The all-time classic walking holiday of Slovenia
The Lakes And Valleys Walking Tour takes you through glorious alpine scenery and panoramic vistas. The highlights of this walk are the famous Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, along with Mt. Triglav National Park. The perfect mountain tour for lovers of stunning mountain vistas and enchanting valleys. Suitable for hikers of very average fitness and highly recommended for photography enthusiasts.
Itinerary
Day 1: ARRIVAL IN KRANJSKA GORA
The popular ski resort of Kranjska Gora, most famous for hosting the annual Alpine Ski World Cup Slalom every January, is the starting point for this tour. You will spend your first night here with the beautiful western Julian Alps as your background.
Day 2: KRANJSKA GORA – JASNA VALLEY – KRANJSKA GORA (intermediate, 5 hrs, ↔ 17 km, ↑↓ 460 m)
Your warm-up walk will take you out past the first of many beautiful lakes you'll visit on this trip: Lake Jasna. With the jagged peaks of the Julian Alps behind it, Lake Jasna is the perfect spot for relaxing. But save it for the walk back because there's more ahead. Continuing on through the Jasna Valley, you'll be greeted by the glorious mountain arena of the Prisank and Razor Mountains and return via the “Russian Chapel” dedicated to Russian POWs who died during WW1 building the military road over Vršič Pass.
Day 3: PODKOREN – TRIPOINT (TRIPLE BORDER POINT) (intermediate, 5:30 hrs, ↔ 18 km, ↑ 520 m, ↓ 730 m)
This walk takes you along forest and mountain meadows to the summit of Mt. Peč (1,508 m) where the borders of Slovenia, Italy and Austria meet. At the top, you can soak up the dramatic views across the Julian Alps and Carnian Alps. The Hohe Tauern alpine range, highest in Austria, will greet you in all its majesty. The trail then descends through the valley to the source of the beautiful Sava River, the longest in Slovenia, back to Kranjska Gora.
Day 4: RADOVNA VALLEY – VINTGAR GORGE – LAKE BLED (intermediate, 4 hrs, ↔ 14 km, ↑ 210 m, ↓ 320 m)
A member of our team will drive you through the lush green Radovna Valley, amid soaring mountain peaks, to where the Radovna River has carved the 150 m deep Vintgar Gorge. You can then walk the trail that leads along a wooden walkway through the gorge and onwards to the world-famous Bled Lake, via the lovely Katarina Church viewpoint. Your hotel overlooks the lake.
Day 5: LAKE BLED – BOHINJSKA BELA - BLED (intermediate, 4:30 hrs, ↔ 15 km, ↑↓ 520 m)
Today you will take a leisurely stroll into Bled, a popular town on the shore of a beautiful glacial lake, with its medieval castle standing guard over the distinctive island church from the edge of the lakeside cliff. For the best photos and views of the lake, church and castle and Karavanke mountain range, hike up to Mala Osojnica viewpoint from the western side of the lake. End the day with the local speciality - the Bled cream cake "Kremšnita" - in one of the great little lakeside coffee shops.
Day 6: POKLJUKA – USKOVNICA SADDLE – LAKE BOHINJ (intermediate, 4 hrs, ↔ 14 km, ↑ 30 m, ↓ 830 m)
You will be driven by car up to the Pokljuka Plateau where you will begin your hike across mountain pastures and rustic farmhouses to a viewing point into the beautiful Bohinj Valley. On the way down you can stop at the little historic village of Studor and take a journey into the past. Your final destination is Lake Bohinj, a true gem in the heart of the Triglav National Park, and the small, fisherman's settlement at the lakeside.
Day 7: LAKE BOHINJ (intermediate, 6 hrs, ↔ 21 km, ↑↓ 330 m)
Spend the day strolling around this wonderful, peaceful alpine lake setting, in the shadows of the immense mountain peaks of the Julian Alps. You can swim in its fresh water. Try the delicious Bohinj trout. At the western end of the lake is a short trail up to Savica Waterfall, the source of the lake and the Sava Bohinjka river. Then you can take the cable car up to the 1,532 m high Vogel Mountain for a spectacular view of Mount Triglav, the highest peak in the Julian Alps. Spend the evening in one of the cosy village pubs and try the local homemade honey brandy.
Day 8: DEPARTURE
After breakfast or extension of your stay. You may wish to continue hiking onward over our Goldhorn Trail!
Price
Price per person based on two people sharing:
Low season: April 15 to May 12 and September 16 to October 14, 2023: 895 EUR
High season: May 13 to September 15, 2023: 935 EUR
(Currency converter)
Price includes:
• accommodation in above listed hotels in a two-bed room with WC and shower, on a bed & breakfast basis
• car transfers on days 3, 4, and 6
• luggage transport between hotels (one piece per person, max 20 kgs / 45 lb)
• information pack including including 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 traveler 290 EUR
• single room 210 EUR
• printed information package in English including route notes and corresponding maps delivered upon arrival 30 EUR
Additional nights:
• 3* Hotel in Kranjska Gora 85 EUR per person per night in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 135 EUR
• 4* Hotel in Bled 105 EUR per person per night in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 170 EUR
• 4* Hotel in Ribčev Laz/Bohinj 95 EUR per person per night 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)
Not included: entrance fees, lunches, drinks with meals, saunas and massages in hotels
Transfers:
Ljubljana Airport to Kranjska Gora
1–3 persons: 110 EUR
4–8 persons: 140 EUR
Ljubljana City to Kranjska Gora
1–3 persons: 130 EUR
4–8 persons: 180 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 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 1-3 3* Hotel Miklič / Kranjska Gora
Day 4-5 4* Hotel Triglav / Hotel Rikli Balance Bled
Day 6-7 4* Hotel Kristal Ribcev Laz / Bohinj
Travel options
Starting point of this trip is Kranjska Gora in NW Slovenia, at the Slovene / Austrian / Italian border.
Getting there...
By plane: closest airport is Ljubljana (LJU). Several airlines serve it (check details here). From the airport, you can travel to Kranjska Gora by bus (change once in Kranj, takes about 3 hrs) or book our transfer - please ask us for a favorable quote!
By train: nearest railway stations are Tarvisio / Italy (useful for arrivals from Trieste or Venice), Villach / Austria (for arrivals from Munich or Vienna) or Jesenice / Slovenia for arrivals from Ljubljana.
By bus: Flixbus stops at Lake Bled, 42 km away.
By car: take exit Karavanke from the A1 motorway Ljubljana - Jesenice, Karavanke and then follow signposts to Kranjska Gora. From the motorway Villach - Venice, take exit Tarvisio in Italy or exit Villach West in Austria. Unguarded parking at first hotel for the duration of your trip costs 5 EUR per night per car..
... and away
By plane: need to get to the airport? Our transfer to Ljubljana airport: return to the airport from Bohinj - please ask us for a favorable quote!
By train: Bohinj has a railway station at Bohinjska Bistrica, 5 km from your last hotel. It is on the Jesenice - Nova Gorica sideline, only a few trains a day. Useful for travel in all directions
By car: if your car is in Kranjska Gora, you can get there by local bus (change once in Lesce, travel time is around 2 hrs) or we can transfer - please ask us for a favorable quote!
