Slovenia, formerly part of Yugoslavia, is a small, picturesque country tucked between Austria and Croatia, and touching the northeast corner of Italy. This active food & wine multisport tour with our LGBTQ+ travel partner, HE Travel, will send us through northwestern Slovenia. We will follow the pristine rivers and shady roads that wind between the rugged peaks of the Julian Alps. We’ll kayak a section of the gorgeous Alpine River and hike the beautiful Lower and Upper Falls in Martuljek Gorge. Our gay group (and Allies are welcome, of course) will pause to appreciate Slovenia’s unique red wines, delicious artisan cheeses, and flavorful local produce. Join us for this truly remarkable week in a hidden corner of Europe.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Ljubljana
We will arrive at Ljubljana airport, just north of the charming capital of Slovenia. We will be transferred to our lakefront hotel in Lake Bohinj, nestled in the hills to the northwest. Tonight we will relax and get to know each other over an intimate welcome dinner
Day 2: Kayaking in Triglav National Park
After breakfast, we will head out for our first activity, kayaking! Once at the lake, we will suit up and don our equipment as our guides explain paddling techniques. Since we are right beside the Sava Bohinjka, our kayak trip starts here at the crystal clear Lake Bohinj. Next, we’ll practice kayaking basics in the peaceful part of the river before our descent into a nice 3 – 5 km stretch of the Alpine River.
Lunch will be in Bohinj, and then we will visit Radovlijca’s Apicultural Museum. A highlight of today is the Beekeeping Museum situated in a baroque manor house, detailing Slovenia’s rich tradition of apiculture, or bee farming.
Day 3: Magical hiking in Triglav National Park
Our hike in the Julian Alps starts in Gozd Martuljek, a small intriguing village. The walk is a beautiful, all-weather trek towards Kranjska Gora with a spectacular view of the Špik mountain range. This is one of the most beautiful mountains in the Julian Alps, Mount Spik – at 2472m. It is known as the Slovenian Matterhorn and its pyramid summit dominates the Martuljek Range.
As we leave the valley, our forest trail leads us into Martuljek Gorge where we will slowly start ascending along a stream with beautiful falls. Winding our way through the forest, we will emerge and enjoy another spectacular view at our rest stop at the Lipovčeva Hut. The amenities are famously known and it features a natural, open kitchen plus delicious homemade mountain soups.
Our trail along the stream arrives at the Lower Fall which cascades down into the valley, and today, we’ll also see the stunning Higher Falls, plus stop to appreciate a monument dedicated to Slovene climbers.
Day 4: Hiking the Julian Alps
Our hike today begins at the hut and leads us to ‘Slemenova Špica,’ one of the most spectacular ‘hills’ in the Julian Alps. Our walk near one of Slovenia’s highest mountain passes, Vršič, takes us on a simple and not too long of a journey through towering walls and incredible views. This is a great walk for anyone wishing to experience the beauty of the Slovene mountains with minimal effort. For the more determined, an alternate ‘detour’ to another top-notch vista (Vršič summit) is included.
Day 5: Rafting and Zipline above Soča Valley
Be ready to get wet today! After breakfast, the day begins with a fun, 7 km rafting trip down the Soča River’s rapids. Later we will enjoy some gentle canoeing past some incredible natural geological sculptures.
After lunch, we gear up for our zipline adventure that starts with a gorgeous drive up the mountainside in the instructor’s 4×4. This ride on a beautiful mountain road is a 10 km scenic dream.
At the zip line starting point, we will be harnessed in then we’ll whizz down to the mountain base. The estimated top speed for these lines are 40 to 60 km per hour (should you wish to go that fast) on one of four installed, roughly 2.4-kilometer lines.
This evening, we’ll enjoy a feast featuring locally grown ingredients at the award-winning Hisa Franko, voted one of the world’s top 50 restaurants in 2018. The head chef, Ana Roš, was voted the most talented chef in the world in 2016 and has since claimed the title of world’s best female chef in 2017.
Day 6: Goriška Brda or Slovene “Tuscany”
Today we explore the Kolovrat range where First World War structures by Italy’s third line of defense are still densely embedded on both sides of Slovenia’s border. To fortify and restore these positions, historical preservationists took a special approach by using original building materials including wire nets to stabilize slopes. Next, we will continue on to Brda to explore the Slovenian Tuscany or wine region. From village to village, we’ll learn about this region’s turbulent past but interesting, and tasty, present. We will stop for wine tastings amid Brda’s castles, vineyards, and small white churches, often perched on hilltops overlooking these scenic villages.
Day 7: Ljubljana
Today we’ll enjoy a late breakfast and prepare to depart to Ljubljana, where we will enjoy free time to wander through this small, beautiful town and take in some of the final sights and sounds of Slovenia. Our formal farewell dinner concludes our week full of adventures.
Day 8: Goodbye Slovenia
After breakfast, we will be transferred to the airport or train station.
Price Includes
Price includes: Accommodations for 7 nights; All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners; Airport transfers; All ground transportation to included activities; All activities and entrance fees as listed in the itinerary; Services of knowledgeable local guides, and a professional HE Travel tour host (with a minimum number of participants); HE Travel provides complimentary Medical & Evacuation Insurance for every US Resident on our group tours who does not have other coverage.
Not included: Airfare to and from Slovenia; Airport taxes; Lunch on Day 7; Gratuities to the national guide and HE Travel host; Personal items including alcoholic beverages, snacks, laundry, and telephone calls.
We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance to protect your vacation investment in case of unforeseen circumstances such as flight delay, illness, or injury.
Pricing
Shared Room: $4998 per person
Private Room: $6398 per person
Deposit: $1000 per person