Over four vertical day, Nathan and his mates trekked and climbed the Julian Alps in Slovenia along the Triglav National Park Traverse, a tough 44km trail with cosy mountain huts to stay in for each night’s rest.

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Quick Overview

The Triglav National Park Traverse is a 44km hike from Vrsic Pass to Lake Bohinj, Slovenia. The hike takes four days to complete and is generally walked north-south.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

Triglav National Park Traverse Facts

Distance: 43.5km
Duration: 4 days
Elevation gain: 3,619m (up to 5,300m with optional add-ons)
Start point: Kranjska Gora
End point: Ribcev Laz, Lake Bohinj

About Triglav National Park Traverse

Triglav National Park is a beautiful, mountainous wilderness area located in the north-west region of Slovenia. Squashed between Austria and Italy, the park is situated in the Julian Alps mountain range.

The Triglav National Park Traverse mostly follows a small section of the Slovenian Mountain Trail, a much longer 600km mountainous traverse of the whole of Slovenia, generally completed over 30-40 days, which continues from both ends of the traverse, so you can extend the hike as much as you want!

Two days of the traverse have optional via ferrata extensions, and while the number of kilometres and days are relatively small, each day has a significant elevation gain and loss over rugged, steep terrain.

 

Triglav National Park History

The Triglav National Park was established in 1981 and is Slovenia’s only national park. Notably, it contains Slovenia’s highest peak and cultural symbol, Mount Triglav at 2,863m, which has been depicted in many Slovenian artworks, folktales, musical works, films, and is even on the national flag. According to Slovenians, you have to climb the mountain at least once in your life to become a true Slovenian.

 

 

Essential Gear

On top of the regular multi-day hiking gear, you’ll also need:

  • Water bottles with at least 3L capacity – we were comfortable drinking water from streams that are fairly regular, but take water purification devices if you’re not so inclined
  • Map and navigation device – we bought a map from a little shop at the bus stop at Vrsic Pass and greatly enjoyed having the hardcopy with us. We also used MAPS.ME, a navigation app
  • Sleeping bag or liner – required by the huts for hygiene
  • Climbing helmet – to protect from rockfall at some of the steeper sections
  • Via ferrata kit – if climbing Mount Triglav or completing optional via ferratas

Read more: Overnight Hiking Packing List: 20+ Must-Have Hiking Essentials

 

How to Get to Vrsic Pass

Vrsic Pass is in a quite remote part of Slovenia, but it’s still relatively easy to get to. From Ljubljana, there’s a bus that goes to Kranjska Gora, and from there another bus that goes to the trailhead at Vrsic Pass. Both buses run a few times a day. Check the timetable for up-to-date times.

Skill Level

Advanced

This traverse is full on! It requires a strong level of fitness and comfort using metal ropes on high cliffs. You should be comfortable hiking 6-8 hours per day in exposed, rocky conditions.

I’d only attempt the optional via ferratas along the route, including Mt Triglav, if you have some experience with via ferratas or feel exceptionally confident with heights and rock scrambling.

 

Where to Stay on the Triglav National Park Traverse

Sadly, wild camping isn’t permitted in Triglav National Park, but there are mountain huts!

There are some pretty amazing ones in Triglav National Park, nestled high up in the mountains.

For nights one and three, there’s really only one option per night; Pogačnikov dom na Kriških podih on night one and Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih on night three. For night two, there are a few hut options, and we stayed at Koča na Doliču.

The night before the hike, we stayed very close to the trailhead at Vrsic Pass, where there are two huts: Postarski dom na Vrsicu and Erjavceva Koca – Vrsic. I recommend staying at one of these to get an early start for day one – they’re both lovely!

Just make sure to book the Slovenian Mountain Huts ahead of time.

What It’s Like to Hike the Triglav National Park Traverse

Day 1 – Vrsic Pass to Pogačnikov dom na Kriških podih

Distance: 9km + 2km with optional via ferrata
Duration: 6 hours + 4 hours with optional via ferrata
Elevation gain: 1269m + 800m with optional via ferrata

Having hiked in the more well-travelled and famous parts of the European Alps, I was very excited to hike the Triglav National Park Traverse for the same beautiful mountains without the crowds.

 

 

Our introduction to Triglav National Park turned out to be a very full-on day of hiking. While we originally planned to stick to the main trail, we met some hikers the night before who told us of a via ferrata route called Prisank (‘The Window’), which was near the hut. They suggested climbing Prisank as a day trip on its own and returning to Vrsic Pass for the night. However, feeling fit and keen after an 11-day hike in the Dolomites a week prior, we decided to add it on as an extension to our planned route.

 

 

We ordered breakfast to go in the morning (a somewhat disappointing spread of a single egg and a museli bar), and set off uncharacteristically early at 6am. After briefly following the wrong trail, we got back on route and began the via ferrata up towards Prisank. 

It was steep and exposed, with plenty of ladders and chains for those who like adrenaline, and fortunately, the weather was beautiful. This is a fairly popular via ferrata route, and we could see a few groups coming up behind us on the trail. 

After a few hours of climbing, we reached the window, a unique rock formation that’s literally a huge window-like hole cut into the rock face that you can climb through. We also saw a man hiking with his dog! The dog looked bad-ass but needed to be carried down the steeper sections. With more time, we would’ve continued ascending and reached the peak, but after going through the window, we began descending the other side of the mountain to rejoin the regular trail for the day.

 

 

The rest of the day’s hike was tough and beautiful. Initially following the top of the treeline, the route then leads you over Mt Razor and down the other side to our hut for the night, with a bit of rock scrambling needed towards the top of Mt Razor. Aware that the weather was supposed to turn in the afternoon, we hurried through the last descent and got in just as the rain began around 4pm.

 

 

Pogačnikov dom na Kriških podih was our favourite hut of the trip. It’s stunningly situated in a small basin halfway up the mountainside, with amazing views looking down into the valley below. It was very cosy and the traditional food was delicious, although beware there’s no shower (we managed to sneakily use an outdoor hose for a much-needed wash).

 

Day 2 – Pogačnikov dom na Kriških podih to Koča na Doliču

Distance: 9.4km
Duration: 7 hours
Elevation Gain: 1374m

Another tough but extremely stunning day of hiking! After our long day before, we took it easier and were the last people to leave the hut at 9am.

The day started with a very full-on ascent of a nearby peak, which involved walking on razor-thin cliff edges with metal cables. At the peak, we were rewarded with stunning 360º views, with Mount Triglav in front of us and the mountains from the previous day behind.

The trail then descended sharply into the valley, where we were met with cloud and fog, and decided to stop for lunch. The last part of the day is up, up, up, up, and up. A long and gruelling ascent up the side of the lower parts of Mount Triglav to Koča na Doliču, our hut for the night.

 

 

Koča na Doliču was lovely, but it was definitely less homely and much larger and busier than the night before. Due to its proximity to Mount Triglav, many hikers use it as a base for climbing the mountain on overnight trips. 

There’s a beautiful spot a few minute’s walk from the hut where many of us gathered to watch the sunset, and were lucky enough to see herds of mountain goats prancing and playing on nearby peaks.

 

Day 3 – Koča na Doliču – Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih via Mount Triglav Summit

Distance: 9.1km
Duration: 4 hours + 5 hours for Triglav Summit return
Elevation gain: 479m + 710m for Triglav Summit

Once again, we began the day early at 6am to summit Mount Triglav. Summiting the mountain and returning to Koča na Doliču took about five hours, moving fairly quickly. It made for a very long day as we then continued 9km on to our next hut for the night.

If you want an easier day, you can stay at Koča na Doliču again or one of the other nearby huts on Mount Triglav after summitting, extending the trip by a day.

The Triglav Summit was tough, quite scary, and involved many via ferrata sections, steep inclines, and exposed walking while attached to steel cables. It was definitely a highlight of the trip, with amazing views of the whole national park from the peak. I strongly recommend trying to fit it in.

A Slovenian tradition states that to become a man or woman, one must be whipped on the bottom with a rope at the top of Mount Triglav – an added treat for reaching the peak!

After descending Mount Triglav and passing last night’s hut, the trail slowly wound upwards towards a plateau, before descending into the valley below. We took a slight detour here to stop for lunch at Zasavska koča na Prehodavcih, a beautiful hut where warm food rekindled our tired spirits. The nearest water source to the hut is a ten-minute walk away at a small, idyllic stream coming out of a rock, and I really think it was some of the best-tasting water I’ve ever had!

 

 

After lunch, the path gently wound down into the valley below and Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih, our hut for the night, located in a very pretty section of forest near two beautiful lakes. Sadly, the lakes in this area are currently banned for swimming due to conservation efforts to restore native flora and fauna that’ve been harmed.

 

 

This hut was also quite large and busy, as it’s accessible to day hikers, but it was still an extremely lovely place to stay.

Day 4 – Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih to Ribcev Laz, Lake Bohinj

Distance: 16km
Duration: 7 hours
Elevation gain: 497m

Our final day of hiking was also the furthest, but it was mostly downhill, making it manageable. The path wound through pleasant pastures and hillsides until we stopped for lunch at Koča na Planini pri Jezeru, a very quaint hut directly on route, before continuing the descent to Lake Bohinj. There are a few little paths that veer off the route to stunning lookouts over the lake. On most days, there are plenty of paragliders soaring above, giving us inspiration for the next adventure.

 

 

Eventually, we made it down to the lake, where we were greeted with a very quaint lakeside town. We stayed at Ribcev Laz on Lake Bohinj for a few nights to recover post-hike, and despite tired legs and bodies, took advantage of the mountain biking and paddleboarding and ate lots of delicious food at lovely cafes and restaurants.

 

 

We really loved this hike. It had beautiful, diverse scenery, mostly quiet trails, hard via ferrata sections, peaks to climb, and was a very fun way to experience Slovenia. 

FAQs Triglav National Park Traverse

Do you need a via ferrata for Triglav?

There are multiple sections of via ferrata on the Triglav National Park Traverse. Additionally, certain routes to the summit of Mt Triglav also feature via ferrata, so it’s best to come prepared to climb.

How many days do you need in Triglav National Park?

The Triglav National Park Traverse is four days of hiking, so you’ll need to schedule for this, plus ideally a travel/rest day on either side.

Are there wolves in Triglav National Park?

Yes, Triglav National Park is home to wolves and other animals, including Brown bears, Alpine marmot, lynx, Chamois, Alpine ibex, and Red foxes.

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