Alpine Lakes of Slovenia

Our tour starts in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. This historic city lies in the shadow of its old castle upon the banks of the Ljubljanica River, which meanders through the pedestrianised centre.

For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for a welcome meeting and for those that wish, there'll be the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Ljubljana at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport (LJU), which is a 45-minute drive from the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will catch you up as soon as possible.

If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to explore the centre of the city on foot and take in the cafe culture along the banks of the river.

This morning we'll drive to Skofja Loka, one of the oldest and most beautiful towns in Slovenia, dominated by its 13th-century castle. We'll soak up the atmosphere of the medieval town before continuing to the picturesque resort town of Bled, situated on a tranquil lake. Widely acclaimed as one of the most fashionable European resorts in the early 20th century, this was the home of the Yugoslavian Royal Family and the summer residence of President Tito.

You might like to visit the island by travelling across in a traditional gondola known as a pletne (optional). On the island is the baroque Church of the Assumption and perched on a steep cliff above the lake is the 11th-century Bled Castle with towers, ramparts, moats and a terrace. You may also wish to walk the six kilometres around the lake past linden, chestnut and willow trees, swans and water lilies on the water. There are also rowing boats for hire (optional), or you can swim in the lake.

Later, we'll continue to Lake Bohinj. En route if the weather is clear, we might be able to spot Triglav, the highest Alpine peak at 2864 metres.

The name means 'Three Heads' and pagan Slovenes believed the mountain was the home of a three-headed deity who ruled the sky, the earth, and the underworld. It's a sacred mountain and according to tradition, every Slovene should climb it at least once in their lifetime. The peak was first climbed in 1778 by an Austrian and three Slovenes, and the mountain features prominently on the Slovene national flag. Lake Bohinj is a naturally preserved glacial lake enclosed by steep mountain cliffs on the southern edge of Triglav National Park - an ideal base from which to explore these magnificent mountains.

A true natural wonder nestled into the Slovene Julian and Kamnik Alps; the Triglav National Park is simply put - breathtaking. Founded in 1924, it's one of the oldest Alpine nature reserves and covers an astounding 82,000 hectares. On our first day exploring this beautiful landscape, we'll plan to walk to the Savica Waterfall, the source of Slovenia's longest and mightiest river, the Sava. The cascade of water tumbles into a pool 60 metres below, making for spectacular views (and even better holiday pics). The walk to the lake is around four kilometres and takes around 90 minutes and we'll return on the same route.

We'll then take the cable car up Mount Vogel to the ski station at a height of 1535m from where impressive views extend over the lake and the Julian Alps. After exploring the area, we take the cable car back down. From here there is the option to take a public bus back to the lake, or for those of you with energy to spare you can walk back. If you were after a more leisurely route, you could take the tourist boat back.

Once back at the lake, you may choose to take an easy walk around Lake Bohinj (6.4kms) or hire a mountain bike and cycle quiet country roads.

You have a free day today to explore Lake Bohinj and the surrounding area. There are several optional walks to choose from on our second day, which could take us through deep-carved glacial valleys, across rolling hills and past springs, waterfalls, rivers, and lakes. There are a number of walks available of varying length through the Mostnice Gorge, the longest taking around seven hours for a return journey. Alternatively, you can hire a kayak to explore the lake itself.

The park is rich in flora and fauna, and you should keep an eye out to spot chamois. The ground in spring is covered with a rich abundance of flowers; more than 10 species are endemic such as the Zois bellflower, Frolich gentian and Carniola cowslip. Throughout the countryside, we'll see 'kozolec', a special kind of rack for drying hay that is unique to Slovene regions. Also known as mountain harps, there are over 30 different types.

There is also the opportunity to do some river rafting on the Sava Bohinjka River, horseriding in the surrounding countryside or canyoning in the Jerecica Canyon.

We take the train from Bohinjska Bistrica to Nova Gorica. This journey is one of the most scenic in Slovenia with a backdrop of the Julian Alps. We pass through the Vipava Valley, a wine-growing region, onto one of the highlights of Slovenia, the amazing underground caverns at Skocjan, which have been protected by UNESCO since 1986. These five-kilometre-long caves descend 250 metres into a gigantic hollow into which a river disappears. Prehistoric people once sheltered in these caves and used them to make sacrifices to the gods of the underworld.

After a guided tour, we continue to the harbour town of Izola, situated on the Adriatic Sea. There are two distinct regions separated by a long shelf of steep cliffs extending down to the Istrian Peninsular. In the past, this natural divide has been used as a border between kingdoms: the Venetian coastal lands and the inland domains of the Hapsburgs. Olive and tangerine trees grow in abundance along the 40 kilometres of coastline. On arrival, your Explore Leader will take you on a brief orientation tour.

The day is left free for personal exploration. You may like to explore Izola; an attractive town that has a more authentic feel and less crowds than many other places along this coastline. You can meander along the town's quaint narrow streets and view the timeless Venetian architecture. There are a number of restaurants and bars to take advantage of, as well as a boat filled marina and nice beach area.

Alternatively, just a short public bus ride along the coast is Piran - one of the best-preserved historical towns anywhere on the Adriatic that is protected as a cultural monument. From the remains of the 15th century walls, there are some great views over the town and the sea. The ancient central square is surrounded by beautiful patrician villas and there is a monument dedicated to the local composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini. From Piran it's also possible to take a boat (operates June to September) over the border to the medieval city of Trieste in Italy and spend the day exploring here.

You may prefer to take a public bus to the nearby Strunjan Landscape Park. The saltpans that are part of the nature park are the northernmost saltpans in Mediterranean. You can explore the wetland area, see the saltpans, and then take in the small museum detailing the history of harvesting the salt. There is a walk along the headland back to Izola that you might choose to do, if you are feeling energetic.

Today we make our way back to Ljubljana with a visit to Predjama Castle, built into a dramatic 123m craggy cliff en route. This four storey castle dates to the 16th century and has all the features a castle should have such as a drawbridge, holes in the entrance ceiling for pouring boiling oil on intruders, a dark and dingy dungeon and a 16th century treasure chest. We drive on to Ljubljana, a small, majestic baroque city where we can visit Ljubljana Castle (optional). The original dates back to Celtic times, but the present one was mostly built after the 16th century. After climbing the 150 steps up to the tower, you can walk along the ramparts where there are some great views over the Old Town.

Our tour ends this morning at our hotel in Ljubljana.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Ljubljana at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport (LJU), which is a 45-minute drive from the hotel.