Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Tucked into a cave in the Slovenian Mountains, the peaceful Slap Kozjak cascades into a hidden emerald pool coated in moss. This magical little waterfall and is a easy walk and one of the best waterfalls in the Soca River Valley. The Soca Valley is full of striking views of the blue river with mountains in the background.
We visited Slap Kozjak early in the morning during our week long visit to Slovenia after spending the day before exploring Slap Boka and the Soca River Gorge. Below you can find exactly how to visit Slap Kozjak and things you should know before your visit.
Quick Look at the Hike to Slap Kozjak
Distance: 2.2 miles Elevation Gain 450 feet Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
The hiking trail from the main parking lot is around 2 mile round trip, but there are several options to make the hike longer. The first section of the trail is easy, wide and flat followed by a steeper section to get to the waterfall itself.
How to Get to the Slap Kozjak Waterfall
Slap Kozjak is located in the Soca River Valley near the town of Kozjak. There is no way to drive all the way to the waterfall, so you will need to walk the final stretch. There are several places you can park and it is possible to hike directly from town if you prefer. If you have time choose a hiking path that includes a loop for the best scenery.
We chose to park at the closest parking lot. You can enter ‘Parking Kozjak’ in your map app. The parking lot is near Kamp Koren. From the town of Kobarid, drive north and cross Napolean’s Bridge. After the bridge, turn left and you will see the parking for the start of the hike to Kozjak Waterfall. There is a fee to park. The start of the walking trail to the waterfall leaves directly from the large parking lot. You can see from the image below that at 7:00 am there were few cars in the parking lot.
Below you can find some common driving times from other nearby sites in Slovenia:
- Kobarid to Kozjak Waterfall: 40 minutes walking
- Tolmin to Kozjak Waterfall Parking: 30 minutes
- Kozjak Waterfall to Bovec: 30 minutes
- Ljubljana to Kozjak Waterfall: 2 hours
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Map to the Slap Kozjak Waterfall
Below you can see a map of the hiking trails to Slap Kozjak. You can also see the many other hiking trails in the region.
Guide to Hiking to the Kozjak Waterfalls
From the parking lot hike towards the waterfall on the obvious trail to the north. The trail is like a road on this section with easy walking and is mostly flat. This part of the hike is the least interesting although the path does pass some bee hives and some pretty forests and fields.
After about a half mile the trail joins the river again, and there is a footbridge that crosses the river. Take time to enjoy the views from here of the beautiful river and the mountains in the distance. You may see kayakers passing under the bridge as well.
Just before or after the bridge, the trail to Slap Kozjak turns to the right. At this point the trail becomes more of a trail and less like a road. The walking is still easy but you begin to gain elevation through this area and pass through the Kobarid Forest. This part of the forest is very pretty with a winding path and small nooks and caves. The trail is well marked and easy to follow.
You will shortly pass through a pay station. There is a small fee to enter the final Kozjak Waterfall area. Since we hiked this early in the morning, the pay station was not yet open.
As you approach the end of the hike you will actually find two Kozjak Waterfalls: the Veliki Kozjak Waterfall and the Mali Kozjak Waterfall.
Mali Kozjak Waterfall
The first waterfall is the smaller waterfall by name but still drops 8 meters into the pool below. The waterfall is directly below the wooden bridge. This waterfall is pretty, but is not nearly as stunning at the larger fall just a bit further on the path.
Cross the footbridge and continue on the narrow path. This is the most difficult walking, but this final section is short and you are almost to the end where you’ll find Slap Kozjak. Climb that stairs onto the viewing platform that takes you into the hidden cave.
The viewing platform is the best place to see the waterfall.
The view of the waterfall feels incredibly magical as the waterfalls descends into the emerald green pool. The walls around the cave are covered in green moss and the angle of the rock layers make the whole scene very pretty.
After enjoying the waterfall, you will retrace your steps back down the trail and return the way you came. You can simply follow the same trail back to your car, or you can link together a few of the other nearby hiking trails to make a longer walk.
Things to Know about Visiting Slap Kozjak Waterfall
Below are a few things to know about visiting this waterfall:
Is there a fee to visit Slap Kozjak?
There is a fee to park and to enter the trail to see Kozjak Waterfall. When we visited in 2022 the fee for adults was 4 Euros.
Can you Swim in the Kozjak Waterfall?
It is possible to swim in the the river here, although the water is shockingly cold.
What does the term Slap Mean?
The term slap translates to waterfall. It is such a perfect name that perfectly captures the feel and sound of falling water!
Is visiting Kozjak Waterfall worth it?
Absolutely – this is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Triglav National Park in Slovenia. Not only did we enjoy the waterfall, but the walk to the waterfall is also beautiful.
What else is there to do in Bovec?
See a list of the best things to do in Bovec.
To see the most recent trail conditions, you can read the reviews on All Trails.
We visited Kozjak Waterfall as part of our 7 Day Slovenia Itinerary.
