The Julian Alps

Slovenia wasn’t our first choice for a hike in 2023 - we had anticipated hiking the much more popular Alta Vita trail in Italy’s Dolomites. But that trail booked early in the season, leading us to our second choice - the Julian Alps.

We couldn’t have found a better, off the beaten path hike. The Slovenian Alps were beyond anything we had seen before, matched only by the quaint alpine towns nestled beside clear blue lakes.

The hike, however, pushed us to our limits, whether it was climbing the tallest mountain in Slovenia, being baked by the sun atop the bare rock of the Alpine summits, or the novelty of staying in hostel-like huts. A hike that truly pushed us to the edge of our comfort zone.