Pictoresque Hiking in western Slovene Alps
A self-guided walking holiday in the heart of the Julian Alps and along its mountain peaks. This is a stunning mountain hike, taking you through breathtaking alpine scenery and its many natural attractions, including Lake Bled & Lake Bohinj. The tour is suitable for fit and experienced walkers. It requires some basic experience of walking at high mountain levels and along narrow trails. This tour is not suitable for children under 12 years.
As a pre-trip, you may consider our Slovene Alpine Pearls tour!
Itinerary
Day 1: ARRIVAL IN BLED
Bled is a popular town on the shore of a beautiful glacial lake with a combination of natural wonders and unique culture and history. Take a stroll around the lake and visit its unique island church and medieval castle perched upon the edge of a towering precipice.
Day 2: BLED – POKLJUKA HIGH PLATEAU (hard, 6 hrs, ↔ 14 km, ↑ 710 m, ↓ 640 m)
Starting in the verdant woodlands of the Pokljuka high plateau (1.280 m), today's walk leads you over fertile mountain pastures, through dense fir forests up to Lipanska Hut for a typical hikers' lunch. Then it's onward through the sweeping vistas of the Karavanke range, Pokljuka plateau, Krma valley and Bohinj mountains to the Pokljuka Biathlon Centre.
Day 3: POKLJUKA – PLANIKA HUT (hard, 7 hrs, ↔ 12 km, ↑ 1.140 m, ↓ 110 m)
Today it's to the peaks of Julian Alps and of the Triglav National Park. The trail slowly ascends to Vodnikov Dom hut, amid the glorious views of Mt. Triglav (Slovenia's highest mountain – 2864 m), and its neighbouring peaks. You will spend the night at Planika hut, right underneath the peak of Triglav. Additional nights can be booked here, should you want to climb Mt Triglav (the climb is partly a “via ferrata”, some alpine experience and a helmet are recommended).
(Today your main luggage gets collected at Pokljuka hotel and is delivered to your hotel in Bohinj, which you reach on day six).
Day 4: PLANIKA HUT – KOČA PRI TRIGLAVSKIH JEZERIH (hard, 6 hrs, ↔ 11 km, ↑ 230 m, ↓ 910 m)
You start today with a walk across the Hribarice pass (2358 m). Stop and admire the beauty of one of the Park’s seven lakes, Zeleno Jezero (Green Lake), before continuing on to enjoy a beautiful view into the rest of the Valley of the Triglav Lakes. A further three-hour hike brings you to the Koča pri Triglavskih Jezerih mountain hut on the shore of Double Lake.
Day 5: KOČA PRI TRIGLAVSKIH JEZERIH – KOMNA HUT (intermediate, 3 hrs, ↔ 8 km, ↑ 130 m, ↓ 300 m)
Walking in a westerly direction you will reach Black Lake - the lowest-lying and warmest of the seven Triglav lakes. It is named for its location in a basin in the middle of the forest, which stretches right to the edge of the Komarča rock face. End your day enjoying a great view of Bohinj Lake at sunset. (at this point a route detour can be made via our Goldhorn Trail in direction of Bovec, please contact us to discuss the options).
Day 6: KOMNA HUT - RIBČEV LAZ / BOHINJ VALLEY (intermediate, 5 hrs, ↔ 16 km, ↑ 60 m, ↓ 1.050 m)
Today you'll visit Savica Waterfall, one of the most famous and popular in Slovenia. An alpine karst spring flows to the top of the waterfall and then cascades 78 meters and subsequently feeds the mighty Lake Bohinj. Then you can ascend Mt. Vogel (1532 m) with a cable car and enjoy a perfect panoramic view of the Julian Alps over a piping hot stew. A walk along the northern shore of Bohinj lake will bring you to Ribčev Laz village, where you can warm your blood with delicious homemade schnapps in the local bars.
Day 7: RIBČEV LAZ – UPPER BOHINJ VALLEY – RIBČEV LAZ (medium, 5 hrs, ↔ 13 km, ↑↓ 480 m)
Time to rest or enjoy at the lake. Possibility of an additional tour to the upper Bohinj valley. Through idyllic villages you climp to Rudnica hill, which dominates the valley and offers a farewell view od the lake and the mountains you hiked.
Day 8: DEPARTURE
After breakfast or extension of your stay.
Note that tour program might be changed in case of bad weather.
Price
Price: 845 EUR per person in a double room sharing
(Currency converter here)
Tour is not suitable for children under 12 years.
Price includes:
• accommodation: four nights in 3* or 4* hotels; three nights in dormitories inside mountain huts, bed & breakfast. Linen in mountain huts is included
• car transfers on day 2
• luggage transfers between hotels (one piece per person, max 20 kgs / 45 lb). During high altitude walks, from day 3 to day 6 clients need to carry own clothing / personal items with them and main luggage is stored at the Helia office
• information pack including detailed route description and corresponding maps in electronic form
• GPS data
• local tourist and other taxes
• welcome meeting upon arrival
• backup service (hotline) during the walk
Supplements:
• single travellers 190 EUR
• single room (in hotels only) 145 EUR
• extra night in Planika hut 50 EUR (BB including linen)
• guided ascent of Mt. Triglav (extra night at Planika hut required) 1-3 persons 450 EUR including equipment and IFGMA licenced guide
• printed infomation package in English including route notes and corresponding maps delivered upon arrival 30 EUR
Additional nights:
• 4* Hotel in Bled 105 EUR per person per night in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 170 EUR
• 4* Hotel in Bohinj 95 EUR per person per night in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 140 EUR
Not included: flights, entrance fees, meals not mentioned in itinerary, drinks with dinners and lunches, cable car ride to Vogel high plateau
Transfers:
Ljubljana Airport to Bled
1–3 persons: 75 EUR
4–8 persons: 105 EUR
Ljubljana City to Bled
1–3 persons: 100 EUR
4–8 persons: 140 EUR
Villach to Bled
1–3 persons: 140 EUR
4–8 persons: 160 EUR
Klagenfurt Airport to Bled
1–3 persons: 190 EUR
4–8 persons: 230 EUR
Lesce Bled Railway Station to Bled
1–3 persons: 20 EUR
4–8 persons: 30 EUR
Bohinj to Ljubljana Airport
1–3 persons: 130 EUR
4–8 persons: 170 EUR
Bohinj to Ljubljana City
1–3 persons: 150 EUR
4–8 persons: 190 EUR
Bohinj to Kranjska Gora
1–3 persons: 130 EUR
4–8 persons: 170 EUR
Other transfer routes prices on request
Accommodation
Helia supports responsible travel. On our trips we therefore use small, authentic hotels, guesthouses and alpine huts with character operated by locals or their families. Here you can find the list of standard accommodation we primarily use on the trip. The actual hotels / alpine huts may differ from this list, depending on time of booking and rooms / dormitory availability.
Day 1 4* Hotel Triglav / Hotel Rikli Balance Bled
Day 2 3* Hotel Center / Pokljuka
Day 3 Planika mountain hut, dormitory
Day 4 Seven Triglav lakes mountain hut, dormitory
Day 5 Komna mountain hut, dormitory
Day 6 4* Hotel Kristal Ribcev Laz / Bohinj
Day 7 4* Hotel Triglav / Park Hotel Bled
Travel options
Starting point of this trip is Lake Bled in NW Slovenia.
Getting there...
By plane: closest airport is Ljubljana (LJU). Several airlines serve it (check connections here). From the airport you can travel to Bled by bus (change once, takes about 2 hrs) or book our transfer (faster - 20 mins) - please ask us for a favorable quote!
By train: Bled has two railway stations: Lesce-Bled on the Villach - Ljubljana mainline, 4 kms from town centre, you'd need to take a local bus. The other option is Bled-Jezero on the Jesenice - Nova Gorica sideline; only a few trains a day. 2 kms away from town centre.
By bus: Flixbus stops at Lake Bled.
By car: take exit Lesce from A1 motorway Ljubljana - Jesenice. Please consult us about parking options in Bled.
... and away
Simple, use one of the above options or - cycle away: consider our cycling trip Best Of Slovenia!
