Overview
The amazing Alpe-Adria Trail runs from Carinthia in the Austrian Alps to the Adriatic Sea with a total length of 750 km. On this walking holiday, you will take in some of the most picturesque sections of the Alpe-Adria Trail from the heart of the Slovenian Alps through the Soča Valley and the Walk of Peace WW1 Isonzo Front memorial trail to the sunny wine country on the Italian side.
You’ll cross the stunning Vrsic mountain pass, and follow the emerald-green Soča River as it carves its way through the gorgeous Trenta Valley. You’ll trek the Italian-Slovene border along a mountain ridge, before descending into vineyard country and ending at a lovely village sitting atop a hill.
This trek is a collection of diverse walks, from medium-grade to strenuous. You will be walking on mountain ridges, through meadows and valley floors, slowly descending from north to south. This alpine trail offers stunning views at every turn and is suitable for experienced walkers with appropriate equipment and good experience.
- Kranjska Gora
- Vrsic Pass
- Soča Valley and Gorge
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival Kranjska Gora
Arrive at Ljubljana Airport and take either a public or a private transfer to your hotel at Kranjska Gora. The famous ski resort of Kranjska Gora is the starting point for this tour. It is most famous for hosting the annual World Cup Slalom every January, but it is hushed and idyllic in summer. You will spend your first night here in the shadows of the mighty Western Julian Alps.
Meet our representative who will brief you on the walks and give you the maps and the documentation needed for your trip.
- Walking for the day: none/walk around Kranjska Gora
- Accommodation: a 3-star hotel in Kranjska Gora (Miklic or similar)
Day 2: Kranjska Gora – Trenta‚ Vrsic Pass | 19km
Your hike takes you up over Vršič, Slovenia’s highest mountain pass, amid fabulous panoramic views into the heart of the Julian Alps and its most majestic peaks, and down into the Trenta Valley as the River Soča thunders below. At the end of the day, car transfer to Bovec.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 7-8h, ↑890m ↓1,080m
- Accommodation: a 3-star hotel or a country inn in Bovec (Hotel Mangart or similar)
Day 3: Trenta – Bovec | 21km
Short car transfer to the starting point in Trenta Valley. The Soča Trail takes you along this sparkling emerald river as it zig-zags its way through the valley. This stunning trail takes you high and low over the river, across wooden bridges and through the Great Soča Gorge (Velika Korita). At 750m, it may be short but packed with rugged beauty. This is probably the most beautiful section of the trail altogether.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 6-7h, ↑280m ↓440m
- Accommodation: a 3-star hotel or a country inn in Bovec ( Hotel Mangart or similar)
Day 4: Bovec – Dreznica‚ Boka Waterfall | 23km
A day packed with waterfalls! First, you’ll visit the beautiful Virje Waterfall. Pure alpine water flows down from the nearby Kanin mountain range forming the Gljun River and bursts out into a 20-metres wide waterfall, cascading down into a beautiful pool of varying shades of green. Then walk on to the biggest waterfall Slovenia has to offer: Boka Waterfall. The little village of Dreznica is set high above the Isonzo valley and directly under the Krn range’s summits, known for the heavy fighting during WW1. After the walk, you can visit a touching small military museum with a collection of artefacts from the Great War.
- Walking for the day: 23km, 7-8h, ↑480m ↓390m
- Accommodation: a country inn in Dreznica (Jelkin Hram or similar)
Day 5: Dreznica – Tolmin | 21km
You are now walking the Walk Of Peace (Pot Miru), a trail that combines the heritage of the Isonzo Front with the stunning scenery of the Western Slovenian Alps. This is a memorial trail dedicated to the casualties of WW1 and passes by six outdoor museums and numerous chapels, including the lovely Kapela na Planici.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 8-9h, ↑740m ↓1,090m
- Accommodation: a 3-star hotel in Tolmin (Dvorec or similar)
Day 6: Tolmin – Tribil Superiore | 20km
A highlight of today’s walk is the ascent via the Kolovrat pass. On the ridge, you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the Alpine summits in the distance on the one side, and the peaceful landscape which stretches as far as the Po Plain and the Adriatic on the other side. The route again follows the memorial Walk of Peace (Sentiero della Pace) trail in the Italian section. During WW1, the Kolovrat Mountain was the scene of bitter battles between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops. There are impressive testimonies to this on the former frontline at the Passo Solarie, including an open-air museum and some preserved bunkers.
- Walking for the day: 20km, 7-8h, ↑1,060m ↓820m
- Accommodation: a family-run guesthouse in Tribil Superiore (Casa Cebajova or similar)
Day 7: Tribil Superiore – Cividale del Friuli | 24km
The first part of the route leads via an old path between the plain and the mountain villages of the municipalities of Stregna and Drenchia. It crosses old pasture land and chestnut woods and passes some WW1 fortifications. Then the valley starts to open out, and from the medieval pilgrimage town of Castelmonte, the oldest shrine in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, there is an open view of the Friulian lowlands. The well-preserved sanctuary is one of the most magnificent churches of the former patriarchy of Aquileia. Cividale del Friuli was one of the most important settlements of the Lombard Kingdom in Italy.
- Walking for the day: 24km, 7-8h, ↑440m ↓940m
- Accommodation: a country inn or a 3-star hotel in Cividale del Friuli (Roma or similar)
Day 8: Departure
Return home or individual stay extension.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in a mix of welcoming country inns, 3-star hotels and hand-picked family-run guesthouses. All accommodations offer double/twin rooms with en-suite facilities. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide to you the exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included. On some hiking days, you pass by mountain huts with restaurant facilities where you can get water and lunch, or you can pre-order packed lunch from the accommodation provider. In the guesthouses, you can order simple but tasty local food for dinner. In towns, you can try Slovenian cuisine in local restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for experienced hikers, although no climbing experience is required. Average walking distance is 20km (7-8h) per day while total elevation gain is 4,000m and average daily elevation gain is 800m (read more about difficulty grades).
You will walk on hiking trails, mostly in the Alpine zone, with mostly rocky terrain. You should be very careful when crossing the rivers using the suspended or wooden pedestrian bridges. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never 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
This tour can be organized between the end of May and the beginning of October. Best month for hiking is August. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your holiday on any date in the season – so please indicate desired starting date when booking.
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 of a year. Windy weather is typical, and during summer afternoon storms are usual. The average temperature in July is 15C.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Recommended arrival and departure airport: Ljubljana
By train or bus
Transfers from Ljubljana to Kranjska Gora are very easy by public transport. For up-to-date bus schedules, please check https://www.ap-ljubljana.si/en/. Travel time is about 2 hours to Kranjska Gora. The nearest train station is in Jesenice, where buses take you to Kranjska Gora 20 kilometres away from Jesenice, a half an hour trip. For up-to-date train schedules, please check https://www.slo-zeleznice.si/en/.
Getting from Cividale in Italy back to Ljubljana is a bit more complicated. You have to take the train to Udine (30min, 2-5 Euro, trains run hourly) and then take a bus to Ljubljana (2.5h, 10-15 Euro, service runs only once per day). Alternatively, if your departure airport is Venice or Treviso, they are both easily reachable by train from Udine.
Inclusions
Included
- Accommodation for 7 nights in a mix of country inns, guesthouses and 3-star hotels as listed in the itinerary
- 7 breakfasts
- Detailed holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions and road notes; maps with daily routes and optional hikes marked (sent digitally; printed documents available at extra cost)
- GPS tracks
- Daily luggage transport to the next hotel on all walking days (one piece per person, max 23kg, dimensions X+Y+Z ->158cm)
- All internal ground transfers as listed in the itinerary (on Days 2 and 3)
- Arrival meeting
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- 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
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Private airport transfers
- An extra piece of luggage for transfers
- Extra nights before, during and after the holiday
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