Mountains & Lakes of the Julian Alps

You should have good walking fitness and be an experienced Alpine walker to get the most out of this holiday. Most of the walks cannot be shortened once you have started. The itinerary would not be suitable for anyone suffering from vertigo.

This tour follows rugged footpaths, tracks, and mountain paths. Due to the nature of the terrain in Slovenia, unlike some other alpine regions, these paths might not always be perfectly maintained, adding an exciting and authentic touch to your adventure. Occasionally, you may encounter overgrown tree roots, fallen branches, or natural obstacles that require careful navigation.

Some of the ascents and descents are steep and exposed, so they require a good head for heights and surefootedness. There are some short sections of up to 1 km where ladders and cables are in place to help you along the way, such as when the path is very narrow or the slopes are steep. Some illustrations of this are shown on the walks to give you an idea of what to expect.

Days 3 and 4 are tougher because they are more exposed, route-finding is a bit trickier, and the terrain, which consists of lots of gravel rocks, can become very slippery after bad weather. If the weather is bad, doing a shorter loop walk up to the church on day 4 is possible.
In summary,

This tour is graded moderate to strenuous. Within the tour individual days may vary in difficulty, with some sections tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests.

Accommodation is a mix of 3 and 4-star hotels and inns, with comfortable en-suite rooms and a warm welcome for walkers, along with traditional hospitality and good local food. Twin and double rooms in Slovenia typically have 'Austrian twin' beds, which are two single mattresses on one bed frame, each with its own duvet and pillows.

We'll always try to use the accommodation detailed in your itinerary, though in high season, when availability can be limited, we may need to offer an alternative location of the same or better standard.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

We'd recommend solo travelers have some experience walking and navigating alone, given the nature of the terrain on this tour.

Breakfast is included every morning. Most accommodations are happy to provide a packed lunch on request, best arranged on arrival, or you can pick up lunch in a village or stop along the trail. A half-board option is also available, which includes dinner, or you're free to eat at your hotel or a local restaurant each evening.

If you're travelling after mid-September, some mountain huts along the route close during the week, so it's worth carrying your own food and water on the days when hut stops won't be available.

This tour is available to start any day between mid-May and mid-October. The best months for walking are the summer months, when wildflowers are still in bloom, the weather is generally fair, and the higher alpine trails are mostly clear of snow, though some snow can linger into the early season. Mountain weather is changeable, so it's worth being prepared for all conditions, including the occasional thunderstorm.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

Getting to the start

Jezersko is just 30km from Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana. Many low-cost airlines fly into Ljubljana Airport, including Easyjet, Wizz Air and Flybe. From the airport, take the airport bus to Ljubljana (45 minutes) or to Kranj (15 minutes) and a connecting service to Jezersko, a journey of around 2 hours in total. You can also take a taxi transfer straight to Jezersko, payable locally, which is more reasonable and takes about 45 minutes. We can pre-arrange this transfer for you too, though it costs more than booking it locally, so let us know if you'd like a price.

Getting from the end

Ljubljana is once again the closest airport to Lake Bohinj. There's a railway station at Bohinjska Bistrica, 5km from your hotel, on the Jesenice to Nova Gorica line, with only a few trains a day. From the village of Ribcev Laz on Lake Bohinj, buses run to Ljubljana, taking 2 hours, with connecting buses from Ljubljana to the airport taking about 45 minutes.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation