Martuljek Waterfalls, Gozd Martuljek
| Region | Upper Carniola Statistical Region |
| Starting point | A parking lot on the left side of the road, just after a bridge at the Špik Hotel |
| Route length | 1,81 km |
| route duration | 1-2 h |
| Start Point altitude | 476 m (1,561 feet) |
| End Point Altitude | 860 m (2,821 feet) |
| Best time to visit | spomladi, poleti, zgodaj jeseni |
| Appropriate for | Baby Carriers , 3-6 years of age , 6+ years of age |
| Level of difficulty | Easy route |
Route Description
Waterfalls are really something special and that is why these natural wonders are often the destinations of our family trips. The two Martuljek waterfalls are simply spectacular, and the path to the Spodnji (Lower) Martuljek Waterfall is easy enough for younger children (aged 3+) or for a parent carrying a baby carrier. In the summer, a cool breeze by the river greets you along the way, and the trail runs under the pleasant shade of the trees.
The nature here is downright gorgeous. The Martuljek Waterfalls are a real pearl of the Slovenian Alpine world. Families love to come here because the access through the picturesque gorge is easy. The starting point for visiting the waterfalls is the village of Gozd Martuljek. A little further down from the Špik Hotel and the camp, just behind the bridge, there is a parking lot on the left side of the road where you can leave your car. Look for a sign that directs you towards the Martuljek Waterfalls. Under the rock walls, the water of the Martuljek Stream collects and then descends in three steps over a 110 m (360 feet) high wall and forms the Zgornji (Upper) Martuljek Waterfall. Below it, a stream flows through a 500 m (1,640 feet) long gorge and falls again over a 50 m (164 feet) high wall, which we call the Spodnji (Lower) Martuljek Waterfall, into the lower, 400 m (1,312 feet) long Martuljek Gorge.
We hiked to the Spodnji (Lower) Martuljek Waterfall only and decided to visit both the Pri Ingotu Hut and the Zgornji (Upper) Martuljek Waterfall in a year or two, when our girls will be big enough to manage the more demanding trail. We built a tower made of pebbles by the river, visited the charcoal pile and saw the herb park. Before we knew it, we spent our whole day in nature!
Interesting Facts
On the way to the waterfall, you can visit a charcoal pile and see a beautiful herb garden.
The trip can be extended to a visit to Kranjska Gora.
Top 10 sights in the vicinity of Kranjska Gora:
The Jasna Lake
“Ajdovska deklica” or the Pagan Girl
The Peričnik Waterfall
The Martuljek Waterfalls
The Planica Nordic Center
The Russian Chapel
The Triple Border
The Slovenian Alpine Museum
The Vršič Pass
The Zelenci Nature Reserve
We absolutely loved our trip to the Zelenci Nature Reserve; you can read more about it at our web page.
Map
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Nearby Restaurants
Moby Dick
They offer top-quality pizzas, salads, meat lasagna and selected drinks. Enjoy delicious food on the outdoor covered terrace with a beautiful view. They have 50 parking spaces, and for the children, a renovated playground and a changing table. Even our dog Juna got a bowl of water since dogs are allowed on the outdoor terrace.
The pizzeria and pub has been operating since 2001, which really shows it has a high-quality service and friendly staff.
Črnivec 26,
4243 Brezje
info@mobydick.si
04 / 530 95 95
Vita, Olja and Juna Recommend
Have you heard of THE FOLK TALE OF THE PAGAN GIRL/”AJDOVSKA DEKLICA”?
Once upon a time, a kindhearted giantess lived amid the rocky cliffs below the mountain Prisank. She helped porters on their way over the mountain pass of Vršič. If she saw they had lost their way in snow or fog, she left her shelter below the overhanging cliffs and hurried to the serpentine road over Vršič to help them. On their way back home, the porters used to leave bread and wine for the Ajdovska deklica at the foot of Prisank, so she was never hungry or thirsty. Do you know why she turned into stone?
The maiden was also a fairy godmother. She visited young mothers and predicted the fate of their newborn babies.
One night, she called on a young shepherdess in the Trenta Valley. The mother, who had just given birth to a boy, was asleep in the warm cottage. Ajdovska deklica approached the cradle, bent over the child and prophesied: “when you grow into a man, you will become a brave hunter, such has never before roamed beneath Prisank. One day you will shoot Zlatorog, the white chamois with golden horns.”
When Ajdovska deklica’s sisters learned of this prophecy, they laid a curse on her and turned her into stone as she reached Prisank. There she has remained to this day. Her stony eyes are still staring from Mt Prisank down to the Trenta Valley.
The stone face of the Pagan Girl in the northern face of Prisank can be best seen from the viewpoint at ‘Poštarski dom’ mountain cabin at Vršič.
But we have one more story for you...
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