Breathtakingly Beautiful Zelenci Natural Park

Photo: Zelenci Nature Park

It was another beautiful late-summer day as sunlight burst into my flat already early in the morning. I left Ljubljana around 10:00 a.m. and headed north-west, towards the town of Kranjska Gora. If you follow my blog with more attention, you would probably think that Slovenia is just Gorenjska – the northwestern region of Slovenia – but I promise you that there’s much more to see of my country, as you will see and learn in the coming posts.

Zelenci

It took me about an hour and a quarter to reach Zelenci, located a couple of minutes away from the town of Kranjska Gora, a popular ski resort. The nature park Zelenci has over the past few decades remained a hidden gem of natural beauty – not just for tourists from abroad but also for many Slovenians. Due to the growing exposure of Zelenci in social media posts in the past few years, the site has become a very popular spot to take photos of breathtaking colours of the water and the mountain peaks in the background. 

Photo: Relaxing in Zelenci

Photo: A new friend maybe ...

I’ve parked my bike along the main road leading from Kranjska Gora towards Planica. As it was already pretty damn hot, it was quite refreshing to step into the forest and walk for about five minutes in the shade of huge trees on pathways leading towards the Zelenci swamp-pond area. This was actually my second time visiting this place, yet it was even more majestic than the first time. The rays of sun coming from atop the mountains shone directly onto the water which seemed to be changing colours, depending on the angle from which I looked at it. 

I sat on the wooden pathway and just relaxed, taking in the fresh air and making some amazing photos of the emerald lake the forests and mountains surrounding me. Zelenci is a natural habitat with an approximately 1,200 metres long and about 150 metres wide swamp area, which in its western part boasts the emerald green lake with lots of clear water sources, giving the lake a distinctive green-blue colours. Since I had a plan to see much more on that day, it was time for me to head to my next stop, Planica.

Planica

My next stop – Planica – is just 15 minutes away from Zelenci; my bike barely got started when I already parked it underneath the biggest ski flying hill in the world. Planica is a world renowned ski centre, known as the cradle of ski jumping and ski flying. Boasting a modern ski jumping and cross country centre, it is a popular training area for all winter sports enthusiasts.

Photo: Underneath the ski flying hill in Planica

Photo: Ski Jumping Centre in Planica

I was surprised by the entrance fee that needs to be paid if one wants to visit the biggest winter sports centre in Slovenia. As I wanted just to have a look around the ski jumping hills and the ski flying hill, I managed to persuade the guy who was collecting the entrance fee to let me go in without paying anything – well, he said it was OK for fifteen minutes. It was an awesome feeling standing underneath the majestic ski flying hill, I actually felt so small and could not imagine the feeling of flying on such a big hill. I walked around a bit, took a couple of photos underneath the ski jumps and headed with my bike to my next stop ... 

Laghi di Fusine

My next stop was Laghi di Fusine, two beautiful lakes located just across the border with Italy. It took me about half an hour to reach them on my way to Planica, a couple of minutes longer than expected since I missed a turn on the road and needed to head back for a couple of kilometres. This was my first time visiting this beautiful region, boasting spectacular nature views across the mountains and forests surrounding both lakes.

Photo: Laghi di Fusine

Two glacial lakes – Lago Inferiore and Lago Superiore – are located just outside the town of Tarvisio. Both lakes are part of the Mangart mountain range (the highest peak being Mangart – 2,677 metres) and are connected to each other by paths hidden in a spruce forest. The breathtaking blue and green, almost turquoise colours of the lakes provide visitors and nature-lovers with a feeling of serenity. This site, which is also a very popular camping area, is a perfect destination for all fans of hiking, swimming, paddling, cycling, and other sports, truly an area where anyone can find something for themselves. 

Photo: Admiring the Mountain Peaks

I sat by the lake and drank a cup of coffee and dipped my toes in the water for a bit. The fresh air truly had a soothing effect, as I enjoyed the views of the mountain peaks to the north of the lake and of the forests to the south. It was freaking hot; luckily I had my motorcycle bag by Viking Bags with me and in it lots of water, otherwise I could spend a fortune on beverages.

Photo: By the lake (Photo taken with GoPro Hero 5 camera)

It was time for me to take my leave and slowly head back home ...

Although the days are getting shorts and the temperatures lower, the weather is still sunny and so inviting, which makes me confident that I still have a chance to put a ride or two under my belt in the coming weeks. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Follow my blog to see what I will “discover” next ...

Photo: Map of the Route

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