Meet at Ljubljana Airport before a brief 30 - 40 minute transfer to the beautiful lakeside town of Bled which is our base for the holiday walking. Once settled in there will be time for a stroll. This pretty town is located on the shores of a crystal clear lake with a magnificent Julian Alps backdrop, fairy-tale island and magnificent medieval castle. This town is home to lake waters fed by natural springs. The relaxed lakeside promenade is home to pavement cafes and bars, perfect for people watching. Lake Bled is a great pace to enjoy a few extra days, pre or post-holiday and if you wish to do this then please contact the KE office and we can help you organise this. In the evening we'll meet up with the leader for dinner and a briefing with the rest of the group. *Food for thought: Prsut is an excellent starter from the Karst region of Slovenia where the bora winds provide the perfect conditions for drying salted meat. The end result is a delicious tender ham which goes perfectly with local cheese, fresh bread and wine. Another delicious Slovenian dish is zlikrofi. These small boiled dumplings look and taste similar to Italian ravioli and are typically filled with potato and served with a range of sauces. Štruklj is made from different types of dough (filo pastry, leavened dough, puff pastry, noodle, buckwheat and potato dough) with different fillings, baked or cooked, sweet or savoury including tarragon, cheeses, walnut, apple and poppy seeds amongst the most popular.

Dominating the horizon and visible from Bled are the incredible Karavanke Mountains which are the natural border between Slovenia and Austria. Lesser known than the Julian Alps, these mountains offer wonderful walking trails, spectacular views, an abundance of alpine flora and also hold one or two mountain secrets. After leaving Bled we make a short transfer up the Ljubelj Pass which snakes its way between the two countries. We start our walk by following trails on the northern slopes of Begunjscica, a beautiful peak with a secret trail which takes us around and through the mountain. From the dramatic northern slopes we hike along a wonderful path before heading into the mountain and taking a 150m tunnel (don't forget your head-torch) which brings us out on the southern side of the mountain, complete with rich alpine meadows. This quirky trail was created by Baron Born as an all-weather route to link his house on the north side of Begunjscica with the hunting grounds on the greener southern slopes. The path offers spectacular views into Slovenia and Austria and as we emerge on the south side we'll walk up to the Prevala Mountain Hut. This is the place to enjoy lunch whilst surrounded by open meadows as we take in the views. In the afternoon we pass through a variety of landscapes from wild meadows to lush forest before finishing at Grad Kamen - Castle Rock. This 12th Century castle is nestled in a valley at the foot of the mountains and it's from here that we take a short transfer back to Bled.

After breakfast we leave Lake Bled with our rucksacks packed ready for our two day mountain adventure. It's a short 30min drive to the neighbouring valley of Bohin and the scenery on our journey is wonderful. As we enter the Bohinj Valley we are now in the Triglav National Park, which is an area of outstanding beauty and Slovenia's only national park. As the most beautiful lake in Slovenia, Lake Bohin is truly magnificent. Surrounded by towering mountains, and with limited infrastructure, Bohinj is magnificent. From the left side of the lake we take an exhilarating cable car up to the mountain of Vogel at 1535m. Once here we'll have the lake at our feet whilst the Julian Alps, including Slovenia's highest peak of Triglav surrounds us. Once up high we follow a footpath which takes us to the Komni Mountain Hut at 1520m. This alpine refuge has one of the most stunning locations in the national park and offers a bird's eye view of the lake below. Tonight we stay in Komni hut which has a restaurant, a bar and viewing terrace which is a great place to sit in the evening and watch the sunset.

Waking up in the clear mountain air we'll have breakfast in the hut before setting off towards the Valley of the Seven Lakes deep in the heart of the Triglav National Park. The park covers an area of 838 square kilometres and borders with Italy and Austria. It includes almost the entire Julian Alps and as the largest protected area in the country, the park has a special nature conservation rules in place. The area is among the oldest of Europe's parks and has been protected since 1924, when the Alpine Conservation Park was established. It was officially renamed the Triglav National Park in 1961. The Park is mainly mountain karst and two thirds of the area is covered by forests including beech, spruce and larch. We follow a trail that weaves between peaks to the head of the Bohinj Valley as we reach the Valley of the Seven Lakes. The valley contains seven jewelled lakes each with their own unique colour which lie nestled among towering limestone peaks. Here we are surrounded by karst scenery at its most spectacular and we'll visit one or two of these lakes before following one of the many trails back down to the valley. Once back in the valley we make the short drive back to Bled.

Today is a free day for you either to relax in Bled or visit the capital of Ljubljana. Bled with its emerald green lake, fairy-tale castle and little church on the island is picture postcard pretty. Today you may wish to visit the island by boat or take the trail that goes up to the castle for stunning views over the lake. The castle is a mixture of styles and has a small museum and a café. If you want something more energetic a walk around the lake (6km) takes a couple of hours and from the southwest corner of the lake, you can follow a way-marked track up to the summit of Velika Osojnica (756m) for one of the most stunning panoramas over the lake (allow an extra 3 hours for the round trip to the summit). Another walking option is Vintgar Gorge, which is located just 3km north east of Bled. It's an easy walk to the gorge and then the trail follows wooden walkways over the river and through spectacular rock formations to the 16 metre high Waterfall Sum. From here you follow signs back to Bled through a forested trail, passing by the ancient pilgrimage site of St Catherines and then the small town of Zasip. Finally it is easy to pop on the local bus and visit the country's capital, Ljubljana for the day. The capital is beautiful with a rich variety of architecture, a dramatic castle, boat trips on the river and plenty of pavement cafes to sit and watch the world go by. *Food for thought: Kremsnita Is the most famous Slovenian dessert originating from Bled and the original recipe was by Istvan Kovavevi in 1953. If you try it only once, then you must try it in Bled. Kremsnita is a wonderful cream cake filled with custard and cream. Prekmurska gibanica is one of the most delicious desserts you are likely taste! This layer cake from Slovenia's easternmost province Prekmurje is a calorific concoction of shortbread, strudel pastry, poppy seeds, sweet curd cheese, walnuts, apples and cream.

Today we enjoy a beautiful walk in the Martuljak Mountain Range. After a short transfer we arrive in the hamlet of Gozd Martuljek where we'll have a breath-taking panorama of the Spik mountain range. One of the most beautiful mountains in the Julian Alps, Spik (2472m) has a dramatic pyramid summit which dominates the surrounding range. Leaving the valley we follow a forest trail into the Martuljek Gorge where we work our way upstream crossing and re-crossing the river on wooden bridges between verdant rock walls. Emerging from the gorge we reach the lower falls which are wide and low (30 metres) - a mini Niagara. Then we continue through rich forest to our rest stop at Lipovceva Hut in a wide clearing. This is a lovely location with an open natural kitchen of hanging caldrons over wood fires cooking up delicious home-made soups, freshly baked bread and locally-made cheeses. After lunch we set off and ascend up through the forest to the stunning higher falls - a single narrow cascade of water which drops 100 metres down a limestone cliff in four tiers to a rock pool. After a lovely day in this unique part of the mountains, we head back down to our vehicle and return to Bled. *Food for thought: Chevapi is a traditionally a Balkan dish of small spicy sausages served with onions, kajmak (soft Bosnian cheese) and pita bread. Most restaurants serve Balkan meat dishes which are extremely popular. Pljeskavica is a grilled Balkan dish of spiced meat patty and is also popular when served with onions, kajmak and ajvar (a tasty relish from smoked peppers).

For our final walk in Slovenia we will spend the day on Pokljuka high plateau close to Lake Bled. This beautiful area is a heavily forested karst plateau at an average height of 1300m and on leaving our vehicle the air will be crisp and fresh. Pokljuka is a stunning area of natural beauty and is made up of pine and spruce forest plus alpine pastures where alpine cows and sheep graze. The region has a few scattered hamlets and a number of isolated farms where the way of life has remained unchanged for centuries. There is a saying in Slovenia that time stands still on the Pokljuka High Plateau. The region has an abundance of wild flowers and bird life and a variety of trails which ensures plenty of possibilities for today's hike. The leader will choose the best trail for today depending on the weather and group abilities. *Food for thought: With Italy and Austria as two of Slovenia's neighbouring countries, you'll see a variety of dishes from Italy and Austria on menus. From colourful pizzas to freshly made pastas with a variety of sauces and risottos, Italian food is popular with locals. Most restaurants have a form of schnitzel on the menu, with Wiener Schnitzels being extremely popular.

Your holiday ends after breakfast. The morning is free to relax in Bled and further enjoy this beautiful lakeside town. In the early afternoon there is a single group transfer to the airport at Ljubljana.