Brzika - Donačka gora (harder path)

Access to starting point:
A) We drive to Rogaška Slatina, and then we continue driving towards Rogatec. In Rogatec at the roundabout we go to the exit "left" in the direction of Ptuj, and then we drive on the main road to mountain pass Brzika, where we notice red hiking signposts, by which we park on an appropriate place.
B) We drive to Majšperk, and then we follow the signs for Stoperce on Rogatec. After Stoperce the road starts ascending steeper, and we follow it to mountain pass Brzika, where we notice red hiking signposts, by which we park on an appropriate place.

Path description:
From the starting point, we go on a macadam road which from the starting point branches off towards the east and by which there are signs for Rudijev dom and Donačka gora. A short time we walk on a macadam road, and before the road lightly descends to the nearby house we go slightly left on a cart track which ascends diagonally by the edge of the meadow. A little further, we continue on the lower cart track, by which there are signs for Rudijev dom, and then along the grazing fence we ascend to a smaller saddle, which is connecting Gaj (454 meters) and Ženčaj (582 meters).
On the saddle, we go right and we walk to a wider macadam road which we follow to the left. The path ahead leads us on a macadam road which is mostly gently to moderately ascending, only on a shorter part for some time descends a little. Higher, the road turns right and then it brings us to a crossroad, where we go sharply left following the signs for Rudijev dom. Next follows few minutes of a diagonal ascent through the forest, and when we leave the forest, we go right and on a poorly beaten footpath which leads us through a meadow, we ascend to the hunting observatory, which is situated on a saddle, which is connecting Donačka gora and Ženčaj.
Here the path turns a little to the left and it ascends diagonally, and at the nearby house, the path widens into a forest road, on which we continue to few minutes distant mountain hut Rudijev dom.
From the mountain hut Rudijev dom we continue left in the direction of the peak Donačka gora (right - Sveti Jurij, Rogatec and source of Sotla) and at first, we walk on a macadam road. From the road at first an easier path branches off to the right on Donačka gora, and we continue on the road to the left hairpin turn, where we leave the road and we continue straight and further we walk on a cart track which crosses northern slopes of Donačka gora. Next follows a shorter diagonal ascent and we ascend on a small indistinct saddle by Joški vrh, where we continue straight (left - Joški vrh), and then follows few shorter descents and ascents on the northern slope of Donačka gora. Before the cart track descends to the nearby turning point of the forest road, we go slightly right in the direction of the harder path on Donačka gora.
Next follows some more of steep ascent and we get to the next crossing, where we go right in the direction of Donačka gora (left - Kupčinji Vrh, straight - mountain pass Vrhe and Žetale), and at the next crossing we go once again right.
We again continue in the direction of Donačka gora, and the path gradually passes on a steep and mainly in wet for slipping dangerous slopes, on which we are mostly diagonally ascending. Further, we also get to a shorter technically demanding part, where at steep ascent on a rocky slope we get help from a steel cable. When the steep demanding ascent ends we reach the main ridge of Donačka gora, where the path splits.
We continue left (right - the main peak) and we quickly get to the precipitous eastern peak of Donačka gora.
From the eastern peak we return to the last crossing, and then we continue on a marked path which continues a little to the left from the ridge. Next follows few shorter ascents and descents, on the path which occasionally leads on a quite steep slope, where mainly in wet there is a greater danger of slipping. Such a path after approximately 20 minutes from the eastern peak brings us on for one meter higher western peak of Donačka gora.
Brzika - Rudijev dom 1:00, Rudijev dom - eastern peak of Donačka gora 1:15, eastern peak of Donačka gora - western peak of Donačka gora 0:20.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in April 2022.

On the way: Rudijev dom na Donački gori (590m), Donačka gora (eastern peak) (883m)