Overview
This tour combines the best routes of our self-guided walking holidays in Slovenia: Karawanken, Kamnik and Julian Alps. You will enjoy a collection of circular and inn-to-inn walks of a moderate grade. The trail will lead you through high limestone plateaus and forests to the picturesque Bled lake. You will be walking along the mountain ridges, meadows and valley floors.
- Stay in a tranquil mountain village
- Discover hidden mountain valleys
- Visit Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj
- Wander over mountain pastures
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Itinerary
Day 1. Arrival in Jezersko
With its idyllic location in a valley between the towering Kamnik-Savinja Alps and Karawanke Mountains, on the border with Austria, the small romantic village of Jezersko will be the starting point of your hike, where you will spend the next two nights.
- Accommodation: 2-star guesthouse (Hiša Kocka or similar)
Day 2. Jezersko – Češka Koča – Jezersko | 12km
You start your tour with a warm-up hike to Česka koča mountain hut. This short walk leads up to just above the tree line to one of the oldest alpine huts in Slovenia (100 years old), where you will enjoy an outstanding view to the two parallel valleys. Your return route takes you past Shepherds Lake and back to Jezersko.
- Walking for the day: 12km, approx. 5h, ↑640m ↓640m
- Accommodation: 2-star guesthouse (Hiša Kocka or similar)
Day 3. Jezersko – Virnikov Grintavec – Jezersko | 11km
Today you hike up the northern side of the Kamnik Alps’ – Virnikov Grintavec. A meadow and forest walk brings you to an amazing viewpoint above Jezersko valley. With one foot in Slovenia and the other in Austria, you will enjoy a splendid view of Grintovec range arena.
- Walking for the day: 11km, approx. 6h, ↑760m ↓760m
- Accommodation: 2-star guesthouse (Hiša Kocka or similar)
Day 4. Jezersko – Ljubelj – Begunje | 13km
You will be taken by car to the starting point at Ljubelj, on the Austrian border. From here the trail leads through a short underground tunnel originally dug by merchants in order to reduce the travelling time between Carniola and Carinthia. As you emerge at the other side the trail then follows the old shepherd’s route before entering the peaceful Draga Valley, which takes you on your final leg into the historic village of Begunje. Two kilometers down the road you can find the ruins of Kamen Castle.
- Walking for the day: 13km, approx 4h, ↑700m ↓250m
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel (Lambergh Chateau & Hotel or similar)
Day 5. Begunje – Karavanke range – Lake Bled | 16km
Day for a panoramic walk at the foot of the Karavanke range. Morning ascent will bring you to tiny St. Peters church, built at an outlook observation point in days of Turkish raids. The day’s walk is an easy one, you can enjoy the quiet pastoral nature and panoramic views of the Julian Alps. The day, after a short car transfer, ends in Bled – a world famous town on the shore of a beautiful glacial lake, with its unique island church sitting proudly in the lake, and the castle perched high upon a cliff standing guard over the town.
- Walking for the day: 16km, approx 7h, ↑850m ↓790m
- Accommodation: 4-star hotel (Hotel Triglav or similar)
Day 6. Lake Bled – Pokljuka High Plateau | 14km
A short morning car transfer brings you to the beginning point, on top of Pokljuka high plateau (1,280m). The hike will lead you over mountain pastures and through dense fir forests to Lipanska Hut. A typical hikers’ lunch can be taken there. The afternoon walk will bring you along a panoramic route with excellent views of the Karawanke range and Bohinj Mountains to the biathlon center of Pokljuka where you stay for the night.
- Walking for the day: 14 km, approx 4h, ↑710m ↓620m
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel (Hotel Center Pokljuka or similar)
Day 7: Pokljuka – Uskovnica Sadle – Lake Bohinj | 14km
Today a car transfer takes you up to the Pokljuka Plateau. You will begin your hike across mountain pastures and old farmhouses where you will discover a viewing point providing outstanding views into the Bohinj Valley. As you descend, you can stop at the little historic village of Studor where you can visit the museum and see how people lived 150 years ago. Your final destination is Lake Bohinj, the jewel in the Triglav National Park’s heart, and the small settlement of Ribčev Laz (Fisherman’s Pass).
- Walking for the day: 14 km, approx 5h, ↑200m ↓850m
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel (Hotel Kristal or similar)
Day 8: Departure
End of tour or extension of your stay in Bohinj.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in a mix of guesthouses and 3- & 4-star hotels, all offering private en-suite rooms. 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 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 exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included. In towns, each hotel has its own restaurant where you can taste international or Slovenian meals, or you can also try Slovenian cuisine in other local restaurants. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before.
Difficulty and terrain
Average walking time per day is 5-6h. The walks are not technically difficult; however, you should have some hiking experience, be in a good physical shape and have the appropriate gear to fully enjoy the trail (read more about difficulty grades).
You will walk on hiking trails with sometimes rocky terrain. 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 trip is available between the middle of May and early October. Best months for hiking are August and September. 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.
Last-minute bookings with departure within 21 days available upon request. A supplement of 10% of the tour price will be applicable.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Recommended arrival and departure airport: Ljubljana
By train or bus
Transfers from Ljubljana to Jezersko and from Lake Bohinj to Ljubljana are possible by public transport. Travel time is about 40min to Jezersko and 1.5h from Bohinjska Bistrica.
For up-to-date bus schedules, please check https://www.ap-ljubljana.si/en/.
For up-to-date train schedules, please check https://www.slo-zeleznice.si/en/.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 overnights in local hotels/guesthouses (as listed in the itinerary), in double/twin rooms with WC and shower, on a bed & breakfast basis
- Car transfer on days 4, 5 and 6
- Luggage transport between hotels (one piece per person, max 23kg, dimensions X+Y+Z ->158cm).
- 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)
- 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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