Strolling and Exploring Slovenia’s lakes, gorges and meadows

The spectacular mountains in the Julian Alps are predominantly limestone, and their jagged form produce stunning vistas wherever you look. Fabulous guided walking for the discerning walker. Glacial lakes, rushing rivers, tremendously deep gorges and alpine meadows with a real splash of wild flower colour are everywhere.

And the unique hospitality of the local people – always welcoming – compliments this superb walking destination.

Two choices of walks daily. This holiday shows our easy walking and exploring option.

This seven night holiday in the glorious mountains of Slovenia – led by local guides and supported by a UK tour guide- shows off the best of this magnificent country.

We stay in a bustling village – the heart of the Bohinj valley- framed by two mountain ranges – the Upper Bohinj mountains and the higher Julian Alps.

Walking is easy in gorges. alpine meadows, by rivers and along the shores of Lakes Bled and Bohinj. You should be walking fit enough to complete up to 5 miles a day.

We walk for five days with one day free to explore this magnificent country.

You buy your own flights, and lunches at superb mountain huts.

We stay at the three stay family run Hotel Tripic, in the centre of Bohinj Bistrica.

We pride ourselves on how we create a social feel- so join us on this sociable active holiday.

We organise everything for you – from the minute your flight lands to when you arrive back at the airport.
The holiday cost is £1575 with no extra single supplements, which includes your own en-suite room.

Join us on this sociable active holiday where we meet as strangers and depart as friends.

The spectacular mountains in the Julian Alps are predominantly limestone, and their jagged form produce stunning vistas wherever you look. Fabulous guided walking for the discerning walker. Glacial lakes, rushing rivers, tremendously deep gorges and alpine meadows with a real splash of wild flower colour are everywhere. And the unique hospitality of the local people – always welcoming – compliments this superb walking destination.

The price shown here excludes flights but no single supplement – sole occupancy of a twin room with balcony

Our holidays are designed uniquely for solos and singles – in some of the most dramatic scenery on offer in the UK and Europe. We also design bespoke holidays for specific groups.

What you get on a Secret Hills Slovenia Holiday

• Flights- organised by yourself
• Transfer from airport to Hotel Tripic  and return
• Half board accommodation, including a three course dinner
• Guided walking- local guides- two walks per day
• Any transport needed on the walks
• The services of a Secret Hills tour guide
• Individual attention
• Our administration and management service
• No single supplement – sole occupancy of a twin room with balcony

What’s not included

• Lunch
• Entries to museums
• Ski and chair lift costs

Holiday Highlights

• Simply stunning Alpine scenery
• Choice of walks daily
• Superb walking in the Julian Alps in the Triglav National Park- its lovely gorges and river valleys
• Enjoy the peace of lovely Lake Bohinj and the bustle of tourist trap -Lake Bled
• Visit by cable car the alpine wonderland of Vogel
• Walk in Alpine meadows and wild flower paradise
• Walk the fabulous Vintgar gorge with its wooden walkway suspended above the roaring river
• Eat lunch in fabulous mountain huts
• Stay in an owner managed three-star hotel with delightful food in a friendly working village
• The hospitality of the Slovenian people
• Terrific local hotel in a friendly, working Slovenian village
• Lovely food both in the hotel and mountain huts for lunch
• Our relaxed social approach
• And its only 2 hours away

Your hotel

Hotel Tripic is family owned, and a comfortable base for our walking holidays.  All rooms are spacious, and are en suite.  The hotel is situated in the village of Bohinj Bistrica, five kilometres from Lake Bohinj, Slovenia’s largest lake.  The village has a number of bars, supermarkets, a pharmacy and a fitness and swimming centre. It is the centre for rural life in the upper Bohinj valley.  The rivers Bistrica and Sava meet here.

No single supplement – sole occupancy of a twin room with balcony

Your meals

Tripic has a comprehensive breakfast and dinner menu – plenty of choice and well cooked.

Internet facilities are available in all rooms at the hotel.  The Tripic family will make you very welcome.  The hotel is quiet, and is the start point for transport to our walks start.

The spectacular mountains in the Julian Alps are predominantly limestone, and their jagged form produce stunning vistas wherever you look. Glacial lakes, rushing rivers, tremendously deep gorges and alpine meadows with a real splash of wild flower colour are everywhere. But the hospitality of the local people – always welcoming – compliment this superb walking destination.

Walking is available from May to October in these mountains, and temperatures can be hot in the valleys in July and August though higher up, cool breezes are a help. We walk in May, June and September – ideal temperatures.

Ljubljana is the capital, and the airport is also near there. Transfers to our hotel are about 45 minutes, but through wonderful scenery – a good way to whet your appetite for the days ahead. Lake Bled is 12 kilometres away.

The Strolling and Exploring option – easier walking around lakes, in gorges, through alpine meadows and along river valleys combine spectacular views with manageable terrain. We visit many local villages- the heart of the agricultural life in Slovenia on our travels.

Where it is possible, we visit sites of real interest like churches and museums along our strolls.

The Strolling

Strolling  in Slovenia, marvellous alpine walking through limestone country, with stunning vistas of lakes and river valleys.  Slovenia lies south of Austria and Italy and our walking in the Julian Alps is in the north of the country.  We base ourselves near Lake Bohinj, the largest of the Slovenian lakes.  There are picturesque villages, with  farming at the heart of the economy.  There are alpine meadows to amble through, and fast flowing rivers.  There are number of deep gorges – familiar to limestone alpine scenery.  Simply stunning alpine mountain scenery walks take us over stunning ridges, and down beautiful valleys, and there is a variety of scenery for the discerning walker. Five days strolling  during the week’s break, with one day as a rest day.  Strolling is easy paced,  we don’t rush the hills and ridges – talking, looking, learning about Slovenia – tends to slow the pace a little.

After a mini bus journey to the walk start, we walk for about five and a half hours, returning at about 4.30 pm – time for a swim, or simply rest before dinner in the  hotel’s dining room.  Underfoot conditions are good, with some loose stones, and many tree roots on some paths. Green path walking is frequent.  Climbing is steady, with the occasional steep short stretch, not to be rushed, and downhills are … well downhills – always a pull on the old knees.  Distances are  4 – 6 miles a day.  There is always a cooling  breeze so early mornings require a top layer, but after that, it is shorts and tee shirt walking.  We walk in the Julian Alps, Triglav National Park, Karavanke Mountains on the Austrian Border, Poclujka, and the Kranska Gora area, See more details below.

Walking option

Each day there will be a longer walking option for those who wish to have a varied activity programme – you can change daily from Strolling to walking

Your walk leaders

Secret Hills Walking Holidays work with local Slovenian guides.  Two guides are provided for each walk, with back up from Alan Garner.  The guides will structure a balanced programme of strolls to suit the ability of the group.  We also have two walks per day, around the same area, giving the opportunity for a shorter and less demanding walk. Your tour guide,  Alan Garner is responsible for all aspects of your holiday in Slovenia.

Choice of Walks

Each week we choose walks according to the ability of the group who join.

• Vogel ski lift area and walk round east side of Bohinj Lake
• Alpine meadows and Lipanca mountain hut
• Vintgar Gorge circular and Lake Bled
• Circular of Lake Bled, its castle and Tito’s summer palace, Bled church on the island, Bled town
• Mostnice Gorge and Voje Meadows.
• The wonderful villages of the Upper Bohinj Valley
• Sava river meadows, Ribcev Laz and Stara Fuzina villages, church, cheese museum
•  Slap Savica Waterfall

Prevailing weather conditions

Slovenia  has a true alpine climate – 6 months under metres of snow, a spring in May and early June- summer in late June and early July will be warm with a chance of some showers. In mid July to end of August it is hot with regular thunderstorms. September to early October is autumn with sunny days and between 18 and 20 degrees.

On each Slovenia  holiday we have two grades of walking.- moderate and easy.

On the easy walks – we call these strolling and exploring walks -which  may also include some sightseeing of villages. towns, and things of interest generally as well as visiting the wonderful lakes of Bled and Bohinj – we won’t walk as fast, have plenty of stops and probably cover 5/7 miles.

There will be hills to ascend/descend but we will take these very steadily – we do not rush our clients. As with the walking grade – underfoot conditions in Slovenia – can be stony – it is limestone country after all – and we take care on these sections. The pace is slower, not snail pace but enough to give you a good stroll, and to allow you to enjoy the wonderful Slovenian countryside.

You need good walking footwear, preferably waterproof walking boots with good soles for protection. You may find that walking poles will aid your enjoyment of this land.

Exclusions

Although our leaders are well trained  and experienced in dealing  with different capabilities of our walking clients, if they have any concerns about  any clients ability or suitability to undertake safely any walking activity we plan or they feel that participation of an individual may affect the groups safety and cohesion, then they have full permission to exclude that client from an activity.

They will try at all times to provide an alternative suggested activity, though this may involve the client in additional local cost.

We rarely have to enforce this above recommendation, but it is a sensible and necessary protection for the individual client, the group and the leaders.

The spectacular mountains in the Julian Alps are predominantly limestone, and their jagged form produce stunning vistas wherever you look. Glacial lakes, rushing rivers, tremendously deep gorges and alpine meadows with a real splash of wild flower colour are everywhere. But the hospitality of the local people – always welcoming – compliment this superb walking destination.

Walking is available from May to October in these mountains, and temperatures can be hot in the valleys in July and August though higher up, cool breezes are a help.  We walk in May June and September – ideal temperatures.

Ljubljana is the capital, and the airport is also near there.  Transfers to our hotel are about 45 minutes, but through wonderful scenery –  a good way to whet your appetite for the days ahead. Lake Bled is 12 kilometres away.