Julian Alps
Paths climb from deep wooded valleys over limestone karst to high lakes, with nights in mountain huts and village guesthouses.
Trips in this region
See all trips
The Julian Alps are limestone karst: grey walls and pale scree above deep wooded valleys. Rain and snowmelt sink into the rock, so the high ground is dry, and the few lakes sit in hollows the ice left behind. Lower down, the water comes back out of the rock as clear, cold springs and rivers.
Both routes here are grade 4. The Julian Lakes Crossing, with Žiga Kralj, climbs steeply to the high lakes and over Sedlo Kal at 2,445 m. The Julian Alps Traverse, with Ruth Calder, tops out at Škrbina, 2,678 m. On five of its seven days the path rises from a valley to a ridge and drops again.
Nights are in koče, the mountain huts, in pasture huts on the summer grazing and in village guesthouses down in the valleys. Each of them serves dinner and breakfast, both included in the price.
Guides in this region
Ruth Calder
International Mountain Leader
She drew the first route notes by hand on her kitchen table in Kendal, and she still writes every set.
Žiga Kralj
International Mountain Leader
He spent eight winters in the mountain rescue service of his valley.
Julian Alps
Fly intoLjubljana
Ljubljana
Log pod Vrhom, 735 m
Dolinica, 690 m
Getting to the start
We send the timetable from Ljubljana airport with your route notes: a train, then a bus. The Julian Lakes Crossing sets off from Log pod Vrhom and the Julian Alps Traverse from Dolinica, both at 9am on the first day. The last day ends around 3pm with a transfer back to your start village.
