Julian Alps Road Cycling Holidays
Two of the most famous stages in Alpine Slovenia
Warm up on the roads of the wooded Pokljuka Plateau
Put your endurance to the test on the King Stage, across the Vršič Mountain Pass, to the top of the Mangart Saddle, and across Predil Pass
Share the challenge with a team of fellow cycling enthusiasts
Cycle on the local training roads of Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič, winners of the Tour de France and Vuelta a España
A carefree ride with an expert team in a van supporting you
Itinerary
Aftering settling in Kranjska Gora, everyone gets better acquainted, and our team presents you the weekend programme. Those who will rent bikes will then perform the fitting. After that, a delicious and nutritious dinner, followed by a good night’s rest.
Hotel in Kranjska Gora
Transfer from the airport
Lake Bled
Lake Bohinj
Pokljuka Plateau
Radovna valley
After a filling breakfast, we hop on the bikes for the first stage of our weekend tour, with a 66 km stage with a 1250 m ascent over the Pokljuka plateau. This “warm-up” tour will give you the first taste of cycling in the Slovenian alpine environment. After cycling through the spruce forests of the wooden plateau, you’ll descend to Bohinj and then later to Lake Bled. There, you’ll have an opportunity to try out the traditional cream cake dessert, a local specialty. After this delicious meal, we’ll return to our base. Try to get some good sleep, because a big day is ahead of you.
Hotel in Kranjska Gora
60,5 km (37,6 mi), 1150 vertical meters (3770 feet)
Transfer to the airport
The most famous Slovenian alpine stage
Mangart Saddle (optional) – The highest Slovenian road (2
072 m)
Predil pass
Vršič pass
Today is the big day. It’s the day of our king stage which is 110 kilometers long and has up to 2800 meters of elevation gain. A true challenge, but one that almost every avid cyclist in Slovenia would recommend. Not just because of the rewarding feeling at the end but also because of the stunning scenery along the way.
The stage will start with an uphill climb on the hairpin turns to the top Vršič, the highest mountain pass in Slovenia. After a long but panoramic descent and a stint of flat cycling in the valley, you’ll be able to ascend the country’s highest road to Mangar Saddle. If you accomplish both, congratulations — You have bagged the two most difficult and longest road cycling climbs in Slovenia. After this, the short climb over the Col du Predil Pass into Italy will feel like a breeze compared to the previous two. The day will finish with an easy flat section, leading you back to your base in Slovenia. Relax your legs at the hotel, you deserve it. After that, we can drive you to Ljubljana or the airport, depending on your schedule or preference.
109 km (67, 7 mi), 3150 vertical meters (11.330 feet)
Pricing
Included in price
Tour design and organization
Booklet with detailed itinerary and route instructions
Service and support during your tour
GPS navigation with an easy-to-use app
Accommodation as per itinerary
Luggage transfer
Guided
Included in price
Self guided
Included in price
What to bring to the tour
Description
If you are a serious cycling enthusiast, this is the best weekend of hardcore cycling you could spend in Slovenia. These three days of the holiday will see you take on the challenge of cycling two alpine stages that every Slovenian cyclist would consider a must-do. It surely won’t be easy, but it will be rewarding.
This holiday combines top runs with stunning views on some of the best routes Slovenian mountains offer. You will be based in the sports hub of Kranjska Gora. Each evening, some delicious local cuisine will be waiting for you to recharge your batteries for the next day.
You will share the weekend on the roads with fellow cycling enthusiasts, who’ll challenge you to show your best. The competitive but supportive team vibe you can experience during these three days is a rare chance that you shouldn’t miss out on.
The asphalt roads you’ll be cycling on are well maintained but don’t experience much traffic. That makes them perfect for a cycling challenge like this. Your team will be led by a local guide, a professional cyclist with years of experience who can also help you with some tips and training advice. Like a professional team, our days will be accompanied by a support van with a trained mechanic as its driver, who’ll tend to any technical issues that could occur during stages. And if any of the participants falls behind or is unable to continue, we will make sure the tour continues smoothly and pick him up.
Prepare your bikes and join us on this challenging but rewarding Julian Alps road cycling holiday in Slovenia.
Map
Start planning today!
Things to know
We offer road cycling, trekking cycling and mountain biking holidays.
Our road cycling holidays are suitable for avid road cycling enthusiasts whose endurance is high enough to withstand multiple long cycling days in a row.
Our trekking cycling holidays are suitable for anyone, as the stages are short enough for most people, and the terrain is not technical — mostly tarmac and gravel. They will still be enjoyed most by people who cycle occasionally and feel comfortable with multiple days in a row on the saddle and some moderate climbing. For those looking for more leisurely cycling holidays, we offer an e-bike option.
Our e-MTB holidays are suitable for most people comfortable on a mountain bike who are fine with some rougher gravel roads and steeper hills, made easier with electric assistance. However, the single trails MTB holidays are suitable mostly for avid mountain bikers, as they tackle technical trails and fast descents, but are very adjustable to your skills and style of riding.
On our guided tours, you will have professional local guides. Our guides will make sure that you will have expert guidance combined with great fun and a memorable experience.
We are always looking for the perfect fit for you. We use a few different accommodation providers that fit our standards but they are subjected to availability, especially in the high season. We can also adjust the holiday, keeping in mind your preferences and budget and can always find a more suitable solution for your taste.
We recommend booking as early as possible. Most of our tours run through very touristy places where accommodation is limited. Most of the great places start getting booked for summer before spring.
It really depends on the level of your restriction. Vegetarian options are fairly easy to find in Slovenia, but vegan dishes, on the other hand, are extremely hard to come by in rural areas of the country and in smaller towns. Please note that the places where we stop for lunch are often traditional and may have difficulties accommodating you outside of their standard menu. We suggest you keep this in mind.
If you want to, sure! We are well aware that some people love to stay in groups while others prefer some more alone time on their trip. We wanted to give you the opportunity to do things your way. It is your holiday, after all! As long as you respect the group timings and locations designated by your guide, please feel free to customize your itinerary and create your own adventure!
Depending on the tour, generally late spring (May) and early autumn (September) are the best times, summer is of course also always great and some of our holidays are also possible in winter! Read more about cycling seasons in Slovenia.
Most of the tours can be done even in light rain, as long as you dress accordingly. It is not unusual in the summer that there are afternoon thunderstorms, so early starts are advisable. If the weather looks really bad, we will try to adjust the tour or skip a stage with a shuttle.
Our tours can be adapted to any bike type, whether road, gravel, or mountain bike. We are in constant communication with you to find the optimal conditions for your cycling holidays in Slovenia.
The most versatile option is a gravel bike, even if you are coming on a road cycling holiday. It does not really affect your road performance while allowing you to take some scenic backroads that can be in a slightly worse state than the main ones. A gravel bike is usually more comfortable as well.
In any way, Slovenia is a very diverse country and there is something for every cyclist. Whichever bike you choose, we will find the perfect route for you to take on your cycling holidays.
The tour is designed to be challenging enough for most recreational road cyclists. The stages are 80km long on average, with between 1000 and 2000 metres of vertical ascent. Regular cyclists fit enough for multiple long days on a bike in a row will enjoy those holidays the most.
Travel dates can affect the prices.
The itinerary can always be adjusted to suit your budget better.
