Julian Alps Walking Tour

Set off from the popular tourist enclave of Kranjska Gora on your first day of hiking. Today’s route takes you into the Sava Dolinka Valley, which leads you to Mojstrana, your destination for the evening. The valley acts as a connector between these two beloved tourism towns, Kranjska favoured in the winter and Mojstrana in the summer.

After the hike, you can cycle to the nearby Peričnik Waterfall in the Vrata Valley if you’re looking for extra sightseeing!

Continue east through the foothills of the Karavanke range as you follow the Sava River. Your route leads you through an old mining trail as you approach your destination of Jesenice, known for its ironworks. This was an important town for industrial production during the World Wars.

After breakfast, set off and continue along the Sava River, eventually crossing it in your way to Begunje na Gorenjskem. Along the way, you’ll pass through a handful of villages that lie under the watchful gaze of Stol, the tallest mountain in the Karavankes. Beekeeping is a prominent trade in these parts.

Today’s route is relatively flat as you work back towards the west and the renowned resort town of Bled. Visit Radovljica, known as the cultural capital of the Julian Alps, before arriving at the breathtaking Lake Bled.

This beautiful setting is Slovenia’s most popular attraction, and for good reason. The aquamarine waters hold a tiny island with an even smaller church, and Bled Castle overlooks the entire scene from high atop a cliff. It’s an endlessly photographic spot!

It’s an ascent into a series of mountain plateaus today, as you bid Bled goodbye and head west. Work through the narrow walls of the Pokljuka Gorge, then start to hike upwards as you cross the Kranjska Planina and Planina Javornik pastures. Some of these ascents are steep, but the views are more than worth it!

From the dreamy alpine plateaus, set off on a descent through the meadows and forests of Pokljuka. Reaching the Upper Bohinj Valley, continue your walk through the settlements of Češnjica, Srednja vas and Studor before reaching Lake Bohinj. As Slovenia’s largest lake, this gorgeous environment is a popular place for locals who enjoy its clear waters and peaceful shores.

It’s a relatively short day today as you leave the shores of Lake Bohinj behind and hike towards Bohinjska Bistrica, the administrative centre of the region. Your route brings you along a series of unpaved roads and paths, crossing the broad Dobrava meadows with lovely vistas of the open green landscape.

Make the most of today’s breakfast– a nice long day of hiking awaits! Head out onto a trail that leads through the Vrh Bače Pass. Old military paths and strategic fortifications can be seen on this route, which provides stunning alpine vistas at every turn.

A lovely day of hiking through the higher reaches of the Baška grapa, a 30-kilometre valley that rises on either side of the Bača River. Pass through dreamlike tiny villages perched upon its slopes, hidden away from travellers who take the main roads and railways through the valley’s lower flanks.

Continue through the lower reaches of the valley today as you head towards the nearby Soča Valley and its breathtaking river. Its beautiful blue-green colour is unreal! The storybook town of Most an Soči makes an excellent visit, boasting a rich history dating back to prehistoric times. Your overnight location is just up the river from here.

It’s a flat and easy walk today along the valley floor. Your route is entirely (as the locals say) on the “sunny side” of the Soča River. Stroll through a number of picturesque villages until you reach Kobarid, where a WWI battle was famously documented by Ernest Hemingway in A Farewell to Arms.

Today’s hike continues along the Soča River, passing through the settlements of Kobarid and Trnovo. Explore the rugged features of the gorge which the water cuts through. This stretch shows the river at its wildest and most dramatic!

This shorter hike brings you to Log pod Mangartom, one of Slovenia’s most scenic little settlements. Home to a handful of tiny villages and hamlets, this area is surrounded by no less than 15 mountains with over 2,000m of elevation to their name. You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into another world!

Conquer a final mountain pass on today’s hike, which takes you up and over the Predil Pass into Italy. Spot the monument of a dying lion erected in remembrance of Austrian soldiers lost during the Napoleonic wars. Descend into the town of Tarvisio for a quick taste of Italy!

After a tasty Italian breakfast, head back on the trail for your return trip to Kranjska Gora, completing the loop. Pass through numerous charming villages and alpine centres before saying goodbye to the brilliant Julian Alps.

Depart the region via your own arrangements, or book your own accommodation to spend the night before departing the next day.