Vrsic Pass to Mala Mojstrovka Hike (South side)

Intro

This Vršič Pass hike is one of the most accessible ways to get high into the Julian Alps without a full-day commitment. As the highest mountain pass in Slovenia, it offers immediate access to alpine views, scree fields, and even a short via ferrata section—all starting just steps from the parking lot.

Vrsic Pass to Mala Mojstrovka Hike (Southside)

Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Difficult
Fee: Free
Parking: Free at Vršič Pass
Distance: 3.5km | 2.2mi | Time: 2h+ (if you want to go further)
Elevation: ^ 450m | 1,476ft
Trailhead: Prelaz Vršič, 4280 Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

I arrived at the pass with my wife and young kids, we first hiked the small loop around Vrsic which was quite nice. I’d rate the effort a 1 and the views a 10. After that short warmup my wife could see that I wanted a little more so she told me she would watch the kids for a little while and I could go on a solo hike.

I could see a trail leading high up to a saddle and I could pick out a few hikers on the trail. The top was a scree field which sometimes makes me nervous. I grabbed my backpack, a liter of water and my camera. I knew I wouldn’t be gone long so I didn’t need too much.

I began the hike by crossing the road heading towards the small hut, then making a right into the forest. The trail was quite easy to begin, just a straightforward hike through the woods with some elevation gain. As I climbed higher, I quickly got above tree-line and could see the parking lot and the loop that we had done earlier with the 2 rifugios clear in sight. It was a nice perspective. I continued upward further as the trail started to turn more rocky and eventually into scree.

The trail itself was mostly fine, just rocky and not anything too sketchy. As I hiked closer to the pass I came to a via ferrata section of maybe 75 meters. I’d guess it was a class 1 via ferrata. I made use of the cables and appreciated the added security.

Why This Vršič Pass Hike Stands Out

At the saddle, the view of the other side was just spectacular. Absolutely, a gorgeous mountain range full of steep rock faces. When I began, this was my original goal. I wanted to reach the saddle but it had only been about 40 minutes since the parking lot so I decided to follow the trail up further. From the saddle there was a false summit initially in view. I continued up further taking in the 360 views as I hiked up the ridge-line. The weather wasn’t great on this day in July. It had rained a bit earlier and there were still threatening thick dark clouds all around but patches of sun periodically peaked through. It made for some nice photos rather than a bland blue sky with high sun.

Further on, the trail forks here. One path continues straight up the ridge which by the looks of it was not for me. The other way went a bit left through the scree fields and I’m guessing would be easier. At one point the sky cleared out for a brief minute near the summit of Mala Mojstrovka and I could see some hikers making their way to the top. I was a little short on time and also wasn’t interested in the view from within the clouds so I took a break on the ridge-line where it had somewhat flattened out.

The way back down was much quicker and I felt a lot more confident on the trail. The via ferrata section was also much easier as I held on to the cable and metal rungs drilled into the side of the rock.

I made it back to the camper van in a little under 2 hours and spotted my 2 young boys playing who thought I was a super hero coming down from a wilderness expedition. This hike was awesome and the views were huge with relatively easy effort.

Note

The south side ascent towards Mala Mojstrovka is a pretty straight forward hike with a bit of technical climbing. The north side however is a completely different hike and should only be taken on with the proper equipment and skillset as there are sheer drop-offs and extreme exposure.

More Hikes Nearby

If you’re already exploring the Trenta Valley, don’t miss the nearby Soča River Trail and Great Soča Gorge — a much easier walk with incredible river views and dramatic limestone formations.