> Explore Velika Planina, one of Europe's last active shepherd settlements
> Walk open alpine pastures with free-roaming animals and wide views
> Sleep two nights at 1,536 meters in a traditional mountain hut
This three-day trek takes you up to Mala Planina, a high alpine plateau in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps where shepherd families have been grazing their animals for centuries. You hike in on day one, spend a full day exploring Velika Planina on day two, and walk back down to the valley on day three.
Day one is a steep climb of 890 meters through mountain forest. After 3.3 km the path turns T2 with some roots and loose rocks, so the whole family needs to be comfortable on their feet. Once you reach the plateau it stays easy, with short distances and open views across the pastures.
Velika Planina is one of the few places in Europe where a centuries-old shepherd way of life is still active today. Two nights at Domžalski dom na Mali Planini give you the time to actually take it in.
You start at the bus stop in Krivčevo, a small village sitting at the bottom of the mountain. The trail leads you straight into the forest, where the trees give you plenty of shade as you start climbing.
The path goes up through the forest the whole way. Around 3.3 km in, the trail gets a bit more rugged with some roots and rocks underfoot, a fun part for kids who like exploring. The forest is dense and quiet, and as you get higher you start to feel the altitude you are gaining. Around 4.5 km the trees open up and the whole mountain plateau appears in front of you. Right by the trail there is a small alpine lake surrounded by open green pasture, a lovely place to sit down, have a snack and enjoy how far you have come.
From here the trail flattens out completely. You walk past the Jarški Dom hut with wide views opening up all around you before a gentle stroll brings you to Domžalski dom na Mali Planini at 1,536 meters, where you spend the night.
On day two, the route takes you across the open plateau in a 7.24 km loop with 220 meters of elevation gain. You leave Domžalski dom and within the first kilometer reach the Velika Planina Plateau viewpoint, where the meadows open up wide in every direction. At 1.4 km you pass through Mala Planina Alpine Pastures, then Velika Planina Alpine Pastures, and at 2.3 km the small mountain hut at Planina Dovje Raven sitting quietly in the grass.
At 3.4 km you pass the trail information board, a good place to take stock before the route heads into the most interesting stretch. At 4.7 km there is a viewpoint over the Julian Alps followed almost immediately by the Giant Swing — worth a stop for the kids. From here the path climbs to Gradišče Summit at 1,650 meters, the highest point of the whole trek, with views over the Kamnik-Savinja Alps on all sides.
The way back is gentler. You pass a small lake at Lokev na dolini and a viewpoint over the Velika Planina shepherd settlement before the path flattens and brings you back to Domžalski dom for your second night.
The last day is mostly downhill. You leave Domžalski dom and the path takes you all the way down from the mountain plateau to the valley below over 8 km. Early on, a viewpoint opens up over the alpine meadow behind you.
The path continues down on mountain tracks and natural terrain, passing a viewpoint over the Kamnik-Savinja Alps a little past halfway. Further along, the Church of St. Primus and Felician appears, a small historic church standing on its own in the open landscape. A good place to stop before the final stretch to the valley.
From the church the path winds down through forest and gravel tracks, with some road sections closer to the bottom. The walk ends at the bus stop in Kregarjevo, where you can take a bus toward Kamnik and onward from there.
