Hiking the Famous Trail Around the Julian Alps
This popular hiking tour takes you on a walk around the southeastern section of the Julian Alps. The trails leads through bucolic valleys, across green plateaus, over high passes, along hidden paths of sparsely populated areas, through small tourist centres on the outskirts of the mountains. It follows the Sava, Bača, and Tolminka rivers. Throughout most of the hike, Slovenia's highest mountain Triglav is visible from all sides. Along the way, you will discover the history of ironworks in Slovenia, get to know the homes of the great Slovenian writers and poets and learn about the importance of beekeeping in the past and today. You will get to meet ordinary people who live on secluded farms, meet cheesemakers who create their own products. Those interested in history will enjoy learning about major events here in the First and Second World War.
A collection of the most spectacular, different grade walks, from medium to hard, it features walks along mountain ridges, meadows and valley floors, slowly progressing from east to west.
Itinerary
Day 1: ARRIVAL IN BLED
Bled is situated on the shore of a beautiful glacial lake. View its magical island church and clifftop castle at sunrise or sunset to see why it has earned a place as one of Slovenia's most popular attractions. Take a stroll around the lake and hike up to Mala Osojnica viewpoint at the western end for an beautiful view of Bled from above.
Day 2: BLED - GORELJEK / POKLJUKA HIGH PLATEAU (intermediate, 7 hrs, ↔ 21 km, ↑ 866 m, ↓ 91 m)
In the morning, leave the Slovenian pearl and start hiking Juliana Trail towards the Julian Alps through the idyllic subalpine village of Gorje. The main attraction of the day is the fabulous Pokljuka Gorge - a nature reserve and protected natural biotope. You will spend the night among the flowering alpine meadows.
Day 3: GORELJEK / POKLJUKA HIGH PLATEAU - STARA FUZINA / BOHINJ VALLEY (intermediate, 5 hrs, ↔ 22 km, ↑ 280 m, ↓ 1,005 m)
Today you will descend from mountain pastures into the stunning Bohinj valley that awaits below. As you pass through the quaint villages along the way, you can visit a small alpine museum. Your final destination is the beautiful alpine Lake Bohinj, framed in a dead-end valley by the Julian Alps. Before dinner, you can treat yourself to a panoramic cruise around the lake.
Day 4: STARA FUZINA / BOHINJ VALLEY - BOHINJSKA BISTRICA (easy, 2:30 hrs, ↔ 11.3 km, ↑ 103 m, ↓ 151 m)
An easy stage of hiking is ahead of you today. Say goodbye to the lake and walk through the nearby village pastures to Bohinjska Bistrica. Your hotel is famous for its wellness programs. In this small town, you can relax and prepare for the more demanding stages ahead.
Day 5: BOHINJSKA BISTRICA - PODBRDO (hard, 8 hrs, ↔ 13.7 km, ↑ 770 m, ↓ 763 m)
The Juliana Trail Southeast wing today stage ahead is more demanding, but you will be rewarded for the effort. From Bistrica, past the former ski resort, you ascend to Baška sedlo. Here you will be able to treat yourself to a snack "on top of the world". From the saddle you will enjoy the most beautiful views of the whole tour. They reach into the near and far mountain surroundings. In the afternoon you will descend to the small town of Podbrdo and spend a peaceful night here.
Day 6: PODBRDO - GRAHOVO (hard, 6:30 hrs, ↔ 17.1 km, ↑ 1,308 m, ↓ 879 m)
If you love solitude, nature and silence, then you will love this stage of the hike. It leads through places where, apart from the locals, visitors rarely stumble. High above the valley of the river Bača you will walk and enjoy the mountain trails and meet the friendly locals who live in these remote places.
Day 7: GRAHOVO - TOLMIN (intermediate / easy, 5:30 hrs, ↔ 21.9 km, ↑ 884 m, ↓ 1,013 m)
All Slovenes know the valley you will hike today. The first Slovenian feature film with sound was shot here - a story about dedicated partisans who fought hard against their occupiers. The route leads along many monuments from the First and Second World Wars. In the afternoon you reach the river Soča. Before the end of the day, you can take a boat ride along its famous turquoise lake.
Day 8: DEPARTURE
After breakfast or extension of your stay. You may wish to continue hiking onward our Northwestern loop of Juliana Trail. You can also continue along the famous Alpe Adria Trail.
Price
Price per person based on two people sharing:
Low season: April 29 to May 19 and September 23 to October 7, 2023: 810 EUR
High season: May 20 to September 24, 2023: 870 EUR
(Currency converter)
Price includes:
• seven nights accommodation in above-mentioned hotels 3* / guesthouses 2* in a two-bed room with WC and shower, on a bed & breakfast basis
• luggage transfer between overnight accommodation (one piece max 20 kgs / 45 lb per person)
• comprehensive information pack including route description and maps in electronic form
• GPS data
• local tourist and other taxes
• welcome meeting upon arrival
• backup service (hotline) during the walk
Supplements:
• single travelers 230 EUR
• single room 155 EUR
• printed information 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
• 3* Hotel in Tolmin 75 EUR per person per night in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 90 EUR
Discounts:
• children up to 5 years: free of charge when sharing bed and room with parents
• children from 5 to 12 years: 40% discount on basic price when sleeping on auxiliary bed, sharing room with parents
• children from 5 to 12 years: 20% discount on basic price when sleeping on regular bed, sharing room with parents
• third person in a double room on auxiliary bed: 10% discount only for the third person
Not included: flights, entrance fees, meals not mentioned in itinerary, drinks with meals
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
Tolmin to Bled
1–3 persons: 90 EUR
4–8 persons: 120 EUR
Other transfer routes prices on request
Accommodation
Helia supports responsible travel. On our trips we therefore use small, authentic hotels and guesthouses 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 may differ from this list, depending on time of booking and rooms availability.
Day 1 4* Hotel Triglav / Hotel Rikli Balance Bled
Day 2 3* Hotel Center / Pokljuka
Day 3 3* Guesthouse Mihovec Stara Fuzina / Bohinj
Day 4 4* Bohinj Eco Hotel / Bohinjska Bistrica
Day 5 3* Guesthouse Apartments Utrinek / Podbrdo
Day 6 2* Guesthouse Pri Brišarju / Grahovo
Day 7 3* Hotel Dvorec / Tolmin
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 - please ask us for a favourable quote!
By train: Bled has two railway stations: Lesce-Bled on the Villach - Ljubljana mainline, 4 km from town centre, you'd need to take a local bus. The other option is station Bled-Jezero on the Jesenice - Nova Gorica sideline; only a few trains a day. 2 km away from town centre.
By bus: Flixbus stops at Bled.
By car: take exit Lesce from A1 motorway Ljubljana - Jesenice. Long term parking is available in Bled, but has to be booked in advance, please consult us.
... and away
Return transfer: from Tolmin to Bled - please ask us for a favorable quote!
