Discover the remarkable beauty and diversity of Slovenia as you walk from Maribor near the Austrian border to Ankaran on the Adriatic Coast on the legendary Slovene Mountain Trail (Slovenska planinska pot or Transverzala). This inspiring long-distance route traverses the heart of Slovenia, crossing the Julian Alps, the Karavanke, and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, as well as the forested Pohorje plateau and the rolling hills and olive groves of the Karst, offering a unique blend of dramatic mountain landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

Perfect for fit walkers and mountaineers with some alpine experience, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook presents the complete Slovene Mountain Trail, described in 12 stages of 3–6 day treks, covering 550km (342 miles) and taking a total of 49 days to complete. Each stage can be tackled individually or linked together, allowing you to tailor the adventure to your own plans and ambitions.

• Explore Slovenia’s most iconic mountain regions, including the vast forests of Pohorje, the sheer limestone peaks of the Julian and Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the flower-strewn alpine pastures and ridges of the Karavanke, and the scenic limestone Karst on the approach to the Adriatic. Each day brings new scenery, from high summits to tranquil woodlands and traditional villages.
• The Slovene Mountain Trail is best enjoyed from mid-June to the end of September, when routes are generally snow-free, and mountain huts are open.
• Stages of the Slovene Mountain Trail are clearly described with daily distance, ascent/descent, grade of difficulty, and estimated walking times, making it easy to plan each day, whether you seek a gentle track-based stage or challenging technical terrain with via ferrata and fixed protection.
• The stages are designed for maximum flexibility, with ease of access via public transport and the option to complete sections in any order, whether you dream of a continuous 49-day trek or prefer to savour individual highlights of the Slovene Mountain Trail at your own pace.
• Each route description includes essential information on start and finish points, public transport connections, mountain huts, accommodation, refreshment options, and facilities, making it easy to plan every stage of your Slovenian Mountain Trail journey.
• Features detailed sketch maps, profiles, and photographs for every stage, plus practical advice on Slovenian wildlife and flora, waymarking, traditions such as collecting summit stamps, and enjoying local food and drink along the trail.

Plan your adventure along the Slovene Mountain Trail with this definitive Cicerone guidebook and discover one of Europe’s most varied and rewarding long-distance walks, where each stage reveals a new facet of Slovenia’s natural and cultural treasures, from alpine peaks to the sparkling Adriatic coast.

The Slovene Mountain Trail – Across Slovenia from Maribor to the Adriatic: Quick Facts

Location: Slovenia, from Maribor (Austrian border) to Ankaran (Adriatic coast)
Number of stages: 12 stages, each 3–6 days; total of 49 days for the full route
Distance: 550km (342 miles)
Duration: 49 days (full route; each stage can be walked separately or linked for a longer trek); daily stages vary in length and difficulty
Areas covered: Pohorje plateau, Julian Alps, Kamnik-Savinja Alps, Karavanke, Karst region, Adriatic coast
Route type: Long-distance mountain and upland trail, classic hut-to-hut walking
Difficulty: All levels, from gentle track-based days (Grade 1) to technical alpine terrain with via ferrata (Grade 3); suitable for hikers with varying experience
Terrain: Forested plateaus, limestone peaks, alpine pastures, flower-strewn ridges, karst hills, olive groves, mountain and coastal landscapes
Navigation: Illustrated sketch maps, route profiles, detailed descriptions, and stage-by-stage information
Best season: Mid-June to end of September (snow-free and stable weather; mountain huts open)
Highlights: Julian Alps, Kamnik-Savinja Alps, traditional summit stamp collecting, Slovenian mountain culture, panoramic ridge walks, scenic Adriatic finish
Equipment: Good walking boots, weatherproof clothing, via ferrata kit (for technical sections), and suitable gear for multi-day trekking
Accommodation: Mountain huts, lodges, and inns at stage endpoints and along the route
 

Author Highlight

"Slovenia is only a tiny country, but within its small area lies some of the most varied and beautiful mountain scenery in the whole of Europe. From the stark heights of the Alps, through forested plateaus and rolling hill country scattered with small farmsteads, to the fascinating limestone karst areas, Slovenia has it all. And to explore it, there are thousands of kilometres of waymarked tracks and paths, from wine routes to high mountains and via ferratas. The series of treks described in this book together form the Slovene Mountain Trail and constitute around 550km of walking that is by turn beautiful, impressive, magnificent and spectacular, and will richly reward all who undertake the journey.” 

-  Justi Carey and Roy Clark, authors of The Slovene Mountain Trail

Map key
Overview map

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

The Slovene Mountain Trail

Stage 1 Maribor to Slovenj Gradec
Stage 2 Slovenj Gradec to Solčava
Stage 3 Solčava to Zgornje Jezersko
Stage 4 Zgornje Jezersko to Tržič
Stage 5 Tržič to Dovje/Mojstrana
Stage 6 Dovje/Mojstrana to Vršič
Stage 7 Vršič to Trenta
Stage 8 Trenta to Petrovo Brdo
Stage 9 Petrovo Brdo to Idrija
Stage 10 Idrija to Col
Stage 11 Col to Matavun
Stage 12 Matavun to Ankaran

Appendix A    Bibliography
Appendix B    The Slovene language
Appendix C    Transport to and facilities at the stage start points
Appendix D    Hut telephone numbers
Appendix E    Route summary table

Seasons

June-September; some of the easier treks can be made in May and October, but note that huts will be closed

Centres

Maribor, Slovenj Gradec, Solčava, Zgornje Jezersko, Tržič, Dovje/Mojstrana, Vršič, Trenta, Petrovo Brdo, Idrija, Col, Matavun, Ankaran.

Difficulty

each day has a subjective grade of 1-3, but even the easiest days require a good level of walking fitness. The most difficult, grade 3 sections, require mountaineering experience as they are strenuous, often very exposed, and will have sections of fixed protection; helmet and self-belaying equipment are recommended here.

Must See

the Pohorje uplands; the Kamnik-Savinja Alps; the Julian Alps; including Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia, the Triglav Lakes valley, and the Vršič Pass; the Karst region; the mining town of Idrija; the Škocjan caves; the Adriatic coast.

May 2023

Maps for the TRansverzala route

August 2019

Updates

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