Backpacking Slovenia's Julian Alps - Alumni

Join a group of fellow trekkers on NOLS’s first ever foray into Slovenia! We are looking for an intrepid team to come along on this new adventure in the Julian Alps and hope that you are up for the challenge.

Hiking from hut to hut allows us to keep our packs light and our bellies full as we savor cuisine traditional to the Balkans. The huts are charming accommodations where we will mix with an eclectic group of largely Europeans who are out exploring the area as well. Utilizing a European system of huts is outside of the norm in the United States, but very common for backcountry trips in Europe.

The huts allow us ditch our sleeping bags, pads, tents, and kitchens to travel lightweight and faster in the high alpine. The hiking days will be hard, but with light packs we can cover more ground without as much wear and tear on our bodies.

The route will start with a cultural orientation in Slovenia’s charming capital of Ljubljana. We will spend some intentional time understanding one of the world’s youngest countries before heading out to the mountains.

Heading into the mountains, we spend 6 nights in Mountain Huts as we hike a loop around Lake Bohinj. Ultimately, we will end up at the base of Mt. Triglav (9393’), the highest peak in Slovenia. Some folks might opt to take on the via ferrata that heads to the summit while others may choose to stay at the base.

We will spend all of our time within Triglav National Park which is actually older than the country of Slovenia. The park encompasses most of the Julian Alps which area sub-range of the Southern Limestone Alps named after Julius Caesar. They offer incredible vistas into neighboring countries as we walk along their jagged ridgelines. Limestone is a lightweight and porous rock which leads to more jagged mountain tops and fertile valleys as the rock erodes. We will move through vibrant evergreen forests, low lying scrub, and into boulder fields that appear almost lifeless in the high alpine environment. Ibex, marmots, chamois, and many bird varieties call this area home and, with luck, we will see them all.

At the end of the trek will end back in Ljubljana for a dinner out together as a group before onward travel.

Activity Rating*:

*Hut to Hut travel means lighter packs!