If you follow me on instagram you will have seen the absolutely mind blowing pictures from my trip to Slovenia. This underrated little country has completely surpassed my expectations and taken a huge slice of my heart.
I spent my weekend in Triglav National Park, an area of nature beauty focused around the Julian Alps which is only one hours drive from the capital of Ljubljana. It is the only national park in Slovenia and it is home to some of the most stunning mountain scenery I have ever seen. I only visited for 3 days but I could have spent weeks upon weeks there, I felt like I just scratched the surface.
If you’re planning on visiting this slice of mountainous paradise then here is the itinerary I designed and used for my trip.
The Practicalities:
Accommodation: We stayed in a small AirBnb on the end of the national park. It worked out £77/night split between three people, a bargain.
Getting There: We flew with EasyJet from Gatwick airport and flights were around £150 return each.
Getting Around: We rented a car from the airport using Europcar, this is essential for driving around Triglav National Park.
Money: The use Euros in Slovenia and everything is ridiculously cheap, convert less money than you think you’ll need.
The Itinerary:
Note: We landed on Friday evening, did a food shop on the way to our Airbnb and then started our itinerary on the Saturday morning.
Day 1:
3am: Wake up, pack a backpack, pop on some layers and get hiking. We climbed a nearby mountain called Mali Draski Vrh for sunrise. We parked at a nearby carpark “Vojasnuca Pokljuka” and went up in the pitch black by torch light. Ensure that once you get to what you will initially perceive as the the top that you hike along the ridge and then up the final peak to get the best views possible. Be warned that its a T4 route so it’s challenging.You will need to use your hands to help you scramble up, but the views are 100% worth it! It takes about 2-3 hours to hike up and 2 hours to hike down.
11am: Head back to the Airbnb, cook lunch and have a power nap.
1pm: Drive to Zelenci Springs. This gorgeous mini lake is crystal blue and has overhanging piers where you can relax, sunbathe, read a book and enjoy the surrounding mountainscape.
Evening: Explore Lake Bohinj. This lesser known cousin of the famous Lake Bled is much more peaceful, perfect for if you want to avoid to crowds. We were knackered from our hike so just relaxed on the lake edge and watched sunset. If you have more energy you could walk around the rim of the lake, hike the surrounding mountains or even hire a standup paddle board.
Day 2:
4.30/5am: Get up and start driving towards Vrsic Pass. This is the highest road pass in the Eastern Julian Alps, taking you from the gorgeous town of Kranjska Gora over to the Soca River. It includes some seriously winding roads and sharp hairpin bends, but provides incredible view points to watch sunrise from. There are also a lot of trailheads up here so grab your hiking boots if you fancy a beautiful walking route.
9am: Explore Soca Valley & The Veliki Kozjak Gorge. I will never get over the beautiful turquoise colour of the Soca River. It is absolutely stunning. Following the Vrsic Pass towards Bovec you will end up on a road through the valley itself. Make sure you stop off at Veliki Kozjak Gorge and walk the narrow path all the way along the gorge. You will find the most beautiful hidden waterfalls and alcoves, the perfect spot for a swim.
1pm: Grab lunch in the nearby town of Bovec.
3pm: Get an adrenalin rush on a canyoning trip. We used a company in Bovec for 3 hours of adventure. You climb down waterfalls, slide down rivers and jump into deep pools. It was frickin epic and isn’t to be missed.
6.30pm: Drive across the Italian border to visit the beautiful Lago del Predil for sunset. You can either watch it from right next to the lake or you can head up the the Cima del lago view point to look over the lake and surrounding mountains.
Day 3:
4am: Wake up, put on your trainers and hike up to Mala Osojnica viewpoint above Lake Bled for a beautiful sunrise view. Be warned, it can get busy up there so get there early to get s good spot.
9am: Head back to your accommodation, grab a quick nap, make brunch and pack your bags.
11am: Drive back to Lake Bled to tick off some tourist hot spots. I recommend parking at Bled Camping on the quieter side of the lake and walking around the lake edge away from the crowds. If you’re feeling cliche then definitely hire a boat from the nearby rental shop and row over to the island, grab some vegan ice cream and pop on your bikini for a refreshing swim. (Warning: I went skinny dipping and lost my swimsuit at the bottom of the lake, let’s just say that was a hilarious and embarrassing moment!).
5pm: Grab your bags and drive to the airport, the adventure is over for now but no doubt you will want to come back!
Things we missed:
As I said, despite cramming our days full of activities I didn’t quite make it through my full hit list of beautiful destinations in the park. If you have a a little more wiggle room in your schedule then I highly recommend hitting up these hot spots. I will definitely be returning to Slovenia to tick these of my bucket list:
The Waterfalls: Slap Virje & Slap Boka are both located near Soca river; and I have heard great things about Pericnik and Mostnica too.
The Mountains: I would have loved to hike Mount Krn (which gives views over Soca Valley) and Mount Triglav (the highest mountain the country, which includes a 2 day hike staying in an incredibly located mountain hut).
The Hikes: There are more hikes in Triglav National Park than you can shake a stick at. Some ones I missed included Lake Krn, Jezersko and the Valley of 7 lakes.
The Gorges: If the Veliki Kozjak gorge is anything to go by, the gorges arent to be missed. Check out the popular Tolmin Gorges and Vintgar gorge if you can.
I am certain Slovenia will blow you away. Safe Travels,
