrata valley, framed by trees, under a blue sky with white clouds

    A street in the centre of Kranjska Gora with café terraces, alpine houses and the church tower beneath the mountains

    A street in the centre of Kranjska Gora with café terraces, alpine houses and the church tower beneath the mountains

    Test yourself

    What people often get wrong about Peričnik waterfall

    0/3 Pick before you peek.

    1. The Peričnik waterfall has just one drop.

      See the answer

      False. There are two, the upper at 16 m and the lower at 52 m, according to Tourism Kranjska Gora.

    2. There were once plans to use Peričnik for electricity.

      See the answer

      True. Plans to harness its water existed but were dropped because of nature protection rules.

    3. Peričnik has changed course over time.

      See the answer

      True. The water has changed direction several times as it cut into the rock, leaving grooves in the conglomerate wall.

    Map

    Where Peričnik waterfall is

    The Julian Alps, Triglav and the Soča valley lie to the north-west; Ljubljana sits in the centre; the Karst, its caves and the 47 km of coast are to the south-west, and Maribor, Ptuj and the Prekmurje plains to the east. Every number opens its guide.

    1Slovenian Alpine Museum 2Mojstrana 3Peričnik waterfall 4Vrata valley

    Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

    1. 1Slovenian Alpine MuseumMojstrana, Kranjska Gora
    2. 2MojstranaKranjska Gora, Upper Sava Valley
    3. 3Peričnik waterfallMojstrana, Triglav National Park
    4. 4Vrata valleyMojstrana, Triglav National Park

    Common questions about Peričnik waterfall

    How do you get to the Peričnik waterfall?

    From Mojstrana, on a signposted path from the Slovenian Alpine Museum, on foot or by bike. In summer the free Vrata valley bus stops at the Peričnik hut, about ten minutes' walk from the fall.

    Can you walk behind the Peričnik waterfall?

    Yes, the path passes behind the lower fall to the other side. It's wet and slippery, so take care.

    How high is the Peričnik waterfall?

    The lower fall is 52 m and the upper one 16 m. The lower fall is one of the highest in Slovenia, according to the Slovenian Tourist Board.

    When is the best time to visit Peričnik?

    In spring, when the snowmelt raises the flow. In summer it's easiest to reach on the free bus, and in winter there can be snow and ice.

    Is Peričnik in Triglav National Park?

    Yes, right inside the park, in the glacial Vrata valley, and it's protected as natural heritage.

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    Sergio Lepone

    Questions about Peričnik waterfall? Write to me

    If something does not add up or a fact is missing, write to me and I will answer myself.

    My email sergiolepone@gmail.com

    Sergio Lepone

    By

    Tourism graduate with a master’s in Tourism Management and Planning from the University of Málaga, who has travelled across Europe. He writes every guide from official sources and his own judgement.

    Published on . Updated on . Facts checked on .

    How I check every fact and where it comes from

    Sources

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    Photos: Dreamy Pixel (CC BY 4.0); MKrolik-WMF (CC0); .snoopy. (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.