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Swimming in Lake Bled, Slovenia

Swim Slovenia's Most Iconic Lakes

Challenge yourself to swim two magical alpine lakes in just two days

Duration

1 night

Annual Leave

½ day off work

Group Size

Up to 8 people

Season

Jun-Sep

Location

Slovenia

Meeting Point

Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport

Classic Accommodation

Hotel

Customer Reviews

(43)

4.9

Difficulty

Moderate

From

From

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

Day 1

The challenge begins

Swimming

2km or 4km

Hiking

2hrs · 4km

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

2km or 4km

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?’

Included

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

Not Included

Flights to and from the meeting point

Some meals as described

Travel insurance

Personal expenses

Visas where required

Day 1

Hotel · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2

Departure day

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).

The Area

map

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.

Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear

In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.

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)
*Requests for optional extras can be made after booking on your “My Bookings” page

Optional Private Room Upgrade

Payable Before Departure

Optional Private Room Upgrade

Per Person

Lisa

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.

Georgia

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.

Emma

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.

Jack

Beautiful lake swims with great guides

Kate

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.

Alan

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!

Mia

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.

Emma

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!

Michelle

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!

Nicola

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.

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 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
  • A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
  • 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 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.

You must be a capable swimmer and able to handle at least 1 mile (the equivalent of 60 lengths of a 25m pool.)

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

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 expect warm and sunny weather with temperatures ranging from 25°C to 35°C. Lake temperatures depend on the weather conditions, but this year Lake Bohinj had around 22˙C in June and the same temperature in September.

You can leave any excess luggage in your host's van which will be parked in a secure space.

Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.

Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.

We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

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 (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

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.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.

TRIP DEPARTURE DATES

Private trip

Go private and split the bill with ease.

Forget complex logistics, we've taken care of all the details to ensure a hassle-free get together. All of the adventure, none of the faff.

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