Hiking the Julian Alps | Alpine Highs Slovenia

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Chalet Trzinka is an ideal base for hiking enthusiasts of all levels. Pokljuka is one of the most beautiful, forested karst plateaus in the Alps. Families and friends can spend weeks hiking hundreds of kilometres of forest trails leading up to Triglav mountain and surrounding peaks, Slovenia’s crown jewels.

Right outside the chalet families can find amazing trails like the alpine peat bog right outside the chalet. A 200m walk with family members in the embrace of the Pokljuka forests immediately radiate energy and emit strong scents of spruce trees and wild flowers that recharge your bodies and minds. The peat bog trail behind the chalet is home to fascinating flora and fauna. Peat bogs formed after the last ice age once glaciers disappeared and left their water on small lakes on mountains. Over thousands of years, they became filled up with various organic remains of water plants and animals that inhabited the lakes. While one hikes to these areas one can likewise forage wild strawberries and blueberries alongside porcini, chanterelle, and parasol mushrooms, as well as mountain herbs right behind the house.

Another family-friendly hike is to Blejska Koča in Lipanca, an alpine hut high up in the mountains above the chalet. This alpine hut, approximately a two-hour hike from the chalet, rewards their guest for their hard work to make it there with savoury Slovenian dishes. On the way to and from the hut, hikers pass through the marvellous village of Zajavornik where dairy farmers have been making cheese, cremes, and various types of milk for generations on end.

Viševnik, a more challenging hike about three hours from the chalet offers guests amazing views of Triglav mountain and surrounding peaks in Triglav National Park as well as peaks in nearby countries like Austria and Italy. Viševnik offers guests an ideal vantage point to have picnics with you and your loved ones while imbibing the mountain airs and views as a reward for your hard work to make it up there.

Scaling Slovenia’s crown jewel, Triglav mountain, takes more endurance and planning. But locals say that it is incumbent upon every Slovenian to hike to the top of Triglav, the highest peak in Slovenia and the former Yugoslavia at 2864m. This rule likewise applies to our returning guests at Alpine Highs Slovenia!

The wall of the mountain has more than 140 technical climbs, but there are several paths that do not require too much equipment or experience. Scaling the mountain is something most fit people can do, and at Alpine Highs Slovenia, we can help hiking enthusiasts with maps and information well in advance of their trip. Climbing the mountain usually takes, nevertheless, two days. Most of Triglav hiking routes ascend the mountain via a large mountain hut, Triglavski dom na Kredarici (image and webpage link) at the foot of Triglav on the first day, this is about a 5-6 hour hike from our chalet. Ascending and descending the summit back to Kredarica can take about 6-8 hours round trip. Kredarica is the main mountain hut that guests stay at upon their ascent and must be reserved in advance. For our guests who prefer to have a guide, we can also make these arrangements for you well in advance of your trip. That being said, some of our more experienced guests have scaled Triglav directly from Chalet Trzinka within a day starting from dawn and returning at dusk.

To be sure, the starting point for these hikes mentioned above are only a short drive from Farmhouse Chalet Apartments down in Bohinj. But there are enchanting hiking trails replete with splendid cliffs, waterfalls, as well as the path along the Sava Bohinjka river right out side of Farmhouse Chalet Apartments.

In addition to paths hugging Lake Bohinj, however, there are breathtaking hikes down in the valley as well. The hike to Triglav Lakes Valley (Seven Lakes Valley) is a day hike that explores this alpine glacial valley in Triglav National Park renowned for its string of seven lakes:

Jezero pod Vršacem (Lake below Vršac) or Jezero v Podstenju
Mlaka v Laštah (Pond in Ledges)
Rjavo jezero (Brown Lake)
Zeleno jezero (Green Lake)
Veliko Jezero (The Great Lake) or Jezero v Ledvicah (Kidney Lake)
Dvojno jezero (Double Lake)
Črno jezero (Black Lake)

HIKING THE TRIGLAV LAKES VALLEY IN A DAY

One can hike ot the Seven Lakes Valley as part of a multi-day hike (see below) or as as day hike. For day hiking, there are two marked approaches. The easiest approach is from Planina Blato, accessible by a toll from Stara Fružina, the western side of Lake Bohinj. The more difficult approach is from Koči pri Savici, accessible from Ukanc on the other side (eastern) of Lake Bohinj. The tourist board at Ribčev Laz cautions people against hiking to Seven Lakes from Koča pri Savici after rain. Regardless of the approach, this enchanting trail ambles across alpine pastures dotted with traditional herdsmen huts where one can imbibe well-deserved, savoury Slovenian dishes and drinks as rewards for their hard work.

HIKING THE TRIGLAV LAKES VALLEY AS A FOUR-DAY HIKNG TRIP

One can hut and stay from hut to hut for four days across Triglav National Park, starting at Vršič Pass (close to Kransja Gora and ending at Lake Bohinj. Doing so one can enjoy scenic views of the Northern Julian Alps, including the high alpine plateau of Krišhih podih, Mount Triglav, the Seven Lakes Valley, Luknja pass, and the fairy tale pasture around Planini pri Jezeru. This Slovenian hut-top-hut hike was sensational. It promises to enchant hikers with spectacular views of Slovenia’s peaks, glimpses of fabled edelweiss flowers, ibex roaming the mountains, as well as emerald green mountain lakes.