Climb Mount Triglav (2864m) in Slovenia
Conquer lofty trails and exciting via ferrata on an epic alpine adventure, soak in crystal-clear lakes and kick back in cosy mountain huts
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking guidesAccommodation
2 nights in hotels and 2 nights in mountain hutsMeals
4 breakfasts and 2 dinnersTransfers
Group airport transfer and all local transfersEquipment
All Via Ferrata equipmentSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Top out on Slovenia's highest peak, an undertaking considered as a rite of passage for locals. A perfect introduction to Via Ferrata and alpine scrambling
Explore the Triglav National Park, a preserved area of limestone rock walls, caves, rushing rivers and endless green hills and forests
Eyes open for the huge variety of wildlife that calls this area home, including golden eagles, griffon vultures, lynx, chamois, marmots and ibex
Enjoy a safe and personal summit experience with a dedicated 1:4 guide-to-customer ratio using expert UIMLA or IFMGA-qualified guides
Key Information
Day 1
Welcome to Slovenia
Meet your host at Ljubljana airport and transfer to your base on the doorstep of the Julian Alps. You will stay in the charming town of Pokljuka, nestled 1,300m above sea level in a spruce forest at the heart of Triglav National Park. Check into your hotel before meeting your guide for a chat through the adventure to come.
Day 2
Warm up hike above the Pokljuka Plateau
Hiking
Warm up your legs with a preparatory hike on some of the Julian Alps' most stunning trails. You'll head up through the larch forest of the Pokljuka Plateau to the Blejska Mountain hut at 1,600m. After a short stop at the hut, you continue climbing up onto the Lipanski ridge, overlooking the Krma valley with expansive views of many of the peaks of the Julian Alps, including your first sighting of Triglav. From here there is the choice of summiting one of two 2,000m peaks along the ridge, Debela peč (2,014 m) or Viševnik (2,050 m). Your guide will choose the best option based on the conditions and your group's preferences, but both summits involve a short and simple scramble up rocky terrain, and allow you to find your mountain legs before your time on Triglav itself. After enjoying the view you'll make your way back down to the Poljuka Plateau and your hotel.
Day 3
Hike up to Kredarica Mountain Hut (2,515m)
Hiking
Today you will start your two-day ascent of Mt Triglav. Starting from your hotel on the Poljuka Plateau you hike through lush meadows and dense forest before climbing the 700m tall Studor Pass. The trail flattens out from here as you wind your way along to the Vodnikov Mountain Hut at 1,817m. After a rest at the hut, you continue on a gradual ascent up to Kredarica Mountain Hut, the highest in Slovenia, where you will spend the night. The Triglav Lodge, as it is also known, has over a century of mountaineering history and is a popular base camp to Slovenia's highest point. Situated on a stunning rocky spur below Kredarica Peak you can often look up to see hikers on the final section of the ridge below the summit of Triglav. Enjoy the evening in the hut before bedding down early ahead of your climb tomorrow.
Day 4
Summit Mount Triglav (2,864m)!
Hiking
Wake early and ready yourself for an exciting climb to the top of Slovenia! Your Via Ferrata kit will be waiting for you at the hut, along with an additional mountain guide (max 1 guide to 4 people) who will assist you on the Via Ferrata sections that take you up the final 400m of the mountain. You start with a short walk from the hut to the site of the former Triglav Glacier, from where you will start the Via Ferrata. Under instruction from your mountain guide, you'll ascend an exhilarating route up the rocky ridgeline climbing a series of cables and ladders while attached safely to fixed ropes. After around 30 minutes you'll reach Mali Triglav (Little Triglav), from where the trail descends a narrow, but well-protected ridge. Then it's time for the final short push to the summit where you'll reach the famous Aljaž Tower and spectacular views in all directions. The tower has become a symbol of Slovenia's Independence and visiting this pinnacle is a right of passage for many Slovenes. After enjoying the summit you descend via Dolič to the Triglav Lakes Hut (1,695m) for a final night in the mountains.
Day 5
Final hike from Triglav's Seven Lakes to Bohinj
Hiking
Enjoy a final morning waking up in the mountains before starting your descent down to Lake Bohinj. You pass through Triglav's beautiful Seven Lakes Valley passing Dvojno Jezero (Double Lake), two lakes that connect into one during the spring snow melt, and descend through spruce forest to Crno Jezero (Black Lake). The path is rocky and slightly scrambley in parts along the Komarča cliff, although well-protected and not difficult. Black Lake is the lowest of the Seven Lakes and from here the path winds through more forest with the chance to cool off in small waterfalls along the route. Eventually, you will emerge from the forest into an open valley with views down to Lake Bohinj, one of Slovenia's most popular and scenic lakes. Your driver will be waiting at Bohinj and will drive you back to the hotel in Pokljuka to pick up any luggage you didn't take on the hike and then drive back to Ljubljana Airport, with possible drop-offs in Bled or Ljubljana if you plan to stay longer in Slovenia.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Ljubljana Airport (LJU)
16:00 on day 1
Ends
Ljubljana Airport (LJU)
Approx 18:00 on Day 5
Transfers
Your host will meet everyone at Ljubljana Airport at 16:00 ready for the group transfer to your accommodation. On Day 5, you'll be dropped back off at the airport by approximately 18:00 – it's important to book flights that depart after 20:00 to ensure you aren't late for check-in. You can be dropped off in Bled or Ljubljana city centre on the way, if you would prefer. If you arrive or depart outside these times, private transfers can be arranged – see Optional Extras for prices.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Ljubljana from major airports across the UK and Europe, with plenty of connection options for those heading to Slovenia from outside Europe.
Ljubljana is accessible by train via various routes across Europe. A popular and easy route from Western Europe is via Munich. You can travel by rail from there to Slovenia's capital, through beautiful Austrian scenery on daytime services or on a sleeper train from Munich-Ljubljana.
If you are staying additional days in Slovenia, there are frequent public bus and train services between Ljubljana and Bled, via Radovljica. You can join the group transfer from the airport in Bled at 17:00 on arrival day. Please request this with your host if required.
Alternatively, in July and August only, a free 'hop on, hop off’ bus line operates from Bled. Take the Poljuka line and get off at the second to last stop, which is Goreljek. Your hotel is about a 10-minute walk from there.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3 – Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
During your time in the mountains, you'll have the opportunity to try the authentic and rustic food the Julian Alps are known for, with much of the produce sourced from the surrounding fertile pastures. After a demanding day on the trails, tuck into a steaming bowl of jota, a tangy sauerkraut and bean stew, or ričet, a hearty barley soup infused with alpine flavors. For an adventurous twist, try klobasa, a smoky sausage often served with a side of mustard or sauerkraut, or fuel up with štruklji, a sweet or savory rolled dough packed with cheese or fruit. Mornings at the mountain huts start with simple yet satisfying fare like fresh bread, local cheese, homemade jam, and warm drinks. You'll have to make your own packed lunch each day for the hikes. There is a chance to buy food for this in town on your way to Pokljuka, and you can also top up with items such as sandwiches, dried meat and cheese each night at your overnight hut. In Pokljuka, as well as the traditional Slovenian mountain dishes there is a full complement of international cuisine. No trip to Slovenia is complete without sampling Bled's famous cream cake, known as kremšnita, consisting of layers of puff pastry sandwiching a creamy vanilla custard and a light whipped cream layer.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for, although options may be limited in the mountain huts. Please request this on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Pokljuka Plateau
For your first two nights in Pokljuka, you will stay in the 3-star Hotel Poljuka. This is a comfortable hotel situated at the base of the mountains equipped with a restaurant, sauna and other amenities. You will share an en-suite room on a twin basis.
Triglav Mountain Huts
Mountain huts in Slovenia are very cosy and authentic, but provide only basic comfort with dormitory-style bunks, heating, electricity, and running water. The huts serve a limited, but tasty menu of local dishes for breakfast and dinner. Packed lunch and snack items can also be bought.
On your first night on Triglav, you will stay in the Kredarica Mountain hut. This is the highest, and one of the most popular, huts in Slovenia with space to accommodate up to 350 people with a 300-person dining room. You will be staying in mixed-gender dorm rooms with up to 12 people. There are shared toilets and running cold water, but no showers.
Following your summit climb you will stay in the Triglav Lakes Mountain Hut, idyllically located on the edge of the double lake of Triglav's Seven Lakes valley. This hut can house 200 people and also has a large dining room, restaurant and bar. You will usually stay in mixed-gender dorm rooms with up to 6 people, although there are also some larger rooms if it is busy. There are shared toilets and sinks with running cold water, but again no showers.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, private rooms are available on the first two nights in Pokljuka, subject to availability. It is not possible to have private accommodation in the mountain hut.
This trip has been rated as Challenging
Climbing Mount Triglav is a short but challenging objective. You'll need to be comfortable hiking a couple of big days (days 3 and 4); up to 8 hours a day with a significant amount of up and down, sometimes on uneven, rocky terrain.
You should be confident moving over rocky, uneven ground and comfortable with heights/exposure to drops. The Via Ferrata section involves climbing up cables and ladders, safely attached to fixed ropes. It does not require any prior climbing experience and guidance will be given from your mountain guide.
To fully enjoy this trip it will be worth doing some training to prepare the legs and body for the large elevation gain and descents involved. Getting out in the hills at home and walking some days with similar amounts of total up and down (1000-1500m per day) is the best way to achieve this. Accompanying training involving cardio, strength and flexibility will also help you be in the best possible shape.
What will I need to carry?
During your Triglav hike (days 3, 4 and 5) you will need to carry an overnight bag with your hiking gear and personal items for spending 2 nights in the mountian huts (bedding is provided). Excess luggage can be left at the hotel in Pukljuka.
The climbing season for Mount Triglav is from July through October, though early and late season ascents are also possible. Summer weather on Triglav is quite cool; when it's pushing 30°C on the Slovenian plains, it may be just 5°C on Triglav. It often drops below freezing at night, and snow may persist in nooks and crannies throughout the year. Weather on the mountain is highly variable, bringing unexpected wind, rain and snow.
Triglav in winter conditions
Great challenge in winter conditions something that none of us expected in mid-September. Only 2 of us attempted the climb, crampons had to be used due to icy route, certain unsecured sections required good grip, certain parts had iron bars covered in snow/ice so could not be used for support. We did not manage to reach the top (with Tower) due to the changing weather and limited time allocated for the climb but climbing Mali Triglav rewarded us with beautiful scenery and still felt like we achieved something. Accommodation in Kredarica hut 2,515m is simple so in a bad weather be prepared for cold and pack accordingly. The food was really good, we tried soups, stew, goulash; there is no running water in the hut so come prepare to pay for a bottled water at a premium price; they prefer cash but you can pay by card. If you consider all provisions are carried by the helicopter, the prices are justified and in a bad weather the menu can be quite limited. We ascended via alternative Pokljuka route which was much nicer and more interesting than usual Krma Valley (used for descent). We had a lunch break in Vodnikov dom at 1,817m on ascent something that was very welcomed in this cold weather. Well-organises transport, very good and experienced guide Dean, overall a very good adventure.
Very nice experience
Very good experience with expert friendly guides All was very good Food was not really good but Ok
Excellent time!
It was hard work, but very rewarding. The two expert guides were safe, friendly and helpful. Incredible views and such positive experience!
I highly recommend these guys and this trip!
Climbing Mt Triglav with Much Better Adventures was such a buzz. Sleeping in mountain huts, exploring new places, meeting awesome new people and not having to worry about getting lost (LOL) was mega. Loved it. And Slovenia… WOW. An absolute gem.
I highly recommend these guys. They were so helpful throughout. Setting me up with this trip, answering questions, helping with some pre-planning..all was effortless. I am so grateful. I'll defo be booking with them again for a variety of such positive reasons.
Incredible experience
The mount Triglav hike was fantastic, the scenery and the challenge of the hike up to the accommodation on the mountain were brilliant. Unfortunately we were the only group this year to not be able to complete the via Ferrata to reach the summit due to poor weather conditions. I would absolutely recommend this trip hoping for slightly better luck than we had. Overall the guides and the food/ accommodation were amazing.
Tremendous Triglav!
Wow what an incredible trip this one was. It was recommended to me by someone I met on another MBA trip last year and it exceeded all expectations. We had 2 great guides in Tim and Vladimir. I was mainly with Tim at the front of the group and was in his team to the summit too. His knowledge is exceptional, he set a good pace on both days and his humour helped put the challenge at the back of my mind. I came to this trip no Via Ferrata experience, some minor scrambling experience but Tim gave me the skills and encouragement to really improve my confidence and push myself. I found I became more a more confident and skilled hiker as a result and the difference in me from ascending to descending was visible! Going up we were never left behind as some have put on these reviews. The mountain hut was basic but it’s one night, the customer service from Katrina excellent (ask her anything you wish when put into the WhatsApp group, she’s so helpful), the route scenic with lots of wildlife and overall the ascend to Triglav physically and mentally challenging but very rewarding. The trip is good value and the only downside is that this trip had to end. My tips:
- Go in with a good fitness level and plenty of hiking experience, it’s needed as it’s physically and mentally demanding.
- You need a head for heights. Though clipped there are sections you’re not. The first section from the hut to the via ferrata section to the summit in particular we found the scrambling harder as there was still snow on the ground.
- Take a sleeping bag liner (they are allowed in most of the huts and it was confirmed the information on here is out of date)
- Take plenty of snacks including dry cereal bars if you’ve not experienced altitude before. It didn’t affect my breathing but I suffered some nausea from the altitude and was given something similar by our guide which eased it a lot!
- Take cash, most places in Slovenia don’t accept card. The mountain hut is expensive, for water €6 for 1.5ltrs.
- I extended my trip by staying in Bled and explored Bled and Bohinj. They’re not to be missed. Slovenia is picturesque with lots to see and enjoy. Lake Bohinj is incredible for a much needed dip to ease the Doms after this hike!
- Enjoy each other, utilise the guides, embrace the challenges facing you and have fun!
Fabulous views, well led, well surpassed my high expectations. Great mixed group too.
Really good guide, good trip. Well organised.