Hiking from the Julian Alps to the Adriatic Sea in Slovenia

Hiking from the Julian Alps to the Adriatic Sea in Slovenia 11 Days

From $4695 USD

Trip URL: www.adventurelink.com/

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Overview

Highlights

Duration: 11 Days
Comfort: 66.6666666666667%
Language: English
Rating: 80.0%
Trip ID: 88622
Start Location: ljubljana-slovenia
End Location: ljubljana-slovenia

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Primary Activities: Hiking
Other Activities: Caving, Local Culture & Cuisine, castle
Activity Level: Intermediate

Nestled between Austria and Italy, Slovenia is a superb hiking destination, from the ridgetop trails that cross the snow-capped Julian Alps to the outrageously picturesque Logarska Dolina, a stunning glacier-carved valley flanked by the sheer peaks of the Kamniske-Savinja Alps. As we make our way from the mountains to the sea, we head out on airy alpine paths above treeline, follow riverside trails through dramatic canyons, hike along mountain-ringed lakes, and delight in Slovenia’s traditional villages and historic towns, including Kobarid, immortalized in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms. Our trip ends on the shimmering blue Adriatic, where the Venetian port of Piran beckons us with its Gothic-Venetian architecture, tiny squares, and waterfront cafes.

What the Trip is Like: This trip is rated Level 3, Moderate. It is a hiking journey with day hikes of four to six hours on most days over moderate to steep mountain terrain. You will carry just a daypack on the hikes. The hiking itinerary is planned as we have described it in the preceding pages. However, as in any mountain trip, we will remain flexible with regard to weather and other local conditions in choosing our routes. Most of our driving is on narrow mountain roads. We have several days with early starts (ready to go by 8 a.m.!). The food in Slovenia is varied and excellent. Logarska Dolina and Bohinj have an Austrian influence, while the Soca River and Adriatic regions are Italian in style, with seafood and pasta. Wine is excellent throughout the country. In the north, there are mostly dry white wines, and as we approach the coast, more reds are produced in the Vipava Valley and the coast. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 PM. We stay in a variety of hotels, from a chalet-style lodge in Logarska to a family-run hotel in Kobarid.

Note: We recommend that trip members arrive in Ljubljana the night before. We are happy to book extra nights at our recommended hotel.

Itinerary

Day 1: Ljubljana, Slovenia

We meet at 3:00 pm at our hotel in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, a fairytale town of red-tile roofs dominated by a hilltop castle. The jade-green Ljubljana River, criss-crossed by arched stone bridges, snakes through this sophisticated town, one of Europe’s smallest and most charming capitals. There is a lively arts and sidewalk café scene along the river in the summer, and the pedestrianfriendly Old Center is a treasure-trove of Baroque and Hapsburg architecture. We enjoy a city walking tour, passing the markets along the river as we make our way up to Ljubljana’s castle high above the Old Center of the city. After a trip orientation, we enjoy our Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Ljubljana...D

Approximate Walking Time: 3 hours

Note: We recommend that trip members arrive in Ljubljana the night before. We are happy to book extra nights at our recommended hotel.

Lodging: Antiq Hotel
Description: A small and charming hotel in Ljubljana’s Old Town, the Antiq sits on beautiful, quiet Gornji Trg square, right at the base of the town’s imposing medieval castle. Every guest room in this historic hotel is a bit different in size and configuration but they are all well appointed. It’s a short walk along the green Ljubljana River to the exquisite Triple Bridge and Preseren Square, the hub of the capital.

Day 2: Ptuj

A morning drive through a rural landscape brings us to the charming old city of Ptuj. Set along the Drava River, Ptuj was an important stop on the amber route during the Middle Ages. It is the oldest town in Slovenia, dating from Roman times. We explore Ptuj’s pedestrian-friendly medieval center and visit its Roman museum, enjoy lunch in a wine cellar, then head out for an afternoon hike through picturesque rolling vineyard country. Overnight at hotel in Ptuj...BLD

Approximate Walking Time: 3 hours, mostly on a gravel road winding among the vineyards.

Lodging: Hotel Mitra
Description: The only hotel in the medieval district of the tiny town of Ptuj, the Mitra is housed in a cozy historic building that offers simple but comfortable rooms. There’s a cafe-bar downstairs and the hotel offers a small spa as well as a wine cellar.

Day 3: Ptuj / Logarska Dolina / Robanov Kot

After a visit to Ptuj’s ancient castle, we drive to Logarska Dolina, with a stop at a local farm for lunch. Logarska Dolina is a magnificent glacial valley of emerald meadows flanked by steep limestone peaks. One of the most stunning natural settings in Europe, it is also a national park dotted with traditional farmsteads dating back hundreds of years. For our afternoon hike, we head to the neighboring alpine valley of Robanov Kot, which lies just off the Upper Savinja Valley. No road leads through this valley, making it a peaceful place to hike and admire views of the towering peaks of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. Overnight at hotel in Logarska Dolina...BLD

Approximate Hiking Time: 3-4 hours, through a glacial valley and along meadows beneath the peaks.

Lodging: Hotel Plesnik
Description: With delightful chalet styling, the Plesnik has a great location in a beautiful and unspoiled mountain valley below the mighty summits of the Kamnisko-Savinian Alps. There’s a great view from the hotel terrace out to the valley’s flower-filled meadows. The rooms are comfortable, and we can take advantage of the sauna, whirlpool, and indoor pool for relaxing at the end of our hiking day.

Day 4: Logarska Dolina

We have two hiking options today. A leisurely hike brings us to the neighboring alpine valley of Robanov Kot, which lies just off the Upper Savinja Valley. No road leads through this valley, making it a peaceful place to hike and admire views of the towering peaks of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. A longer hike leads to the magnificent 300-foot Rinka waterfall, the highest single unbroken waterfall in Slovenia. After a picnic lunch, we climb above the waterfall, pass the source of the Savinja River, and have tea at a mountain hut surrounded by stunning alpine peaks. Overnight at hotel in Logarska Dolina...BLD

Approximate Hiking Time: 4-6 hours, on rocky trails

Lodging: Hotel Plesnik
Description: With delightful chalet styling, the Plesnik has a great location in a beautiful and unspoiled mountain valley below the mighty summits of the Kamnisko-Savinian Alps. There’s a great view from the hotel terrace out to the valley’s flower-filled meadows. The rooms are comfortable, and we can take advantage of the sauna, whirlpool, and indoor pool for relaxing at the end of our hiking day.

Day 5: Jezersko / Radovljica / Lake Bled

An hour’s drive brings us across the Austrian border to the high mountain village of Jezersko, where we enjoy a walk around a small alpine lake. We continue to the lovely Renaissance town of Radovljica, known for its Museum of Apiculture (beekeeping). We visit this fascinating museum, housed in a restored Baroque mansion, to see its working beehive and unique beehive folk art. Our afternoon hike brings us through the steep Vintgar Gorge, where the blue-green waters of the Radovna River flow in cascades and rapids and clear, peaceful pools. The gorge ends at the delightful Sum waterfall, the highest in Slovenia. Later we take a gondola across Lake Bled to visit the exquisite island-church at the center. Overnight at hotel in Lake Bled...BLD.

Approximate Hiking Time: 3-4 hours, along a trail in the river gorge

Lodging: Grand Hotel Toplice
Description: This historic hotel, celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2011, has lots of Old World charm and is the only hotel right on the shores of Lake Bled. The hotel’s bar and lounge have stunning lake views, as do the swimming pool and the dock with its comfy lounge chairs for sunbathing. You can walk out of the hotel right onto a pathway the circles the lake. There is an elegant tea service in the afternoon, and the buffet breakfast is plentiful and delicious.

Day 6: Lake Bohinj / Mostnica Gorge/ Lake Bled

Starting from Lake Bohinj, ringed by the snow-capped peaks of the Julian Alps, our morning hike brings us through the dappled light of beech forests as we follow trails up along the tumbling and translucent green Mostnica River as it cuts through the Mostnica Gorge. We enjoy lunch mid-hike at an alpine hut that offers traditional Slovenian soups and homemade desserts. After lunch, we return to Bled for an afternoon at leisure to explore the charming lakeside town and enjoy the atmosphere of the lake and its backdrop of snow-tipped mountains. Overnight in Bled...BLD

Approximate Hiking Time: 4-5 hours, on a rocky forest path

Lodging: Grand Hotel Toplice
Description: This historic hotel, celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2011, has lots of Old World charm and is the only hotel right on the shores of Lake Bled. The hotel’s bar and lounge have stunning lake views, as do the swimming pool and the dock with its comfy lounge chairs for sunbathing. You can walk out of the hotel right onto a pathway the circles the lake. There is an elegant tea service in the afternoon, and the buffet breakfast is plentiful and delicious.

Day 7: Vrata Valley / Kobarid

We follow the clear waters of the Triglavska Bistrica River and head up a picturesque path to the Pericnik waterfall. Vrata (which means “door”) is a glacial valley at the base of the majestic Triglav North Face (Triglav is Slovenia’s highest peak). We end our hike at the glorious North Triglav Wall, and we enjoy our lunch on the terrace of an alpine hut with splendid views. This afternoon, we drive over Vrsic Pass (5,328'), the highest pass in Slovenia, to arrive in the Soca Valley and Kobarid, a small but historic town where little has changed since Ernest Hemingway centered his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms here. Set above the green Soca River, Kobarid retains its Italian flavor, set around a small main square. In Hemingway’s time, the town was in Italian
control and called Caporetto. Overnight in Kobarid...BLD

Approximate Hiking Time: 4 hours, along a rocky trail along the river

Kobarid: Kobarid has the same historic significance to Italians as Verdun does to the French or Somme to the British. In ten days of fierce fighting, the Italians were pushed back from Kobarid to the northern Italian plains near Venice with great loss of life. A two-mile Kobarid Historical Walk leads to various bridges, monuments, and fortifications along the route. Above the town is the Italian Charnel House, opened in 1938, with Mussolini in attendance, to house the remains of 7,000 Italian soldiers.

Lodging: Hotel Hisa Franko
Description: We’ll dine on some of the best food in Slovenia at this family-run hotel near the beautiful Soca River. Valter and Anna, the husband-and-wife owners, prepare meals with ingredients fresh from their garden, and Valter keeps good wines in his cellar. Guest rooms are simple but nicely furnished. The staff is always helpful.

Day 8: Dreznica / Kobarid

Our morning hike brings us up a historic forest trail along the Soca River with spectacular views and onward to the peaceful village of Dreznica, dramatically set below Mt. Krn (7,300'). After lunch, we head back to Kobarid to visit its award-winning museum, set in a lovely Baroque house. The museum offers a gripping presentation of World War I as it was fought in the nearby Krn mountain range on the legendary Soca Front. It won Europe’s top museum award and beautifully captures the human story of this tiny village as it was swept up by the forces of history. Overnight in Kobarid...BLD

Approximate Hiking Time: 3 hours, on a forest path.

Lodging: Hotel Hisa Franko
Description: We’ll dine on some of the best food in Slovenia at this family-run hotel near the beautiful Soca River. Valter and Anna, the husband-and-wife owners, prepare meals with ingredients fresh from their garden, and Valter keeps good wines in his cellar. Guest rooms are simple but nicely furnished. The staff is always helpful.

Day 9: Soca River / Skocjan / Piran

We drive along the Soca River through wine country, with lunch in the town of Hrusevica, then continue to Skocjan for a walk through the vast underground world of the Skocjan Caves, a World Heritage Site. With eleven connected chambers full of stalactites and stalagmites, the caves are a fantastic example of Slovenia’s karst landscape. The rushing Reka River cascades through this underground world. The caves are located in Slovenia’s Kras district, from which comes the geological term “karst.” In the late afternoon, we continue to Piran, set at the end of a narrow, rocky peninsula. Dinner is on your own. We suggest a walk up to the cathedral above town for views out across the Adriatic toward Venice. Overnight in Piran...BL

Approximate Hiking Time: 3 hours

Piran: Slovenia's oldest coastal city, Piran features an Italian-influenced grand square and cobbled streets. With its medieval center intact, it is full of labyrinthine alleys and Venetian Gothic buildings nestled close to the blue sea. Waterfront cafes line the colorful seafront promenade.

Lodging: Hotel Tartini Piran
Description: Overlooking the harbor on the Adriatic Coast, this hotel has a great location for exploring the narrow lanes of the pedestrians-only district of Piran. Guest rooms have views over Tartini Square or over the harbor to the sea. The rooftop terrace is a great place to enjoy a drink while watching the sunset.

Day 10: Portoroz / Secovlje Salt Flats

The morning is free for independent exploration in lovely Piran. In the afternoon, we take a 30-minute boat to the southernmost part of Piran Bay to visit the coastal nature reserve at Secovlje, with its marshes and wading birds. This area contains ancient salt flats criss-crossed with dykes, channels, pools, and canals. Sea salt has been harvested here for hundreds of years, and we visit the interesting new Saltworks Museum (ranked as one of the top 12 museums in Europe) and have a guided walk of about an hour around the salt pans, where we see the traditional methods of extracted salt from sea water. From the 14th century onwards, salt from these particular salt pans was much sought after because of its purity and white color. Return to Piran by boat in the late afternoon and gather for our farewell dinner this evening. (Note: Depending on the weather and tides, the boat ride in Piran Bay may be in the morning, with the afternoon free.) Overnight in Piran...BD

Approximate Hiking Time: 1-2 hours, relatively level.

Lodging: Hotel Tartini Piran
Description: Overlooking the harbor on the Adriatic Coast, this hotel has a great location for exploring the narrow lanes of the pedestrians-only district of Piran. Guest rooms have views over Tartini Square or over the harbor to the sea. The rooftop terrace is a great place to enjoy a drink while watching the sunset.

Day 11: Ljubljana

After breakfast, we will provide a transfer to Ljubljana (about 2 hours) to connect with homeward-bound flights or other destinations in Europe ...B.

Nuts & Bolts

Trip Includes

Expert leadership of a Wilderness Travel Trip Leader and local guides
Accommodations in hotels and comfortable inns
All meals included except 1 lunch and 1 dinner
Ground transportation throughout the trip
Sightseeing and entrance fees on group tours

Trip Excludes

International airfare
Airport/hotel transfers
Any meals not specified in the Full Trip Brochure
Airport departure taxes
Optional tipping or gratuities to leaders or staff
Additional hotel nights that may be necessary due to airline schedule changes or other factors
Pre-trip expense of medical immunizations (if any)
Travel insurance or passports
And other expenses of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, telephone calls, etc.).

Trip ID#: 88622

CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

Operator

For the specifics on this tour operator, please contact AdventureLink directly.

Reviews (7)

Fred F.

Beautiful country, wonderful guides, very good group, good hikes!
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  80%
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Mary M.

Slovenia is beautiful and I highly recommend this trip.
- Overall Rating
  80%
- Guide Rating
  90%
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Jim and Jenna B.

One of the best trips I”ve taken in years—my 10th WT trip. From beginning to end, lots of variety.
- Overall Rating
  80%
- Guide Rating
  70%
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  50%
- Itinerary Rating
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Barry G.

This was a beautifully designed, well executed trip supported brilliantly by the two Trip Leaders and the van driver.
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  90%
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Jack and Priscilla H.

The landscapes, cityscapes, hiking, food, and guides were all wonderful.
- Overall Rating
  80%
- Guide Rating
  90%
- Value Rating
  50%
- Itinerary Rating
  70%
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  60%
Jane K.

A first class operation!
- Overall Rating
  70%
- Guide Rating
  80%
- Value Rating
  60%
- Itinerary Rating
  90%
- Accomodation Rating
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Jean L.

Thank you for a wonderful adventure! I had an overwhelmingly positive experience with all elements of this trip, and will certainly consider Wilderness Travel for future trips.
- Overall Rating
  80%
- Guide Rating
  80%
- Value Rating
  90%
- Itinerary Rating
  90%
- Accomodation Rating
  60%

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