Many people have nicknamed Slovenia  “little Switzerland”, others often compare it to New Zealand. We haven’t visited the latter although we’ve heard only good things about it. We can assure you that Slovenia is a beautiful gem that will undoubtedly make a lasting impression.

A 5-day active SUP Tour focuses primarily on paddle boarding at the most scenic lakes and rivers in the north and west of Slovenia. But it’s not all about stand-up paddling. During our 3-day trip around Slovenia we’ll also climb hills, enjoy views over vineyards, visit stunning natural monuments and indulge in traditional culinary delights.

This outdoor adventure is a perfect choice for enthusiastic stand-up paddlers who prefer to explore the world with a paddle in their hand and active travelers who swear by a dynamic and local approach.

TOUR PROGRAMME

DAY 1: LJUBLJANA

Ljubljana is currently the only European capital that offers a relaxed and intimate experience of standup paddling through the very heart of town. We’ll paddle along the Ljubljanica river and experience an interesting view of the fast changing faces of the town. We’ll glide past the tranquil suburban area where we’ll observe the coypus weaving in and out of the water and listen to the excited chatter of birds. Slowly, we’ll take you right into the midst of the urban beauty. We’ll crane our necks to see the impressive Ljubljana castle, admire the Triple Bridge designed by the celebrated architect Joze Plecnik and wave to the mighty dragons that protect both banks of the river.

After the morning SUP Tour and a light lunch, we’ll mount our bikes and see the most beautiful parts of Ljubljana with the wind in our hair. We’ll make a stop in Tivoli Park and test our balance on a slackline.

For a treat, we’ll walk up to the Ljubljana castle and enjoy the spectacular views over the city and nearby mountains and forests. The only thing left to do after is to sit down to a delicious dinner and watch the town come alive at night.

DAY 2: BOHINJ & BLED

Then, we’ll go to Lake Bohinj, the biggest natural lake in Slovenia in the heart of Triglav National Park. The mysterious, almost 11-kilometres long lake embraced by mighty mountains never fails to take our breath away. We’ll stand-up paddle along the most striking part of the coast and try to work on a correct paddling technique. The highlight of every trip to Bohinj is when we reach the deepest part of the lake, lie down on our boards, name the peaks of Julian Alps and observe the lines left behind by aeroplanes in the sky.

After the SUP session, we’ll have a healthy snack to recharge our batteries. Then, we’ll be ready for an hour-long trek through the forest paths and stone steps to Savica waterfall which bursts from the underground of the Triglav Lakes Valley and comes cascading down 60 metres into the deep pool below. Another smaller waterfall also falls 25 m deep and France Prešeren, the most famous Slovene poet, chose the waterfall for his epic poem entitled Krst pri Savici (Christening at Savica).

Then, we’ll drive towards the town of Bled where we’ll base ourselves for 2 nights.

DAY 3: BLED & VRSIC

We’ll wake up right next to the lake and take time to enjoy our morning coffee. After breakfast, we’ll do the Sun Salutation on our SUP boards to stretch our muscles and then go for SUP sightseeing. We’ll paddle towards the centre of town, enjoy the views of cliffs and the old castle, challenge ourselves with SUP games, take a refreshing dip in the lake and visit the iconic island in the middle of the lake. We’ll see the pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, ring the bells and make a wish and treat ourselves to the best natural ice cream in Bled.

In the afternoon, we’ll walk around the Bled castle and admire the spectacular views over the lake and mountains. After lunch, we’ll venture into the narrow Vintgar gorge where the Radovna river shows off its lively pools, rapids and waterfalls.

DAY 4: SOCA VALLEY, GORISKA BRDA

Early morning, we’ll continue our path towards the Upper Soča Valley. We’ll be able to appreciate the beauty of this striking emerald river along the way and stop by in the Most na Soči village. We’ll SUP under the bridge that gave name to the village, follow the railway tracks and paddle towards the narrow valley of Idrijca river. Most na Soči is our favourite paddle board destination and it’s bound to become one of yours also.

After the SUP adventure, we’ll head towards the rolling hills with a pleasant Mediterranean atmosphere. Goriška Brda, the most western part of Slovenia, is known for its wines, olives and fruit, and the road will take us past many castles and white churches. We’ll spend the night at a traditional homestead, take a walk among the vineyards and visit the wine cellar in the evening. We’ll taste local food that combines subtle Mediterranean influences with strong continental tastes – home-made sliced meats, rolled dumplings (struklji), polenta, pasta, delicious Brda olives and olive oil and, of course, a glass of finest local wine. Brace yourself for a delightful, local culinary experience.

DAY 5: PIRAN & POSTOJNA CAVE

On our last day, we’ll drive towards the coast where we’ll SUP along high cliffs until the unique little town of Piran will reveal itself from behind the next turn. We’ll wink at the statue of Giuseppe Tartini, say Hi to the fishermen putting away their nets after a successful day on the sea, get lost in the labyrinthine streets of this quaint town and, after lunch, SUP back to where we started.

We can spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach or, if you have enough energy to visit another spectacular natural monument of Slovenia, we can take you to the Postojna cave. It’s one of the world’s largest karst monuments with almost 24km of passages and limestone formations and it’s the only cave with a railway. The network of tunnels and caverns decorated with ancient formations seems to go on forever. We’ll look for the most striking stalagmite of the cave called The Brilliant, which is an estimated 100,000 years old, and the famous, if a bit unusual, olm, a blind amphibian which has become a symbol of the cave.

So… If you love getting to know a new country through local’s eyes, enjoy meeting like-minded active people and you care more about “what to see and do” than just “what to see”, then our programme is right up your street!

ACCOMMODATION

As we need to move across the country, accommodation is included in the main package. We’ve selected a special hotels 4*, eco camp resort in the middle of the nature and local homestays in higher-end accommodation.

If you are traveling as a group of two to eight people, we can make a special package for your private tour also in middle range accommodation. Please contact us for an offer tailored to your needs.