SLOVENIA'S LAKES AND MOUNTAINS

Transcription

1 Stay in picturesque Lake Bled on this charming centrebased walking holiday in the Julian Alps of Slovenia Wake up to a stunning panorama from an alpine hut overlooking Lake Bohinj Wonderful day walks to waterfalls, lakes, meadows and views of Triglav Hike on the official border between Slovenia and Austria Explore Ljubljana and walk through Seven Triglav Lakes Valley HOLIDAY CODE JLM Slovenia, Trek & Walk, 8 Days 1 night mountain hut / refuge, 6 nights hotel, 7 breakfasts, 3 dinners, max group size: 12, 5 days walking, max altitude metres VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE

2 PAGE 2 Introduction Alpine peaks, crystal clear lakes, flower meadows, traditional villages, mediaeval castles, cascading waterfalls and lush green pastures is why Slovenia is known as Europe in Miniature. Pretty Lake Bled in the heart of the breath taking Julian Alps is a perfect base, complete with mountain backdrop, stunning lake and island church. From here we ll hike in the Karavanke Mountains on the Austrian and Slovenian border, visit secret waterfalls in the Martuljak Mountains and walk on the beautiful high plateau of Pokljuka. We ll hike in areas where shepherds and herdsmen carry on a way of life unchanged for centuries and have time to visit the beautiful capital of Ljubljana, with pavement cafes, meandering river and stunning architecture. The dramatic Triglav National Park is home to Slovenia's highest mountain, Triglav and a holiday highlight is a cable car journey into the park. Here we ll spend a night in a traditional mountain hut overlooking the glacier lake of Bohinj before hiking through the captivating Valley of the Seven Lakes. This classic Lakes and Mountains holiday includes the very best walks in Europe's Green Treasure. Is this holiday for you? This is a lovely centre-based walking holiday in the heart of the Julian Alps. Each day you ll only need to carry a day pack as you follow well-marked trails with varying amounts of ascent and descent. As the holiday is centre-based you can chose to opt in and out of each day s walk which averages 5 to 6 hours with plenty of rest stops to enjoy the views and take in the scenery. A holiday highlight is one night in a mountain refuge at 1520m where we use a cable car to get up high into the mountains. When heading up to the mountain hut you'll need to carry what you need for one night, but considering all bedding is provided and with careful packing, you can avoid heavy backpacking. A free day means there is time to enjoy Lake Bled or visit the pretty capital of Ljubljana. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at the group hotel in Bled. A single timed transfer from Ljubljana airport is included. The group will meet at Ljubljana Airport. From here we drive for minutes to the beautiful lakeside resort of Bled, our base for the week of walking. Once we've settled in there will be time to explore Bled or relax with a drink before having dinner and a briefing with the rest of the group. HOTEL Day 2: Walk on the border between Slovenia and Austria in the Karavanke Mountains. North of Bled, the mountains of the Karavanke form the natural border between Slovenia and Austria. Much less visited by walkers than the Julian Alps, the Karavanke offer superb walking, spectacular views, an abundance of alpine flora, and they also hold one or two secrets. After a short transfer up the Ljubelj pass between Slovenia and Austria, we start traversing the northern slopes of Begunjscica. Next we follow a 'secret' trail which takes us around and sometimes through the mountain to the alpine meadows on its southern slopes. This trail was created by Baron Born as an all-weather route to link his house on the north side of Begunjscica with the hunting grounds on the greener southern slopes. The path has rock-cut ledges protected by cables and includes a 150-metre section of tunnel (don't forget your head-torch). The trail is not difficult and offers spectacular views into Slovenia and Austria. Emerging from the tunnels on the south side we walk up to the Prevala Mountain Hut, a perfect refreshment stop in an open alpine Meadow. We continue with more panoramic views as we pass through a variety of landscapes from wild meadows to lush forest before finishing at Grad Kamen (Castle Rock) a 12th Century castle hidden in a valley at the foot of the Karavanke. Here we meet our tour vehicle for the short drive back to Bled.

3 PAGE 3 HOTEL ASCENT 900M DISTANCE 12KM MEALS BD DESCENT 900M TIME 5-6 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 3: Take a cable car ride into the Triglav National Park and stay in a mountain hut. The Triglav National Park is an area of outstanding beauty and today we head deep into the park and towards Lake Bohinj, the largest glacier lake in Slovenia. From Bled we drive for around 30 minutes to the western end of the lake and here take the Vogel Gondola up to 1535 metres. We have fantastic views down to Lake Bohinj and across the Julian alps to Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak as we follow a trail to the Komni Mountain Hut (1520m.) which has one of the most stunning locations in the park offering a bird's eye view of the lake below. We stay overnight in the Komni hut which has a restaurant, bar and viewing terrace - a great place to sit in the evening. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE ASCENT 945M DISTANCE 12KM MEALS BD DESCENT 975M TIME 5-6 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 4: A fantastic day of hiking through the Valley of the Seven Triglav Lakes. Waking up in the clear mountain air we'll have breakfast before setting off on the continuation of our 2-day trek through the Julian Alps. Walking towards Triglav, the trail winds its way between the peaks at the head of the Bohinj Valley to reach the ' Valley of the Seven Lakes' which contains seven jewelled lakes each with their own unique colour nestled among towering limestone peaks. This is karst scenery at its most spectacular. We will visit one or two of these lakes before choosing from a variety of trails to make our descent. Our guide will make the appropriate choice depending on the prevailing conditions. Back in the valley we meet our tour vehicle for the short drive back to Bled. HOTEL DESCENT 1300M ASCENT 350M TIME 5-6 HRS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 10KM MEALS BD Day 5: A free day to relax at Lake Bled or visit the quaint capital of Ljubljana. Today is a day at leisure. Surrounded by the Karavanke Mountains and Julian Alps with it's emerald green lake and fairytale castle overlooking a church on an island, Bled is a picture postcard town. Today you can visit the island by boat or there is also an easy trail up to the castle (Blejski Grad) for views over the lake. The castle is a mixture of styles and has a small museum. If you want something more energetic a walk around the lake (6km) takes a couple of hours and from the southwest corner of the lake, you can follow a way-marked track up to the summit of Velika Osojnica (756m) for stunning views over the lake (allow an extra 3 hours for the round trip to the summit). The majority of bars and restaurants are on the north shore and this is a pleasant area to sit and relax. It is also possible to visit the country's capital, Ljubljana for the day. Here you can visit the castle, take a boat trip on the river or to just to sit and enjoy a coffee at one of the many cafes. A regular bus service runs to and from Ljubljana from Bled main station. Another great option is Vintgar Gorge, which is located just 3km north east of Bled. It's an easy walk to the gorge and then the trail follows wooden walkways through spectacular rock formations to the 16 metre high Waterfall Sum. From here you follow signs back to Bled through a forested trail, passing by the ancient pilgrimage site of St Catherines and then the small town of Zasip.

4 PAGE 4 HOTEL MEALS B Day 6: Walk to cascading waterfalls in the Martuljak Mountains. Today we have a beautiful walk hidden in a 'secret' area of the Martuljak Mountain Range. We drive for approximately 30 minutes to the small village of Gozd Martuljek close to the winter ski resort of Kranjska Gora. Here we have a breathtaking panorama of the Spik mountain range. One of the most beautiful mountains in the Julian Alps, Spik (2472m) is known at the 'Slovenian Matterhorn' and its pyramid summit dominates the Martuljek range. Leaving the valley we follow a forest trail into the Martuljek Gorge where we work our way upstream crossing and re-crossing the river on wooden bridges between verdant rock walls. Emerging from the confines of this gorge we reach the lower falls which are wide and low (30 metres) - a mini Niagara! Continuing through the forest we arrive at our rest stop at Lipovceva Hut in a wide clearing. This is a unique rural café in a lovely setting with an open natural kitchen of hanging caldrons over wood fires and serving delicious home-made soups, freshly baked bread and locally-made cheeses. After lunch we set off again, climbing up through the forest to the stunning higher falls - a single narrow cascade of water which drops 100 metres down a limestone cliff in four tiers to a rock pool. We make our descent back down to reach our vehicle and make the return drive to Bled. HOTEL DESCENT 1120M ASCENT 1130M TIME 5-6 HRS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 11KM MEALS B Day 7: Hike through flower meadows on the lush high plateau of Pokljuka. The Pokljuka close to Lake Bled is a heavily forested karst plateau at an average elevation of 1300 metres. It is a stunning area of natural beauty made up of pine and spruce forest punctuated by alpine pastures where cows and sheep graze and just a few scattered villages and isolated farms where the way of life has remained relatively unchanged for centuries. It said in Slovenia that time stands still on Pokljuka. There is an abundance of wild flowers and bird life in this sparsely inhabited sector of the national park and the whole area is criss-crossed by a variety of trails giving us many possibilities for today s hike. Our guide will choose the best trail for the prevailing conditions and taking into account the abilities of the group. We then end the day with dinner at one of the excellent restuarants in Bled. HOTEL MEALS B TIME 5-6 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 8: Departure Day. A single timed transfer to Ljubljana Airport is included. The morning is free to relax in Bled and further enjoy this beautiful lakeside town. In the early afternoon there is a single group transfer to the airport at Ljubljana where KE Land Only package services end. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included A professional English speaking Slovenian guide Single timed group airport transfers on day 1 and day 8 of the trip itinerary

5 PAGE 5 All accommodation as described in the trip dossier Meals as detailed in the Meal Plan What's Not Included Travel insurance Airport transfers (other than the single group transfers on day 1 and day 8 of the trip itinerary) Some meals as detailed in the Meal Plan Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc. Meal Plan All breakfasts and 3 dinners are included, with dinners split between the many excellent local restaurants around Lake Bled. Items for a picnic lunch can be bought easily and cheaply in one of Bled's excellent supermarkets. On a couple of days you may also wish to try a traditional mountain lunch in one of the huts. Food Slovenian cuisine is excellent with influences from Austria, Italy and Hungary. This small country is home to smoked meats, sausages and snitzels plus freshly prepared pastas, stuffed ravioli and creamy risottos. Bite size potato dumplings and rich goulashes are served all over Slovenia. Dinners usually start with soup followed by a meat or fish course. Pork, chicken and turkey are the most popular. Vegetarians will enjoy the colourful salads whilst fresh vegetables are always available as are an excellent selection of pasta and rice dishes, cheeses, eggs and soya steaks plus most menus advertise vegetable plate a large dish of freshly cooked vegetables which is tasty and filling. Slovenian deserts are rich and a must try is Lake Bled s famous Cream Slice or the mouth-watering Gibanica (poppy seeds, soft cheese, filo pastry and dried fruit). Slovenia s open wine is fantastic and served by the glass, or in carafes. Red wines which shouldn t be missed are the rich Teran and fruity Refosk of the coast. Refreshing whites are served ice. cold with Sivi Pinot and Belo Pinot being popular. Fresh bread is an important part of any meal, especially at breakfast. Breakfasts are continental in style with bread, meats, cheeses, jams, honey, eggs, tea and coffee. Whilst items for picnic lunches (fruit, bread, meats, cheese, chocolate /museli bars) can be purchased very cheaply in one of the excellent supermarkets around Lake Bled. Joining Arrangements & Transfers A single group transfer from Ljubljana Airport to Bled is provided on day 1 of the itinerary. This transfer is coordinated with the arrival of the easyjet flight from Stansted, London but anyone may use it. The transfer will normally depart Ljubljana Airport in the late afternoon. At the end of the trip (on day 8) there will be a single group transfer from the group's hotel in Bled to Ljubljana Airport. This transfer will normally arrive at Ljubljana Airport by mid-day. If your flight schedules mean that you are unable to take advantage of these group transfers, you will need to make independent arrangements to join the group at the hotel in Bled. There is a shuttle service from Ljubljana Airport to Bled costing approximately 13. Reservations for this shuttle can be made in advance at Independent meet & greet transfers between Ljubljana Airport and Bled can be also be arranged through KE at additional cost. All clients MUST forward their flight details to the KE office and should let us know if transfers are not required. Accommodation During the holiday the group will spend 6 nights in pension/hotel accommodation in Bled, a short walk from the lake and close to the main centre of the town. Accommodation here is on a twin sharing basis with en-suite facilities. There is 1 night in a mountain hut operated by the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia. Located in the

6 PAGE 6 Triglav National Park, the refuge has an excellent position overlooking Lake Bohinj. Here there are basic facilities (toilets, washbasins, restaurant and bar.) Here the superb views more than makes up for the lack of hotel facilities. Accommodation here is dormitory style with bed sheets and duvets supplied. For the nights in Bled, single rooms are available for a supplementary cost, whilst additional hotel nights are also available. Single rooms are not available in the mountain hut. Group Leader & Support Staff The holiday will be led by a locally based, professional, English speaking guide. Spending Money The currency in Slovenia is the Euro. Approximately Euros will cover your personal spending including non-included meals, local drinks and tips for the leader. Cash can be withdrawn from ATM s using a credit card or a debit card and there are cashpoint facilities at Ljubljana Airport and in Bled. Guidance On Tipping Tipping is the accepted way of saying thank you to your local staff. Tipping is entirely voluntary and should be dependent on good service. We recommend that you give any tips from the group as a whole rather than individually. As a rough guide, a contribution of should provide a suitable pot for tips. Free KE Gift We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Baggage Allowance There is no weight limit as such for this holiday other than imposed by your international carrier. However, we ask you to restrict your luggage to one main bag (your KE trekbag) and a small day pack. Remember that your journey will be more pleasant the lighter you pack. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

7 PAGE 7 General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Visa Europe UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations. UK residents should obtain a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is still vital when travelling overseas. Currency The unit of currency in Europe is the Euro. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: Preparing For Your Holiday It makes a lot of sense to spend some time before coming on a walking holiday getting some additional exercise. Although this is not a sustained trekking trip, you will be walking for 5 or more hours on each day and the fitter you are, the more enjoyable you will find the experience. We would suggest that you adopt a weekly exercise regime leading up to your holiday. Running, cycling and swimming are good for developing better stamina. Before departure, we suggest that you try to fit in a number of long walks in hilly country. Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and

8 PAGE 8 are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Climate From May to November the weather is generally stable and sunny. Between June and September we can expect daytime, valley temperatures in the range C dropping to 15 C overnight. In May and from mid September to November temperatures will be a few degrees cooler. Temperatures will also be cooler at altitude but should be comfortable for trekking in shorts and short sleeved shirts (should you wish). As with any mountain area there is the risk of some poor weather, with rain and wind. Books Lonely Planet Slovenia Rough Guide. Slovenia The Julian Alps - Simon Brown (Cicerone) Europe in a Motorhome: A Mid-Life Gap Year Around Southern Europe - H.D Jackson The 8.55 to Baghdad - Andrew Eames Maps Gorenjska Leisure Map Covering the area of Bled, Bohinj and Karnjska Gora at 1:50,000 and with a contour interbval of 20m, this map from the Slovenian Geographical Institute covers all the walks on the holiday at a suitable scale. Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Land Only Notes We sell this holiday on a Land Only basis and recommend that you book your flights to Ljubljana. Please refer to the 'Joining arrangements & transfers' for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. If flying from the UK there are a number of low cost airlines offering flights to Ljubljana. These include Easyjet who have flights from London Stansted, Wizz Air from London Luton and Adria Airways who have flights from London, Manchester, Edinburgh & East Midlands. Other airports may be available. If you would prefer to book a 'flight inclusive package' using scheduled airlines from the UK please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive you will benefit from full financial protection.

9 PAGE 9 Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 34 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, muleherders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or , or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too!

10 PAGE 10 Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.

11 PAGE 11 Equipment List The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your luggage to a minimum. You Must Bring The Following Items: Walking boots Trainers (for around town) Socks Trekking trousers Lightweight waterproof overtrousers Underwear Thermal baselayer shirts (2 short sleeve, 1 long sleeve) T-shirts and/or casual shirts Fleece jacket or warm jumper Lightweight waterproof jacket Sun hat or cap Warm hat Sunglasses Lightweight thermal gloves Small daypack Headtorch (for the night in the mountain hut) Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.) Water bottle 1 litre Washbag and toiletries Basic First Aid Kit including plasters, blister treatment, headache tablets etc. The Following Items Are Optional: Travel clothes Trekking poles Shorts Camera Spare laces Insect repellant

12 PAGE 12 Swimming kit and towel Please note: This document was downloaded on 2 Mar 2018, and the trip is subject to change.