Karavanke Range and Julian Alps in one hiking holiday
This self-guided walking tour is a collection of different grade walks. However - none of them have a climber's rating. You will be walking along mountain ridges, meadows and valley floors, slowly descending from east to west. You will be walking along mountain ridges, meadows and valley floors. It is picturesque alpine trail with stunning views at every turn. Suitable for experienced hikers.
Itinerary
Day 1: ARRIVAL in JEZERSKO
With its idyllic location in a basin between the towering Kamnik-Savinja Alps and Karavanke Mountains, on the border with Austria, the small romantic village of Jezersko will be the starting point for your hike. You will spend the next three nights here.
Day 2: JEZERSKO–ČEŠKA KOČA (round-walk, hard, 6 hrs, ↔ 12 km, ↑↓ 640 m)
Warm up hike to Češka koča. This hike leads to one of the oldest alpine huts in Slovenia (113 years old), sitting quietly in the imposing shadow of the north face of Mt Grintovec. Take a break here, have some lunch and enjoy majestic alpine peaks while soaking up the view of the two parallel valleys. Your return route takes you past the lovely Shepherds Lake and back to Jezersko.
Day 3: JEZERSKO–VIRNIKOV GRINTOVEC (hard, 7 hrs, ↔ 18 km, ↑↓ 760 m)
Today you hike up the northern side of the Kamnik Alps'–Virnikov Grintavec. A meadow and forest walk brings you to to an amazing viewpoint above Jezersko valley. With one foot in Slovenia and the other in Austria, you'll enjoy splendid view of Grintovec range arena.
Day 4: JEZERSKO–LJUBELJ–BEGUNJE (intermediate, 4 hrs, 12,5 km, ↑ 250 m, ↓ 700 m)
Car transfer to the starting point at Ljubelj, on the Austrian border. From here the trail leads through a short underground tunnel originally dug by merchants in order to reduce the travelling time between Carniola and Carinthia. As you emerge at the other side the trail then follows the old shepherd’s route before entering the peaceful Draga Valley, which takes you on your final leg into the historic village of Begunje. Begunje is also the home town of the famous Slavko Avsenik/Oberkrainer band. 2 kms down the road are the ruins of Kamen Castle.
Day 5: BEGUNJE–KARAVANKE RANGE–LAKE BLED (intermediate, 7 hrs, ↔ 13 km, ↑ 850 m, ↓ 790 m)
Day for a panoramic walk at the foot of Karavanke range. Morning ascent will bring you to tiny St. Peters church, built at an outlook observation point in days of Turkish raids. The days walk is an easy one, you can enjoy the quiet pastural nature and panoramic views of Julian Alps. The day, after a short car transfer, ends in Bled – a world famous town on the shore of a beautiful glacial lake, with its unique island church sitting proudly in the lake, and the castle perched high upon a cliff standing guard over the town.
Day 6: BLED–POKLJUKA HIGH PLATEAU (hard, 6 hrs, ↔ 14 km, ↑ 710 m, ↓ 640 m)
Car transfer to the beginning point, on top of Pokljuka high plateau (1280 m) – starting point of many hiking trails in Julian Alps. The hike will lead you over mountain pastures and through dense fir forests to up to Lipanska Hut. A typical hikers' lunch can be taken there. The afternoon walk will bring you along a panoramic route (excellent views of Karawanke range, Pokljuka plateau, Krma valley and Bohinj Mountains) to biathlon centre of Pokljuka where you stay for the night.
Day 7: POKLJUKA–USKOVNICA SADLE–LAKE BOHINJ (intermediate, 5 hrs, ↔ 12 km, ↑ 30 m ↓ 200 m)
From the Pokljuka Plateau, you will begin your hike across mountain pastures and old farmhouses, where you will come to a viewing point providing glorious views into the Bohinj Valley. As you descend you can stop at the little historic village of Studor. Your final destination is Lake Bohinj, framed by the soaring mountains of the Triglav National Park. Arrive early enough and you can take a walk to the other side and either hike the trail up to Savica Waterfall (the source of the lake) or take the cable car up to Vogel Mountain ski resort for the best view of the lake, valley and Triglav Mountain (the highest in Slovenia).
Day 8: DEPARTURE
After breakfast or extension of your stay.
You may also wish to continue hiking onward over our Goldhorn Trail!
Price
Price per person in a double room sharing:
Low season: May 14 to June 9 and September 16 to October 12, 2023: 880 EUR
High season: June 10 to September 15, 2023: 925 EUR
(Currency converter)
Price includes:
• seven nights accommodation in above-mentioned hotels/guesthouses in a two-bed room with WC and shower, on a bed & breakfast basis
• car transfer on days 4, 5, 6
• luggage transport between hotels (one piece per person, max 20 kgs / 45 lb)
• 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 travelers 290 EUR
• single room 175 EUR
• printed information package in English including route notes and corresponding maps delivered upon arrival 30 EUR
Additional nights:
• 3* Guesthouse in Jezersko 80 EUR per person in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 115 EUR
• 4* Hotel in Bled 105 EUR per person in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 170 EUR
• 4* Hotel in Ribčev Laz / Bohinj 95 EUR per person in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 140 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 adult in the room on auxiliary bed 10% (applies only to the third person)
• one night less in Jezersko - 30 EUR
Not included: flights, entrance fees, meals not mentioned in itinerary, drinks with meals
Transfers:
Ljubljana Airport to Jezersko
1–3 persons: 100 EUR
4–8 persons: 130 EUR
Ljubljana City to Jezersko
1–3 persons: 110 EUR
4–8 persons: 150 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
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 1-2 Vila Koman / Jezersko
Day 4 Tradicija Avsenik / Begunje
Day 5 4* Hotel Triglav / Bled
Day 6 3* Hotel Center / Pokljuka
Day 7 4* Hotel Jezero / Bohinj
Travel options
Starting point of this trip is Jezersko in NW Slovenia, on the Slovene - Austrian border.
Getting there...
By plane: closest airport is Ljubljana (LJU). Several airlines serve it (check connections here). From the airport you can travel to Jezersko by bus (change once in Kranj, takes about 2 hrs) or book our transfer (faster): please ask us for a favorable quote.
By train: nearest railway station is in Kranj, but it is difficult to get from there to Jezersko. It is better to order our transfer - please ask us for a favorable quote.
By car: take exit Kranj Zahod on A1 motorway Ljubljana - Jesenice, Karavanke and then follow signposts to Jezersko. There is a free but unguarded parking lot in Jezersko.
... and away
By plane: need to get to the airport? Our transfer from Bohinj to Ljubljana airport - please ask us for a favorable quote
By train: Bohinj has a railway station in Bohinjska Bistrica 5 km from your last hotel. It is on the Jesenice - Nova Gorica sideline, there are only a few trains a day.
By car: if your car is in Jezersko, you can get there by local bus (change once in Kranj, travel time is around 3 hrs) or we can transfer you - please ask us for a favorable quote.
