A guidebook to 21 day walks and 2 multi-day treks in Slovenia’s Karavanke. Exploring the 120km mountain range between Slovenia and Austria, the walks are suitable for beginner and experienced hikers alike.

Walks range from 4 to 26km (2–16 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–9 hours. Two 2-day walks with overnight mountain hut stays are included taking in the Košuta ridge and Peca massif.

• Sketch maps are included for each walk
• Detailed information on public transport, route access and accommodation
• Highlights include Stol the highest peak in the range

Overview map of Slovenia

Overview map of the Karavanke

Map key

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 Peč (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 Dobrča

Walk 14 Preval

Walk 15 Begunjščica

Walk 16 Vrtača

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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