Hiking in Slovenia » Slovene Istria » Kavčič from Rakitovec
Kavčič is the easternmost peak in the Kraški Rob (Karst Edge) ridge, with a beautiful view of surrounding meadows and hills. If you like wildflowers, try to be there in early May – you’ll love the flowering meadows of the Zalipnik valley, and if you’re lucky you’ll find Slender Fritillary on the northern slopes of Kavčič.
At a Glance
- Difficulty
- A long leisurely walk along unmarked gravel roads and dirt trails
- Altitude
- 883 m
- Average time
- 3 h
- Elevation gain
- 400 m
- Coordinates
-
Start: 45.467485,13.957847
Peak: 45.471239,13.983605
Getting There
- You could reach Kavčič via marked footpaths from Golič or Lipnik
- You can also bike there, leave the bike at the point where the marked footpath leaves the dirt road across Zalipnik valley (@ 8.6 km), and hike to the hilltop.
- We’ll go for a slow leisurely hike exploring gravel roads and dirt trails around Rakitovec
In a Nutshell
- We’ll start next to the Sports Park in Rakitovec. There’s a small parking lot next to the main road (opposite the recycling bins), and a slightly bigger one next to the Sports Park.
- Start your hike on the gravel road that passes the Sports Park, and keep on the main road (veering toward the left) until it ends at a meadow.
- The dirt trail across the meadow is barely visible, but it’s pretty obvious where it enters the forest at the other edge of the clearing.
- Stay on the dirt trail until you reach a gravel road. Turn left.
- Keep on the main gravel road until you arrive at a small wayside shrine. Turn left (the right fork brings you to Croatia).
- At the next junction, turn sharp right onto a well-maintained gravel road that eventually turns into a series of hairpins and brings you to a grassy terrace high above Rakitovec.
- You’ll notice a narrower dirt road going left. Keep that in mind – we’ll need it to get back to Rakitovec – and turn slightly right.
- Follow the rightmost ascending gravel road for a few kilometers until you reach an overhanging sunny rocky barrier – a perfect place to take a break.
- After a minute or two, the gravel road brings you to expansive Karst meadows. Take a dirt road going uphill – it will get you straight to Kavčič.
Getting Back
If you love the terrain, take a roundtrip via Lipnik:
- Follow the trail parallel to the cliffs until you reach Lipnik (the next peak with a cross).
- Following a waymarked footpath, descend to a dirt trail running across a terrace.
- Turn left – the dirt trail will bring you to the gravel road you used to get to Kavčič.
Had enough? Sure:
- Use the same gravel road to return toward Rakitovec, but turn right onto a narrower dirt road at the junction I mentioned earlier.
- The dirt road will bring you straight to Rakitovec village. Descend to the pond at the bottom of the village, then take an asphalt road going right.
- When you reach the main road, turn left, and you’ll quickly return to your car.
Views From the Top
Map of the Route
The map shows the path we took as recorded by the GPS receiver. Never trust a GPS track; rely on your senses and maps.