Early Season Hiking in Slovenia: Karawanks, Triglav and the Beauty of Changing Plans
- T Pilzova
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
When people think about hiking in Slovenia, Triglav National Park usually steals the spotlight, and for good reason. But my sister and I were after something different: solitude. So we spent several days crossing the Karawanks Mountains.
Our original plan was simple: hike across the Karawanks and loop back to our car. But as mountains often do, they had other plans for us.
Early Season Hiking in Slovenia
We visited Slovenia during the first week of June, which turned out to be one of the biggest highlights of the trip.
Early season hiking comes with obvious advantages. Empty trails, quiet mountain huts, blooming daffodils (Narcissus poeticus subsp. radiiflorus), and a feeling that you have entire mountain ranges to yourself. Of course, there is a reason fewer people are out this early.
Weather conditions in the mountains can be dramatically different from those in the valleys. A sunny morning in the village can quickly turn into rain, heavy winds, or even snow higher up.
Before every stage, we checked multiple forecasts. For mountain weather in Slovenia, we Bergfex, great forecast source for the Apls, as well as Windy for tracking rain and wind conditions.
Flexibility is essential. Sometimes changing your plans isn't a failure, it leads to even better adventures.
Crossing the Karawanks: Slovenia's Less Crowded Mountain Range
For three days, we crossed the Karawanks Mountains along the border between Slovenia and Austria. In total, we covered around 45 kilometers and climbed approximately 3,400 meters.
Our highest point was Stol (2,236 m / 7,336 ft), the highest peak of the Karawanks and one of Slovenia's most spectacular viewpoints.
The Karawanks are also perfect for hut-to-hut hiking. Spending several days moving from hut to hut allowed us to experience the mountains without carrying camping gear or worrying about finding accommodation every evening.
Throughout the trip, we relied heavily on Mapy.cz. Among hikers, the app has earned a worldwide reputation for its accuracy and detailed trail information, and it has become our go-to navigation tool for every adventure we take.
One practical note for travelers arriving by car: overnight parking options are surprisingly limited. Park4Night, which works great in many countries, offered only a handful of options in this part of Slovenia. We left our car at the train station in Rosenbach and hiked from there. Planning parking logistics ahead of time can save you some headaches. A note for your stomach.
Get ready for a lots of cabbage soups, sausages and strudels. You won't find much of other food at the mountain huts menu. But take it positively, as usual, you will be extra grateful for any food after your trekking and you are back to civilization. But what I did enjoy, is flavored beer. You know, as Czech person with the best beer in the world, your standarts are high. And sometimes, besides a great classic beer I enjoy flavored fruit beer, especially during summer months. So Slovenian Radler has to be part of your order. However, my absolute favorite was Laško Malt 0.0% Ananas (Pineapple), a 100% natural, non-alcoholic malt beverage brewed by the Slovenian Laško Brewery. You gotta try it and bring some with you home as a souvenir.
When the Mountains Changed Our Plans
Our original plan was to return to the car after crossing the Karawanks.
Instead, heavy rain and strong winds arrived. For some, changing plans can feel disappointing or even upsetting. But my sister and I enjoy to embrace the change, as it often leads to even better adventures. So we descended to the nearest village. And that's when the new adventure began.
What are the odds that the second person we asked for a ride would take us straight to the bus station, where the bus we needed was leaving in just two minutes? And what are the odds that later, for the final stretch back to our car, the very first person we asked would say yes?
The huts we had to cancel because of the weather and our change of plans? Refunded.
The room we needed to swap? Changed without any issues. Somewhere along the way, we realized that beautiful destinations may bring you to a country, but beautiful destinations paired with kind people are what make you want to come back.
Triglav National Park
Since the weather forecast improved further west, we decided to head to Triglav National Park. And what a great decision. We added another 11 kilometers and 800 meters of elevation while hiking to Mount Viševnik (2,050 meters / 6,726 ft), one of the most rewarding viewpoints in the Julian Alps. Standing on the summit with Mount Triglav (2,864 meters / 9,395 ft) in the background felt like the perfect ending to our mountain journey.
Triglav National Park is much more crowded than the Karawanks, but it more than makes up for it with its epic scenery and the wildlife we encountered along the way. One of the highlights was spotting a family of Alpine ibex. They stood confidently on impossibly steep cliffs, calmly feeding on grass just a few meters away from us.
Lake Bled
On our way down from the mountains, we stopped at Lake Bled.
Yes, it is touristy. Yes, it is beautiful. And yes, the water is freezing in early June.
Still, after days spent in the mountains, it was the perfect place to cool down and more importantly for me, to take advantage of the nearby camp showers.
I have this thing. I like to shower and feel clean. Shocking, I know. My sister loves making fun of me for it. When we thru-hiked Tenerife in December, I was put through a real test. With no mountain huts and limited water, I had no choice but to go to sleep covered in volcanic ash and sweat. Alright, I survived.But if there is a way to clean myself, I'll find it. Always.
One of the things I loved about hut-to-hut hiking in the Karawanks was that every evening I had at least a sink to wash up in, and sometimes even a proper shower. When we ended up sleeping in the car at a train station parking lot, I improvised with a water bottle. No joke, the train arrived about thirty seconds after I finished my "shower." So you can only imagine how amazing it felt to cool off in the crystal-clear waters of Lake Bled and then finish the day with an actual hot shower.
Luxury comes in different forms, and after several days in the mountains, hot water and washed hair definitely ranked near the top of the list.
Ljubljana — or as locals and Google maps call the city "Lj"
We spent our final day in Slovenia exploring Ljubljana and, once again, sleeping in our car.
By the way, remember how I mentioned that Park4Night options in Slovenia are somewhat limited? Let's just say the locals aren't exactly thrilled with what is probably the one and only overnight spot you can find in "Lj." And honestly? We understood why.
"Lj," as Google Maps, road signs, and even the locals abbreviate it.
Oddly enough, this nickname turned out to be one of the highlights of our visit.
For some reason, we found it absolutely hilarious and couldn't help but laugh every time we said it out loud. It quickly became one of the running jokes of the trip.
We explored the riverwalk and simply enjoyed the atmosphere of the city.
If you find yourself in Lj, I highly recommend two spots. For incredible ice cream, head to Vigo. We happened to be the last customers of the day, and after one bite, the line stretching outside the store suddenly made perfect sense.
And if you're a sucker for pastries like I am, you absolutely have to visit Osem. Even if you forget the name, the smell will lure you in anyway. Soft, fresh, and bursting with flavor, their pastries quickly became one of my favorite discoveries in the city.
Coming from Prague, Czech Republic, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit the Plecnik House and Museum. Joze Plecnik was a Slovenian architect who had a profound influence on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague, and Ljubljana. More importantly to us, in 1921, at the request of President Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, he undertook the extensive renovation of Prague Castle.
Visiting his home felt like stepping back in time. Preserved exactly as it was during his lifetime, the house offers a fascinating glimpse into both the architect's personal life and creative mind.
We also enjoyed the permanent exhibition dedicated to his work and left with an even greater appreciation for the remarkable connection between Slovenia and the Czech Republic.
Final Thoughts
If you're looking for solitude, authentic mountain huts, and a more remote experience, don't overlook the Karawanks. Triglav National Park is spectacular and absolutely worth visiting. Unsurprisingly, its beauty attracts more visitors, even in the early season. In contrast, the Karawanks offered us a quieter and more secluded experience, which made the two regions complement each other perfectly.
Most importantly, this trip proved us again that changing plans isn't always a setback. Sometimes, it's exactly where the best adventures begin.
Slovenia, until next time.
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