Mountain Biking around Triglav National Park
For lovers of fresh alpine air, picturesque scenery and sweeping vistas. This is a mountain bike tour in the sense of landscape rather than cycling terrain. Most roads are asphalt. However, quite a few of the side trips are on unpaved surfaces and forest tracks. Starting and ending at the fairytale setting of Lake Bled, it takes you on a circular route through Slovenia's alpine northwest, packed with views of the soaring peaks, glistening lakes and verdant valleys of Triglav National Park and the Julian Alps. Suitable for MTB bikers with a good level of fitness.
As a pre-trip, we suggest our Salzburg to Lake Bled.
Itinerary
Day 1: ARRIVAL IN LAKE BLED
First stop Bled, a world-famous town on the shore of a beautiful glacial lake. With its distinctive island church surrounded by towering alpine mountains and the clifftop castle standing guard over the town, Bled is one of Slovenia’s most popular tourist attractions.
Day 2: BLED–BOHINJSKA BISTRICA (↔ 42 km, ↑ 870 m, ↓ 820 m)
From the high plateau at Pokljuka, you can marvel at the alpine views as you glide down into the neighboring Bohinj Valley with the Julian Alps as your backdrop. Upon reaching Lake Bohinj, the largest and deepest in the Triglav National Park, you can spend the rest of the day seeing sights such as Savica Waterfall and the best view of Mount Triglav from Vogel mountain.
Day 3: BOHINJ–TOLMIN (↔ 56 km; or 35 km if taking train to Podbrdo, ↑ 1.220 m, ↓ 1.560 m)
Today you peddle off into the heart of the Julian Alps through a narrow, almost canyon-like, valley and join the beautiful emerald-green Soča River as it rushes out of the mountains and into the western valley. Weather permitting, you can take a swim at the confluence of the Soča and Idrijca Rivers.
Day 4: TOLMIN–BOVEC (↔ 46 km, ↑ 810 m, ↓ 550 m)
Today you continue along the mighty Soča River as it roars its way down from the Julian Alps. As you cycle along this crystal clear alpine river, you will pass through the area that saw some of the fiercest fighting during WW1, immortalised in Hemmingway's novel: A Farewell to Arms. Visit Boka Waterfall: at 106 m high and 30 m wide, this is a spectacle not to be missed.
Day 5: BOVEC (a rest day)
Enjoy a free day in Bovec – the adrenaline capital of Slovenia. So many opportunities - hard to make a choice! One option is to take a white water rafting trip down the Soča river, or a circular cycling trip to a viewpoint above the river. If you like to fly, try one of the tandem paragliding trips.
Day 6: BOVEC–KRANJSKA GORA (↔ 45 km, ↑ 1.340 m, ↓ 970 m)
As the sun illuminates the eastern sky, you will be heading on the bike towards it into the tranquillity of the Upper Soča Valley of Trenta, and then twisting your way around 50 hairpin bends as you cross over the high mountain pass of Vršic (1611 m above sea level - altitude gain 1100 m / 3600 ft)
Day 7: KRANJSKA GORA – BLED (↔ 38 km, ↑ 340 m, ↓ 670 m)
After your challenging climb of the mountain pass on day six, day seven takes you across more relaxing terrain along the Radovna River as it meanders its way through a wilderness valley between two plateaus. As you exit the valley and head back to Bled, stop at the 1.6 km Vintgar gorge and take a stroll alongside the rapids as they cut their way through the hills.
Day 8: DEPARTURE
After breakfast your tour ends. However, you can prolong your stay and continue cycling taking one of the tours: Best Of Slovenia, Lakes & Cities Short Tour, Pearls Of Slovenia.
Price
Price per person based on two people sharing:
Low season: May 20 to June 9 and September 23 to October 14, 2023: 740 EUR
High season: June 10 to September 22, 2023: 775 EUR
(Currency converter)
Price includes:
• accommodation in in hotels 3*/4* and country guesthouse in a two-bed room with WC and shower, on a bed & breakfast basis
• luggage transfer – one piece, max 20 kgs / 45 lb. Every additional item 10 EUR, payable on the spot
• information pack including text road notes and corresponding maps in electronic form
• personal welcome meeting, detailed briefing upon arrival and bike handover
• GPS data
• local tourist and other taxes
• backup service (hotline) during the trip
Optional extras:
• single traveler 210 EUR
• single room 145 EUR
• bike rental 150 EUR. Mountain bikes are equipped with 21 gears. One back, side pannier per bike. One cycling odometer, one lock, one spare inner tube, one set of Allen keys and a basic puncture repair kit per couple/pair of bikes. Every additional day: 18 EUR per bike. Additional odometer 20 EUR, payable on the spot. Bike rental period starts at 9:00 on day 2 of the tour and ends at 18:00 on day 7. Every additional day 20 EUR per bike.
• helmet rental 12 EUR per tour
• printed information package in English including route notes and corresponding maps delivered upon arrival 30 EUR
Additional nights:
• 4* Hotel in Bled 105 EUR per person per night in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 170 EUR
• 4* Hotel in Bohinj 95 EUR per person per night in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 140 EUR
• 4* Hotel in Kranjska Gora 85 EUR per person per night in a standard double room, B&B. Single room 155 EUR
Discounts:
• children up to 12 years when sharing room with parents 30% discount on basic price
• third adult in the room 10% discount on basic price
Not included: optional train ticket on day three if you would like to shorten the day trip. Entrance fees, lunches, drinks with meals, saunas and massages in hotels
Transfers:
Ljubljana Airport to Bled
1–3 persons: 75 EUR
4–8 persons: 105 EUR
Ljubljana City to Bled
1–3 persons: 100 EUR
4–8 persons: 140 EUR
Villach to Bled
1–3 persons: 140 EUR
4–8 persons: 160 EUR
Klagenfurt Airport to Bled
1–3 persons: 190 EUR
4–8 persons: 230 EUR
Lesce Bled Railway Station to Bled
1–3 persons: 20 EUR
4–8 persons: 30 EUR
Other transfer routes prices on request
Route profile
Total Length: TBA km
Total vertical up: TBA m
Terrain: % asphalt, % unpaved
MTB tour.
Accommodation
Helia supports responsible travel. On our trips we therefore use small, authentic hotels and guesthouses with character operated by locals or their families. Here you can find the list of standard accommodation we primarily use on the trip. The actual hotels may differ from this list, depending on time of booking and rooms availability.
Day 1 4* Hotel Triglav / Hotel Park Bled
Day 2 4* Hotel Bohinj Eco Bohinjska Bistrica
Day 3 3* Hotel Dvorec Tolmin
Day 4-5 4* Hotel Mangart / Hotel sanje ob Soči Bovec
Day 6 3* Hotel Miklič Kranjska Gora
Day 7 4* Hotel Triglav / Hotel Park Bled
Travel options
Starting point of this trip is Bled in NW Slovenia.
Getting there...
By plane: closest airport is Ljubljana (LJU). Several airlines serve it. From the airport, you can travel to Bled by bus (change once, takes about 2 hrs) or book our transfer (faster - 20 min): Ljubljana Airport to Bled or vice versa 30 EUR per person; one way, two-person minimum.
By train: Bled has two railway stations: Lesce-Bled on the Villach - Ljubljana mainline, 4 km away from town center, you'll need to take a bus to town centre. The other is Bled-Jezero on Jesenice - Nova Gorica sideline, only a few trains a day. Two km away from town centre.
By car: take exit Lesce from A1 motorway Ljubljana - Jesenice, Karavanke.
.... and away
Simple, use one of the above options or - cycle away: consider our cycling trip Best Of Slovenia!
Your bike
Helia bikes are available in different sizes in unisex model:
Trek MTB 4500/Trek MTB 4700/Fuji Nevada One 926
Features:
- aluminium frame
- mudguard
- rear rack
- comfort gel saddle
- anti-puncture Continental tyres
- ergonomic bicycle grips
All rented adult bikes are equipped with:
- cycle computer
- Vaude one-sided saddlebag
- combination bike lock
Only for self-guided tours: one repair kit per two bikes: one spare inner tube, glue, patch, a pump, two allen keys and tyre levers
