Overview
Enjoy a unique circular itinerary in the Alps where the borders of Austria, Italy and Slovenia meet.
Start from Villach in Austria, then follow the ridges of the Carnic Alps in Italy, cross the stunning Julian Alps and take in the landscapes of Triglav National Park in Slovenia, then reach Kranjska Gora and finish back in Villach.
- Villach, an Austiran city with Mediterranean charm
- The turquoise-blue Lake Faakersee, one of Carinthia’s warmest lakes
- Carnic Alps
- Julian Alps
- Tarvisio
- Monte Lussari (Luschariberg)
- White Rock Lakes (Laghi di Fusine)
- Triglav National Park
- Kranjska Gora
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Villach
Individual arrival at the hotel in Villach. Villach is easily reachable by train from Klagenfurt, Salzburg or Ljubljana.
- Walking for the day: none / walk around Villach
- Overnight in Villach
Day 2: Villach – Feistritz an der Gail/surroundings | 5-6h
You start the trip in the lively city centre of Villach, but a short bus ride takes you to the middle of nature in Rosstratte. You then walk to the Dobratsch, Villach’s landmark mountain beloved and treasured as a local recreational area by the city’s inhabitants with a magnificent panorama. The Dobratsch Nature Park – covering 7,250 hectares and lying in the middle of Carinthia’s idyllic lake landscape – is made of forests, mountain pastures, and rivers and the high mountains create a habitat for a vast number of plants and animals.
- Walking for the day: 5-6h, ↑210m ↓110m
- Overnight in Feistritz an der Gail
Day 3: Feistritz an der Gail/surroundings – Camporosso | 4-5h
A transfer takes you to the starting point of your trip at the Feistritzer Untere Alm. Today your tour leads across the border to Italy, mostly through untouched natural landscape with beautiful views of the Dobratsch and the idyllic Gailtal valley. This mountain range is characterised by beautiful alpine landscapes. On the descent, you will soon see the church of Camporosso, today’s stage destination
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, ↑380m ↓1,080m
- Overnight in Camporosso In Valcanale
Day 4: Monte Lussari | 4-5h
Today’s circular walk takes you to the famous Monte Lussari, which has always been the destination of many pilgrimages. The experience is rounded off with a breathtaking view of the entire mountain range of the Julian Alps. Alternatively, you can take the cable car from Camporosso to Monte Lussari (ticket not included) and then easily return to Camporosso for your second overnight there.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, ↑960m ↓960m (or 2h, ↑0m ↓975m if you take the cable car to the top)
- Overnight in Camporosso In Valcanale
Day 5: Camporosso – Kranjska Gora | 5h
A short transfer in the morning will bring you to the starting point of today’s walk. At the foot of the mighty Mangart Group, you will hike to the White Lakes (Laghi di Fusine), formed by glaciers and embedded in a dense spruce forest at the foot of the mountain of Mangart. Through wide plateaus, wet meadows, peat bogs and pine forests, you walk over the Italian / Slovenian border to the resort of Kranjska Gora.
- Walking for the day: 5h, ↑300m ↓230m
- Overnight in Kranjska Gora
Day 6: Kranjska Gora Circular Walks or Rest Day | 3-5h
Today you are free to explore the surroundings of Kranjska Gora – also called the Kitzbühel of Slovenia – or to enjoy a rest day. There are plenty of opportunities for shorter or longer walking day tours around the gateway to the famous Triglav National Park, around Slovenia’s highest mountain.
- Walking for the day: no walking or optional walks of 3 to 5h
- Overnight in Kranjska Gora
Day 7: Kranjska Gora – Faak am See – Villach | 6h
From Kranjska Gora, a short transfer will take you to the stage starting point. You hike past the Techantinger and the Mallestiger Mittagskogel down to Faak am See. The lake is ideal for cooling off and relaxing after this scenically breathtaking tour. From Faak am See you will take the train back to Villach.
- Walking for the day: 6h, ↑890m ↓1,250m
- Overnight in Villach
Day 8: Departure or Onward Travel
Individual departure or possibility to extend your stay.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in 3-star hotels and hand-picked family-run guesthouses. All accommodations offer double/twin rooms with en-suite facilities. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view sample hotels
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a property of equal standard. We will provide full accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included. Packed lunches for the next day can be pre-ordered in the hotels. For dinner, you have a range of alternatives in the town/village where you are spending the overnight.
Difficulty and terrain
The hike runs along marked mountain and hiking trails. The tour is suitable for anyone with good basic condition. No climbing experience is required. It is suitable for children over 14 years. The average walking time is 5h per day (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
As the capacity of the accommodations is limited, and some of them are already booked out due to different events, this tour can start on Sundays only in 2023 and on Tuesdays and Fridays in 2024, from mid-June to mid-September. Departures on other days are possible for min 5 people on request.
Climate is mostly of a mountain and alpine character, cold and moist, influenced by high altitudes. Snow cover in valleys and peaks persists from 180 to 250 days a year. Windy weather is typical, and during summer, afternoon storms are usual. The average temperature in July is 15C.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice on Croatia, Italy and Slovenia.
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Klagenfurt, Salzburg or Ljubljana.
By train or bus
- By car: Villach is easily accessible on the motorways A2, A10 or A11. Unattended parking facilities are available at the first hotel, either directly at the hotel or nearby (for the overnights booked at the hotel). Public parking garage available. Advance reservation of the parking area/parking garage is not possible; payable on the spot. As an alternative, free unguarded public car park near the centre.
- By train: Timetables available on DB, ÖBB, Trenitalia. You can also use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- Accommodation for 7 nights in hand-picked 3-star hotels and guesthouses in private ensuite rooms
- 7 Breakfasts
- Daily luggage transport to next hotel on all walking days
- Transfers as per the itinerary
- Detailed documents (route notes and maps – 1 x per room)
- Access to navigation app
- Videobriefing
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Public transport during the tour
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is NOT available for solo travellers
- Extra nights in Villach
- The tour can be organised on other days of the week on request with a min. of 5 people.
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