The Karst plateau around Lipica gives both the horse breed and the geological term their names. The landscape is striking: bare white limestone outcrops pushing through thin soil, dotted with scrubby oak and pine, cut by dry valleys and sudden sinkholes where the ground opens into underground cave systems. It looks harsh but has a spare beauty, particularly in the late afternoon when the light catches the pale rock.
Walking or cycling through the karst around the stud farm is worthwhile in itself. The terrain is flat enough to cover easily on foot, and several marked paths lead through the landscape. The underground river systems that created the caves also feed some of the most dramatic cave scenery in Europe — the Skocjan Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lie about 10 km to the northeast and make an obvious half-day extension from Lipica.