Day 2: After breakfast we will head northwest to the province of Gorenjska which encompasses Triglav National Park and the Julian Alps. En route to the start of our hike we will stop briefly at Lake Bled. With its fairytale island church and mountainside castle set against a backdrop of distant mountain peaks, it’s one of the most picturesque lakes in Slovenia.

From Bled, we continue to Kranjska Gora, close to the Italian and Austrian borders and home to the Slovenian World cup ski center. Following the International hiking route of the Via Alpina, we will have a pleasant walk through the Tamar Valley. We will spend the night at the Tamar hut surrounded by majestic peaks where the source of the Nadiza waterfall can be seen. This waterfall, emerging from a bare rock face on the side of the mountain Zadnja Ponco(7,353’), is the first source of the river Sava Dolinka, one of the larger tributary’s of the Danube.

Day 3: Continuing along the Via Alpina, today we will cross first the Sleme pass (6,261), and then Vrsic Pass (5,330’), at one time the border between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As we leave the hut and climb steadily through the larch trees and boulders to Sleme, we will be surrounded by classic alpine scenery of high mountain pastures, waterfalls, and white limestone rock. Reaching our highest elevation of the day, we will be rewarded with views of the Tamar Valley and Jalovec (8,675), one of Slovenia’s highest mountains.

As we continue on to Vrsic, Slovenia’s only true alpine road pass, we will have views to the northwest of the Mala Pisnica Valley and the mountains of Austria in the distance. This road was originally built by the Russian POW’s during World War I, encompassing 50 hairpin turns, it is quite impressive. From Vrsic a scenic hike brings us to our hut at the source of the Soca River, “The Emerald Beauty”.

Day 4: The Soca Valley, carved into the white limestone of the Julian Alps, boasts an array of wonderful colors with its waterfalls, pools, ravines and canyons. It also has its own distinct flora and fauna, including the marble trout. Today we will follow alongside the Soca River, one of the most unspoiled rivers in the Alps, famous for its magical emerald green color and quite rare because it retains this color for its entire length of 96 kilometers. Along the way we will visit the Alpine botanical garden Juliana and end our day in the Lepena Valley at a small hotel.

Day 5: The upper Soca valley is surrounded by exquisite alpine scenery. This is the most western part of Triglav national park. Like parts of the Dolomites, this area saw quite a bit of fighting during WWI and was used as a setting in Hemingway’s “Farewell to Arms”. Relics from these battles are still visible as we hike along an old Italian route leading to Krnska Lake. This idyllic alpine lake Krnsko jezero (4’542’), nestled at the foot of the towering peak of Velika Lemez, is the largest alpine lake in Slovenia. In the distance, Mt. Krn(7,360’) can be seen, a very distinct peak of the Julian Alps. Continuing up to Lanzovica(6,569’), our three-hour climb rewards us with views of impressive white limestone peaks, including Mahavscek(6,586’) and Bogatin(6,484’). From here we descend to the Komna Plateau where our hut sits on a ridge high above the Bohinj Valley.

Day 6: We’ll have more of a gentle hike today, hiking across the upper rim of the scenic Lopucniska Valley, high above Bohinj Lake. Passing through a variety of different landscapes first arriving at Black Lake(4,244’), the first of the famous Valley of Seven Lakes, then Double Lake(5,497’). Set in this spectacular setting of dark green lakes, limestone peaks and pastures littered with giant boulders, is our mountain hut, where we will spend the night in dormitory-style lodging.

Day 7: After breakfast and traditional mountain tea, a little different at each hut, we will begin to slowly descend to Planina pri jezeru, our destination today. Meandering along the trail with wide open views of pastures and the surrounding mountains, we will have glimpses of Lake Bohinj in the distance. The lake, the largest body of water in Slovenia, is beautifully situated between the wooded slopes of Mernci, Prsicec and Vogar mountains with Slovenia’s most famous waterfall, Savica, at its head. Continuing on our way we pass by Visevnik, a scenic planina (open pasture) scattered with wooden huts beneath the cliffs of Griva. Another 30 minutes brings us to our hut, Planina pri Jezeru, overlooking its own small lake, and surrounded by spruce forests(1,453’).

Day 8: Leaving early, we will be hiking through picturesque forests and pastures where we will have a chance to see the unique shepherd’s way of life. Climbing much of the day, we will be rewarded with views of Triglav(8,938’), Slovenia’s highest mountain, as we reach the Vodnikov dom hut(5,959’). The hut, where many climbers begin their climbs on Triglav (7,462’) and the surrounding peaks, sits on a small terrace at the foot of the west slope of Tosc, overlooking the green valley below.

Day 9: Today we will descend to Bohinj, aiming to get a touch of the fresh crystalline clear water of the alpine lake. With Mount Triglav behind us we leave the Kingdom of the Goldenhorn, named for the chamois with the golden horn as legend tells us, that lived in these mountains. Along the way as we head towards the Voje Valley and its waterfall, we follow this beautiful route with a variety of landscapes giving us wonderful views of the surrounding peaks. We finish our hike walking alongside a deep gorge carved by the Mostnica River, and crossing Devil’s bridge high above the gorge. We will spend the night in a hotel near the shore of the Lake Bohinj and enjoy our farewell dinner with an opportunity to sample some traditional specialties: homemade cheese and a glass of Slovenian wine.

Day 10: The trip will end after breakfast with a group transfer to back to Ljubljana Airport.

If you would like to spend an extra night(s) in Ljubljana before the trip start or after the trip end, please let us know when you book your trip and we will make reservations at the same hotel.