Guest Post – The Best Hikes in Slovenia

The Best Hikes in Slovenia

A guest post by Mike Jensen from The AdvenTourist

Slovenia’s landscape is completely dominated by mountains. With the Julian Alps, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the Dinarides and the Karawanks, there’s no shortage of tall peaks, thrilling trails and good old enjoyment in the great outdoors. And let’s not forget about the numerous enchanting lakes, which make for an excellent home base for a hiking trip through Slovenia.

From the towering peaks of Triglav National Park to the great plains of the Big Pasture Plateau – we bring you the best hikes in Slovenia!

Lake Bled

Lake Bled is easily Slovenia’s most visited natural attraction. The picturesque lake lies in the Julian Alps in the northwest of the country, and serves as an excellent base for exploring the many hiking trails in the area. Slovenia’s most famous lake is known for the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria, which lies on a tiny island in middle of the lake. You can find some truly amazing viewpoints very close to the lake. Perhaps the most popular viewpoint is Mala Ostojnica. It’s a rather short hike to the top of the viewpoint, but the trail is very challenging. It is steep and very narrow at times, and you will need some good hiking shoes to complete it. This is a great trek for those that want to hit a quick but challenging trek, which rewards you with absolutely breathtaking views.

Lake Bohinj

Located in Triglav National Park, Lake Bohinj is another excellent home base during your time in Slovenia. There are many chalets and cottages around the lake, many of which are in close proximity to the trails in the area. There are also campgrounds, if you would prefer a more rugged experience. While there are plenty of longer more challenging hikes, there are also some shorter hikes that you can do even if you’re just visiting the area for a day. Definitely head to the Savica Waterfall. It’s only 25-30 minutes away from the lake, and the trek suitable for hikers of all abilities. It includes quite a lot of rocky steps, and magical waterfall views at the top. As long as you wear appropriate footwear, this hike should be a piece of cake!

Mt. Triglav

Triglav is the highest peak in Slovenia, and the best destination for those who are looking for a real challenge. There are several different trails you can take to the top of the mountain, and it is best to choose the one best suited to your fitness level and hiking experience. The ascent normally takes two days to complete and you can spend the night in one of the mountain huts, which can be found on all the different trails. While it is possible to complete the ascent in one day, this would only be recommended for people that are very experienced climbers with strong endurance.

The climb from Vrata Valley is what we recommend to hikers and climbers that are really looking to challenge themselves and complete the hike in a single day. It is one of the hardest ascents, and it requires you to climb one of the three via ferratas, all of which have varying levels of difficulty. Intermediate and casual hikers should instead begin their journey in Krma Valley. This is the most popular trail to Triglav, and it is often used for winter ascents since it doesn’t have much technical difficulty. It does include a 400m via ferrata climb, but it is still suitable for people with little hiking experience.

Vršič Pass

Located northwest of Mt Triglav, the Vršič Pass is the highest road pass in the country, connecting the region of Bovec to Kranjska Gora. This road is commonly known as Ruska cesta (Russian Road), because it was built by Russian war prisoners, during WWI. The hiking trail takes you from this pass to the top of the Vršič peak. It is a short, one-hour hike, suitable even for those with no hiking experience. Although it’s a short hike, the views from the top are enough to make you want to stay there for hours after you’ve reached the top.

Vršič Pass is also the starting point of another hiking trail, which leads to Slemenova Špica. The trail starts at the top of the Vršič Pass (close to the parking lot), and takes you through Vratica Saddle to Slemenova Špica and its stunning viewpoints. The round-trip hike is some 3-4 hours long, depending on your level of fitness. The first 40-50 minutes of the trail feature the steepest ascent, which is still not remarkably difficult.

Soča Trail

The Valley of Soča is southwest of Mt Triglav, and it is home to some amazing hiking trails. This is a great spot for casual hikers; there are several camps in the area where you can stay, and the hiking trails are not too challenging. The beginning of the Soča Trail is marked by the wooden hanging bridge at the beginning of the Soča Gorge. The trail is 25 kilometers long, and there are even guided tours during the summer. This is a great trail if you want to test your endurance, as it takes quite a long time to complete. But the terrain is not too challenging, so it should be suitable even for those that have little hiking experience. At least in the summer months.

Velika Planina (Big Pasture Plateau)

The trail that leads to the top of Velika Planina is another great hike you shouldn’t skip. It is quite different from the tall peaks of Triglav National Park, because it doesn’t end in scenic views from high up in the mountains. In fact, reaching the top rewards you with a vast plain with settlements – hence the name. Herdsmen live here during the summer, and they raise their cows and sheep, so don’t be surprised if you stumble upon these wonderful animals once you get to the top! The hike is about three hours long, and it requires passing a smaller peak first. It is a moderately challenging trail, with remarkable rewards once you reach its end (including homemade dairy products and fruits, which will help you recharge your batteries).

A cool thing about this hike is that there’s a cheat – you can take the cable car to the top, which reduces the hiking time from three hours to just one. This is great if you’re travelling with kids, or if you brought that annoying friend that’s always complaining that his feet hurt. No matter how you get there, the views when you reach the top will make the entire experience an unforgettable day in this wonderful country.

Mike is addicted to both adventure and travel, so decided to combine the two to form TheAdventourist. There he shares his journey from one adrenaline rush to another, always exploring new places as he goes. You can find him sharing his travels on Facebook.