Rogla Zoo

Rogla is a mountain resort on the high Pohorje plateau in northeastern Slovenia, at about 1,500 metres above sea level, surrounded by spruce forest, peat bogs and open clearings. It is a year-round outdoor destination with skiing in winter and walking, cycling and family activities in summer, and its small zoo is one of the attractions that make it appealing to families with children. The zoo is a modest place, in keeping with the scale of the resort, and gives a gentle introduction to animals in a forest setting rather than a large collection of exotic species. The exact list of animals, feeding times and opening arrangements should be checked with the resort, since small zoos change their programme from season to season.

The setting is the main attraction. Enclosures are arranged among trees and meadows, so the visit takes the form of a walk through the woods with stops at the animals, and children can run along the paths and look at the residents. Animals of this kind often include native or domestic species that are easy for children to approach and understand, such as deer, goats, sheep, rabbits and birds, and a good small zoo adds information boards that explain what the animals eat and where they live. Feeding sessions and short talks, where available, give children a chance to learn more. Picnic places allow families to stay for a while and enjoy the mountain air.

The zoo is one part of a wider set of activities at Rogla. The treetop walk, a raised wooden path through the canopy of the forest, offers views over the Pohorje, and a toboggan run called Zlodej's Adrenaline Toboggan gives a faster ride in summer. Marked walking and cycling routes lead through the forest to bogs, lakes and viewpoints, and the nearby Lovrenc Lakes are a protected peat bog landscape with a boardwalk, where sundews and other bog plants grow. Farms in the area sell cheese and other produce, including the Lamperček–Obrul dairy and an organic farm, and winter brings ski slopes and cross-country trails.

The resort has hotels, restaurants and a spa within reach, and Zreče and Slovenske Konjice lie in the valley below, so the zoo fits easily into a longer stay. The zoo suits families with young children, school groups and anyone who wants a short, easy outing in the forest. Weather on the plateau changes quickly, and it is often cool even in summer, so warm clothes and sturdy shoes are advisable.