Source of Boka Waterfall Hike

A steep, increasingly technical ascent to the spring above the 106-meter Boka Waterfall. The final descent to the source is wild, exposed, and unsecured.

THE CHALLENGE TO THE KARST SPRING IN THE KANIN MOUNTAINS

This demanding and rewarding hike takes you to the powerful karst spring that feeds Slovenia’s most magnificent waterfall. The trail offers an exciting, sporty and jaw dropping journey. It starts with a steep ascent and becomes increasingly technical as you climb towards the source, which is located in the Kanin mountain wall at an altitude of 725 meters. As you approach the large plateau, you’ll witness Boka emerge directly from the rocky ground—a truly raw and impressive display of nature’s power. From here, you’ll get a rare view of the Soča River as it runs around the Polovnik ridge—a view accessible only to those who can make the challenging hike.

STARTING POINT & PARKING

The hike begins from the main road between Bovec and Žaga. You can park at the gravel parking area near the bridge over the Boka River or at the asphalt parking lot next to Hotel Boka.

ROUTE DESCRIPTION: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

From the bridge over the Boka creek, look upstream at the waterfall. The marked hiking trail to the source begins on the right side of the bridge.
The initial part of the path is mostly flat, but after a few hundred meters, you will begin a relentless, steep climb.
As you ascend, you will come across several improvised viewpoints that offer different perspectives of the waterfall.
Towards the final section of the climb, the path becomes more technical and exposed. Here, you will encounter fixed steel safety cables to assist you on the steep rock faces.
After the roped section, you will face a short but very steep and unsecured descent to the spring just above the waterfall.

Extra tips

This is an expert-level route. The final descent to the spring is wild, unsecured, and can be extremely slippery. Do not attempt this hike without a good physical condition, experience in difficult mountain terrain, and solid footwear with good grip.