Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Around
There are frequent weekday buses to Novo Mesto (€2.20, 20 minutes) but few at the
weekend. Two weekday morning buses go to Ljubljana (€7.20, 1½ hours) via Žužemberk
(€2.70, 30 minutes).
Kočevski Rog
07 / ELEV TO 1098M
One of the most pristine areas in Slovenia, Kočevski Rog's virgin forests have been a pro-
tected nature area for over a century. As many as 500 brown bears are believed to live
amid its 200 hectares - the largest bear population in Europe.
During the early days of WWII the Partisans, under the command of Marshal Tito,
headquartered here amid the region's limestone caves operating hospitals, schools and
even printing presses. The nerve centre was the so-called
Base 20
(Baza 20; 306 60
25;
www.dolmuzej.com/en/muzej/baza20
)
, about 10km southwest of Dolenjske Toplice at
711m, reconstructed and turned into a national monument after the war.
Once a favourite 'pilgrimage' spot for Slovenes and Yugoslavs, Base 20 is now just a
shadow of its former self, its 26 wooden buildings slowly being consumed by the forest,
though two barracks exhibits are open to the public. A plaque erected near the site in 1995
diplomatically pays homage to everyone involved in the 'national liberation war', presum-
ably including the thousands of Domobranci (Home Guards) executed here by the Partis-
ans in 1945. The site is always open, but a tourist guide at
Lukov Dom
( 041 315 165;
1½hr tour adult/child & student €4.50/2.50, film €1; 8am-4pm Mon-Fri Apr-Oct)
, the
building at the start of the trail, is on hand in season.
Okrepčevalnica Pri Bazi 20
(
041 959 109; 10am-9pm Tue-Fri, 9am-9pm Sat & Sun)
is a simple eatery near the
main car park.
There's no scheduled bus service, but Base 20 is easily reached by sealed road on foot
or bicycle from Podturn, 7km to the north.
Novo Mesto
07 / POP 22,940 / ELEV 189M
