Tuk Vojni offers two very different hiking options: a long route through Samarske stijene and a shorter ascent of Čelimbaša. The Orthodox Church of St. Peter is also located in the village and is part of the area’s religious heritage. When planning your hiking days, you can distinguish between the routes mainly by the time they take; for a cultural focus, the church is part of the village’s character.
Hiking options from Tuk Vojni
The Mrkopaljski planinarski put (MPP) is 10 km long and takes approximately nine hours. It runs through Samarske stijene and has eight checkpoints. The starting and finishing point is Planinarski dom Bijele stijene in Tuk Vojni. You can divide the route into two stages; for a continuous hike, the approximate nine-hour estimate is an important planning guide.
The ascent of Čelimbaša offers a shorter time frame. It starts at the parking lot of Planinarski dom Bijele Stijene in Tuk Vojni, is 3 km long, and takes about 44 minutes. The trail is considered easy, is well marked, and is considered suitable for winter, spring, summer, and autumn. As conditions can change seasonally, check them before setting out. At approximately nine hours for the MPP compared with about 44 minutes for the ascent, the two time frames differ considerably.
Village character and orientation
The Orthodox Church of St. Peter is located in Tuk Vojni and is part of the area’s religious heritage. State road D32 runs through the settlement as its main road. Across the wider destination of Općina Mrkopalj, D32 connects Prezid, Delnice, Mrkopalj, and Jezerane. The same road is therefore both part of orientation in Tuk Vojni and a regional connection.
Across the wider destination of Općina Mrkopalj
Bijele stijene and Samarske stijene lie within the municipality of Općina Mrkopalj; both were declared strict nature reserves in 1985. The MPP runs through Samarske stijene. Check the applicable regulations before visiting the protected areas.
Across the wider destination of Općina Mrkopalj, the Čelimbaša trail leads from Mrkopalj to a viewpoint at the summit. In winter, Čelimbaša is used for skiing and sledding. Also in the destination of Općina Mrkopalj is the Croatian Biathlon Centre Zagmajna, with 4.5 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails and a biathlon shooting range. These regional offerings complement the hiking options without equating the shorter ascent from Tuk Vojni with the trail from Mrkopalj.
Mrkopalj is considered the cradle of Croatian skiing. Croatia’s first ski jumping hill, “Pod Vrhin,” was built there in 1934. The Historical and Ethnographic Collection of Mrkopalj opened in 2017 in the centre of Mrkopalj, on the first floor of the cultural centre. It includes more than 550 historical photographs and approximately 200 old objects. Exhibits include a document on the establishment of the parish in 1771, a design for the “Pod Vrhin” ski jumping hill from 1933, as well as handmade skis, ski poles, snowshoes, and a rescue sled. The dates and objects span a period from the history of the parish to the early plans for skiing.
Religious and historical sites are also part of the wider destination of Općina Mrkopalj. The Calvary in Mrkopalj consists of three crosses with bronze sculptures. Pilgrims visit the Church of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows in Mrkopalj every year on the third Sunday in September. Matić poljana is a memorial site with 26 stones commemorating 26 soldiers who died in a snowstorm in February 1944.
For a glimpse of regional produce, a green market is held year-round in Mrkopalj, featuring about a dozen local producers from Gorski Kotar. Check the specific market schedule before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Begovo Razdolje, Mrkopalj, Brestova Draga, Sunger.
View the wider travel overview: Općina Mrkopalj.
