Vrata as one of the three glacial valleys below Triglav (neighbors Krma and Kot) is certainly the biggest tourist attraction in the villages below Triglav, where the mighty Triglav north wall reigns, so powerful that it is easily written with a capital letter like Stena. In the middle of the valley we will find the charming waterfall Peričnik, which with its total height of 68 m is one of the largest waterfalls in Slovenia. The lower waterfall is 52 m high and the upper 16 m. A well-maintained path from Peričnik hut leads to them, and we will set ourselves a slightly more difficult goal with a mountaineering trip and cross Vrtaška planina (1450 m), Vrtaški vrh (1898 m) and Vrtaški Slemen (2077 m). From the last summit descended into his bosom. Both waterfalls have another wonderful feature, namely because of the conglomerate walls and thus the undercrowding, we can walk behind the waterfalls on the other side and so we can get fascinating photos from all angles.
An even bigger attraction is the waterfall in the winter, when it freezes to such an extreme cold that it can be climbed and climbed right at the entrance to the free fall. The last time this happened was in 2017. But there will be a long way to go to our attraction.
At the beginning of the route we will walk through the area, which today is called "Fabrka". Today, the residential part of Mojstrana in the past operated here from 1893 to 1932 Cement factory, which is dedicated to the Technological Education Path (see trip to Črna Gora).
Across Vrtaška planina, where shepherds and cattle live in the summer months and is one of the last living mountains in the villages below Triglav, we will climb an unmarked path to the lonely lookout Vrtaški vrh (1898 m). In front of us we will see our highest point of this trip, namely Vrtaško Sleme (2077 m), to which I will ascend by first descending to the saddle Njivice, where we can peek into the lonely Smrajka valley, and from there will follow only target slope to the top. The top of Vrtaško Sleme really offers a beautiful view of the Vrata valley with Triglav (2864 m) at the forefront, Kukova špica (2427 m), Stenar (2501 m) and the Karavanke peaks on the other side.
It will be followed by a descent back along the marked path to Vrtaška planina and then again in a lonely unmarked path that will lead us along the southern slopes of the Vrtaška ridge, first to the Peričnik stream, where we can refresh ourselves, further down to the upper waterfall and then to the lower waterfall. Peričnik and finally to the hut of the same name.
You will be able to continue on foot along the Triglavska Bistrica Trail to the Slovenian Alpine Museum (additional 4 km), but if the energy runs out, you can use public transport from the valley or call our transport (Kofler sport).
Slovenian Alpine Museum (650 m) - Vrtaška planina (1450 m) - Vrtaški vrh (1898 m) - Vrtaško Sleme (2077 m) - Peričnik waterfall (850 m) - Peričnik hut (720 m) - Slovenian Alpine Museum (650 m)
At the Slovenian Alpine Museum - cross the footbridge over the river Triglavska Bistrica and on the other side turn right in a westerly direction - the Vrata valley. You will soon come to the second one - the green bridge. Continue to the right across the bridge to the info tables from the technological learning path, past them in the direction of the apartment block and to the left past the entrance to the main road to Vrata. Cross the road and on the other side you will see a wide path. Join this path and follow the signposts and inscriptions for Vrtaško Sleme. After about 500 m there is a turnoff to the left (on the right it is Grančišče).
Follow straight all the time steeply up to the "resting place", where the view of Mojstrana opens up for the first time. There are no crossroads on the way, so always follow the wide marked path in the direction of Vrtaška planina. The path is laid in the upper part. Cross the indicated stone gates and wooden gates and slowly ascend across the plateau to Vrtaška planina, where the view to Julian Alps opens up. Here awaits a shepherd's hut, where the shepherd is during the summer season. The hut does not offer the comfort of a mountain hut, so it is not possible to buy food and drinks.
From the pasture, head north along the marked mountain path to the crossroads and follow a grassy valley. At the crossroad, turn left for Vrtaško Sleme, and continue straight ahead in a northern direction. The forest is slowly opening and the eastern ridge of Vrtaški vrh is in front of us. You will find yourself on an unmarked path. Before the ridge turn slowly into the forest. The path is lost, but continue diagonally slowly to the left in the northwest direction. You will also need to wrap some fallen tree. Slowly, the direction (northwest) leads you to the ridge of Vrtaški vrh. When you step on a wooded wide ridge, follow it only to the top of Vrtaški vrh.
Here have a look forward to your destination Vrtaško Sleme. Following the marked path, descend back down to the Njivice saddle, from there ascend to the saddle between Slemen and Votlo Slemen on the right. Turn left and follow the ridge in a western direction to Vrtaško Sleme.
From the top, go back along the marked mountain path to Vrtaška planina. The route is well marked with markings, including signposts. In case you do not want to go further to the Peričnik waterfall, you can descend back to Mojstrana to the Slovenian Alpine Museum along the marked path (direction of ascent).
In case you want to get to the Peričnik waterfall, turn right at the hut. Follow the pasture in the direction of the west (Vrata valley) along an unmarked path that will be the same all the way to the Paričnik waterfall. At the end of the pasture there is a fence (an area called Domine), cross it and head right down over a steep edge. Here the path is partly secured with a steel cable.
Follow the zigzags first and then the path in a slight descent takes you to the right for a long time in the direction of the Vrata valley (Lengarjev Komen). After about 2.5 km from Vrtaška planina and at an altitude of 1250 m, the path branches off to the left downhill in the direction of the Peričnik waterfall and in steeper parts and in some places with zigzags descends to the forest road at an altitude of 980 m (preferably the latter GPS tracks, which you get on the page. The route is also drawn in the application Bergfex or Outdooractive - the necessary use of offline maps).
When you reach the forest road, the Peričnik stream will be on the right. You can go refresh in the creek and then get back to where you descended on the road.
Cross the road and descend into the forest and on the left side of the stream (looking down), follow an unmarked path to the edge of the galleries at an altitude of 850 m (carefully steep wall). Here we turn right and the upper Peričnik waterfall awaits us behind the edge. Behind it, under the overhang, walk to the other side, where a well-secured and well-maintained path awaits, which leads to the lower waterfall. From there, just descend the same path to the main road which leads to Vrata valley. If the hut is open, you can refresh ourselves with drinks and food in the hut.
This is where the trip ends. If you are tired, you can use public transport from the Vrata valley or call private transport - Kofler sport.
If you are not tired, you can continue back to the start of the tour - Slovenian Alpine Museum (another 4 km) along the well-marked Triglavska Bistrica Trail.
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