8 Days & 7 Nights

4.5

High Trails of the Julian Alps

Relaxing on the shores of serene Lake Bled beneath Bled Castle
Soaking up the views from the mountain ridges and passes
Indulging in a glass of heart warming, home made, honey schnapps
Awakening to the mountain glow of an alpine sunrise in the realm of soaring eagles
Crystal clear Lake Bohinj in the heart of Triglav National Park

Explore the heart of Slovenia’s Julian Alps as you follow the high trails staying in traditional mountain huts. From the serene shores of glacial Lake Bled the route takes you from hut to hut high into the Triglav National Park and on down to the pristine waters of Lake Bohinj. Pass medieval castles, churches and traditional mountain villages as you walk across rich mountain pasture and traverse mountain ridges and passes beneath the sky scraping peaks. Your trip begins in the picturesque lake side town of Bled overlooked by the imposing medieval Bled Castle. A warm-up hike explores the surrounding verdant mountain pastures and dense fir forest up onto the Pokljuka high plateau, getting you ready for the following days exploring the Triglav National Park. Beneath the rugged summit of Mount Triglav, the highest Slovene peak at 2864m, you will get your first experience of staying in a traditional alpine hut. Continue toward Dolina Triglavskih Jezer, the Valley of the Triglav Lakes and Savica Waterfall, where the alpine karst spring water cascades 78m to feed mighty Lake Bohinj below. A relaxing walk along the northern shores of Lake Bohinj brings you to the village of Ribecev Laz, where you can enjoy a taste of home-made honey brandy and borovnica blueberry schnapps. Take a dip in the crystal clear lake waters or perhaps a cable car ride up to the Vogel high plateau. Your tour ends back at the pretty Lake Bled, which you can explore further. Slovenia’s Julian Alps, located on the border with Austria, have always been a cross roads and this is reflected in the rich culture, architecture, music, history and food of this beguiling region.

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Itinerary

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Day 1 Arrive at Lake Bled

Bled is a uniquely picturesque town sitting on the shores of the glacial Lake Bled and overlooked by the imposing medieval Bled Castle perched atop a rocky ridge. Bled is easily accessible by public transport from Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, just 55km (1hr) away.

Overnight Bled

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Park | 4 Star

The Hotel Park is located in the very centre of Bled by the shore of Lake Bled. The hotel usually appeals to guests looking for an active vacation, since the nearby surroundings offer countless options for physical activities in the heart of nature.

Vila Bled | Hotel

Situated on the shores of Lake Bled, this landmark property was once President Tito's summer residence. It features a luxury spa and all the en-suite bedrooms have cable TV and mini bar.

Day 2 Transfer to Pokljuka High Plateau; walk to Pokljuka town 9 miles / 14 km

In the morning a short transfer brings you to the starting point for today’s walk, across the heights of the Pokljuka Plateau (1,280m). This warm up hike leads you over verdant mountain pastures filled with alpine flowers and up through silent fir forests. Arriving at the traditional Lipanska Hut your afforded panoramic views over the plateau and Carniola Plain beyond with the summits of the Kamnik Alps rising into the clear blue skies. This is the perfect place to indulge in traditional Slovene stove cooked hiker’s lunch of local organic produce and herbal tea.
In the afternoon the route provides views far across the Karawanke and Bohinj Mountain Range bringing you to Pokljuka, home to famed winter biathalon competitions, and the perfect base for your night amidst the mountain landscape.

Ascent/Descent: 749m/671m

Overnight Pokljuka

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Center Pokljuka | Hotel

Surrounded by forest, Hotel Center Pokljuka is situated in Rudno Polje. Featuring a gym, sauna and a restaurant serving local dishes, it offers free Wi-Fi and air-conditioned rooms with an LCD cable TV.

Jelka Pokljuka Hotel | Hotel

This hotel in Triglav National Park is surrounded by lush green countryside and forest. There is a spa area and a restaurant with terrace. All rooms have satellite television and many enjoy views over the forest.

Day 3 Walk from Pokljuka to Planika Hut, by Mount Triglav 8 miles / 12 km

Following breakfast you are ready to tackle the next stage of the walk, deep into the heart of the Triglav National Park and the Julian Alps. The trail slowly ascends to Vodnikov Dom Hut, an ideal place to stop for lunch and to admire the view across to Mount Triglav, Slovenia’s highest mountain at 2,864m.

The final destination for today is the Planika Hut, situated right beneath Mount Triglav on its southern slopes. If you can tear yourself away from the alpine views which stretch all the way to the Karawanke and the Kamnik Alps on the horizon, you are free to explore the delights of the Planika Hut, your accommodation for the night. Enjoy a sumptuous meal in the restaurant or a warming drink at the bar before settling down to sleep in the shadow of Triglav’s snow-capped summit. Please note that it is only possible to access and check in after 3pm at the hut.

Please note that this morning your main luggage will be collected from the Pokljuka accommodation and is safely stored at our local partners head office in Bled until you reach Bohinj at the end of the walk on day 6. You will not have access to it until then, so make sure you have everything you need in your backpack for the next few days. You will be walking over alpine terrain so it is important to pack as sparingly as possible so you aren't weighted down. Be sure to bring plenty of layers though to be properly equipped for mountainous climate.

Ascent/Descent: 1,300m/251m

Overnight Planika Hut

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Planika Hut | Hut

The Planika hut is located at 2,401 metres directly below the Triglav mountain. The classic mountain hut with dormitories and multi-bed rooms has a beautiful terrace with mountain views.
Supplies have to be provided by helicopter, so the hut's facilities are basic but will make any hiker's heart happy. The water in the hut is not drinkable, as the reservoir only stores water for washing, and there is no electricity. Here you can enjoy the true charme of an original alpine hut.

Day 4 Walk from Planika Hut to Koca pri Triglavskih Jezerih Hut 8 miles / 12 km

Awake for sunrise and you will be rewarded with the changing colours of the snow capped peaks. After a hearty breakfast you commence your walk across the Hribarice Pass (2,358m). You are now in the realm of the sure footed chamois and fearless mountain goats that inhabit the sheer rocky slopes beneath patrolling golden eagles.

Breathe in the crisp, clear air as you walk beneath the surrounding peaks and take a break to admire the beauty of one of the Triglav National Park’s seven lakes, Zeleno Jezro, or Green Lake. The name derives from the high algae content which gives the lake an emerald hue. As you walk onward the view unfolds across the Dolina Triglavskih Jezer, the Valley of the Triglav Lakes.

Ascent/Descent: 315m/1,018m

Overnight Koča pri Triglavskih Jezerih Hut

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Koca Pri Triglavskih Jezerih | Hut

Koca Pri Triglavskih Jezerih (The Hut at Triglav Lakes) is situated between the two lakes, the Dvojno jezero (Double Lake) and the artificial Mocivec lake. Just above the picturesque walls of Mala and Velika Ticarica.

Day 5 Walk from Koca pri Triglavskih Jezerih Hut to Komna Hut via Black Lake 5 miles / 8 km

Walking west, you will reach Black Lake - the lowest lying lake in the Triglav Lakes Valley. It is named forits location in a basin in the middle of the forest, which stretches right to the edge of the Komarca rock face. It is the warmest of the Triglav lakes. Your day on the trail ends at the traditional Komna Hut, situated right on the Komna Plateau and offering superb views of Lake Bohinj.

Ascent/Descent: 107m/298m

Overnight Komna Hut

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Dom Na Komni Hut | Hut

The hut is located on the east-viewing ridge of the Komna Plateau, which rises steeply above the end of the Bohinj Valley at Savica.

In the restaurant area there are 90 seats, a bar counter; there are 25 rooms with 90 beds; 30 communal beds, toilets, a washing room with cold water on all floors, central heating; electricity, telephone.

Bogatin Hut | Hut

The hut is located beneath Bogatin, the mountain and pass which it is named after, and enjoys excellent views of the Lower Bohinj Mountains. The large building was built on the foundations of an old military hospital, and first opened in 1932. Rooms have central heating, and hot food is produced on site for guests and visitors.

Day 6 Walk from Komna Hut to Ribcev Laz on the shores of Lake Bohinj 9 miles / 15 km

After breakfast a relaxing walk takes you down to the Savica Waterfall, an alpine karst spring which cascades 78m into serene Lake Bohinj. This is the largest lake in Slovenia and the jewel in the heart of the Triglav National Park. Legend says that God gave the humble citizens of the lake the most beautiful part of Slovenia and the location surrounded by the Julian Alps is indeed sublime.

Take a walk along the northern shores to the small village of Ribcev Laz, sit back and relax with a glass of honey brandy or borovnica blueberry schnapps, coupled with a dish of wind cured karst prosciutto ham. In the summer months you can enjoy a refreshing swim in crystal clear water of the lake. Alternatively, you can catch the cable car up Mount Vogel. From top (1,532m) you'll be able to enjoy a perfect panoramic view of the Julian Alps and over the area you have walked on the previous days.

On arrival at your hotel you will be reunited with your main luggage.

Ascent/Descent: 91m/1,053m

Overnight Lake Bohinj

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Jezero | Hotel

Hotel Jezero is centrally located by Lake Bohinj, in the middle of the Julian Alps. Here you can breathe the fresh mountain air and enjoy beautiful sunsets over the mountains. The hotel also has a spa.

Hotel Bohinj

On the banks of Lake Bohinj and with views of the Julian Alps mountain range, this sophisticated hotel in an alpine-style building is 7 km from Bohinjska Bistrica train station and 13 km from the scenic Slap Grmecica waterfall.

Polished rooms provide Wi-Fi, TVs and safes, as well as minifridges. All feature sitting areas, while some have balconies with mountain and/or lake views.

Amenities include a restaurant and a bar with a furnished terrace. There's also a garden with a fire pit, and a spa area with a hot tub, saunas and a salt wall. Parking and breakfast are available.

Day 7 Rest day beside Lake Bohinj or Upper Bohinj Valley loop walk 8 miles / 13 km

Time to rest and enjoy time beside the lake. Alternatively if you are still raring to go then there is the possibility of an additional walk to the Upper Bohinj Valley. Through idyllic villages, you climb to Rudnica Hill, which dominates the valley and offers a farewell view of the lake and the mountains.

Ascent/Descent: 532m/533m

Overnight Lake Bohinj

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hotel Jezero | Hotel

Hotel Bohinj

Polished rooms provide Wi-Fi, TVs and safes, as well as minifridges. All feature sitting areas, while some have balconies with mountain and/or lake views.

Amenities include a restaurant and a bar with a furnished terrace. There's also a garden with a fire pit, and a spa area with a hot tub, saunas and a salt wall. Parking and breakfast are available.

Day 8 Onward travel from Ribcev Laz

THIS TRIP'S CARBON SCORE

This trip has a carbon score of 10kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 10kg is equivalent to 18 lattes. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.

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Other Information

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Is it for me?

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!

Trip Type:

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!

Activity:

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

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Off the Beaten Track, Alpine Walking

The minimum age for this tour is: 18 Years

Grade & Terrain

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 18 or anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of heights.

Accommodation & Meals

Accommodation Information

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. You can bring your own sheet sleeping bag liner and pillow case - or you can hire them from €6 per person per night (cash only) - we recommend you hire them as then you do not need to carry them. All of the huts should have showers available apart from the Planika Hut which is very remote. Occasionally if there is a lack of rain, there may not be showers available at all of the huts (and they may charge for them - cash only). 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.

Navigation What's Included

Included

Accommodation for 4 nights in comfortable 3 or 4* hotels
Accommodation for 3 nights in traditional alpine huts in dormitory-style rooms
Daily breakfasts
Baggage transfers (one 20kgs bag per person) between each overnight location (please note it is necessary to carry a day pack containing all overnight requirements for days 3-6 at the mountain huts)
Detailed information pack provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
Access to Macs Adventure Smartphone App containing GPX route tracks, map, and notes
24/7 telephone support from our offices and local partner
Transfer on day 2 as per itinerary
Secure storage of main luggage on days 3-6 whilst at the mountain huts

Excluded

Travel to Bled and from Lake Bohinj
Travel insurance (required)
Entrance fees and cable car (to be paid locally)
Personal equipment
Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
Luggage transfers whilst staying in the mountain huts

Extras

Extra night/s along the route
Private airport transfers (minimum 2 persons)
Hotel room upgrades in Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj
Single room supplement (available for hotel nights only)

When to go Travel & Transfers Info & FAQ

General Information

The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and trousers), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack. You should bring your own sheet sleeping bag liner and pillow case - or you can hire them from €6 per person per night (cash only).

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.