9 Slovenia Hiking with Istria White Truffle

Transcription

1 9 Slovenia Hiking with Istria White Truffle Travel date Oct 2019

2 TOUR INFORMATION INTRODUCTION This journey offers you another adventure and gourmet experience in Eastern Europe, including one of the best hikes and culinary experience in Slovenia, purposely end our trip in Istria coincide with the white truffle season. Slovenia offers a myriad choice of natural attractions for a country of its size. The gateway to the Alps of snow-capped peaks, karstic lakes and cave system of Postojna, turquoise-green rivers and Venetian-style coastline, Slovenia enriches its natural treasures with harmonious architecture, charming rustic culture and sophisticated cuisine. Istria is Europe s best kept epicurean secret, one of the only two areas producing the rare white truffle (the other being Alba in Piedmont), apart from the white truffle, the region also produces some of the finest wine, olive and honey. Add creative culinary skills to these superb ingredients, it is a truly gourmet s haven. Also, a scenic wonder of pastel colored seaside ancient towns, picturesque vineyards, olive groves, dense forest and pristine coastline as well as towns with fine Venetian heritage & ancient Roman ruins. SPECIALS Enjoy lunch at Hisa Franko, run by the world s best Female Chef; with wine pairing from restaurant s cellar Visit the award-wining apiary Ambrozic for the Carnolian Bee Specially prepared white truffle lunches All meals & beverages included (except for premium wine & hard liquor) Small group size of maximum 16 people with 2 trekking guide Tipping to Guide, Driver & Porter included Accompanied by Scott Dunn Travel Concierge Comprehensive Travel Insurance included ITINERARY DAY BY DAY Day 1 03 Oct (Thu) Arrive Ljubljana / Logarska Valley Day 2 04 Oct (Fri) Logarska Valley Day 3 05 Oct (Sat) Logarska Valley / Lake Bled Day 4 06 Oct (Sun) Lake Bled / Soca Rivery Valley / Lake Bled Day 5 07 Oct (Mon) Lake Bled / Pokljuka Plateau / Ljubljana Day 6 08 Oct (Tue) Ljubljana Day 7 09 Oct (Wed) Ljubjana / Rovinj Day 8 10 Oct (Thu) Rovinj / Livade / Motovun / Rovinj Day 9 11 Oct (Fri) Rovinj / Vodnjan / Pula / Singapore DEPARTURE DETAILS Land Tour Price: Twin Sharing: S$9,980/- Single Supplement: S$1,560/- Airfare (subject to availability) Economy from S$ 3,050/- Business from S$ 5,345/- Deposit amount: S$ 2,000/ per person Registration Closing Date: 05 Jul 2019 or when tour is fully subscribed Travel date: Oct 2019 Early Bird Offer: First 4 rooms booking enjoy complimentary room upgrade from Premium Sea View to Grand Sea View room (double bed only) at Grand Park Hotel

3 ITINERARY DAY OCT (THU) - SINGAPORE LOGARSKA VALLEY Flight: 02 Oct - Singapore / Frankfurt LH / (12h 45m) 03 Oct - Frankfurt / Ljubljana LH /1030 (1h 10m) Upon arrival, you will be driven about 2 hours to Logarska Valley. After lunch, drive to hotel for check-in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure after a long flight. In the evening, be treated to a welcome dinner in the hotel. Accommodation: Hotel Plesnik Meals: Lunch & Dinner included DAY OCT (FRI) - LOGARSKA VALLEY Start your day for a 5-6 hrs (approx. 12 km) private hiking tour of the Logarska Valley. The secluded valley of Logarska is a place of contrast. With its clear air and fertile soil the valley is a popular escape destination among the Slovenians, who have changed their lifestyle and got more and more involved into organic farming. You would hike up to Mount Okreselj to get under the amphitheatre of mountains. Walk then on a fairytale-like trail following clear stream that brings you to the Rinka Waterfall. This remote corner of the country has a tradition of being virtually untouched, if it weren t for the noble families of the Austrian empire that qualified this place as one of their pickiest abodes. Hiking Distance: 12 km Total estimated hiking duration: 6 hours Difficulty: Low Accommodation: Hotel Plesnik DAY OCT (SAT) - LOGARSKA VALLEY / LAKE BLED This morning we drive approx. 2 hrs to Lake Bled, which with its emerald-green color, picturepostcard church set on the lake islet and a medieval castle clinging to a rocky cliff above the lake, belongs to Slovenia s most popular destinations as well as world s ten most beautiful lakes (listed by Tourism Review). Arrive at Lake Bled and visit first the award-winning apairy Ambrozic. Beekeeping occupies a spacial place in Slovenia s economy as one of its oldest traditional crafts. The country is the only EU member state that has protected its native, autochthonous bee the Carnolian Bee, the second most widespread bee breed in the world! Another special feature of Slovenian beekeeping that has gained international recognition is the art of paining beehive panels something not known in any culture. This afternoon, enjoy a tour in Bled, take the Pletna boat to the lake island and its church, visit the Bled Castle perched atop a steep cliff rising 130 m above the lake. Accommodation: Rikli Balance Hotel

4 ITINERARY DAY OCT (SUN) - LAKE BLED / SOCA RIVER VALLEY / LAKE BLED This morning, we drive to the hiking point of Soca River Valley via the country s highest mountain pass Vrsic (1610m), after 2h 30m scenic drive through the alpine scenery and facefront peaks of the Slovenia Alps, arrive at the Soca River Valley. From where we would start a 3-4h hiking tour (approximately 10km) along the gentle paths all along the Soca River through beautiful nature to the town of Bovec. In the afternoon, enjoy an unforgettable lunch in one of the world s 50 best restaurant, the owner and chef Ana Roš was selected as the best female chef in the world. After lunch, an easy 1h walk will take you to Kozjak Waterfall, you will then be transferred to the town Most na Soci, where we board the train and be taken through breathtaking alpine nature. Hiking Distance: 10 km Total estimated hiking duration: 4 hours Difficulty: Low Accommodation: Rikli Balance Hotel DAY OCT (MON) - LAKE BLED / POKLJUKA PLATEAU / LJUBLJANA This morning, we hike at the Pokljuka Plateau in the Slovenian Julian Alps one of the most scenic hiking areas in Slovenia. Start your 5-6h hiking tour (approximately 9km) along the forest path towards the Blejska koca (1630 m). From the hut, the path turns left to the first summit Mrezce (1966 m), followed by Lipanski vrh (1968 m) and Brda (2009 m) and to the last and the highest peak of Debela pec (2014m). Descent from Debela pec goes down the ridge onto plateau-like terrain and through the forest back to the mountain hut and further down to the starting point. The summits on the ridge of the north edge of forested Pokljuka Plateau require an undemanding ascent and reward you with a beautiful view of the central part of the Triglav National Park. After the hike, we drive around an hour towards Ljubljana. Hiking distance: 9 km Total estimated hiking duration: 6 hours Difficulty: Medium Accommodation: InterContinential Ljubljana

5 ITINERARY GEORGIA & ARMENIA DAY OCT (TUES) - LJUBLJANA Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. In the after we enjoy a walking tour of the old town centre, enjoy a local wooden boat ride, while sipping a glass of local wine and getting to know the city from another angle, hear interesting facts and stories about the capital and eventually take the funicular ride up to the hilltop Ljubljana Castle for a short tour and panoramic city views. Accommodation: InterContinential Ljubljana DAY OCT (WED) - LJUBLJANA / ROVINJ This morning, we drive to visit Predjama Castle, perched high up in a vertical hill for more than 700 years. Continue to Skocjan Cave, where you will explore the underground UNECO listed caves with your guide. The tour starts at the man-made passageway in the Globocnik Colpase Doline and continues through the Silent Cave, a fossil passage filled with numerous dripstone formations. Drive hrs towards Rovinj after lunch. Accommodation: Grand Park Hotel DAY OCT (THURS) - ROVINJ / LIVADE / MOTOVUN / ROVINJ We start the day to enjoy a walking tour of Rovinj, claimed to be one of the most photographed Mediterranean cities featuring finest examples of the Venetian heritage. Then we drive around an hour to the village of Livade and meet the local truffle hunter and his dog and enjoy an exclusive min truffle hunting demonstration through leafy local forests. Then, head to a renowned truffle restaurant for lunch, whose owner dug up the largest white truffle ever found and thus became the Istrian king of truffles. After lunch, transfer to a little town of Motovun one of the most attractive Istrian medieval hilltop towns characterizing the Istrian interior. It was the Venetians who decided to fortify the town in the 14th century by building two sets of thick walls. Within the walls, an atmospheric cluster of Romanesque and Gothic buildings houses a smattering of artist studios. Motovun is further known after its internationally famous Motovun Film Festival but also surrounding forests that are rich in black and white truffles. Accommodation: Grand Park Hotel

6 OPTIONAL EXTENSION GEORGIA & ISTRIA DAY OCT (FRI) - ROVINJ / VODNJAN / PULA SINGAPORE FRANFURT We drive 30 mins to the village of Vodnjan, precisely the renowned Croatian olive oil producer Chiavalon, meet one of the charismatic Chiavalon brothers for a private estate tour, Thanks to its favourable climate, geographical location and type of soil, the Croatian region of Istria is ideal for growing olives and producing top-quality olive oils. As the result, the region has won (for the third year in a row!) a prestigious title of the best quality olive oil region in the world. After lunch, continue 20 min towards the town of Pula, enjoy a walking tour of the magnificent Pula Arena (the well-preserved Roman amphitheatre and the star of the city) and also the Pula old town and the Augustus Temple. Transfer to Pula for your flight. Flight: 11 Oct - Pula / Frankfurt LH /2020 (1h 35m) 11 Oct - Frankfurt / Singapore LH / (12h 20m) Arrive in Singapore on 12 Oct (Sat) Accommodation: N/A Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included

7 PRICE INFORMATION Hotels Logarska Valley: Hotel Plesnik Bled: Rikli Balance Hotel Ljubljana: InterContinental Ljubljana Rovinj: Grand Park Hotel Land tour price per person Twin share Single Supplement S$9,980/- S$1,560/- * These prices are based on minimum of 10 people travelling together. Airline Lufthansa (LH) Singapore / Frankfurt / Ljubljana Pula / Frankfurt / Singapore Airfare price per person Economy Class S$ 2,590 + S$ 460 (taxes) = S$ 3,050/- Business Class: S$ 4,795 + S$ 550 (taxes) = S$ 5,345/- *Airfare & Taxes are calculated as of 20 Nov 2018 and subject to change & availability. Should you wish to explore alternative flying routes, do consult our friendly consultants. COST INCLUDES Accommodation on twin/double basis Professional English local guide & Hiking guide All tours & transfers Entrance Fee Meals as stated including beverages (except premium wine & hard liquor) One tour concierge from Scott Dunn Comprehensive Travel insurance with emergency evacuation benefits COST EXCLUDES Airfare: Singapore / Ljubljana / Pula / Singapore by Lufthansa Airline (as quoted separately) Visa (if required) Personal expenses