Choose the routes that suit you

Signboards on mountain and themed trails

Knafelc marking In Slovenia, mountain trails are marked with the red (Knafelc) markings, while European and thematic trails are marked with yellow markings or their own marking. Outdoor markings, which are always on the right side of the path in the direction of travel, direct you to the chosen destination. At forks in the trail, different destinations, estimated walking time and difficulty of the route are indicated by red signs. Bear in mind that the route can be more difficult due to various factors and that even under ideal conditions, the perception of the difficulty of the route is very personal! You use all trails at your own risk, so before the tour you should properly assess your conditioning and factors that can make the hike difficult.

Weather, season of the year and exposed spots

With a sudden change in the weather, which is not uncommon in the mountains, even an easy mountain trip can turn into a difficult challenge. Consider the possibility of fog, summer thunderstorms and strong winds in exposed spots. Even on easy trails you come across exposed spots where a lack of attention, a wrong step or a moment of clumsiness can lead to a fall! In autumn, the difficulty of the route is increased by the wet soil in the shadowy sides, while you can encounter patches of snow in the high mountains where you might not have expected them in all seasons of the year.

Soča river

St. Thomas

Useful information For hikers

Weather information

• www.arso.gov.si • www.pro-vreme.net

Public transport

• buses: www.arriva.si, www.nomago.si • trains: www.slo-zeleznice.si

Information on specialised hiking accommodation

• www.slovenia-outdoor.com • www.slovenia.info/hiking

Information on mountain huts

• www.pzs.si, http://huts.pzs.si/ • www.slovenia-outdoor.com • www.slovenia.info/hiking

Length of route and cumulative elevation gain

Even if the conditions for hiking are ideal, the same mark of difficulty is perceived differently in the highlands and high mountains. On routes longer than five hours of walking, which take place at altitudes above 2,500 metres or feature more than 1,000 metres of cumulative elevation gain during the ascent, you will experience the route as one level more difficult than classified.

Health, fears and selected pace of walking

Only you really know how you feel and the actual state of your health. If you have a chronic illness, consider possible complications and any additional equipment required before going on a hike. Walk according to your own abilities. Select a pace that truly suits you! Poorer physical fitness and too fast a walking pace turn easy routes into difficult challenges. Even if you think you're not afraid of heights, bear in mind that your perception of your surroundings changes as you climb. If you are not used to heights, even an easy route on, for example, mountain ridges and exposed spots can become too difficult.

Remember, the perception of the overall difficulty of the route is very personal! No hiking route should be underestimated! The difficulty ratings of the hikes in this guide are a combination of technical difficulty as the main factor and other important factors.

Markings of technically easy, difficult and very difficult routes

An easy route

Most routes in Slovenia are marked as easy. Suitable hiking boots and the usual hiking equipment is sufficient for these routes. While there is no need to use your hands on the way, you can use hiking poles. Attention! Even technically easy routes can include exposed spots, especially in the high mountains.

A difficult route

On difficult routes you need to use your hands in certain difficult segments. Along the way you will come across rungs that help you keep your balance on individual passages. Around 80 kilometres of trails in Slovenia are marked as difficult routes.

A very difficult route

Around 50 kilometres of routes marked as very difficult feature rungs and steel cables for the safe passage of areas that would otherwise be impassable. On these routes, it is necessary to use your hands, and the use of a self-protection kit that provides additional protection as well as a helmet is also recommended.