Mt. Nanos in southern Slovenia is a mighty piece of rock which, for many centuries, had forced travellers to take a detour. This extremely popular hill offers amazing panoramic views of the Green Karst and the Vipava Valley, all the way to Adriatic Sea and Italy. Park your campervan, take a break from your road trip and go on this short, but very rewarding hike!
 

A high Karst plateau, which rises steeply above Postojna basin and Vipavska Brda wine region has several summits, but the most popular one is the panoramic edge by a television transmitter and 'Vojkova Koča' mountain hut. The ascent runs on a steep and a bit more difficult path; however the descent past a charming church of St. Hieronim is really easy. In nice weather you will enjoy first-class views in all directions. 

Views from Mt. Nanos - green valley below is called Vipava Valley, a windswept wine valley that's constantly bathed in the sun.

Duration: 1 - 1,5 h to the top (steep path) 
Altitude difference: 665 m 
Starting point: village Razdrto, 575 m (45,7591°N / 14,0619°E)
End point: mountain hut 'Vojkova koča', 1240 m

Starting point:
Leave the motorway 'Ljubljana – Koper' on exit Razdrto. Turn left and follow the signposts for Razdrto. Once you arrive to the village, turn right in the direction of the signpost for Veliko Ubeljsko. Soon you will come to large gravel parking lot right before the overpass over the highway.

Park your Nest campervan at village Razdrto.

The trail:

Park your campervan at the parking lot and head northward in the direction of Mt. Nanos. Right across the overpass there is an intersection, where you should take left to get on a gravel road with signs pointing you towards the meadow. Continue along the well-trodden path till the fork, where you can choose between the 'steep' (= strma) and a 'gentle' (= položna) path.

Continue on the steep one (to the right), which ascends through a shady forest at first, but higher up the steepness increases and there are even a few passages secured with pins and steel cables. None of these stretches do, however, require an actual via ferrata set to overcome them and kids can climb this route too. You will need a pair of good hiking boots as a bare minimum for this technically slightly challenging trail and a hat to protect you from the scorching sun in hot summer months. 

You can choose between two trails, we suggest you take a steep one to get to the top and an easy one to descend back down.
 

There are some challenging points on the steep path, but none of them require technical knowledge or special gear. Suitable for families too!

Mt. Nanos is a rocky Karst plateau which separates the Slovenian mainland from the seaside.

It takes roughly 1 - 1,5 hours to get to the top of the mountain.

Depending on your physical preparedness, you can be up on the summit in as little as one hour, but it will probably take a bit more than that (on average 1,5 h) - there are numerous places along the way, where you'll want to catch your breath and admire mesmerizing views. 

Don't forget to stop and admire the views.
 

Last few meters are exposed to sun and wind.

The views get better with every step and finally you'll reach grassy summit across the bare top section. 'Vojkova Koča' mountain hut hides in a forest very near to the transmitting antennas, where there is also a museum dedicated to TV and radio broadcasting. Mountain hut offers great local food and refreshing drinks and it's a great place to relax and take a nap before heading back down to the valley.

There is a mountain hut at the top of Mt. Nanos, tucked in a forest behind the radio antennas.

From the summit proceed on a cute 'gentle' path, which runs on a grassy ridge in the direction of Vipava Valley (north-west) and offers splendid views all the way to Julian Alps. Just before the church of St. Hieronim a signpost directs you onto a path which crosses the slope back towards Razdrto village. Pilgrimage church of St Hieronim stood here already in the 14th century, but it most probably got its present size and shape at the end of the 16th century. It was demolished and abandoned, but consecrated once again in 1990.
 

Photogenic church of St. Hieronim marks a place, where you turn left to get back to your starting point.

From Adriatic Sea to Julian Alps - you'll see it all.

Descend a bit more and soon you'll come into a pleasant forest and return to the starting point along the easy path.

Nest Campers tip: Mt. Nanos is a serious mountain, we advise to check the weather forecast before planning a trip over the upper plateau. Up there, you are exposed to all weather influences, especially powerful is burja, the freezing cold mountain wind which accompanies changes in the weather. 

There are many things you can do and see in the region around Mt. Nanos, read our blog post about things to see in southwestern Slovenia for some interesting tips. 

Book your campervan
and go on an adventure of your lifetime!