10 Best Hiking Trails In Slovenia

Hiking is an excellent way to discover the natural beauty of Slovenia. Around the country, there are over ten thousand kilometers of marked mountain trails of various difficulties. Many Slovenian peaks have mountain huts, offering traditional Slovenian food so that the hikers can also discover the culinary world of Slovenia. Here is the list of 10 best hiking trails in Slovenia.

Trail to Mt Triglav

This three-day hike leads to the top of Triglav, the highest Slovenian mountain. The trail starts next to a lake in Stara Fužina, continues to Velo Polje mountain pasture, stops at the Planika Mountain Hut and then heads to the summit of Mt. Triglav, 2864 meters (9396 ft) above sea level. The unbelievable view of the Julian Alps will take your breath away. The trail then continues to Dolič Pass, the valley of Seven Triglav Lakes, Komarča slopes, and ends in Bohinj.

Trail to Lovrenc Lakes

The one hour trail to Lovrenc Lakes starts at Ski Center Rogla located in the Pohorje Hills. After an hour walk in the woods, the trail reaches the raised bog called Lovrenc Lakes. The bog is named after the nineteen small lakes (bog pools) in the area. The Lovrenc Lakes are sourced from rainwater, therefore their size varies during the year. A wooden footpath among the lakes leads to a wooden viewing tower in the middle of the bog. The top of the tower reveals stunning views. The trail continues past Ribniska hut and circles back towards Ski Center Rogla.

Soča Trail

Botanical Garden, Museum, Park

The Soča Trail starts at the Spring of Soča River and follows the river all the way to Bovec. Though the trail can take eight hours to finish, it is not too challenging and is suitable for most hikers. Along the well-marked trail, hikers can stop at Alpinum Juliana botanical garden and Trenta Lodge (the Trenta Museum and Triglav National Park Information Centre). Despite the route featuring beautiful, steep gorges like Mlinarica, the Great Soča Gorge, and the gorge at Kršovec, the picturesque footbridges over the Soca river have always been the favorites of hikers on this trail.

Slovenian Mountain Trail

Slovenian Mountain Trail, the oldest connecting trail in the world, was created in 1953. The 599km long trail connects forty-nine mountain huts, twenty-three peaks, and five towns. Throughout, the trail is well marked with Knafelc blazes (a white dot surrounded by a red circle) and an Arabic number one. The trail starts in Maribor where it rises to the Pohorje Hills. From there it continues through the Kamnik and Savinja Alpine ranges and from there to the Karavanke range. Hikers can enjoy the beautiful views of the mountain tops, pristine nature, and wildlife ranging from ibex to eagles all along the route. After Karavanke range the trail reaches the Julian Alps where Triglav, the tallest Slovenian mountain (2446m/ 8024 ft), rises to the sky. After reaching the top of the country, the Slovenian Mountain Trail continues towards the Adriatic Sea. Crossing the Karst Region, the trail finishes in Delebeli Rtič, a small town at the Slovenian seaside. The Slovenian Mountain Trail demands a high level of physical preparation and takes around 28 days to complete.

Velika Planina

Though there are several different hiking trails to reach the top of Velika Planina Plateau, the trail starting in Kranjski Rak is suitable for the whole family. After a half an hour ascent, hikers continue on the mostly flat terrain for two hours among the green conifers and pastures. The trail leads to a herdsmen’s settlement – Mala Planina, where herdsmen’s cottages offer a peek into traditional mountain life. Hikers are also welcome to try the sour milk, one of the traditional herdsmen’s foods. Those looking for a shorter hike can hop on a cable car in Kamniška Bistrica. From the final stop of the cable car, there is only a 45-minute scenic walk before reaching Mala Planina.

Triail to Mt Krn

The trail to Mt. Krn starts at the mountain hut on the Kuhinja Pasture. Due to several steep slopes on the way to the top, the difficulty of this trail is classified as medium. Most of the trail goes along the pastures with little shade available, so sun protection is advised. The Krn Ridge on the way to the top of the mountain offers beautiful views of the Soča Valley. Just before reaching the peak of Mt. Kern, hikers can stop at Gomišček Krn Lodge. From the Lodge, there is a short 10 min hike to get to the peak of the Mt. Krn.

Trail through the Logar Valley

Forest

The Trail through Logar Valley is a seven km long natural history and ethnographic trail. A two to three hour hike through the pastures and forest ends at the Rinka Waterfall, the second highest waterfall in Slovenia. Besides the incredible flora and fauna along the path, hikers can also stop at the woodcutter’s hut and at the charcoal burner’s hut, where charcoal is made in the traditional way. The Logar Valley is surrounded by the Kamnik and Savinja Alps, which makes it an excellent starting point for more physically demanding hikes on one of the surrounding mountains.

Along the Pohorje Trail

The Pohorje Trail starts at St. Bolfenk church, which can be reached from Maribor either on foot or by a cable car. From there the trail takes hikers to a viewing point where they can enjoy the views of Dravska Valley. The trail continues through a green pine forest across Areh and Žigartov Peak. The Pohorje Trail also stops at Veliki Šumik waterfall, where hikers can refresh with crystal clear water. From there the 24km long trail heads back towards the little town Ruše, where it ends.

Brda Hiking Trail – Črnica

Brda Hiking Trail starts and ends in Dobrovo. At Dobrovo Castle to be exact. The trail is 16.5km long and is classified as easy. From the starting point, the trail takes off towards the village Šlovrenc and the crossroad Petrnel. The pristine water from Kožbanjšek stream offers refreshment to hikers on a hot day. Later the trail passes Krčnik, a stone bridge, and the Kotline natural pools. Part of this beautiful trail goes through the local vineyards which offers a unique hiking experience.

Begunje Shepherd’s Trail

Hiking Trail

This circular hiking trail begins at Draga Valley. From the starting point, the trail leads towards the mountain pastures of Preval and from there onwards across the panoramic slopes to the Roblek Hut. At the hut, hikers can enjoy views of the Carnolia region while trying the traditional food of the Slovenian mountains. From Roblek Hut, more experienced hikers can continue up to the peak of Mt Begunjščica. Others can continue on the trail and hike through the mountain pastures of Poljška and Planinica mountains and finish in the Draga Valley.