Mountain Adventure Holidays
Every year 'George and the Gang' join forces with Tracks and Trails to explore new snowshoeing areas of Europe. This year we are heading for the stunning Julian Alps in Slovenia.
The Julian Alps in Slovenia have it all! Glistening Alpine pastures, surrounded by striking peaks, peaceful forests and breathtaking mountain viewpoints. Snowshoeing through Slovenia's backcountry alpine landscapes is a truly special experience. The itinerary will be adapted to conditions and group ambitions as the week progresses, with any scouting trip we ask our guests to allow for flexility.
This trip balances excellent accommodation, with adventurous journeys and traditional mountain culture, a prefect mix for a week on the edge of the Julian Alps.
Our expert local guide will not only share this region's pastures, plateaus, passes and peaks, which make this area so perfect for winter exploration, but will also welcome you to taste some of Slovenia's distinctive delicacies and local specialities throughout each day. We love working with the 'locals' who know their mountain 'office' so well. We feel this truly enhances any guided experience.
You will be welcomed at the airport or train station (depending on your choice of arrival) by your professional local guide, who will drive you to your accommodation for the week. Once settled you will enjoy some time together with your guide to discuss the itinerary, location and routes. This evening your local guide will join you for dinner. They will also join you on the final evening.
Departing from Rudno Polje - one of Slovenia's premier biathlon centres - our route journeys up and away through the forests of the Pokljuka Plateau. The plateau is the largest forest area in the Triglav National Park. Eventually we emerge onto one of our most beautiful Alpine Pastures, surrounded by striking peaks and sprinkled with historic shepherds huts. In the 16th century, iron ore was mined and smelted in Pokljuka, and the translation of Rudno Polje is literally 'ore field'. For around 3000 years the Julian Alps were strategically important due to their rich and high quality iron deposits. The working of metal in this area is documented as early as the Iron Age (800 BC), and reached a peak in the Roman era. After a picnic lunch, we will continue down the valley visiting the beautifully situated Uskovnica Koca for an afternoon snack, before a gentle ascent back to our starting point.
Ascent: 480m (1575ft) Descent: 480m (1575ft) Distance: 10km (6.2 miles) Duration: 5h00 - 07h00
Our day begins again at Rudno Polje, setting off away from the Cross-country sking trails and soon finding peaceful forest, with plenty of opportunities for spotting animal tracks and traces. Ascending gradually steepening ground we will reach a welcoming plateau. We can enjoy views back across Triglav National Park, before beginning our final ascent to Mrežce, a popular and easily accessible peak reaching 1974m (6476ft) on the edge of Pokljuka plateau near Bled. As we reach the ridge, the Julian Alps are revealed, with close-up views of Triglav from the top. Triglav at 2864m (9393ft) is the highest mountain in a group of over 300 mountains all with an elevation of more than 2000m (6560ft). After enjoying the view we descend via the same route to our starting point.
Ascent: 674m (2210ft) Descent: 674m (2210ft) Distance: 11km (6.8 miles) Duration: 5h00 - 07h00
Beginning at the small village of Goreljek on the Pokljuka Plateau, we will weave in and out of Alpine pastures to the iconic Planina Zajamniki. This area is well known as a great destination for hikers and is now attracting snowshoers in the winter months. Planina means pasture, and the wooden sheds covered with shingles are typical of the mountain meadows. Shepherds who made sour milk and other dairy products lived there in the past. The tradition of dairy production continues and grazing cattle can still be seen on some meadows in summer. At Planina Zajamniki we have the opportunity for a unique view across the perfectly lined shepherds huts, that draw your eye to the jagged peaks of the Julian Alps beyond.
Ascent: 419m (1374ft) Descent: 405m (1328ft) Distance: 11km (6.8 miles) Duration: 5h00 - 7h00
Today we begin our snowshoe route close to Soriska Planina, a small skiing area popular with locals. Following the edge of the plateau we journey steadily up until we join a wide ridge with open views across the Pre-Alps and much of Slovenia's 3 Alpine ranges. The path undulates as we continue along the Ratitovec ridge to a peak called Kremant sitting at 1654m (5425ft). There will be some steeper sections as we climb and we have the option to extend our ridge walk to include another peak called Gladki Vrh with a summit at 1667m (5468ft). Your guide will decide on the route on the day, depending on snow conditions and the effort required. After enjoying the view we will return via the same ridge line.
Ascent: 550m (1840ft) Descent: 550m (1840ft) Distance: 12km (7.5 miles) Duration: 7h00 - 8h00
Starting again from Soriska Planina, we immediately depart from the skiing areas, breaking trail along a quiet track with striking views across Bohinj Lake. Behind is the largest permanent lake in Slovenia, and it part of the Triglav National Park. On the lake shore is a statue of the legendary Zlatorog! Legend refers to this mythical beast as a golden chamois frequenting the mountains surrounding Mount Triglav. Also know as 'goldenhorn' the horns were said to be the key to a treasure hidden under the mountain of Bogatin. You never know you might get lucky! Leaving myth and legend behind we take that climbs through occasionally broken forest, before arriving at a wide alpine pasture. We continue our ascent to above the treeline and enjoy views that take in the Julian Alps, Skofja Loka hills, Karavanke Alps and Kamnik Alps. On clear days you may see all the way to the Adriatic Sea. Our descent is more direct, completing the circuit back to the start.
Ascent: 367m (1148ft) Descent: 382m (1148ft) Distance: 8km (2.5 miles) Duration: 4h00 - 6h00
For our final day of snowshoeing we will journey up the western valley of Mount Begunjščica. Begunjščica is a ridge in the Karawanks which has three main peaks, funnily enough the highest is called Big Peak, the western Middle Peak lies a little lower, and the lowest is Begunje Mount Vrtača. However, our goal today is to cross behind this solitary mountain to the isolated Dom na Zelenici, where we will enjoy our final lunch on the mountain together. This is a traditional Alpine Hut, serving comforting Slovene mountain food such as Jota (cabbage stew), Klobasa (sausage) and Ričet (barley soup). Hut guardians employed through local Alpine Associations manage the food, accommodation and welcome guests to enjoy an important element of Slovene mountain culture. Dom literally translates to home, and you can be sure of home-cooked meals and a warm welcome when you stop by for a visit along your journey. After our meal we will have the opportunity to continue to the northern ridge above the Zelenici mountain hut, which stands on the border with Austria. A few more photos and then we embark on our return journey.
Ascent: 367m (1203ft) Descent: 382m (1253ft) Distance: 8km (6.6 miles) Duration: 5h00 - 6h30
Depending on your ongoing journey times, you may have the opportunity to independently explore the scenic surroundings of Bled lake this morning, before our guide will drive you back to the airport or train station, ready for your journey home.
It is always our aim to complete the proposed itinerary outlined above, however, it may be necessary for our guides/instructors to adjust the daily itinerary based on the weather conditions, group safety and enjoyment.
The 4* Hotel Triglav on the shores of Lake Bled is a wonderful place to spend a holiday. The hotel is filled with artwork and antique furniture and rooms are tastefully furnished. There are twenty-one bedrooms in all ranging from singles to suites. Breakfast features a buffet in a lake-view restaurant. Guests have free access to the indoor swimming pool, and Finish sauna to ease any aching muscles. There is also a Wine Club where you can enjoy a glass of Slovenian wine or the house beer.
The hotel’s restaurant is named “1906” which is the year the hotel was built, and the same year the train connection between Bled and Trieste was constructed. Today, restaurant 1906 with its chef, Aleš Fende, is a leading force in the town’s culinary experiences; serving traditional dishes, offering wine tastings in the hotel’s private wine cellar, organising cooking classes, culinary theme events & a local farmer’s market.
Arrival and Departure
Train
If you prefer to travel by train, one option is to get the Eurostar from London to Paris then high speed train to Stuttgart, followed by a sleeper train from Stuttgart to Ljubljana. For more options visit: Seat 61. Once at Ljubljana you can take a local train to Lesce from where buses run to Bled every 30 minutes or so, and the journey is around 10 mins.
Air
In the winter season a number of airlines fly from the UK to Ljubljana. Not all of these are direct and often require a transfer. Whizz Air fly from London Luton to Ljubljana, departing from Luton in the early morning. You can also fly from Stanstead with Ryanair to Klagenfurt, just over the border in Austria, which is about 1h20 from Bled and can be reached by bus, or train to Lesce, then a bus to Bled. You can view other options at Rome2Rio and at Skyscanner
Our base for the week is on the shore of Lake Bled which is 40km (25 miles) from Ljubljana Airport. It takes around 30-40 minutes by taxi. A local transfer company you might want to use is GoOpti which does various transfer routes in the area.
When booking a trip we ask you to acquire insurance to cover you for the following:
Mountain Rescue Insurance
It is a condition of booking that you are insured against medical expenses, injury, illness, death, mountain rescue, cost of repatriation and personal accident risks. Please ensure that your insurance covers you to the maximum altitude given on your trip itinerary. The maximum altitude for any trip can be checked on the 'At A Glance' box on each trip page. Most of our trips have a maximum altitude of 3,000 metres. If you are unsure or are joining a bespoke trip, then please ask us for specific details.
Trip Cancellation/Curtailment Insurance
You should also have insurance to cover trip cancellation and curtailment. Please note that your deposit and balance payments are non-refundable, unless it is Tracks and Trails who cancel the trip due to a failure to reach the required minimum numbers. In this case we will offer you a refund or the option of transferring to another trip if one is available. We also advise that you should have insurance which covers baggage loss/equipment damage as Tracks and Trails will not be held responsible for loss/damage to baggage/equipment.
COVID-19 Insurance
As well as medical cover, we recommend that you have appropriate travel insurance so that if you fall ill and test positive for COVID-19 prior to (or during) your trip, you will be financially covered for cancelling your trip. You should also consider booking a policy that covers you if you have to cancel or curtail your holiday because you have to self-isolate. If you choose to cancel, cancellation charges will be payable, but if the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges. Please read the clauses below detailing trip cancellation and curtailment.
Travel Insurance covering COVID-19 is now available from a number of suppliers, Campbell Irvine, Trailfinders and Staysure. Please check their websites for the latest information on what is and isn't covered. It is likely that more companies will offer COVID related cover in the future.
All of the above insurances are detailed in our Terms and Conditions.
If you are joining a trip in the UK helicopter/mountain rescue insurance is not required as this is a free service.
For further details, please read the Insurance section on our website.
When packing for a trip in the mountains it is important to have the appropriate equipment and clothing. This kit list features items we believe are necessary for the weather you might encounter and the accommodation you will be staying in.
Generally clothing for snowshoeing should be equivalent to that used for walking in the mountains in winter. For this trip all the necessary snowshoe equipment is provided free of charge. This includes snowshoes, walking poles, snow probe, snow shovel, and avalanche transceiver. The carrying of this safety equipment is compulsory and demonstrates ‘best practice’.
Your guide will arrive at the ‘Welcome Meeting’ with only enough snowshoe equipment for those who have booked it via their Booking Form.
Equipment
Clothing
Comfort
Personal First Aid
Documentation
Additional Items
**Supplementary snacks if you follow a gluten free or coeliac diet**
Leaders are all first aid trained and carry their own first aid kit
The image below gives examples of how snowshoes can be attached to your rucksack
On many of our trips there will be an element of 'group kit' which will be shared amongst our guests. As mountain people you will be used to team work and working together to the mutual benefit and safety of the group.
The 'group kit' will be minimal and usually just a case of sharing a few lightweight 'survival shelters'. For example on a week-long trip you may carry a small shelter for just one day before passing it on to the next person.
If you are booking a trip in winter there will be a few additional safety items. These will be distributed in such a way that no one is over burdened.
Other group items necessary for safety and comfort will be carried by your guide/instructor.
For each of our trips a minimum number of guests is required before we can confirm that your trip will go-ahead. The minimum and maximum number of guests on your trip is displayed in the 'At a Glance' box on the righthand side of the trip page.
We strongly advise you do not book travel until we have confirmed your trip is 'guaranteed' to run. If you book travel before we have confirmed it is 'guaranteed' we cannot be held responsible for any financial loss if the trip does not go ahead.
When booking a holiday as a solo traveller a twin bedded room comprising of two single beds, is booked as standard. This will be with someone of the same gender unless you request to pay extra for your own room. Single rooms can be booked but are often limited in supply so if you would like to pay a supplement for a single room we urge you to get in touch as soon as possible. The single supplement for this trip is £350.
We go to great lengths to work with first class guides who are passionate about their work. They are all fully qualified, insured, and hold the correct documentation.
Please note your snowshoe guide has complete discretion to make a daily decision on whether or not to take the advertised route based on the weather and the ability of the members of the group. They have our authority to make any route changes they believe are necessary in the interests of safety and enjoyment. This is particularly relevant in a winter environment where the snowpack can change on a daily basis.
Your local guide will be fully qualified to the Slovenia standards required for professionals in the mountain. They will also be chosen for their local and extensive experience of the mountains in winter. You can learn more about our guides and instructors on the About Us page.
We do not include lunches in your trip fee for various reasons, the most important of which is food waste. In general our guests have particular tastes and requirements for 'trail' or 'hill' food and it is better you purchase your own snacks rather than throw away items from the picnic lunch which we would supply.
Lunches on our trips are 'picnic' style lunches, in other words you take a packed lunch with sufficient snacks, food and fluid to sustain you throughout the day. Buying snacks and trying local specialities is a great way to inter-act with local people and to practise your language skills.
If there is the possibility of lunch being taken at a restaurant/farm/cafe beside the trail, your guide/instructor will advise you of this. Each evening you can order a picnic or a sandwich from the hotel, or your guide/instructor will advise you of other options such as a local shop or market. In all cases we would ask you to settle any 'bill' for lunch or drinks the evening before you depart, and not in the morning when there may be a queue.
On your itinerary you will find an indication of the amount of ascent and descent you can expect each day. This offers a guideline to how much effort might be expended each day and allows you to decide, based on previous experience, if your fitness and stamina are correct for the trip.
We make every attempt to ensure these statistics are as accurate as possible, but ask you to note that the most modern of technology used to record these details can show considerable variations in terms of ascent, descent, and in particular distance. In other words no two people using GPS devices on the same route will have exactly the same details recorded at the end of the day.
The statistics given should be used as a 'general' indication of the effort required.
It is useful to arrive at your destination with some cash in the local currency, however, on most occasions it is relatively easy to visit a 'cash machine' after arrival and withdraw money on a credit or debit card. On many of our trips we will visit remote cafes/farms where it is wonderful to enjoy a drink and a cake, at places such as these they will often only accept payment in the local currency in cash. The euro is the official currency of Slovenia, which is a member of the European Union.
Food
We encourage you to experience local tastes and dishes and for this reason many of our accommodation options will be family run with a reputation for traditional food.
If you have a 'special' diet because of an allergy or intolerance which will make you ill then the accommodation will cater for this as best they can, eg gluten free, nut free, lactose free. Gluten-free diets will be possible with regard to the evening meals, but we would advise that you bring along some gluten-free snacks for your breakfasts and lunches.
If you are vegetarian his is not a problem as the hotels/refuges are used to being asked for vegetarian meals. Our accommodation will try to cater for those with vegan diets but in remote refuges in the mountains this is more difficult. If you would like to discuss the suitability of a trip for a vegan diet contact us.
If you have a 'special' diet which is NOT because of an allergy or intolerance, and is not 'veggie' then we apologise, but we cannot cater for this. The accommodation on the popular routes will be catering for many people each evening, in some cases up to 70/80 meals per night, 7 days a week, and realistically they cannot produce many different meal options unless the food will result in illness.
We request that you do not CHANGE your dietary requirements during the trip as we will have pre-ordered your meals.
Water
The countries we visit all have tap water which is drinkable. If for any reason a particular hotel is having a problem with a remote mountain water supply they will normally post a sign over the tap indicating that you must not drink the water. At all times you are welcome to ask your guide/instructor if the water can be drunk. We would ask, for environmental reasons, that you avoid using single-use plastic bottles, and bring a water bottle that can be used repeatedly.
A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for the country you are visiting, paying attention to your citizenship. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice.
We ask that you carry a paper copy of your passport with you on your trip. We suggest keeping your passport in your rucksack, and a paper copy of your passport in any luggage you might have. If your trip is without luggage transfers then keep a paper copy somewhere in your rucksack, separate from your original document.
We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at:
Plug, Socket & Voltage by Country
Note that if your trip involves staying in a mountain refuge/rifugio/hut that electric sockets may be in short supply and for that night you may not be able to charge any items. Although the accommodation will have electricity this will often be supplied by solar panels or a generator and limited to use by the staff. For this reason we advise that carrying a small slimline and lightweight 'battery pack' can be very useful for recharging phones which many of you will also use as your camera.
Before booking consider whether you expect to be in the appropriate physical condition on the date of your departure to allow you to fully participate in and enjoy your holiday. If you have any doubts because of an illness or injury it would be advisable to check with your doctor.
For UK residents travelling to an EU country you should obtain and bring with you a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment in certain European countries, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance.
If you have a UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) it will be valid until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you’ll need to apply for a GHIC to replace it. The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. Please check this before departing. We advise that you always carry your insurance documents with details of the Emergency Medical telephone number for your insurance provider, and your policy number.
We feel strongly about protecting the environment and do not encourage the use of single-use plastic items. We would ask that you arrive with a ‘water bottle’ or ‘hydration system’ that can be used repeatedly. We would point out that we operate a ‘zero tolerance’ for rubbish, and would ask you to remove all your rubbish items from the mountain even those you consider to be bio-degradable. In particular we ask that you remove any toilet tissue.
You can read our full policy here.
Working across international boundaries, and with various currencies means that the price of our trips can change overnight. We have, however, undertaken to guarantee that once you have paid your deposit the price of your trip is fixed. In this respect we urge you to book early to ensure that you receive the price advertised on our website. The website price may increase due to currency fluctuations, but we guarantee that the price advertised on the date of your booking will be maintained in your individual case.
Prices may vary depending on date.
| Dates | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sat 13 Jan - Sat 20 Jan Code: SLO1 |
Price: £2055 | Limited availability | Book |
| Dates | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sat 25 Jan - Sat 01 Feb Code: SLS1 |
Price: £2095 | Spaces available | Book |
|
Sat 08 Feb - Sat 15 Feb Code: SLS2 |
Price: £2095 | Spaces available | Book |
| From Price | £2055 |
| Holiday Type | Snowshoeing |
| Duration | 8 Days |
| Group Size | 4-8 |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Maximum Altitude | 1974m (6475ft) |
| Countries Visited | |
| Meet In | Bled, Slovenia |
