You have little or no experience in riding a mountain bike but you can ride mostly on gravel tracks or smooth trails. You have a modest degree of basic fitness from exercising once or twice per week. You can ride on flat or gently rolling terrain at a steady pace for 2 to 4 hours per ride.
You can ride on gravel tracks and trails with confidence, taking loose stones and rough ground in stride. You may have some experience riding man-made single trails or rough gravel roads. You are moderately fit from two or three sessions of exercise per week. You can ride hilly terrain at a steady pace, or do shorter rides in more demanding terrain.
You can tackle most normal terrain including steep, rough and narrow tracks with exposed tree roots and other small obstacles as part of a normal ride. You can ride most small drops/step-downs or similar technical trail features. You have good fitness from regular exercise and active involvement in cycling. You can ride full days in any terrain at a steady pace.
You can ride over just about anything, including very rocky and steep descents including drop-offs over two feed and other even more challenging trail features. You have excellent fitness from regular training and a large amount of time riding or even racing. You can ride anywhere at a demanding pace.
This mountain bike package joins together our favorite rides into a week of riding, enjoying the landscape, local culture and diversity of Slovenia, our small but beautiful country. We start off in the capital of Ljubljana, which is incidentally also the single trail capital of Slovenia because the network of prime singletrack within riding distance from the town centre is truly incredible. After two days of riding around Ljubljana our travels begin for real. We set our sights on the coast, stopping along the way to sample some trails above the Cerknica lake, along Vipava valley, on the cliffs of Kraški Rob and end with a dip in the warm Adriatic Sea. The selection of day trips is a mix of good riding, beautiful views and natural heritage sites our country on the sunny side of the Alps is known for.
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Arrival to Ljubljana and meeting at Bikegalaxy headquarters. Bike and equipment check and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in Ljubljana.
There is nothing better than starting the ride downtown with coffee at the Three Bridges and riding through old town directly to some of the best trails Ljubljana has to offer. Golovec Trails are a network of purpose built mountain bike trails that offer fun for all skill levels. Each of the trails only has about 200 m of vertical descent, but there are more than enough different options to keep you happy. The ride naturally ends with a pint of local craft beer in downtown Ljubljana.
Overnight in Ljubljana.
(cca 25 km, 600 vertical meters of climb and 600 vm of descent).
It is only day two and it is already time for a “rest”. We will be taking a breather as we ride the Krvavec gondola up to the trailhead because the downhill trails of the Krvavec Bike Park are long, technical, fun and full of views of the valley and the Kamniško Savinjske Alps. A hearty farmer’s lunch is mandatory because riding on an empty stomach simply will not do. After an “easy” day of no climbing it is time to visit a few more bars along the Ljubljanica river.
Overnight in Ljubljana.
(cca 30-40 km, 200 vertical meters of climb and 2500-3500 vm of descent).
The Slivnica hill rises above the unique intermittent Cerknica lake - the largest intermittent lake in Europe. The bike trails on Slivnica are a bit of a secret and therefore not among the most visited in the country, but they are well worth the visit. Both trails are full of character and fun, and the view of the lake and the valley below are breathtaking. Once down in the valley we take a ride to the lake’s edge, wherever that may be on any given day, and complete the day with a drink at the bar on the lake.
Overnight in Divača.
(cca 25 km, 1150 vertical meters of climb and 1150 vm of descent).
This is the day we ride our legs off. We will enlist the help of a local bike shuttle service to make the uphills easier, but the descents are never ending. Vipava Valley is the land of amazing wine and prosciutto, so it makes sense the trails are just as tasty. The long, technical and varied trails are quite a departure from what we have been riding for the past few days. The character is becoming distinctly Mediterranean, more twisty but still open in parts to get the speed up. At the end of the day a visit to a wine cellar is mandatory. It would be sinful to leave the valley without sampling all of its goods.
Overnight in Divača.
(cca 25-35 km, 300 vertical meters of climb and 1500-2500 vm of descent).
Slavnik is a true marvel. Its gentle slopes rise from the midst of big sky country. It is an easy climb, full of views of the Adriatic Sea, and one of the most beloved trails in Slovenian mountain bike history. The terrain is rocky but still rider friendly for the most part and covered in forests of pine. When the weather is nice Slavnik offers views for a hundred kilometers in all directions, from the Italian Dolomites in the west to Julian Alps in the north and the Gulf of Piran in the south. If there is any fuel left in the tank for the afternoon, we take on the trails along the Kraški Rob cliffs that mark the edge of the Slovenian seaside region.
Overnight in Divača.
(cca 35 km, 1100 vertical meters of climb and 1100 vm of descent).
National borders are relaxed in Europe so on the last day we take to the trails of the Istrian peninsula in the neighboring country of Croatia. Grožnjan is a small town in the heart of Istria, known best for its art colonies and truffle mushrooms, but annual visits of a Slovenian national Enduro series race has given it the mark of a mountain bike destination. The trails are more technical but still plenty of fun and with many interesting and challenging features. The quality of trails is at least equaled if not surpassed by the quality of Istrian food and drink on offer for lunch and dinner. Since this is the last day of the trip we can let go of the brakes a bit more, ride until the legs give up and then refuel like kings and queens.
Overnight in Divača.
(cca 25-30 km, 100 vertical meters of climb and 1000-2000 vm of descent).
It is time to say goodbye after an adventure and a half. Transfer to the airport can be arranged as required and is charged separately.
Price for Ride Slovenia – From capital to the Sea includes:
Price for Ride Slovenia – From capital to the Sea excludes:
OPTIONAL
We provide full mechanic service in our transport van. There is a lot bike shops in Slovenia in case that we need some special spare bike parts.
We meet at 16.00 in our office in Ljubljana. Transfers from the airports Ljubljana, Maribor, Zagreb, Trieste, Venice, and Klagenfurt are possible upon request and subject of surcharge. For information about transfers and prices please phone +386 68 147 467 or send an email to: info@bikegalaxy.si
The official currency in Slovenia is the Euro – €. Additional costs you may encounter during your stay: lunch (cca. 10 – 15€/day), souvenirs, drinks in bars, massage treatments in hotels, etc. Most places allow payments by credit card, but we recommend you visit an ATM machine and pay in cash. Tipping is welcome (if you are satisfied with the service), not mandatory. The usual tip is up to 10 – 15% of the bill.
In all multi-day trips breakfast & dinner is included in the price. Lunch is the only meal that needs to be paid separately (around 10 – 15€ per day). Breakfast and dinner are part of the half-board lodging option at each hotel. Each day includes a lunch stop at a specially selected local restaurant, serving local home made food, friendly atmosphere and range of foods characteristic for the area. Other lunch option is buying food in the grocery store.
We kindly ask our guests to report any special nutritional requirements in advance (vegetarians, gluten free …) so we can notify the hotels and restaurants accordingly.
The best bike for our trips is a good all mountain or enduro bike with at least 120 mm of travel. The bike should not weigh more than 14 kilos as there is quite a bit of uphill riding. Hardtails are always an option, provided your knees and back can take the punishment.
Sure! We have a number of DeVinci, Mondraker, Pivot, Trek, KTM and Fuji mountain, road, gravel and Electric bikes available for rent. For a full list of bikes, sizes and pricing contact us at info@bikegalaxy.si. Bikes can be reserved upon booking to eliminate any chance of not having a bike ready and waiting for you when you arrive.
Most bicycle spares and components are available for purchase in bike shops around Slovenia. But, to set your mind at ease, we recommend you bring the following set of spares with you:
You can also do away with worrying about spares altogether and rent a bike for the week.
With the exception of May and October, weather in Slovenia is rather stable and not too cold. Expected temperatures in May and October are between 10 and 25 C and temperatures between June and September are between 15 and 30 C. Packing rain gear is always good as we cannot guarantee the dry weather. Some long sleeves can certainly come in handy.
Clothing and accessories:
Your riding backpack should carry at least:
Plus any other stuff you can’t ride without (phone, camera etc.)!
Of course! If you wish to extend your stay in Slovenia, we will be happy to arrange everything you need (lodging, activities ..) to make sure your good times continue. Don’t hesitete to contact us on info@bikegalaxy.si
