SUP, Hike and Paraglide in Slovenia
Get off the beaten track and explore the wilder side of Europe’s adventure capital
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking guidesHotel & Guesthouse
1 night in a hotel, 2 nights at a peaceful farmstayMeals
A delicious breakfast each dayTransfers
To and from the airport and everything in betweenEquipment
All the equipment you'll need on and off the waterSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 8 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
…
What's it like?
Kick things off with an urban SUP experience through the heart of Ljubljana – one of Europe’s greenest and most photogenic cities
Head to the mountains and hike through the stunning Soča Valley, Slovenia’s adventure playground
Spend two nights in wine country, complete with hiking and a tandem paragliding experience that you’ll never forget
Key Information
Day 1
Welcome to Slovenia!
Stand Up Paddleboarding
Fly to the picturesque city of Ljubljana, famous for its green spaces and captivating architecture and head to your hotel in the city centre. Your local guide will meet you there and take you on your first paddleboarding adventure down Ljubljanica river, where you will glide through the heart of the city, passing castles, city life, and iconic sights like the Dragon Bridge. After the tour Ljubiljana is yours to explore, whether it's checking out the famous Triple Bridge, wandering Prešeren Square, or dinner in the city.
Day 2
The Soča Valley
Hiking
Stand Up Paddleboarding
Take a scenic road trip to the lovely Soča Valley and explore the vivid waters of the Emerald River by SUP. Paddle between narrow canyon walls and float across wide-open pools – your guide will even challenge you to some SUP yoga (and photograph the varying results). If you want more adrenaline, why not try some cliff jumping? Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then hike through the dramatic Tolmin Gorge – be sure to check out Bear’s Head Rock and the view from Devil’s Bridge. Finish the day in the beautiful Vipava Valley, where you’ll check into a charming guesthouse and indulge in wine and dinner at a local farm.
Day 3
Hike and paraglide the Vipava Valley
Hiking
Paragliding
Sleep in and enjoy a relaxing morning in the countryside, then depending on the conditions, either hike or take a tour of the valley, stopping at villages, farms and vineyards. In the afternoon, hike from the village of Ajdovščina to the top of Gora (780m). No need to walk back to town, as you strap in with a paragliding guide, fly across wine country and get some epic views of the Alps and the Adriatic Sea.
Day 4
Križna Cave
Relax over breakfast, pack your things and then head out for a subterranean adventure in the Križna Cave where you'll raft and walk through tunnels to find the ancient remains of cave bears. Return to Ljubljana with time to explore some more beautiful spots along the way and head back to the airport in time for your flight home.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Ljubljana Airport, Ljubljana
11:00 on Day 1
Ends
Ljubljana Airport, Ljubljana
19:00 on Day 4
Transfers
Your adventure begins at Ljubljana Airport (LJU) with your airport transfer at 11:00. If you’re not able to join the group transfer, you can easily get to the start point via a 25-minute taxi ride or the public bus. You will meet your guide and fellow adventurers at the Holiday Inn in Ljubljana.
At the end of your adventure, you will be dropped back at Ljubljana Airport (LJU) at 19:00, and we recommend booking any flight that departs after 21:00. Alternatively, you can be dropped off in Ljubljana city centre: just let your host know.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Ljubljana from airports across the UK and Europe.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Food in Slovenia is very diverse with lots of influence from neighbouring countries. In addition to traditional Slovenian foods like meat stews and dandelion salads, you can also find plenty of Italian food and other international cuisine. A continental breakfast is included each morning and lunches and dinners are up to you - your guide will provide advice on the best spots for you to try.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request on your passenger info form
What is the accommodation like?
Ljubljana
You'll stay at the modern and recently opened Holiday Inn in Ljubljana in twin share rooms. It’s very popular among outdoorsy people, who stop in Ljubljana before exploring further. The hotel has a garden and terrace and is a short walk away from all the main sights.
Vipava Valley
Kraljič Farmstay is part of a family farm property situated in a quiet village, surrounded by vineyards. You will stay in a twin-share room with a private bathroom. The friendly owners will prepare a tasty breakfast from local ingredients.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge - see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking - this is subject to availability and can be limited depending on guesthouse availability.
This trip has been rated as Easy
A good level of fitness is needed to enjoy up to 3 hours of uphill hiking. You also need to know how to swim. Other than that, all you need is an adventurous spirit! Ljubljana is the only European capital to allow urban SUP. The water is calm, clear and clean and it’s a great place to learn the basics while getting a different view of the city. Don't worry, everyone can do it without falling into the water. The Soča River is larger and wilder, but you’ll stick to calm sections that are perfect for SUP. It’s incredibly scenic and fun and there are loads of opportunities to play around and perfect your balance. The Tolmin Gorge trail leads through narrow canyons and follows the bright-blue water of the river. The path is well-maintained, so you can focus on the beautiful scenery around you. In the Vipava Valley, you'll hike along the edge of the Trnovo Plateau. The trail is good and there’s no rush, so you can hike at your own pace and stop whenever you need to. Križna Cave is considered one of the most beautiful and well-preserved caves in Europe. It’s open to the public, but unlike most tourist caves there are no paved paths or strong lights. Instead you’ll board a raft and float across an underground lake, then don boots and head torches to explore a tunnel where the remains of cave bears were found in the 19th Century. You’ll tandem paraglide with a highly qualified and experienced guide. All you have to do is strap in, relax and enjoy the sensation of flying like a bird over the surrounding wine country. If you suffer from motion sickness, you may feel it a little during this activity.
The area you'll be visiting has a lovely Mediterranean climate that's warm and sunny most days. From June to September temperatures average 23 – 28 °C during the day, cooling off to 16 – 19 °C at night.
Awesome Trip
I’d never done this type of adventure holiday before and was travelling solo, so was all sorts of nervous beforehand but that all went away real quick. Had the most amazing time. Loved all of it and thankful to our guides Maja and Veronika who were so patient, kind and made everything run so seamlessly.
Adventure Awaits: A Thrilling Long Weekend Escape in Slovenia
What an incredible long weekend in Slovenia! This trip exceeded all my expectations. From start to finish, it was full of adventure, stunning scenery, and fantastic company.
First off, a huge shout out to our amazing guides, Matt and Veronika. They were exceptional in every way—knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about Slovenia. They truly made the trip special, adding that personal touch that makes a big difference.
The itinerary was packed with fun and exciting activities. We kicked things off with stand-up paddleboarding, followed by some breathtaking hikes that took us through Slovenia's unspoiled natural landscapes. Paragliding was an absolute thrill, offering a bird's-eye view of the gorgeous surroundings. We also explored fascinating caves, which added an element of wonder to the trip. And to top it all off, we enjoyed a fabulous dinner in a local vineyard—what a perfect way to end the day! And even though was rainy it really didn't matter was all part of the fun.
Slovenia itself is a stunning country that feels refreshingly untouched by mass tourism. The landscapes are pristine, the air is fresh, and everywhere you turn is a postcard-worthy view.
One of the highlights was the group itself. I was fortunate to be with a brilliant bunch of people, and we spent the whole weekend laughing and bonding over our shared experiences.
If you love the outdoors and are looking for a short yet action-packed getaway, I highly recommend this trip. It’s the perfect mix of adventure, relaxation, and natural beauty. Slovenia will leave you inspired!
Action packed adventure in a beautiful country
Another amazing MBA trip. It was actually provided by two different companies in Slovenia, but the transition between the two was seamless. I was worried about the paddleboarding but Matt was a great coach and I got really confident by the end of the second session. The paragliding was terrifying. The wind dropped just as we were about to take off and my legs went to jrlly, but once we were up in the air, with stunning views over the farms and vieyards, it was just incredible. The meal in the wine cellar hugely exceed my expectations, The food and wine was great and the setting was fabulous, especially as we had dessert by candlelight around a stone table in the garden, listening to the church bells.
Amazing experience
Loved every minute of this trip - from booking to departure everything ran smoothly. Our guides were friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. Slovenia is a beautiful country. Highly recommend this trip.
Excellent guides in a lovely country
Got to see a lot of Slovenia in just 4 days with two excellent guides. Maja and Veronika were both incredible. Highlight was paragliding.
Magnificent from start to finish
Wow what a trip incredible! Superbly organised looking after all our need the communication was top notch as was itinerary. Jam packed excitement on every day. Accomodation was great especially the vineyard which was just postcard perfect, food was excellent local dishes and catered to all the needs of the group. The activities were superb with built in flexibility to the schedule to ensure the weather doesn't intervene. Now the guides this is where this trip went to the next level! The guides and gliding pilots we had were passionate knowledgeable enthusiastic loved their beautiful country but more than that loved sharing all of this with the group special shout out to Matt for who words will not do justice a legend. There is nothing better than good local knowledge to show you the best of any place and they certainly did that. There was not a single tiny detail that I could fault it was perfection thank you to MBA and the guides for a life memory! #simplytheMATT
Slovenia you did not disappoint!
Where to start? Much Better Adventures and our local Slovenian tour company and guides did not disappoint, in fact they exceeded. First group holiday and first time to Slovenia. Well organised, easy communications, fantastic local guides who were knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming. The activities we got to do took us out of the tourist areas and get to really see this absolutely stunning country. We felt that we got much more than in the description of what this activity included. Got so lucky with the group of people who were also on this trip and we had the best time! Local tour of the capital Ljubljana and then a choice of which way we wanted to SUP down the river and we chose to go through the town. Hand picked places to eat so we could sample the local food and wine….. staying in a winery with the option of buying wine! Where we did the trek it was as if it were only the locals that were there and it felt amazing, not a touristy vibe in sight. We lucked out with the weather and we could paraglide and this was like the cherry on this phenomenal trip. Our last day we went down into a cave which was so interesting, and got the option to go to Lake Bled. We swam there which felt like a tick on the tourist part of a list, but we were all so thankful to Jani, Simon and Matt for only making this an end to our amazing experience of Slovenia… the small river we went to afterwards before we went to the airport was far better, again much more of a small, local spot…. and the strawberries and icecream they serve are gorgeous! Couldn’t recommenced this trip, our tour guides and Slovenia enough to everyone. Thank you for a fabulous experience!
Amazing experience!
I have had the best time on this trip. What can I say.. everything was organised so well and extremely fun and interesting. All the guides were knowledgeable and very nice and fun. The paragliding was an amazing experience because we had the best pilots and felt incredibly safe. The trip was well filled with activities but not rushed. Every guide took their time explaining everything and telling a lot of facts and history. They never cut an activity short! We saw places tourist normally wouldn’t see or activities you wouldn’t normally find. Special thanks to Matt (Matije) who took us paddle boarding for 2 days and joined in on all the jokes and silliness, Simon who made us feel good before the paragliding and showed us beautiful parts of Slovenia, Jani who took us around the last day and was a great communicator throughout the whole trip and put this all together <3 then also Tomaž, my paragliding pilot who made me feel super safe and made the flight super fun and amazing! I would 100% recommend this trip!
Great trip
Highly recommend, couldn’t fault it. The guides were great and really easy to get on with.
If you can, try to extend your stay as Lake Bohinj and Bled are worth a little more time
Great trip despite the slightly unfortunate weather
This trip is great, one of the longest running on MBA we were told.
The itinerary is packed, but also flexible depending on weather and individual group choice.
Both guides we had Matt and Jani were different but both awesome people.
We were unfortunate with the weather despite it being July/August there were random thunderstorms on pretty much every day, this meant that our itinerary changed slightly and went in a less than perfect order.
With the paragliding moved to Sunday we did the caves on Saturday, but meant we were not going to be able to get the bonus trips to Bled and Bohijni lakes.
Even more unfortunately the paragliding is split into two groups due to there being 4 pilots and 8 people. The first group all took off, and in the hour it took for the pilots to drive back up the mountain the weather turned and it meant that half our group were unable to fly, we were told we’d get a refund for the paragliding portion.
A highlight for me was the meal at the winery, amazing food and great wine, the owner was also really generous and fun.
Would definitely recommend this trip!
Brilliant trip!
Slovenia is such a beautiful country, I felt that we saw a lot of the country in the four days. The activities were fantastic. (Paddle boarding in Soca valley and paragliding being highlights) but it was also great to experience Slovenian food / drink and learn a few interesting phrases..! I loved every minute and will definitely be booking another MBA trip.