Juliana Trail Q&A

It is a long-distance hiking trail, mostly on existing paths, which takes you around the Julian Alps, passing through small villages and towns. As the hiker does not climb peaks, he/she has time to discover the many but lesser-known sights along the way.

Each start or end of a stage of the Juliana Trail offers at least one opportunity for a night's rest and refreshments, and in most cases, the stage can be accessed by public transport. Being away from the most frequently chosen tourist spots certainly adds to the charm, as not everything is available at every turn.

The best time is from the end of March to the end of October. However, due to the high summer temperatures, the trail is definitely at its best in spring and autumn.

Part of the trail is at a lower altitude and, if there is no snow cover, some stages are passable all year round. However, wintertime requires more caution due to the lower temperatures.

The basic circuit is 270 km long and has 16 stages, which officially conclude in Kranjska Gora. The additional 4 stages to the wine-growing Goriška Brda go from Tolmin to Solkan.

You can complete as much of the Juliana Trail as you can and want. You can walk part of a stage, one stage, a combination of the most interesting stages or if you are fit enough, all stages.

The official Julian Alps Booking Centre can design a customised route for you. They are available for information during weekdays by phone at +386 5 30 29 642 or +386 5 30 29 643 and by email at booking@juliana-trail.si.

The Juliana Trail is a long-distance trail and the hiker needs to be physically fit enough to walk 5-6 hours or 15-25 km per day without too much effort.

Walking a single stage is not that demanding, but the need for fitness is even greater when walking several days/stages in a row. The entire basic circuit of the Juliana Trail requires a very high level of physical fitness.

To help you assess the difficulty, the characteristics of each stage are available on our website.

You will need good hiking shoes and hiking clothes adapted to the current conditions. In addition to carefully selected clothing for different weather conditions (wind, rain and cold), a good quality rucksack should also contain a first aid kit, a printed map, plenty of fluids and snacks. We also recommend hiking poles, sunscreen and a tick repellent.

Climbing equipment is not necessary for this route.

The Juliana Trail base circuit officially starts with Stage 1 in Kranjska Gora, but hikers can start walking at any stage. The trail is marked in both directions so that the direction can be either way, but most hikers still follow it in a clockwise direction. Check the information on all stages of the Juliana Trail. 

Most hikers go on the trail alone. You do not need to be accompanied by a guide.

The route is marked with signposts and additional markings on the road, trees or stones. The maps and descriptions of the different stages on our website will be useful for planning the route. Once you're on the trail, we strongly recommend using a combination of the printed guidebook and the free Juliana Trail mobile app.

Yes, the route is clearly marked with signposts and additional markings on the road, trees or stones. Our recommendation is to make a good plan in advance, by checking the maps and turn-by-turn descriptions on the website before the hike. We also recommend using digital and analogue navigational tools while hiking. 

In the planning phase, our website provides several tools, you can use (for some of the features, a sign-in or even a pro plan might be required): 

• all stages are described in detail,n
• detailed topo map to get an estimate of the terrain,
• you even have an option to see a 3D preview of each stage,
• you can make a pocket-sized printout,
• download a GPX (and KML and FIT),
• plan your route online, 
• plan a joint trip, 
• and even calculate how many calories you'll burn o the way.

While on the way, we recommend using a combination of digital and analogue navigation tools:

• the Juliana Trail pocket guide book
• free Juliana Trail mobile app (iOS: Download from the App Store; Android: Get it on Google Play) 
• downloaded GPX tracks

Make sure, you have an offline version of a map on your phone so you can use them in the aeroplane mode, as not all the corners of the Julian Alps are covered with a signal and searching for one depletes the battery real fast.  

A comprehensive guidebook in book form is in preparation and is expected to be available in 2023.

At the moment, there is a pocket-sized printed guide, which includes a small map, as well as basic information about the stages, a list of the main attractions along the route, contacts of the tourist information centres in the area of the stage and a place to collect the stamps that are waiting for you at the stages.

Printed copies of the guide are available at all TICs in the Julian Alps area or from the Booking Centre of the Julian Alps, which also sends guides throughout Europe.

We recommend contacting the official Julian Alps Booking Centre, which will prepare an individual package for you, including accommodation, luggage transport and the organisation of other services along the route.

They are available for information during weekdays by phone at +386 5 30 29 643 or +386 5 30 29 642 and by email at booking@juliana-trail.si. 

In the high season from late June to late September, we recommend booking in advance (in spring if possible) as accommodations fill up quickly and can be completely sold out in midsummer.

The Julian Alps Booking Centre is part of the Julian Alps Association, which is a network of all municipalities in the Julian Alps, tourism boards and the public institute of the Triglav National Park. It can therefore provide you with optimal information, backed up by local knowledge and the knowledge of the managers of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area.

The Julian Alps Association created the Julian Trail for hikers who like to discover new places and explore the outskirts of the Julian Alps. The complex planning of such a venture can be handled by the booking centre, so you can fully concentrate on the experience. 

Based on your individual requirements, wishes and abilities, they will advise you on possible adjustments, find and book accommodation for you at the end of each stage, and arrange the transport of your luggage from accommodation to accommodation. As part of the additional offer, you can also opt for a shuttle service to the starting point and additional activities to enrich your experience of the destinations in the Julian Alps. 

For hikers who book through the Booking Centre, there is also a 10-hour call centre available all days of the week.

The benefits of the official Julian Alps Booking Centre: 

• Tailor-made offers 
• Accommodation booking (hotels with 3 stars or more)
• Transfer of luggage on every stage
• Return transfer to the starting point
• 1O-hour hotline service (from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• Optional rest day(s)
• Extra activities along the trail

You can choose from predefined packages: 

• Family Juliana Trail,
• Juliana trail: Through the Landscape of Lakes and Tradition,
• Juliana Trail: Through the Emerald Valley,
• Juliana Trail: The Best of the Best on Juliana Trail,
• Juliana Trail: Round and Round Julian Alps.

If you want a tailor-made offer, designed to your preferences, please contact the official Booking Centre of the Julian Alps,

Whatever your fitness level, if you are walking for several days, we recommend a rest day and a visit to the many natural and cultural sights of the Julian Alps.

The price of the package depends on several different factors; the season and date chosen, the number of people, the services included, the type of room and the desired standard of accommodation, as well as the capacity available.

You can also view some of the offers here: Juliana Trail packages. 

The Booking Centre will make a non-binding informative offer for each person based on their preferences, for more information please visit booking@juliana-trail.si.

We have developed a common platform - the Julian Alps accommodation search engine - to help you find accommodation providers in the Julian Alps Biosphere Area in one place and make individual bookings.

You can also find information about accommodation on the individual destination pages. 

Basic Juliana Trail circle: 

• Stage 16-2, Kranjska Gora
• Stage 2-3, Jesenice
• Stage 3-4, Radovljica
• Stage 4-5 Bled
• Stage 5-8, Bohinj
• Stage 8-15, Soča Valley
• Stage 15-16, Tarvisio

Additional stages to Brda: 

• Stages 17-18, Soča Valley
• Stages 19-20, Brda

Accommodation is available at the end of each stage. In the larger tourist destinations, there are more providers to choose from, but as the Juliana Trail leads to and ends in some of the smaller towns, the offer there is more modest.

You are advised to make reservations at least 3 months in advance.

No, camping is only allowed on campsites in Slovenia (this rule is particularly strictly enforced in the Triglav National Park). You will only find campsites in some places, so not at the end of all stages.

There are plenty of accommodation options in the Julian Alps, so we're sure you'll find something to suit you. Or you can leave it to the team at the Julian Alps Booking Centre.  

If you plan to make your own bookings, you will find information about camping and other accommodation providers on the Julian Alps Accommodation Searcher or on the individual destination pages: 

The basic circle of the Juliana Trail: 

• Stage 16-2, Kranjska Gora
• Stage 2-3, Jesenice
• Stage 3-4, Radovljica
• Stage 4-5 Bled
• Stage 5-8, Bohinj
• Stage 8-15, Soča Valley
• Stage 15-16, Tarvisio

Additional stages to Brda: 

• Stages 17-18, Soča Valley
• Stages 19-20, Brda

The mountain huts are located higher up and away from the trail in most places.

The Juliana Trail is a trail that does not conquer the peaks of the Julian Alps and takes you around them. The stages take you through smaller villages and towns, and some larger towns. In some places, you will find hotels and guesthouses, in others apartments and simpler rooms.

Hikers can expect to find sleeping and refreshment facilities at the beginning and end of most stages. In most places, you will only find refreshments and groceries at the start and end of the stages, and not necessarily along the trail itself.

Please note: 

• You will find a grocery shop at the end of all stages except on Goreljek in Pokljuka (stage 5), Grahovo ob Bača (stage 9), and Log pod Mangartom (stage 14).
• Catering facilities are mostly available at the end of the stage, but are very limited in Podbrdo, Grahovo ob Bači, Most na Soči and Log pod Mangartom, 
• In some places, the timetables are linked to the time of the season.
• We recommend that you prepare accordingly and take enough food (sandwiches and other hiking snacks) with you on the trail.
• Some simple local taverns do not allow card payments.

Although the trail is not technically demanding, it is still a long-distance trail and requires good physical fitness. As some stages are more than 20 km long and require between 5 and 6 hours of walking, we estimate that the whole route is not suitable for young children.

For families, there is the Juliana Trail for Families programme, which includes the easiest stages. Young families with children up to 14 years of age can still do a single less demanding stage or only part of a stage.

Every stage has some ascent and descent, but a few stages include more demanding sections and deserve to be mentioned:

• From Mojstrana to Jesenice (Stage 2) is among the longest stages at 20.5 km. 
• From Bled to Goreljek na Pokljuki (Stage 5) has a total of 900 m of ascent to Pokljuka. At 21 km, it is also one of the longest stages. 
• From Goreljek na Pokljuki to Stara Fužina (Stage 6) is among the longest stages at 21.7 km. 
• From Bohinjska Bistrica to Podbrdo (Stage 8) with a 752 m climb to the Vrh Bače mountain pass, followed by a steep descent to Podbrdo.
• From Podbrdo to Grahovo ob Bači (Stage 9) where there is a total of 1,009 m of ascent, the hardest part comes right at the beginning of the stage, when we climb from Podbrdo to Kalarsko Brdo (500 m of elevation gain). 
• From Kobarid to Bovec (Stage 13) is among the longest stages at 21,3 km. 
• From Log pod Mangartom to Trbiž (Tarvisio in Italy; Stage 15) has a steep (500 m) ascend to the Predel Pass at the beginning of the stage. 

All information about the stages can be found on the Juliana Trail subpage.

We are gradually improving public transport throughout the Julian Alps and encourage visitors to use regular buses, the free summer shuttles or the train.

• You can use Slovenian Railways trains to reach the stage in Jesenice, Bled, Bohinjska Bistrica, Podbrdo and Grahovo ob Bači in Baška Grapa, as well as to Most na Soči.
• For the stages between Kranjska Gora and Bohinjska Bistrica on the Gorenjska side, the bus carrier Arriva is available.
• For the stage from Podbrdo to Most na Soči, trains of Slovenian Railways are available.
• For the stages from Most na Soči to Bovec on the Primorska side, the bus carrier Nomago is available.

During the summer months, destinations in the Julian Alps also organise some additional (free) transport to help you get to the start of the stage, return to the starting point or as a way to skip some of the hardest stages. Learn more about Sustainable mobility in the Julian Alps. 

Especially outside the main summer season, make sure you check the transport options at one of the Tourist Information Centres before you go.

The Julijana Trail is for hikers only. For cyclists, there is a circular long-distance touring bike trail called Juliana Bike and more than 600 kilometres more of fully digitised biking trails within the Julian Alps Biking Network. 

Of course, you can walk the trail with your faithful hiking companion.

Make sure you plan accordingly: 

• Especially in the summer, when temperatures are high, ensure you have plenty of water for him/her too.
• Remember that your dog must be kept on a leash at all times.
• Please, pick up after your pet. Thank you!
• Public transport usually does not allow the transport of dogs.
• If you are looking for accommodation, make sure it accepts pets. At some stages, the range of accommodations that accept pets is quite limited.
• As dog food can significantly elevate the weight of your backpack, we advise you to take advantage of the luggage transport option.

Read some more responsible travel guidelines, that also includes advice on travelling with a pet.