Mountain biking in Triglav National Park
With more than 5,500km of road and mountain bike routes, Slovenia has endless possibilities for two-wheeled challenges, and one of the most unforgettable is the 62km round trip climb to the country’s highest mountain pass. Climbing the Vršič Pass, in Triglav National Park, is highly demanding and yet one of the most popular biking adventures in Slovenia. The tour starts in Bovec, one of the most beautiful biking destinations in its own right, with a total of 395km of trails, and follows the River Soča via a gently sloping road, before ascending rapidly on a winding mountain route.
The rewarding finale of this tour, the 1,611m Vršič Pass, is reached after many twists and turns. Highlights along the way include the spring of the Soča, an alpine botanical garden and the Triglav National Park museum.
Riding the rapids on the River Soča
Ride the rapids in a safe, but thrilling river descent. The best rafting river in Slovenia is the River Soča, a clear emerald waterway that runs through a picturesque valley. Rafters will gather at Trnovo ob Soči; kayakers will love the section between the Otona pool and Kobarid; and families, schoolchildren, and beginners will prefer the smooth flow between the gravel sections from Kobarid to Tolmin.
You can also experience exciting guided descents on the upper part of the River Sava, on the River Savinja in Štajerska, on the River Kolpa in Bela Krajina and on the River Krka in Dolenjska. The rafting agencies that organise descents provide all the necessary equipment. Prices from around €40.
Paragliding above Lake Bled
With more than 230 flying sites and around 30 paragliding schools, this aerial sport is a hot ticket in Slovenia. You can learn the basics of flying... or simply attach yourself to a paragliding instructor and admire Slovenia on a tandem flight. Lake Bled, with its iconic fairytale castle perched on a small island in the middle, is a popular spot for paragliders and a Tandem Paragliding Lake Bled tour offers an unobstructed view of spectacular mountain scenery of Julian Alps and Karavanke Mountains. Price: from between €95 and €115.
Canyoning in the Sušec Canyon
Take rock climbing and add water – a lot of it – and you get canyoning, a thrilling way to explore rivers and gorges. Negotiate narrow canyons, slide down waterfalls, climb, and jump into clean pools, sometimes up to ten or more metres below. Sušec is one of the best canyoning spots in Slovenia. A big natural playground, it has a lot of exciting waterfalls, small pools and excellent rocks ideal for splashing about. The Sušec canyon is also suitable for beginners and in the warm summer months also for children. Equipment and guides provided. Prices start from €50. Multi-activity packages are also available that combine rafting and canyoning for the ultimate adrenalin-filled watersports experience.
Caving at Postojna
If you want to really get under the skin of Slovenia you have to literally get under its skin, and visit the dramatic splendour of the Postojna Cave, the most-visited tourist cave in Europe. A special train takes you deep into this subterranean world of unusual rock formations, magical stalactites and stalagmites, vast halls and strange animals, the most famous being the olm or human fish, which lives for up to 100 years, and can survive without food for ten years. If sitting on an underground train sounds a bit tame, you can also take an adventure tour of those parts of the caves that are not open for regular tours, and experience more demanding passages, cross water obstacles and relive the exploration of caves. Adventure tours are done in small groups, guided by experienced guides and divided in three difficulty levels. A tour of the Coloured Passage, Lower Tartar, the Postojna, Black and Pivka Caves, for example, takes 4-6 hours and costs €80, including hire of specialist caving equipment.
Get craggy in Bled
Slovenia is a climber’s paradise visited by the best climbers in the world, as well as by complete beginners. Discover the natural walls hidden in the forests of the Štajerska region, the Karst Edge, or venture onto the Julian Alps. In all, there are over 90 sport crags, and over 4,500 routes, within Slovenia. The climbing around Bled, in the north-west, is the most picturesque and spectacular, as well as being very child-friendly. There are two well maintained and equipped sites near Bled: Pod Iglico in Bohinjska Bela, (courses range from 11m to 27m in height, with levels of difficulty ranging from 4 to 10), and in Peč under Bodešče (courses here range from 11m to 25m, with levels of difficulty ranging from 6 to 9). You can rent necessary equipment and hire a guide at specialised agencies. Prices from €70.
Go to slovenia.info for more ideas and inspiration!
