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 (↔ 49 km, ↑ 1.320 m, ↓ 1.300 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 (↔ 53 km, ↑ 1.120 m, ↓ 1.450 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 (↔ 43 km, ↑ 900 m, ↓ 640 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 (↔ 24 km, ↑ 400 m, ↓ 400 m)
Ride a loop into canyon of Koritnica and take a rest at mighty Kluze Fortress from WWI or 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 (↔ 46 km, ↑ 1.340 m, ↓ 980 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 (↔ 39 km, ↑ 310 m, ↓ 640 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:
Season A: 10.5. to 25.7. and 20.9. to 11.10.2025 1.185 EUR
Season B: 26.7. to 19.9.2025 1.255 EUR
Date of Day 1 sets the trip's season.
Price includes:
• Seven nights accommodation in in hotels 3*/4* in a two-bed room with WC and shower, on a bed & breakfast basis
• Luggage transfer – one piece per person, max 23 kgs / 50 lb. Lufthansa dimensions Every additional item 60 EUR per trip, payable on the spot
• Tour description and maps in GUIBO application electronic form, one download per room
• Personal welcome meeting and bike handover
• Local tourist and other taxes
• Backup service (hotline) during the trip
Supplements:
• Single travelers Season A: 380 EUR; Season B: 395 EUR. Applies when a person travels alone. Includes single room supplement.
• Single room Season A: 295 EUR; Season B: 315 EUR. Applies when a person is traveling together with other persons in a party.
• Bike rental 150 EUR for six days. Standard MTB bikes are equipped with lock, pannier, spare tube, set of Allen keys and basic puncture repair kit. Every additional day 25 EUR per bike. Bike rental period starts at 9:00 on day two of the tour and ends at 18:00 on day seven. Electric MTB 300 EUR per tour.
Discounts:
• Third adult person in a double room on auxiliary bed: 10% discount. This discount only applies to third person only (not all persons in the party).
Not included: optional train ticket on day three, lunches, dinners, entrance fees, saunas and massages in hotels
Route Profile
Total Length: 254 km
Waytype: single track and paths 10%, cycleway 10%, street (town approach sections) and country roads 80%
Surface: natural, unpaved and gravel 10%, hard tarmac 10%, asphalt 80 %.
Tour character: Sportive - For riders who go on longer day tours at home, cycle to the neighboring town and have a solid physical condition. The terrain can be hilly and even if there are several ascents between the stage towns. Average daily elevation gains exceed 1.000 meters.
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 Park, Savica or Triglav in Bled
Day 2: 4* Eco Hotel in Bohinjska Bistrica
Day 3: 3* Hotel Dvorec Tolmin
Day 4-5: 4* Hotel Mangart in Bovec
Day 6: 3* or 4* Hotel Miklič or Kompas in Kranjska Gora
Day 7: 4* Hotel Park, Savica or Triglav in Bled
Travel Options & Local Transfers
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 two hrs) or book our transfer from Ljubljana Airport to Bled (faster - 20 min).
By train: Bled has two railway stations: Lesce-Bled station on the Villach - Ljubljana mainline, 4 km away from town center. You'll need to take a bus to Bled center. The other station is Bled-Jezero on the Jesenice - Nova Gorica sideline, only a few trains a day. 2 km away from town center.
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!
Local transfers
Ljubljana Airport to Bled: 1-3 Persons 85 EUR, 4-8 Persons 120 EUR
Ljubljana City to Bled: 1-3 Persons 120 EUR, 4-8 Persons 160 EUR
Villach to Bled: 1-3 Persons 160 EUR, 4-8 Persons 170 EUR
Klagenfurt Airport to Bled: 1-3 Persons 195 EUR, 4-8 Persons 230 EUR
Lesce Bled Railway Station to Bled: 1-3 Persons 85 EUR, 4-8 Persons 120 EUR
Ljubljana City to Ljubljana Airport: 1-3 Persons 65 EUR, 4-8 Persons 85 EUR
All prices per transfer, one way.
Rental Bikes
Helia MTB bikes are available in different frame sizes.
Typical models: Standard FUJI NEVADA 26 1.9 V or EMTB ROCK MACHINE
Features:
- aluminium frame
- rear rack
- comfort gel saddle
- anti-puncture Continental tyres
- ergonomic bicycle grips
All rented adult bikes come with a helmet, one repair set per pair of bikes which includes: one long lock, one spare inner tube, one set of Allen keys, tire levers and a basic puncture patch set.
