Swim Slovenia's Most Iconic Lakes
Challenge yourself to swim two magical alpine lakes in just two days
What's Included?
Small 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?
Swim in the emerald-green waters of Lake Bohinj and Lake Bled - two of the most breathtaking lakes in Europe
Work alongside former professional athletes and coaches to perfect your technique
Take a scenic hike in Mostnica Gorge deep in Triglav National Park
Key Information
Day 1
The challenge begins
Swimming
Hiking
Meet your guide and drive to the start point on Lake Bohinj. Literally dive straight in and swim the 2km width of these crisp and pristine waters surrounded by a serene forest. If you fancy putting yourself to the test, swim the 4km length instead - with surroundings like these you’ll be tempted. Recover with lunch, then take scenic hike in Mostnica Gorge. The trail follows the crystal clear waters of the Mostnica River as it winds through lush forests and past picturesque waterfalls. Check into your hotel on the Pokljuka Plateau – a truly magical spot for some star gazing - where you will have the evening to relax.
Day 2
Lake Bled aka Round 2
Swimming
After breakfast, take a short drive to Lake Bled, known for its magical beauty and refreshing waters. Swim the 2km width of the lake (and back again if you’re feeling keen) and then find a spot on the grass for lunch. The afternoon is yours to do with as you wish - take a stroll through the charming town of Bled, wander the shoreline, or visit the fairy-tale church that sits on an island in the centre of the lake. Another option is to hike up to Mala Ojstrica – a steep but short trek up a series of iron steps carved into the rock with an incredible view over the lake and a backdrop of the highest peaks in the Julian Alps. As the day comes to an end, head back to Ljubljana Airport in time for your evening flight home itching for someone to ask, ‘how was your weekend?’
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Your accommodation in Bled
10:00 on Day 1
Ends
Ljubljana Airport
17:00 on Day 2
Transfers
You will be collected from your hotel in Bled on Day 1. Your host suggests getting one of the many airport shuttles from Ljubljana airport to Bled prior to the trip - they are regular, cheap and fast.
At the end of your trip on Day 2, you will be dropped at Ljubljana airport. Or you can of course extend your trip and stay in Bled an extra night if you wish. Your host will send you a list of recommended hotels in Bled and in Ljubljana so you can book whatever takes your fancy.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Ljubljana from major airports across the UK and Europe.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Expect traditional regional dishes like Ričet (a minestrone-like dish of beans, vegetables and potato), Carnolian sausage, Ajdovi žganci (Buckwheat), Štruklji (this dish comes in the form of rolls, which can either be cooked or baked with a wide range of fillings.) 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?
Pokljuka Plateau
You'll stay in a twin-room at the half-board Hotel Centre with views over the forest or valley. The hotel has a unique location at the Sports Centre Triglav Pokljuka right next to the biathlon stadium which makes for some fascinating morning observing.
If you are arriving in Slovenia early or want to stay on, your host suggests that you stay in either Bled or Ljubljana where you can be collected or dropped off by the host. The Hotel Centre is some way from the first swim spot on Day 1 and is difficult to reach with public transport so staying in Bled or Ljubljana make it logistically easier for everyone and give you the chance to see more highlights of course. Due to the range of options available in both locations, it is easier for you to book these extra nights yourself but your host recommends the following spots in Bled:
Rikli Balance Hotel, Hotel Kompas Bled, Old Parish House Bled,Apartma Katja Bled,Hotel Jadran, Sava Hotels & Resorts
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).
A great way to experience lakes in Slovenia on a short trip. The swimming was wonderful and the guides even better - they really made the trip.
We finished at lunchtime on Sunday but I’d been advised to get a flight after 7pm, so there was lots of hanging around without a base as we stayed in the mountains the night before. Also no transfer back to the airport as promised. I’ve only just arrived home past 1am.
I’d still recommend this as the group was small catering for different paces, it was relaxed, safe and fun throughout, and we couldn’t have asked for more with Rok and Neza.
Tips: use water shoes as it’s stoney on the banks, and take a tow float for your visibility and safety. Not required, but certainly helpful.
The trip was amazing and our guides Rok and Neža were super lovely and relaxed the whole time. The hotel in the mountains was gorgeous and both swims were great, with accommodations being made for the different abilities in the group - it was very chilled and no rushing. We had free time in Bled for the Sunday afternoons which was lovely and I spent it by the lido whereas others walked to the castle. As always a perfect MBA trip once again overall.
Our hosts were lovely girls, made the effort to chat to everyone and include everyone. Our group of 7 consisted of 3 solo travellers - who were all quite fast in their swims - and a group of four friends who were seeing it as more of a challenge and so were much slower. Day one was at Bled which was beautiful. We swam out to the island and back while the speedy ones also swam around the island. The two hosts were on paddle boards - one keeping an eye on the faster group and one at the back with the slower ones. Once finished and dried we went off to our lodge that were were staying in the night. We had lunch at the lodge, which as it wasn't included it might have been nicer to go somewhere else with more choice. We then had an hour or so until a hike in the nearby countryside - this was advertised as a night walk but was just mid afternoon, which was fine although it could have taken on a new dimension in starlight. Dinner was included and was average. Day 2 after breakfast we went off to Lake Bohinj, which was stunning, mountainous right down to the waters edge. The trip had said there was a 2 or 4 km option, this was incorrect and there was only a 4km route, unfortunately, this meant two of our party didn't finish this which they were disappointed in. The speedier people in the group finished a couple of hours quicker than the slower ones and had to just hang around near the end and grab a coffee. If the swims had been switched by day they could have had a wander around Bled as there was much more to see there. Overall, it was a great trip, expensive for what was provided, but I would happily return to Slovenia again.
Beautiful lake swims with great guides
This trip exceeded my expectations. Slovenia is beautiful and the lake swimming was wonderful. Our guides Tijan and Nusa were very supportive and took excellent care of us all. I would highly recommend this trip.
An amazing weekend trip for swimming enthusiasts. The waters were warm, crystal clear, and perfect for swimming in. The swims had suitable break points to allow you to fully take in the scenery. The hotel is idyllicly situated in the mountains for an evening hike. The highlight was completing the 4km swim in Lake Bohinj....followed by the Bled cream cake at the end! Big thanks to our guides for looking after us!
A great weekend. The guides, Tijan and Nusa, were really relaxed and friendly and the lakes were beautiful. The group were lovely too which made the experience even better. I would highly recommend this trip.
Thanks so much for Much Better Adventures for giving us the opportunity to swim Slovenia's stunning lakes. Everything was so well organised and the local hosts looked after us very well. We came back feeling revitalised, refreshed and thrilled that we completed a 4km swim on day 2! We will be back for another adventure soon!
Just back from our trip to Slovenia and it was amazing from booking, changes due to Covid and all the way through to the end of the trip back at the airport. Blaz, Tijan & Alja were fantastic throughout, accommodated everyone in the group and gave lots of support on the swims and some great technique tips too which really helped.. and a very memorable moonlit hike too! Great hosts, location, scenery, activities.. can't fault it. We will be back!
We had a great time. The lakes are so beautiful and amazingly clear. This holiday provides you with activity and adventure as well as some R&R to chill and take some time off from your daily hustle and bustle. Hugely recommended.
It was lovely to be shown around by local guides that were native to Slovenia and very friendly and eager to interact with the group and answer questions. If you are a solo traveller they would make you feel welcome and become your friends. The swims were very manageable and you do not need to be very fit or "sporty" to enjoy the trip.
Wonderful trip
Beautiful country, great people and fabulous swims. Thoroughly recommend
Slovenia is such a beautiful country - a hidden gem! Loved the experience of swimming along in literally sparkling water surrounded by trees and mountains - a great first taste of open water swimming - and we were very well looked after by our guides Tijan and Nusa who were great! Lovely group too!
Everything was excellent. Blaz was an incredible host and ensured that everything was perfect. He was super supportive on the swims and took some wonderful photos for us. He also gave us a lot of information about Slovenia and had a great sense of humour. My highlight was lake Bohinj and completing the 4km distance. I also really enjoyed Lake Bled and the two hikes we went on (one to see the stars). I can’t think of anything that could have improved the trip. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I’ve just booked again for next year!
Absolutely amazing trip! Exceeded all expectations. Blaz was a fantastic host - so knowledgeable and thoughtful. It was just two is us so we were very lucky as it ended up feeling like a private tour. The swims were magical - the lakes are beautiful and felt incredibly safe with Blaz alongside on his SUP and we were able to swim at our preferred pace with no pressure. The accommodation was perfect - local in the mountains and sustainable. We also enjoyed a couple of local walks. We are incredibly well in local restaurants where the food was great (even for vegetarians) I wouldn’t change anything - just highly recommend you book this trip!
What an amazing weekend. Beautiful Scenery. Amazing Swim, lucky enough to be part of a small group. Blaz the guide was brilliant - Calm, helpful and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend booking this trip - Communication from start to finish has been great - helpful with cancellations and changes due to Covid restrictions etc
We were well looked after and had lots of fun. They were lovely.
Everything! It was just incredible to swim in such stunning scenery. Everything was organised so well and our guides were just great. Thank you guys for the most memorable swim of my life.
What a way to spend a long weekend! This region of Slovenia offers stunning scenery and warm waters, which make for an incredible swim experience. Blaz and Zan looked after us very well and took fantastic photos of us in the water. Overall, it was immensely enjoyable and I would highly recommend.
Very friendly hosts. Great experience swimming across Slovenia's iconic lakes.
Good combination of activities enjoyed in a short space of time, well organised.
Absolutely everything was great! The beautiful scenery of Slovenia, the experience of swimming in such perfect conditions, the hosts being so patient, funny and encouraging! Couldn't recommend this trip enough, one of the best I've ever done!
The swim was awesome. Being only 2 of us meant Blaz had fewer people to worry about.
Blaž was a great host, with local knowledge of Slovenia. The scenery was breathtaking and finishing both swims gave me a great sense of achievement!
Blaz is a really decent, informative and encouraging guy. He was very friendly and engaging. On the swims, he would paddle back and forth to check on the different swimming abilities within the group. As a weaker swimming I never felt I was being hurried, and felt he was encouraging in the right way to help me swim over 4km in one go!
First of all, Slovenia is simply a beautiful gem of a country and the people are super friendly. Our guide Blaz was simply fabulous. Relaxed, friendly and knowledgeable. You always felt very faith. Also showed you other lovely parts of the area we were staying. Swimming across both lake Bohinj & Bled is an experience and challenge I will never forget. At the end of Day 1, you also get to go and stay in a lovely chalet in the mountains with again more amazing views. It really is peaceful there. You are then taken on a moonlit hike which you can see a lovely starlit night as long as the clouds behave. In summary, the weekend was simply fabulous - beautiful country, wonderful people, amazing scenery, fabulous lakes and superb host.
What a blast! Blaz was an absolutely brilliant host. He went above and beyond - Feel like we've seen the whole of Slovenia in a weekend, what a great memory. Adventure is out there! On to the next one!
Very helpful staff and a beautiful location.
The water is amazing!!!! And the hosts Jane and Blaz are so incredibly warm and always wanting to make you as happy and comfortable as possible. The only thing I will say is that if you want downtime to yourself you won’t get much of it!
Guides
Local, English-speaking certified guides and swimming coaches (usually a 3:1 guide to customer ratio)
Accommodation
1 night in a hotel
Meals
1 dinner and 1 breakfast
Transfers
All local transportation
Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.
Personal Expenses
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
What do I need to bring?
- Swimsuit
- Trainers or comfortable walking shoes
- Towels
- Windstopper or a jacket
- Camera
- Mobile phone
- Personal medicine if required (please inform your guide in case of emergency)
No optional extras are available for this trip.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 47kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
- A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
The average lake temperatures in Bohinj and Bled throughout the summer swimming season are;
- June: 66°F / 19°C
- July: 70°F / 21°C
- Aug: 70°F / 21°C
- Sept: 63°F / 17°C
The majority of people do not use a wetsuit apart from at the very start or very end of the season, however, your host can advise you if this is necessary as lake temperatures can vary.
You will have experienced, former professional athletes and certified swimming coaches and guides by your side, all with specific lifeguard training for water just like this. Usually, there are 2-3 guides for a group of 6-8 people to account for varying degrees of speed in the water. Large, stand up paddleboards to rest on also follow the group, and sometimes a boat depending on the group skill level.
You can leave any excess luggage in your host's van which will be parked in a secure space.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Need help finding flights?
From logistics and how to get there, to fitness, group dynamic and trip difficulty, Rory and his team of friendly experts are on hand to help.
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DEPARTURE DATES
