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Highlights
Ride the epic gravel trails of Slovenia on this mountain biking tour between the Alps and the Adriatic
Bike exciting gravel trails through the Julian Alps of Slovenia, including Mt Snežnic and Triglav National Park.
Ride the Human Fish Gravel Race Loop and the famous Parenzana Trail to Motovun.
Cycle the incredible Karst Plateau and visit the UNESCO sites at the Postojna and Škocjan caves.
Enjoy exploring picturesque towns like the stunning Lake Bled and the coastal city of Piran.
Discover the amazing landscapes and epic gravel trails of beautiful Slovenia! The self-guided Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure will take you over 650km, climbing over 12,500m on exciting rides across the country. Test yourself on mountains and delight in the incredible Slovenian nature parks.
This gravel riding tour takes you from the unforgettable town of Bled and the surrounding Julian Alps to the spectacular seaside. In between these two points, you’ll tackle exciting mountain trails, cross beautiful valleys, and discover picturesque historic towns. You’ll have a chance to try out some of the famous gravel trails like the Parenzana Trail and test yourself against the Human Fish Gravel Race route. You’ll be awed by the scenic beauty of Slovenia and the exciting bike routes on this incredible gravel riding tour!
Discover the amazing landscapes and epic gravel trails of beautiful Slovenia! The self-guided Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure will take you over 650km, climbing over 12,500m on exciting rides across the country. Test yourself on mountains and delight in the incredible Slovenian nature parks.
This gravel riding tour takes you from the unforgettable town of Bled and the surrounding Julian Alps to the spectacular seaside. In between these two points, you’ll tackle exciting mountain trails, cross beautiful valleys, and discover picturesque historic towns. You’ll have a chance to try out some of the famous gravel trails like the Parenzana Trail and test yourself against the Human Fish Gravel Race route. You’ll be awed by the scenic beauty of Slovenia and the exciting bike routes on this incredible gravel riding tour!
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Self-Guided Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure Itinerary
Day 1 Warm Up Ride in Bled
Make your way to Bled. After a welcome meeting and check-in at the hotel, it’s time to get on your bike! Enjoy a leisurely ride around spectacular Bled. You’ll ride around the Sava Rivers and the Karavanke Mountains before you return for a relaxing evening in Bled.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Bled
Distance: 1.5-2 hours, 35km, 380m of ascent and 420m of descent
Meals: None
Day 2 Ride the Julian Alps
Today your adventure starts as your ride Jelovica Mountain to the beautiful Lake Bohinj. On the way back you’ll take the route across the Pokljuka plateau in magnificent Triglav National Park. Your journey through the mountains is mostly on gravel roads, with some short stretches on single-track or paved roads.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Bled
Distance: 7-8 hours, 105km, 2350m of ascent and 1975m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Cycle Gorenjska and Polhograjski Dolomiti Mountain
Follow the trails into the beautiful mountains of the Gorejska area. You’ll ride to the town of Škofja Loka before you tackle the trails of the Polhograjski Dolomiti Mountain.
Your route will take you to Ljubljana, where you’ll be spending the next two nights.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Ljubljana
Distance: 5-6 hours, 78km, 1750m of ascent and 1690m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Historic Towns Around the Capital
Today you’ll be spending today exploring the lush green areas that surround Ljubljana. Ride between the historic towns of Litjija and Šentvid pri Štični and enjoy the quiet roads that lead to the lake town of Rakitna. You’ll also pass the beautiful castle in Turjak as you follow the winding gravel roads through the forests.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Ljubljana
Distance: 5-6 hours, 85km, 1680m of ascent and 1520m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 Cycle the Scenic Landscapes between Ljubljana and Postojna
Today, you’ll pedal through the amazing scenery and diverse landscapes of the nature parks between Ljubljana and Postojna. You’ll travel through vast agricultural marshes to the tranquil Lake Cerknica. Then, you’ll cross the Loška Valley through the mountains to Rakov Škocjan Nature Park.
Your trail ends today in Postojna in the karst region, which is famous for its spectacular caves.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Postojna
Distance: 6-7 hours, 95km, 1890m of ascent and 1730m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 Ride the Human Fish Gravel Race Loop
In the morning you can take an optional excursion to visit the impressive Postojna caves. The cave system has a UNESCO designation and the enormous underground caverns are a wonder to see!
Your bike ride for the day will be the original race route for the Human Fish Gravel Race. This trail goes into the Snežnik and the Gorski Kotar Mountains and then loops around through the charming towns of Ilirska Bistrica and Pivka. You’ll love grinding on this epic gravel course!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Postojna
Distance: 6-7 hours, 87km, 1980m of ascent and 1940m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Cycle to the Sea
Today you’ll ride away from the mountains towards the fresh sea breezes of the coast. Your route takes the gravel roads to Predjama castle, then you’ll continue to the Nanos Mountains and Vipava Valley.
Ride across the red karst plateau through the villages of Lipica and Osp to the coast. Your route will then follow the beautiful coastline where you can watch the waves from your bike as your ride to Koper and Piran.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Piran
Distance: 6-7 hours, 112km, 2180m of ascent and 2050m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Ride the Parenzana Trail to Motovun
Start your day with a seaside stroll in Piran before you start your final ride of the tour. This morning you’ll ride the scenic leg of the famous Parenzana Trail from Piran to Motovun in Croatia. This section of the old railway is considered to be the most beautiful, so it’s the perfect finale for your trip.
After your last epic ride, you’ll to head to the airport.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: 4-5 hours, 61.5km, 488m of ascent and 345m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation on the Self-Guided Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure
This tour is based in 3 and 4-star hotels. You’ll be staying in small local hotels in beautiful towns. Enjoy convenient locations that are close to restaurants, amenities, and the trails you’ll be cycling.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travellers
Rooms are double occupancy. You can pay a supplement of 240 EUR to have a private room in a hotel where possible. Solo travellers may be required to pay a supplement.
What’s Included in the Self-Guided Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure?
Meals
7 breakfasts are included.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 7 nights are included. Accommodations before the tour in Bled or Ljubljana and after the tour in Motovun are not included but can be added as a supplement.
Transportation during the Tour
Transportation for your luggage is included throughout the tour, starting from Bled and ending in Motovun. Airport transfers are not included.
Also Included
- Detailed Itinerary, route instructions, reservations
- Map with marked route and stage
- GPS track
- 24/7 support services
- Triglav Park entrance
- Tourist tax
Not included
- Meals, drinks, or snacks not previously mentioned
- Flights
- Personal expenses
- Visas if required
- Gratuities for hotel or restaurant staff if desired
- Travel insurance
- Guide services
Optional Extras
- Additional nights before or after the tour
- Single occupancy upgrades
- Optional activities or excursions
- Garmin GPS device rental
- Bike rental: Trek Checkpoint Gravel Bike ALR 5, 3, or AL 3
- Bike equipment: helmet, rain cover, lock, pump, spare tube, chain lubricant, repair kit
- How hard is the Self-Guided Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure?
- Do I need a visa to travel to Slovenia?
- Are meals included on the Self-Guided Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure?
- Do I need insurance?
- How do I get to Bled to start this tour?
- Is the Self-Guided Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure guided?
- Where does the Slovenia Gravel Riding Adventure end?
- Are bike rentals included?
- Can I bring my own bike?
- Do I need special vaccines to travel to Slovenia?
- Are there any travel restrictions for Slovenia?
- When is the best time to travel to Slovenia for this tour?
We rate this tour as a 5/5. This tour is geared towards intermediate/strong riders with gravel riding experience. The daily rides are rated from moderate to challenging, and you should be prepared to ride an average of 100km per day with elevation gain. The trails are 80 percent gravel roads, with some single-track and paved sections.
Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.
7 breakfasts are included.
Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip, and your insurance should cover mountain biking. Get your Travel Insurance.
Fly into Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU).
No, this is a self-guided tour. You will be provided with all necessary information and support to complete it. If you’d prefer a guided tour, we offer the same itinerary with guide services.
This tour ends in Motovun.
No, bike rental is not included. You can rent a bike during the booking process.
Yes. You are welcome to bring your own bike, but please notify us at the time of reservation if you would prefer this option.
Check with your family doctor.
Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.
The best time to visit Slovenia for this tour is in the warmer months of May through September.
Customer Ratings
Life Adventures was founded in 1998 and has since become a go-to for adventure holidays in Slovenia and Croatia. With an energetic, young at heart team with experience in each location they operate in, Life Adventures is an expert in revealing the best of these countries to travelers from all walks of life.
