Kočevsko Outdoor Festival

Fridrihštajn Castle is located on a 978 m high hill with a beautiful view of Kočevje. The castle was built in the 15th century by Count Frideric of Celje, the feudal lord of Kočevje at the time, so that he could live there with his beloved Veronika Deseniška. Today, only ruins remain of the once mighty and highest castle buildings in Slovenia. The point is still a popular excursion destination, offering a steep climb, but at the top also a beautiful view of the town of Kočevje, the might of Kočevski Rog, the lake and beyond. The elevation on which the ruins stand is perfect for a real vertical! Start from the Kočevje MTB center and immediately head uphill towards Fridrihštajn. In 2.6 kilometers, you overcome almost 500 meters of elevation gain and finish at the stunning viewpoint of the ruins of Fridrihštajn Castle. Who will be the fastest Friderik and the fastest Veronika? Friday's vertical can be a great activation before a Saturday run or just a hike at sunset. There is no time limit on the vertical and it is therefore also suitable for hikers.

Our queen route repeatedly crosses the well-known Roška footpath – a path marked with a bear’s paw. The start of your race is at Rudniško Lake, and then it quickly takes you towards the mysterious Kočevje forests. When you leave the urban area of Kočevje, you are quickly surrounded only by pristine nature, which is only disturbed with a few tiny villages and historic remains along the way. The best part of your race is the sections along the edge of the Rajhenav rainforest. Take your time during those, take in the remarkable trees in all its beauty and listen to the stories they have to tell. We promise you won’t regret it! The route then takes you across Kočevski Rog plateau and past Kraljica Roga – the most powerful fir tree on the plateau, which rises 51 meters high. Above the village of Onek, on Lovski vrh, from which can you already enjoy a breath-taking view. At this point, you can already see your finish line at Rudniško Lake, where your highly anticipated refreshment in the lake is waiting for you! We promise that Kočevsko will more than enchant you and that you’ll be planning your return to these beautiful trails right after your race! Come and discover this wild but extremely friendly destination!

The 30 km runners will be able to take in all the best parts from our longest distance, without the additional kilometres. 😉 Therefore, you will start at Kočevski Rog, and the route will first take you to the highest peak of the plateau – Veliki Rog. If you wish, you may also take a bit of a break at that point and also climb the tower, from which you’ll be able to enjoy a breath-taking view of the vast forests you’ll be running through. Next you touch the Rajhenav rainforest, where you can feel the pulse of centuries-old forest and run past the mightiest Thick Fir or Queen of the Horn. From those mysterious forests, you ascend to Lovski vrh above the village of Onek, from which can you already enjoy a breath-taking view. At this point, you can already see your finish line at Rudniško Lake, where your highly anticipated refreshment in the lake is waiting for you! We promise that Kočevsko will more than enchant you and that you’ll be planning your return to these beautiful trails right after your race! Come and discover this wild but extremely friendly destination!

The start will be at the beautiful Kočevje Lake, where the entire event Kočevje Outdoor Festival will take place. The route we put together for you is circular and shows you the beautiful green landscape of the destination Kočevsko, which is known mainly for its mysterious forest. This is a wild but at the same time very friendly destination, which will surely mesmerise you. The beginning and end of the race is the same as for our shortest distance, and in between the 15-kilometer distance takes you deeper into the vastness of Kočevje’s forests. The route winds between mighty trees, each with its own story to tell. Below the village of Onek, the 15 km route joins runners from longer distances and together you descend along the common path towards the finish line and your long-awaited refreshment in the lake. The 15 km route is designed especially for regular or occasional runners, who are looking for beautiful, but at the same time not too demanding running terrain. A few short climbs, forest paths, meadow paths and not too demanding terrain may just be the right combination for your trail running adventure! We promise that Kočevsko will more than enchant you and that you’ll be planning your return to these beautiful trails right after your race! Come and discover this wild but extremely friendly destination!

The start will be at the beautiful Kočevje Lake, where the entire event Kočevje Outdoor Festival will take place. The route we put together for you is circular and shows you the beautiful green landscape of the destination Kočevsko, which is known mainly for its mysterious forest. This is a wild but at the same time very friendly destination, which will surely leave you speechless. The route takes you through the eastern part of the lake, which accompanies you on your left all the time. Across the meadows, the path slowly leads you to the forest, where you can already feel the pleasant vibe of Kočevje’s forests. While making your way towards the finish line, you return to the immediate vicinity of the Željnske Caves, which are definitely worth a visit after your race or the following day. The 10 km route is designed so that it is not too demanding, making it very suitable for all those who are just getting to know trail running. The route does not have any technically demanding areas, as the terrain is an intersection of meadow and forest paths. We promise that Kočevsko will more than enchant you and that you’ll be planning your return to these beautiful trails right after your race!

The start and finish of the 5 km distance will be next to the beautiful Kočevsko lake, where the entire festival takes place. It is a circular route that discovers the beautiful forests of Kočevsko and the wild but friendly destination of Kočevsko. The route is designed to be perfect for beginners in the world of running and trail running. It has very little elevation gain and follows beautiful meadow and forest paths. So don’t worry: there are no technical and demanding sections, which means you can enjoy the beautiful green nature in peace! The route has no time limit, so you can even walk the entire distance.

The route will be run at the venue itself by Lake Kočev and will be approximately 300 m long. The run is intended for children up to 12 years of age and is free of charge. Children can run alone or accompanied by their parents.