High Trails of the Julian Alps

Relax in comfortable lake shore hotel accommodations and explore the rugged mountainous environment of the Julian Alps staying in traditional mountain huts nestled beneath the peaks. Traverse mountain passes and experience wonderful alpine walking through meadows, beside lakes and through narrow gorges. Carefully chosen traditional accommodation with local cuisine make this a walk not to be missed!

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Hut to Hut Walking | Walk from hut to hut, changing accommodation each night

Off the Beaten Track, Alpine Walking

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 16 Years

This walk is graded strenuous and includes daily walks of between 8 and 14 kms and ascents of up to 1,300m following footpaths, tracks and mountain paths. Due to the nature of the terrain in Slovenia, and the fact that paths are not as well looked after as in other alpine countries you may find that some paths can be blocked with overgrown tree roots etc. and care is required when negotiating the paths, paying close attention to your feet as the paths are very rugged.

Some of the ascents and descents are steep and are exposed so require a good head for heights and surefootedness. There is one section of Via Ferrata which is about 10 metres long and involves using a steel rope to navigate your way along a narrow ledge. You should have a good level of fitness and be an experienced alpine walker to get the most from this holiday. The itinerary would not be suitable for anyone under the age of 16 or anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of heights.

We specifically select your accommodation to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay in Slovenia. You will stay for 4 nights in traditional hotels (3 & 4 star) and 3 nights in mountain huts. The hotels offer comfortable rooms with en suite bathrooms while the mountain huts offer accommodation in a dormitory setting with linen included. All of the huts should have showers available apart from the Planika Hut which is very remote. Please Occasionally if there is a lack of rain, there may not be showers available at all of the huts. Please note that facilities in the huts are quite basic and you should not expect electricity in all of them or wifi access. Some of the huts also only accept cash to buy lunches (which are very basic) and bottled water so please make sure you have enough cash on you for the nights you are in the huts. All the properties provide a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable.  Single rooms are not available in mountain huts.

Solo Walkers

This holiday is not available for solo walkers due to the remote alpine nature of the walk.

Meals

A delicious breakfast is included each morning. Most accommodations are happy to provide a packed lunch - this should be requested on arrival. Or you can pick up lunch in the villages or mountain huts along the trail. If you choose the half board option dinner is included each night.

Transfers

Transfers to and from the airport need to booked in advance, but will be paid locally to the driver. You will find it as an option during the booking process.

We supply you with turn by turn route notes and detailed maps so you will have no problem following the route each day. You will be walking in the high mountains and the ability to navigate with a map and compass in the event of bad weather is recommended. You will also have access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone App enabling you to follow the route using your phone's GPS so you will have no problems finding the way. You can simply download the GPX tracks to your phone for offline use and off you go!

The best months for walking are in the summer months between July and September when the wild flowers are in still in bloom, the weather is usually fair and the higher alpine trails are mostly clear of snow. It should be noted however that the weather in the mountains is changeable and therefore you should be well prepared for all weather conditions including the occasional thunderstorm. There can also occasionally still be some snow in the early season. We do provide a detailed equipment list for the tour so that you are prepared.

Bled is located just 55km from Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana. Many low cost airlines fly into Ljubljana Airport including Easyjet, Wizz Air, and Flybe. From the airport: You can take a taxi straight from the airport to Bled which is the cheapest option. If you prefer to have something pre-arranged, it is possible to book our optional airport transfer service from Ljubljana Airport to Bled (1hr). Alternatively take the airport bus to Ljubljana (45mins) and a connecting service to Bled (2 hours total). A good resource to check the schedules is the Slovenian Bus website.

Bohinj has a railway station in Bohinjska Bistrica, 5 km from your hotel. It is on the Jesenice - Nova Gorica sideline, and only a few trains a day. From the village of Ribcev Laz there are buses to Ljubljana (2hrs) whereupon connecting buses serve Ljubljana Airport (45mins). A good resource to check timetables and fares is the Slovenian Travel Information website.

Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary. On days 3, 4, 5 and 6 when you walking to and from the mountain huts it is necessary to carry a day pack containing all your overnight requirements. After your main bags are collected in Pokljuka you are reunited with them when you arrive at your accommodation in Lake Bohinj. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.