In September I had the honour of piloting a new adventure for On-trek. A 7-day MTB adventure through the Julian Alps. It was my first time visiting Slovenia and I didn’t really know what to expect, but wow, what a country! I am so happy I had the chance to explore this part of the Alps by bike and I can’t wait to go back some day.
Rural Slovenia
The drive from the airport to our first stay was already breathtaking. Within minutes we left the city and the landscape became rural. The area was close to the Austrian border and it reminded me a lot of the times I spent in the Austrian Alps. Our first night we stayed at a cosy farm, with lots of animal cuddles and astonishing views. There was a mtb park nearby and we took the bikes for a first test ride.
After a good night of sleep we started our journey through the Slovenian Alps. We climbed from 500 to 1300 meters and did +50km on our first day. We arrived at another farmstay and were welcomed with a warm & local meal.
Woods & mud
Our second day on the road was a bit bumpy. Because we were testing the trip we still had to figure out the route. We stumbled upon some paths that didn’t exist, which resulted in some adventurous manoeuvres through the woods and carrying our bikes down a steep valley. We spent all day exploring paths and roads and managed to do 35km and 600 altimeters. We decided to move closer to Triglav national park and try out a different route.
Day 3 was a great day with 61 km and 1000 altimeters, with a few kilometers through the mud. The route was perfect and we knew we found the right trail for the trip!
Moody mountains
And then the weather turned. I didn’t really mind, I love the moody vibe. The temperatures were still really nice and we brought good rain jackets. We biked 55 km through the mist, crossed streams with our bikes and ascended 900 meters. At the top we found a mountain station where we dried our clothes, warmed up a little and played some chess. When we started descending about 1300 meters the weather cleared and we had a glimpse of the most beautiful rock formations I’ve ever seen.
Day 5 started out a bit unlucky. We had to go all the way back to the nearby village because we needed new brakes for one of the bikes. Fortunately we had our very own bike repair expert with us who fixed it in no time. But then I fell a few times on some slippery single track and I had a hard time pushing my bike up some steep ascents. We did 66km and ascended 800 meters.
Literally ups and downs, but it’s all part of the adventure. Looking back, this might have been one of the most beautiful days because I pushed through!
Rewarding views at the top and cold dives in the valley
Day 6 we did a total of 51km, we climbed from 175 to 1400 meters through cute villages. We played some ping pong and cuddled with the animals at a farm where we stopped to eat something. The top was another great spot for a break. Before we went back down to the valley, we had to cross some meadows with baby cows, which was my favourite part of the day. We ended again at 500 meters at a cosy apartment in one of the most outdoorsy villages I have ever seen. Biking, kayaking, hiking, fishing – the town was a paradise for outdoor lovers.
Our last day was a chill 36km. A short but steep ascent of 800 meters and we let our bikes roll back to 500 meters. We ended at the lake of Bohinj, where we quickly took off our sweaty clothes and went for a dive in the clear mountain water. What a way to end our adventure!
