A great destination for outdoors lovers is the beautiful country of Slovenia, with its amazing outdoors, untouched forests and great mountains. Slovenia has a decent public transport and many trails are available for exploring. There’s no better way to discover the natural sight of Slovenia than by having a well-organized backpack trip. Here’s our insight of what Slovenia has to offer for backpackers.
Hiking Packages
Slovenia has a great amount of well-marked and interesting hiking and walking trails. Customized hiking packages are offered at some specialized accommodations. If you’re worried about getting lost, sometimes a guide will accompany you, and if not, detailed maps of your hike will be given.
Hikes vary from few hours to almost a month, depending on the road you choose. Through Slovenia, there is more than 40 hiking hotels and 170 mountain huts that will offer you a shelter for the night (usually open during summer and only on weekends during winter).
Arrival to Ljubljana
You will most likely spend your first day in Ljubljana as most of the public transport starts from the main bus and train station of Ljubljana. The capital city of Ljubljana offers a vast range of accommodations from luxurious hotels to young hostels and sometimes, you can look for inexpensive student rooms as well. Walking through the beautiful old town of Ljubljana, surely visit some of Ljubljana’s main attraction: the Prešeren Square with the Triple Bridge, the Ljubljana Castle, and the Tivoli Park – all at no cost.
The Triglav National Park
Triglav National Park is the only national park in Slovenia and it covers approximately 3-4% of the surface of Slovenia. The park has many point of access including Bled, Bohinj, and Trenta. Different excursions of various levels are offered within the park.
Located in the Gorenjska, the mountain region of Slovenia, is Mt. Triglav, the symbol of Slovenia. Due to its unique three peaks, Triglav is known as the “3 heads mountain”. Triglav is the highest mountain in Slovenia and the highest peak of the Julian Alps.
Around Lake Bled
Using the public transport, you can get to Lake Bled by train or by bus from the main station in Ljubljana.
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The unique and enchanting sight of Lake Bled is a landmark of Slovenia. A short and easy 2 hours hike of 5 kilometers through Vintgar, starting from the St-Catherine Church above Zasip will give you a breathtaking view of the Gorenjska region. For a more demanding and panoramic view of the Mt. Triglav, the Debela Peč Trail is a 3-4 hour easy hike from the Šport Hotel on Pokljuka of approximately 13 kilometers.
Hiking in Bohinj
From Bled, take the train toward Bohinjska Bistrica then the local bus to Stara Fužina.
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From Stara Fužina, you can start the ascension of Mt. Triglav, located at 2,864 meters, the hike will take you 2-3 days or 15-17 hours. Most of the 38 kilometers trail is moderate, but the climb from Kredarica to the peak of Triglav is very difficult and demanding. There are various accommodations on the way.
Mt. Pršivec is another interesting mountain trail that starts at Stara Fužina. The 15 kilometers to the peak of Pršivec, located at 1,761 meters, will take around 6-7 hours. The quietness of the hike will surely enchant you.
Trails in Soča
One of the most beautiful river in Slovenia is indeed the emerald river Soča, the color of the water is very clear and has an amazing green-blue shade. Many water sports can be done around Soča.
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The famous and popular Soča River Trail starts in Koča pri izviru Soče, the source of Soča, and leads you toward the beautiful area of Bovec. The trail of 25 kilometers is easy to walk, suitable for family and takes approximately 5 hours.
A vast choice of activities is offered in Bovec. For those who are looking for something more exciting, adrenaline sports activities such as paragliding and zip line will be good options.
Idrija and Cerkno hills
Located in the Goriška region, the Idrija and Cerkno hills offer nice moderate hiking paths, some part being very steep. The landscape is mostly forest, valleys, and small watercourses. From the top of the mountains, at the north, you can see the alpine mountains while at the south is the Adriatic sea.
Mountain Trails in Idrija
From Bovec, you can take the bus to Idrija, the town of mercury mines and laces.
The Idrija-Cerkno Mountain Trail is a 7-8 day of a moderate hike. The 130 kilometers will show you many wonderful landscapes: archeological site Divje Babe, beautiful forests and Wild Lake. The trail goes through the town of Cerkno.
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A vast variety of alpine plants can be seen during the 6-7 hours hike to Mt. Porezen, that starts at Cerkno. Located at 1,630 meters, the 14 kilometers hike is of moderate difficulty. The wide view from this hike shows beautiful mountainous sight: Škofja Loka hills, Idrija hills, Snežnik and much more.
The Kamnik-Savinja Alps
To the north side of Slovenia is the region of Savinjska. The beautiful Kamnik-Savinja Alps is a great hiking destination.
Beautiful sight in Logarska Valley
One of the most beautiful hikes in the region is indeed from the Logarska Valley to Planjava, a 10-12 hours hike of 19 kilometers, most of the hike will be easy but the mountain path across Planjava will be difficult. On the way, you will see Rinka waterfall, the second highest waterfall of Slovenia. At the top of Mt. Planjava, the panoramic view of the region is fantastic.
Unique pastures in Velika Radula
From the town of Luče, you can hike to Velika Raduha, a peak of 2,062 meters. The hike is 20 kilometers and of moderate difficulty, it will take around 11-12 hours. Many remote farms and pastures will be on the way. You can visit the Snežna Jama on your descend.
Family day in Velika Planina
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Velika Planina is a popular destination for mountain pastures and relaxing activities. The hike from Velika Planina to Kamniška Bistrica starts from the small town of Strahovica. The hike is easy and takes around 7 hours or less if you take the cable cart.
Slovenia has many mountains and hills and therefore, plenty of hiking trails and outdoors activities. Other nice mountains and peaks of Slovenia include Pohorje near Maribor, Mt. Slavnik on the coast of Koper, the hills of Posavje near Litija, the virgin forest of the Koroška region and the outdoors activities in Kranjska Gora. Enjoy your backpack trip in Slovenia and safe travel!
Other Tourist Attractions in Slovenia
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A good pair of shoes, hiking sticks, bottle of water and of course, a camera!
Updated: March 5, 2016
