Trip Ref #9328
DURATION
1 night
LOCATION
Slovenia
ANNUAL LEAVE
½ day off work
SEASON
Jun-Sep
GROUP SIZE
Up to 8 people
MEETING POINT
Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport
ACCOMMODATION
Classic
Hotel
DIFFICULTY
Moderate
You should be a capable swimmer and able to handle at least 1 mile (the equivalent of 60 lengths of a 25m pool).
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
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)
Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
… Per Person
Beautiful lake swims with great guides
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
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 for 2023 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. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
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 in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
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