Trekking in the Slovenian Karawanks

About the trail

We set out for a four-day tour in the Karawanks to see more of the range, and were happy to explore this region of the country. I’d only been in the Julian Alps before, so seeing the north of the country was a great experience.

Stage one began at Ljubelj Pass, which you can easily reach from Bled with a transfer arranged by your hotel. The trail begins immediately with a ridge hike that has incredible views. There was a tunnel we crouched through, and when it opened up and we hiked further, we found a family alpine farm, where we stocked up on snacks. I highly recommend trying their cottage cheese dumplings (štruklji) with a full Milka bar melted on top for an extra caloric and sugar boost for the next bit of trail. You can decide to hike to the top of Mt. Begunjščica, about a 1000 meter climb, on the way to your hut for the night. If you’re up for it, the views are definitely worth the effort. The climb is steep through the forest for a while, and then the trail opens up to a wavy ridgeline. It was so fun to hike along and really felt like being on the roof of the range. After a quick 30 minute descent, you’ll come to Roblekov Dom, where you’ll sleep for the night. There are a few private rooms here that you can book; a total luxury in the mountain hut world.

The second stage of the tour starts with a descent down to the valley before you begin climbing for about 3 hours. The descent was a slippery slide down scree slopes, so make sure you have your hiking poles with you! When you reach the valley, you’ll slowly hike through the forest until you reach the point where the trail begins in an upward direction. You’ll spend an hour or so ascending through a beautiful cirque until you reach the scree slopes below Mt. Stol. Scramble up these for an hour or so, and you’ll be close to the top of the highest peak in the mountain range. Another 15 minutes up and you’ll reach Stol’s peak with views over everything you’ve just climbed up through and much more. Head back down the last push and you’ll arrive at the hut for the night, Prešernova koča, just 15 minutes below. The hut has dormitories, but with small rooms that have only 4-6 beds each.

The third stage is a very mild descent on a ridge across grass slopes. You’ll have views over the Julian Alps and Upper Sava Valley the entire way as you walk below Mt. Vajnež. The trail is very mild, but will feel welcomed after the prior day’s more strenuous push. Finally, you will slowly make your way down to Golici mountain hut, where you can hang out in the sun and enjoy a delicious late lunch. If you arrive early, it’s also possible to add on the final kilometers to Planina pod Golico to end the tour in three days if you prefer. However, if you choose to stay, there are many grazing sheep and cattle in the area and make for great entertainment in the evening.

On the final stage, you’ll summit Mt. Golica before you descend to Planina pod Golico. The summit is full of switchbacks, but when you reach the summit, you’ll have 360° views of the Julian Alps and High Tauren range in Austria that make the climb worth it. The descent down is gentle and through the forest, a perfect way to finish the trail. You’ll need to arrange a ride from Planino pod Golico back to Bled or Bohinj, depending on where you plan to head next.

Recommendations

After our tour, we wanted a wellness retreat, and stayed at Hotel Bohinj and Vila Muhr in Bohinj. These two sister hotels are on the same property and have views over the Črna Prst and Vogel mountains and namesake lake. Hotel Bohinj’s decor is alpine-themed, with artifacts from the early mountaineering days of the region and delicious local cuisine. It has a large outdoor lounge space with a bonfire and lawn games every evening where you can relax before dinner at their restaurant.

On the more exclusive side, Vila Muhr only has four suites, which are curated for a luxury mountain experience. The building was the hunting quarters for the royal family of Yugoslavia when they came to the region, and the decor reflects its history in a stylish way full of small luxuries (in-suite saunas and baths, for example). With a private chef and in-suite wellness treatments, this is the ultimate getaway if you’re looking for the exact opposite of the mountain huts on your trek. Both are a great choice for relaxing near nature when you get down from the mountains. Plus, their shared wellness center will be a welcomed comfort on the muscles after hiking in the Karawanks!Finally, it is possible to book this trek yourself or with a tour company. If you book on your own, you will need to arrange the mountain huts ahead of time by contacting them to reserve your beds, and arrange transfers to the start point and back to town after the trek. You may also need to work with your hotel in the valley to hold bags for you if you plan to stay longer after your trek. If you prefer to work with a tour company to arrange these details for you, we recommend Slotrips. Locally owned and run from Ljubljana for over 10 years, the company does a great job with providing the materials you need to be prepared and stay informed about the trail as you hike. They also already have the Karawanks Trekking as a pre-designed tour on the site!

Hiking in the Karawanks is a wonderful way to see more of Slovenia. The mountains are more undulating in places, while still with adventurous scrambles up scree fields, full of grazing livestock and wildflowers everywhere you turn. They’re beautiful and almost empty compared to their neighboring range of the Julian Alps. If you’re looking for a quieter tour in the area, the Karawanks may be your best bet.