Ljubljana to Bled on Hidden Hills Trail
Itinerary
When you arrive in Ljubljana, the bikes and guide will already be waiting for you at your accommodation. You will receive complete information regarding the itinerary beforehand, and we will address any questions you may have. If you arrive in Ljubljana early and have extra time, you should visit the Ljubljana city center and the castle. There is an adventurous week ahead of you, so rest up.
This first day of cycling will already be an exciting ride from the city center of Ljubljana to the medieval town of Škofja Loka. After leaving the city center you will start with an ascent up to St. Katarina, overlooking Ljubljana valley, and continue all the way to scenic St. Jakob church which offers a 360-degree panoramic view. After the descent from Polhograjski Dolomiti hills, you will reach Škofja Loka – the town full of history and culture.
30km, 780m elevation gain
The second stage takes you from the medieval town up to the Križna Gora hill, followed by the descent to Selška valley. There is one more climb ahead of you up to St. Thomas church, one of the most photographed destinations in Slovenia. After a quick photo shot you take a turn to an old military road up to Ski resort Stari Vrh – the final place for the second stage.
26km, 1130m elevation gain
Today, the picturesque path takes you along the Škofja Loka hills, thick spruce forest of Jelovica, and remote villages of Kališe & Dražgoše, where time flows differently. After a long descent, you will arrive at Bohinjska Bistrica and continue on a scenic cycling path to Lake Bohinj.
44km, 1800m elevation gain
There is no better way to start the day at one lake and finish it with a well-deserved swim at the other. The route will take you from lake Bohinj up to the mountain pasture Zajamniki, which is known as the most picturesque panorama view in Slovenia. After leaving one pasture you will cross many of them and have a chance to try traditional alpine cheese. Having enough of typical shepherd’s mountain huts you will start with a long descent to Lake Bled and finish the day.
45km, 1100m elevation gain
If you wish to add a bit extra of the hidden trails in the area, the tour can be extended for any number of days and conclude a circle returning back to Škofja Loka;
Day 6: Today’s stage includes a cycling path, a train ride, and a bit of climbing. From lake Bled you will take a cycling route to Bohinjska Bistrica where you will board a train. The train will take you through the tunnel connecting Lake Bohinj valley with Selška valley. Soon you will reach Podbrdo station, exit the train ride and continue cycling up to Davča, the largest village in Slovenia.
Day 7: On the 7th day you will cycle under Porezen mountain and reach the highest point of the Hidden Hills trail, mount Blegoš. The path will then take you along the panoramic road of Ermanovec, reaching the town of Hotavlje – the final point of today’s stage.
Day 8: The seventh stage of the trail will let you explore the secret spots of Žiri town, cycling along the ridge of many scenic hills, allowing you to enjoy panoramic views on the way. You can make a stop at the Rupnik line – historic military underground tunnels that were part of the western defense line after the II. world war. You will finish the day at the same accommodation as the day before.
Day 9: The last day’s itinerary includes the bucolic mansion Visoko which gave Slovenia one of the most important novels. From there, you’ll ride over the hills and through remote homesteads back to Škofja Loka, where you’ll visit an old bridge where the devil himself used to appear. You’ll wrap the trip up with a refreshing swim in the Sora river.
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Description
The Hidden Hills Trail is a long-distance biking course, and you will discover something new every day that you spend on it. The route combines pleasant biking paths, single trails, and asphalt roads. Little to no traffic and pristine nature are some of the reasons you should explore this hidden jewel among Slovenian biking trails.
When it comes to off-the-beaten-path cycling trails, you can hardly find one that will feel more fulfilling as you will delight in:
- the gorgeous landscape and diverse terrain, including Lake Bohinj and Lake Bled;
- almost traffic-free roads that will bring you closer to pristine and calm nature;
- and secluded spots where friendly locals welcome every visitor with open arms.
The hills that separate Ljubljana and Lake Bled are rich with history and natural gems, connected with winding roads, paths, and single tracks without crowds or traffic jams.
If you ride through the ancient towns, you’ll meet friendly locals and time-travel to another era. You’ll visit Škofja Loka with its incredibly well-preserved medieval old town; the blacksmiths’ burg of Železniki; the shoemaking capital of Žiri; the cheese-making hub in Gorenja vas, and countless hidden spots with breathtaking views, secret histories, and wild stories. The hills, the rivers, and the lesser-known paths. It’s all there.
Map
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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.
Travel dates can affect the prices.
The itinerary can always be adjusted to suit your budget better.
