When it comes to picture postcard mountain views, Slovenia has a few. And just a short drive from the very picturesque Lake Bled, you’ll find Vogel ski resort.
Actually, Vogel is next to the equally pretty but less famous Lake Bohinj, which doesn’t have a picturesque island in the middle of it. But, that doesn’t detract from the fact that here in Slovenia, you’re never that far away from a really great ski or snowboarding experience.
And another major appeal for Slovenia is that it offers some of the cheapest ski resorts in Europe…
So, as part of my ski trip to Slovenia, I took myself off for a day at Vogel ski centre. How did it stand up to my expectations?
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Vogel ski resort: Statistics
- Ski area: 22 kms
- Highest point: 1800 m
- Resort altitude: 1535
- Pistes: Blue (easy) 9.5kms / Red (intermediate) 12.5 kms
- Snow park: Yes
- Closest airport: Ljubljana, Slovenia (LJU)
Where is Vogel ski resort?
Vogel ski centre is around 85 kms from the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, which is about an hour and a half driving. However, it’s only 40 minutes from Bled, which is also a popular place to stay, or around 1 hour 15 from Krjanska Gora, another popular ski resort in Slovenia.
And while the drive isn’t that far, there is also an option for a ski bus from Ljubljana and Bled, for those who would rather take the public transport option. Obviously this is a bit of a longer ride, but you do get to take in the gorgeous Slovenian countryside while you’re on your way.
I visited Vogel as part of a long weekend ski trip, which included visits to Krvavec, which is closer to Ljubljana, and then Vogel.
The Vogel ski resort sits on top of a mountain right next to Lake Bohinj, which is one of the loveliest lakes in Slovenia. No, it’s not the one with the church in the middle, which is Lake Bled. However, you do pass Bled on the way, so you can take in the most famous iconic Slovenia postcard image on your way to ski Vogel.
Exploring Vogel ski resort
The gondola for the ski resort is well signposted from Lake Bohinj, and you can’t miss it when you arrive. It’s a massive lift station with a a huge gondola waiting to whisk people up the mountain. The gondola leaves every 30 minutes, and takes you on a quite dizzying ride up the mountainside to the Vogel ski resort, which sits at around 1500 metres.
The view is pretty amazing as you go though, with the whole of Lake Bohinj opening up the higher you climb.
Once you arrive at Vogel ski centre, the gondola drops you next to a great cafe with pretty impressive views over the valley. This is also where you’ll find a ski and snowboard rental shop right there. Which is handy as I rolled straight in to the shop to pick up my rental gear before I hit the mountain.
I didn’t have equipment booked, but on the day, I paid around €30 including a helmet and boots.
For the record, on my visit to Vogel ski resort, I was snowboarding.
Once out of the station, you’re next to a few small beginner slopes, which are very much baby slopes. You then roll across some fairly flat-ish terrain to the first chairlift which brings you up onto the mountain.
From here, you either have a nice and sedate blue which takes you back to the first lift (blue piste number 4), or options to either go further up the mountain or down a twisting forest run which eventually takes you back to the base station (number 14 on the map). This is pretty much the ideal terrain for learners, and the bowl where the main lift is also brings you up another small run next to a snow park. Yes I did try and go through the snow park, and no I wasn’t very good.
I got to grips with the terrain by snowboarding down the blue runs back to the lift for a couple of runs, and then deciding to brave the zigzagging forested run. (number 11 on the map).
It was at this point that a snow storm rolled in, and I experienced my first white out. For those not in the know, a white out is when the snow hits and you basically can’t see anything. This basically meant that my descent down the side of the mountain wasn’t as enjoyable as it should have been. But, even with limited visibility I could tell that this would normally be a fun and relatively challenging run, which is also the longest in the resort.
The other option is to head to the peak at 1800 metres, and then either zip down the forested run and take the lift back up, or go all the way back to the beginner run/bowl.
Unfortunately, the whiteout basically closed off half of the lifts for the rest of the afternoon, so I didn’t get to do that. But, I managed to have plenty of fun in the smaller area that was available.
Is Vogel a Good Ski Resort?
While Vogel ski area isn’t a huge ski resort, it offers a decent 22 kms of mountain to explore. And with a good mix of red and blue runs, as well as a good selection of chairlifts and smaller t-bar lifts, it’s perfectly suited to beginner skiers and snowboarders, families with younger kids and even intermediates looking to level up their skills. As mentioned, there is even a small snow park for people wanting to practice their jumps and rails.
It looked like there was a limited selection of off-piste options too, being mostly the trees at the side of the main runs and some powder fields here and there. And because this isn’t the most popular ski resort, chances are you’ll get to have a lot of fun with some fresh powder if you time your visit right. And if you’re not in a total whiteout…
I thought that the mix of wide open runs on top of the mountain and that forested run made this a nice resort and one that is both afforable and varied enough.
The infrastructure is also very good, which I think contributes to the appeal of Vogel ski center. The main pistes are served by chairlifts and smaller pistes use t-bars, especially around the main learner area close to the main hub. The nursery area seemed well equipped and the cafe on the lift station offers stunning views across Lake Bohinj far below.
And, another thing about Vogel is you can commute to other Slovenian ski resorts if you have a multi-day Slovenia ski pass.
Where to stay near Vogel?
The area around Vogel is pretty rural, with not much in the way of apres ski. But, there are a smattering of hotels, apartments and even hostels within a few kilometers of the ski resort itself.
The pick of the bunch includes:
- Privillage Stare B&B (around 2 kms) – Tastefully modern apartments just yards from the lake, and a short drive (or walk if you must) to the ski station.
- Hotel Jezero (3.5 kms) – A 4-star hotel next to the iconic church on Lake Bohinj with stunning views and close proximity to the main village in the area.
- Hostel Mama Minka (5.5kms) – Pleasant budget option a little further back from the ski resort, but well located for exploring the area.
Where else can you ski/snowboard in Slovenia?
Slovenia is dotted with a variety of really nice little ski resorts, which are all included in the All Slovenia Ski Pass. These include Krvavec, Krjanska Gora, Kanin-Bovec, Rogla and Maribor. Not all of these are commuter distance from Vogel, but if you’ve gone for a Ljubljana ski holiday, then you could explore a different resort every day.
If you went for a Slovenia ski holiday with a base in Bled or Kranj, you could access Vogel, Krvavec, Kanin-Bovec and Krjanska Gora easily by car.
Is it cheap to ski in Slovenia?
Compared to other Alpine ski locations, yes, skiing or snowboarding in Slovenia is very cheap. The cost of a ski pass in Vogel for the day is €40, with 3 day lift passes at €111, and 5 day lift passes €174. This puts Vogel ski center firmly in the cheapest European ski resorts line up.
As for other costs, accommodation, food, car hire and other sundries are all way cheaper than you’d find in neighbouring Austria or Italy. I spent less than €400 on a 4 day solo snowboarding trip, which also included some fairly indulgent apres ski back in Ljubljana and eating in relatively high end places.
If you’re looking for a budget family ski break, then I think Slovenia ticks all the boxes. However, you will need to include car hire to get the best out of your trip. This wasn’t an issue though, and I think I got the cheapest car hire in Europe (something like €30 for my entire stay with Rental Cars) so don’t let the driving part put you off.
Is Vogel a good place to learn to ski or snowboard?
One of the best things about Vogel is that the terrain is very forgiving and uncrowded, with a good lift infrastructure. This makes it ideal for learning to get to grips with the basics and beyond on skiing and snowboarding.
For kids, I’d say Vogel is a great place to learn to ski. None of the runs are too terrifying, and you’re probably never too far from mum or dad, even if they’ve gone exploring.
You can also get good ski learner packages in Vogel. For example, this package on GetYourGuide offers pick up and drop off from your accommodation and private tuition.
All in all, if you’re looking for a fun solo ski trip, family friendly winter sports break or a long weekend ski trip, Vogel and Slovenia are a good option.
Looking for other ideas for budget ski trips? Check out our guide to Krvavec, Zakopane and Andorra.
