We puffed and panted as we made our way up the muddy path. A few raindrops splattered on our jackets, knocked from the trees above our heads by a sudden gust of wind. The sky was dark and brooding, although a few distant breaks in the clouds gave us hope that conditions may improve. We were hiking above Lake Bled, heading towards the Mala Osojnica viewpoint, where a splendid panorama across Slovenia’s most famous lake towards the tall, jagged mountains of the Julian Alps beyond awaited.
For those looking to make the hike to Mala Osojnica to enjoy the views of Lake Bled, read on to discover our guide to the route and experiences.
Please note that this is a guide for the straightforward, there-and-back hide to Mala Osojnica only. There are route extensions, such as Velika Osojnica and Ojstrica, that you can add on to this hike. However, because we think that Mala Osojnica is the best viewpoint of Lake Bled, we are focussing on helping you get there as quickly and easily as possible.
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Hiking to Mala Osojnica: A summary
Hike duration: The hike to Mala Osojnica should take around 30 minutes one way. Allow 60 minutes for the full return hike. Of course, these timings depend on your fitness levels and how many photos you take along the way! Read on for our full step-by-step breakdown of the hike.
Getting to Mala Osojnica: The best way to get to Mala Osojnica is by taking the direct trail from Mala Osojnica trailhead. We will describe this route below.
Trail difficulty: The trail to Mala Osojnica is not long, but it can be quite steep in places. If it has rained recently, some sections may be pretty muddy and slippery. There are short stretches where the trail becomes quite narrow, but you will find ropes attached to the rocks to help you keep your balance. There is one section with a steep, narrow staircase – this is not particularly challenging, but you should take care to avoid slipping. Oh, and be kind to your knees on the way down!
Trail conditions: When we completed the hike in late May, the trail was in good condition, but it was pretty muddy throughout. The mud is to be expected, and isn’t an issue if you wear the proper footwear – hiking shoes or robust trainers are perfect. If you decide to do this hike in white shoes, don’t expect them to stay white for long, particularly after a period of rain.
Facilities: There are no facilities along the trail to Mala Osojnica. You will find the nearest public toilets, food and drink at Velika Zaka, a short walk from the trailhead.
Why you should add the Mala Osojnica hike to your Lake Bled itinerary
It may be steep, but hiking to the Mala Osojnica viewpoint is well worth the effort. Even on a rainy day, this hike was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our latest trip to Slovenia. Here’s why:
- The views. Of course, the main reason for making the trip to Mala Osojnica is to enjoy the unrivalled views over Lake Bled. If you’ve seen a postcard from the area, there’s a high chance the picture was taken from Mala Osojnica. At 685 metres above sea level, the aerial views over the lake are spectacular. Bled Island, Bled Castle, and the town itself – everything stretches out beneath you, with the lush green treeline providing a gorgeous foreground. It’s certainly one of the best photo spots at Lake Bled.
- The nature. Whilst the views are the perfect reward for the short, steep hike, the route itself is a treat. The narrow trail takes you through the forested slopes on the western shores of Lake Bled, offering the perfect opportunity to escape the crowded lakeside paths and roads. At dawn or dusk, you’ll likely be serenaded by singing birds – an idyllic soundtrack to the hike.
- It’s (relatively) quick. The route to Mala Osojnica is steep and direct, and you can easily complete the hike to the viewpoint in less than 60 minutes. This makes it an ideal activity for anyone with a crowded itinerary at Lake Bled. You don’t need to spend hours and hours walking to get the views – you can easily add it to the start or end of a busy day.
The Mala Osojnica trail map
We used Google Maps to plot the rough route to Mala Osojnica – it’s basic, but it does the job. Once you’re on the trail, the route is easy to follow, so we didn’t need a detailed map. However, for those wanting a comprehensive view of the route, AllTrails has an excellent Mala Osojnica trail map – displayed below – that shows the various twists and turns along the route as you zig-zag your way to the viewpoint.
1) Finding the Mala Osojnica Trailhead: The starting point for the hike
Cars and cyclists zip past on the main road that hugs the shore. On a busy day, the pavements and footpaths are teeming with walkers making their way around the lake and taking in the views. Join the crowds and head to the southwestern corner of the lake, where you’ll find the start of the trail to Mala Osojnica.
The Mala Osojnica trailhead is the main starting point for the route up to the viewpoint. There are alternative routes to the viewpoint, but the easiest way is via the trailhead. It’s pretty easy to find – here’s how to do it.
Finding the trailhead: The trailhead should be simple to find. Look for a green bench in front of a small path in the woods. Next to the bench, a sign points you in the right direction, with the narrow trail leading straight into the woods. This Google pin shows the rough location of the Mala Osojnica trailhead.
Alternative: A few metres from the green bench, you will see a small vehicular track leading into the woods. You can also follow this trail, which leads past an old wooden house surrounded by tall, green trees. Walk past the house and follow the trail as it curves round to the left – you will eventually join the other track.
Once you’ve located the trailhead, it’s time to start your hike to Mala Osojnica.
2) Hiking from the trailhead to the Mala Osojnica viewpoint
Leave the trailhead behind and begin the short, steep climb to Mala Osojnica. The path zigzags through thick woodland, tracking ever higher above Lake Bled. You can catch occasional glimpses of the lake’s pearly-blue waters through the trees. In autumn, when the leaves turn rich shades of gold and orange, there are few better places to be.
Most of the route is steep but relatively straightforward. However, there are a couple of narrow sections of the path that you will need to navigate before you reach Mala Osojnica:
- The first tricky point of the trail is a narrow section that tracks along a rocky outcrop. In wet conditions, it can be slippery. There is a sturdy handrail built into the rock – we recommend holding onto this for safety, particularly if it has rained recently.
- The second section is the steep staircase that you will need to climb just before reaching the viewpoint. Again, there are sturdy metal railings. Once you reach the top of the stairs, you will find a bench with a great view over the lake. This bench makes for an ideal rest stop before completing the final leg of the hike up to Mala Osojnica.
Once you have tackled the stairs, you are nearly there. If you need to catch your breath, there is a bench at the top of the staircase, where you can sit and rest. This spot enjoys a tantalisingly good view of Lake Bled – it’s hidden slightly by the thick forest, but is nonetheless a wonderful place to stop and sit. After a couple more twists and turns along the trail, you will eventually step out onto a small rocky platform. A small barrier protects you from the drop below, allowing you to step out of the treeline to enjoy the full majesty of Mala Osojnica and the views of Lake Bled.
3) Taking in the views at the top (featuring the best double rainbow of our lives)
We were lucky enough to have Mala Osojnica to ourselves for a few minutes. Even when more people arrived, the viewpoint never felt too crowded. However, it’s worth noting that we did complete the hike in the early evening after a very wet day. We suspect it would be busier on a sunny afternoon during peak season.
Once you’ve reached Mala Osojnica, you can stay as long as you like. For those who want to rest their feet, there are a couple of benches set back from the edge, perfect for enjoying a short snack and a recharge before continuing your hike.
We spent more time at the viewpoint than we had planned. There was one simple, spectacular reason for this – the appearance of a double rainbow. After spending the day dodging rainstorms at Lake Bohinj, the weather had calmed down slightly by the time we started the hike to Mala Osojnica. Despite the improved conditions, we still felt intermittent drops of rain as we climbed higher through the woods.
When we reached the viewpoint, the rain was falling steadily once again. This time, however, a few rays of sunlight simultaneously began to battle their way through the thick clouds. Within a few minutes, we spotted the first colourful bursts of a rainbow start to form. It didn’t take long before the colours became strikingly strong, stretching over the lake in a perfect, sweeping arch.
Before long, a second rainbow appeared. Fainter than the first, it nonetheless grew in strength before, in the blink of an eye, we were watching two spectacular rainbows hanging over Lake Bled. They lingered for a few minutes as we watched in silence, before eventually fading into the evening glow. An unforgettable experience.
4) Returning to the trailhead and the shores of Lake Bled
The quickest way to complete the hike to Mala Osojnica is to return to the trailhead via the same route. With the sun setting, this is what we chose to do. The only tricky element was navigating the steep staircase, which shouldn’t be a problem as long as you take it slow.
For those looking to extend their hike from Mala Osojnica, you may want to consider completing a loop to Ostrica and Velika Osojnica. Both of these destinations enjoy their own spectacular views over Lake Bled, and there is a popular circular route that is perfect for anyone with enough time and fitness.
Alternatively, instead of heading to Ostrica and Velika Osojnica, you could follow the trail southeast from Mala Osojnica before taking a different route down through the trees to reach the shores of Lake Bled once more. This is a slightly longer route than the there-and-back trail we took, but it may suit those with more time.
Four fantastic things to spot from this famous Lake Bled viewpoint
- Bled Castle. Framed by the dramatic mountains in the background, Bled Castle is one of the highlights of any visit to the area. It’s easy to spot from Mala Osojnica, perched atop the tall, steep cliffs that tower above Lake Bled.
- Velika Zaka’s kayakers, paddleboarders and swimmers. Many people hiking to Mala Osojnica choose to park at Velika Zaka. This popular bay on the western shores of Lake Bled is a favourite spot for swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders. You might not be able to see the beach itself, which is likely to be hidden by thick foliage. However, you should be able to spot the dozens of people out on the lake enjoying the water.
- Bled Island. Of course, no visit to Mala Osojnica is complete without taking a photo of Bled Island perched in the middle of the lake. This viewpoint offers the ideal panorama, with the lake perfectly positioned for a postcard-worthy shot.
- Mountain summits. The distant mountain range towering over the eastern shores of Lake Bled forms the border between Slovenia and Austria. We loved looking out at the rocky summits, and the moody conditions during our hike made it even better. Clouds swirled around the slopes, before sunset began to cast faint pink across the scene. A real treat. When you reach Mala Osojnica, you will find a small information board pointing out the tallest summits on the horizon.
Our favourite photos from Mala Osojnica
From distant views of moody mountains to more shots of the epic rainbow, here are a few more of our favourite photos from Mala Osojnica.
How long will the hike to the viewpoint take?
If you are hiking at an average pace, you will need around 30 minutes to complete the hike to Mala Osojnica. However, the total time can vary depending on how many photo stops you take, and whether you need to queue at the steep steps to let people ascend or descend. Queues are unlikely, but they may occur at busy times of the year.
The entire route, there and back from the Mala Osojnica trailhead, should take 60 minutes. However, you will almost certainly want to spend a few minutes (at least) enjoying the viewpoint above Lake Bled. We probably spent just under two hours in total from the start of the hike to the end.
As mentioned before, you can also combine the hike to Mala Osojnica with other viewpoints such as Ostrica or Velika Osojnica. This will, of course, require more time.
Hiking to Mala Osojnica: How to get there
Whether you’re staying in Bled or heading straight to the trailhead from the train station, here are the logistics for planning your hike to the Mala Osojnica viewpoint.
How to get to Mala Osojnica from Bled town
Walking: If it’s a nice day and you’re feeling fit, we recommend walking from Bled. From the town’s waterfront, a pleasant, well-paved path takes you straight along the shores of Lake Bled to the trailhead. The trail should take you around 40 minutes.
By car: The nearest car park to the Mala Osojnica trailhead is at Velika Zaka, the popular beach and watersports destination mentioned earlier in this post. This is a six or seven-minute drive from Bled, following the busy road around the lake’s southern shore. However, you should note that the car park at Velika Zaka is quite small and will fill up very quickly, particularly at peak times. It is also expensive. A ticket will cost you €3 an hour during low season and €6 an hour during high season. Walking or travelling by public transport may be your best option.
By public transport: If you don’t want to walk or drive, you can catch the bus from Bled to Bled Mlino. The buses accept most major credit and debit cards, and a single ticket costs €1.30 at the time of writing. The journey will be under five minutes, but you’ll need to walk for another 15 minutes from Bled Mlino to the trailhead, following the path along the lake. The buses from Bled to Bled Mlino leave around once an hour, but are sometimes more frequent – click here for the latest timetables. To be honest, the bus probably won’t save you much time compared to walking from Bled – if it’s a nice day, we would choose to walk.
How to get to Mala Osojnica from Velika Zaka (via the boardwalk)
Velika Zaka is one of the main centres for swimming and watersports at Lake Bled. For kayakers, paddleboarders and sunbathers, the beaches and waters of Velika Zaka are a destination in their own right.
The small car park next to the beach is just a ten-minute walk from the Mala Osojnica trailhead. To reach the trailhead from the car park, you can follow the road from the car park directly to the trailhead. The road hugs the shore of Lake Bled, but the views are mostly obscured by trees.
Top tip: Our favourite way to get from Velika Zaka to the Mala Osojnica trailhead is by taking the beautiful wooden boardwalk along the lake’s shoreline. From here, you can enjoy unbroken views across to Bled Island, the castle and the dramatic mountain range in the distance. To reach the boardwalk from the car park at Velika Zaka, walk past the beach and follow the road for 60 seconds or so. You will see the entrance to the boardwalk on your left – at this point, you will leave the road behind and head out onto this popular trail.
You will leave the boardwalk here, which is just a short walk along the road from the Mala Osojnica trailhead.
How to get to Mala Osojnica from Bled train station
If you have travelled to Lake Bled by train and want to set off on your hike to the Mala Osojnica viewpoint straight away, you’re in luck – the train station is just a 20-minute walk from the trailhead.
When you disembark the train, walk south through the small station car park until you reach a small street called Kolodvorska cesta. Carry on down this street, taking care to stick to the well-marked pedestrian and cyclist areas. When you reach the Sovica Bled hotel at the end of the street, turn right.
From here, you are around one kilometre from the Mala Osojnica trailhead. Follow the road towards Velika Zaka and join the route described above, dropping down to the boardwalk if you want to enjoy the best views of Lake Bled. Eventually, you will reach the trailhead and can begin your hike.
Rough route: Click here for a rough route from the Sovica Bled hotel to the Mala Osojnica trailhead.
Mala Osojnica: Our final thoughts on this classic Lake Bled viewpoint
Safe to say, we loved our hike to Mala Osojnica. The weather wasn’t great when we set off, but we trusted in our sturdy walking shoes and found the trail to be muddy, but fine. Within a few minutes of climbing the steep trail, we could already see glimpses of the spectacular views that awaited once we reached the viewpoint.
We couldn’t have asked for a better experience when we finally arrived. Despite the clouds and the rain, the views were breathtaking, and the appearance of the double rainbow was the icing on the cake. If you’re looking to enjoy some of the most iconic views in Slovenia, we highly recommend the hike to Mala Osojnica. Oh, and if you get unlucky with the weather, don’t let the conditions put you off – you never know what awaits at the top.