Discover Slovenia's Karavanke and explore a little-known mountain range of extraordinary variety, stretching 120km along the natural border between Slovenia and Austria through a landscape of soaring peaks, wildflower-filled meadows, ancient ridges, and traditional alpine villages. Less visited than the nearby Julian Alps, the Karavanke offers a wonderfully unspoilt walking destination in the heart of central Europe.

Suitable for beginner and experienced walkers alike, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook describes 21 day walks and 2 multi-day treks across the full length of the Karavanke range. Routes range from 4 to 26km (2–16 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–9 hours, with approaches mainly from the Slovenian valleys and bases in unspoilt towns and villages.

• Choose from 21 day walks and 2 multi-day treks across the western and eastern Karavanke, from low-level valley walks and flower-filled ridge paths to demanding high summit routes, with all routes graded for difficulty to help you plan your adventure.
• Tackle two 2-day mountain hut treks taking in the majestic Košuta ridge and the Peca massif, with overnight stays in alpine huts offering a deeper experience of the Karavanke mountains.
• Discover the highlights of the Karavanke, including Stol, the highest peak in the range at 2236m and a stunning backdrop to beautiful Lake Bled, the prehistoric cave on Olševa, Golica in May for its famous white daffodils, and the fine summit views from Uršlja Gora in the eastern range.
• Navigate with confidence using sketch maps included for each walk, alongside detailed information on waymarking, and recommended map sheets for every part of the Karavanke.
• Plan your Karavanke walking holiday with practical information on getting there, local transport, accommodation in the Slovenian valleys, food and drink, money, health and safety, and the best bases including Kranjska Gora, Mojstrana, Jesenice, Tržic, Solcava, and Slovenj Gradec.
• Deepen your experience of the region with introductory sections on the landscape and geology of the Karavanke, its climate, wildlife and flowers, and the waymarking and equipment needed for walking in this distinctive alpine environment.

Venture into the peaks, ridges, and valleys of Slovenia's Karavanke with confidence using this trusted Cicerone guidebook. From the wildflower meadows of the western range to the remote summits of the eastern Karavanke, this is the essential companion for walking in one of central Europe's most rewarding and least-visited mountain ranges.

Walking in Slovenia: The Karavanke – Quick Facts

Guide name: Walking in Slovenia: The Karavanke
Location: Slovenia and Austria – the Karavanke mountain range, central Europe
Routes covered: 21 day walks and 2 multi-day treks (4–26km/2–16 miles)
Typical duration: 2–9 hours per walk; 2 days for the multi-day treks with mountain hut overnight stays
Difficulty: All routes graded; suitable for beginner and experienced walkers; several walks include short steep sections of rock protected with steel cable and pegs; some peaks over 2000m
Terrain: Alpine ridges, high summits, valley paths, meadows, forest tracks, and protected rock sections
Navigation/mapping: Sketch maps included for each walk for orientation; PZS sheet maps recommended for on-the-ground navigation (Karavanke 1:50,000 covers the majority of routes)
Key centres: Kranjska Gora, Mojstrana, Jesenice, Tržič, Solčava, Slovenj Gradec
Highlights: Stol (2236m, highest peak in the range), Košuta ridge, Peca massif, Uršlja Gora, Olševa with its prehistoric cave, Golica in May for white daffodils, views to Lake Bled
Accommodation & logistics: Detailed notes on accommodation in Slovenian valley bases, local transport, and mountain hut stays for multi-day routes
Best time to go: Late June to early September; May for spring flowers on Golica; up to mid-October for autumn colours

Author Highlight

“This book will provide you with a taster of the Karavanke. The 23 walks described here cover all the main peaks along the full length of the range, which between them offer spectacular views, caves where Stone Age remains have been found, high pastures where cows, sheep and horses graze together in harmony, slopes so carpeted with flowers that the mountain appears covered with snow, airy ridges, shady forests and empty summits.”

- Justi Carey and Roy Clark, authors of Walking in Slovenia: The Karavanke

Map key  
Overview map of Slovenia   
Overview map of the Karavanke   

 
Introduction   
Landscape and geology  
Climate and weather   
Environment   
Wildlife and flowers   
The walks   
When to go   
Getting there   
Travelling within Slovenia   
Accommodation   
Food and drink   
Money and shopping   
Communications   
Health and hazards   
Language   
Maps   
Waymarking   
Equipment   
Using this guide  

The Western Karavanke   
Walk 1      Pec (Tromeja)   
Walk 2      Trupejevo poldne and Vošca  
Walk 3      Kepa   
Walk 4      Dovška Baba   
Walk 5      Hrušica to Planina pod Golico   
Walk 6      Golica   
Walk 7      Hruški vrh and Klek   
Walk 8      Dovška Baba to Planina pod Golico   
Walk 9      Ajdna   
Walk 10    Stol   
Walk 11    Vajnež   
Walk 12    Stol from Austria   
Walk 13    Dobrca   
Walk 14    Preval   
Walk 15    Begunjšcica   
Walk 16    Vrtaca   
Walk 17    The Ljubelj Pass   
Walk 18    Košutica   
Walk 19    Košuta   

The Eastern Karavanke   
Walk 20    Hochobir (Ojstrc)   
Walk 21    Olševa   
Walk 22    Peca   
Walk 23    Uršlja gora (Plešivec)   

Appendix A    Walk summary table   
Appendix B    Key names in German   
Appendix C    Glossary   
Appendix D    Useful contacts   
Appendix E    Further reading   
 

Seasons

Main walking season late June to early September, safely extended to include May for the wonderful bursts of spring flowers and up to mid-October for the amazing autumn colours

Centres

Kranjska Gora, Mojstrana, Jesenice, Tržic, Solcava, Slovenj Gradec

Difficulty

Although the Karavanke lack the steep rock and barren heights of the nearby Julian Alps, several of the peaks are over 2000m and many just under this altitude; a number of the walks include short steep sections of rock protected with steel cable and pegs; all routes graded

Must See

Major peaks in the Karavanke are: Stol - the highest at 2236m and a stunning backdrop to beautiful Lake Bled; Uršlja Gora - the furthest eastern peak with its fine summit mountain; the majestic Košuta ridge Olševa with its prehistoric cave; Golica in May for the white daffodils

The walks are almost all covered by three maps:

• Kranjska Gora 1:30,000 (Walks 1–4)
• Karavanke 1:50,000 (Walks 5–20)
• Kamniško-Savinjske Alpe 1:50,000 (Walks 21–22, and part of Walk 23)

Frustratingly, the first half of Walk 23, Uršlja gora, is on a different map, Pohorje 1:50,000. The maps are published by PZS (Planinska zveza Slovenije – the Slovene Alpine Club) except for Kranjska Gora, which is published by LTO Kranjska Gora.

The Karavanke website has a free map of the range which can be printed out: go to www.karavanke.eu/index.php?t=news&id=19&l=sl. This has the full route of Uršlja gora on it.
Note that the sketch maps that accompany the route descriptions in this guide are not intended to be used alone, but to provide orientation to the sheet map.

 

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