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

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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