Holidays in Bovec

On an Inghams walking holiday, you have the freedom to explore the area at your own pace. Make each day a new adventure, with as much or as little walking as you like.

Why we love walking in Bovec

With around 97km of marked walking trails and spectacular scenery, there's a lot to love about this area. Bovec has some of the highest peaks of the Julian Alps on one side, and the bright-blue River Soča on the other, so the views are incredible at every turn. The wider Soča Valley has even more walking routes on offer too, so for keen walkers and nature enthusiasts, there's lots to discover in this relatively untouched part of Slovenia.

In Slovenia, walking routes are marked either red or yellow; yellow are the thematic trails and red are the mountain trails. In Bovec there's around 62km of red-marked trails and 35km of yellow-marked trails. In the wider Soča Valley, there's around 265km of red-marked trails and 179km of yellow-marked trails. 

During peak tourist season (normally July-August) a network of buses serve Bovec and the surrounding area to help you get out and explore.

Hop-on-hop-off buses

From Bovec there is a network of Hop-on-hop-off buses to places of interest and neighbouring valleys. They are:

• B1 - Bovec - Mangartsko Sedlo - Bovec
• B2 - Bovec - Lepena Koča - Bovec
• B3 - Bovec - Virje - Bovec
• B4 - Bovec - Čezsoča - Bovec

If you have purchased the Julian Alps Card: Soča Valley (available to buy locally), these Hop-on-hop-off buses are included.

Regular buses

There are two regular buses from Bovec:

• 1a - Bovec - Izvir Soče - Vršič - Kranjska Gora
• 1b - Bovec - Trenta - Izvir Soče - Bovec

You can use these buses to explore further afield and access the starting point to many nice walks, including the Soča Trail which starts at Izvir Soče and follows the Soča River back to Bovec.

These two buses are also included on the Julian Alps Card: Soča Valley which you can buy locally.

Kobarid and Tolmin buses

Similar to Bovec, the towns of Kobarid and Tolmin have a network of Hop-on-hop-off buses or shuttle-buses that you can use to explore the wider area. Plus, from Tolmin you can catch bus number 2 which crosses the border into Italy and runs as far as Cividale del Friuli.

Train

If you want to explore even further afield, the nearest train station is in Most na Soči, where a service runs to Ljubljana, calling at Bohinjska Bistrica and Bled.

However, if you're wanting to explore more of Bohinj and Bled, we recommend booking Bovec as part of our Discover the Julian Alps multi-centre holiday which starts in Bohinj (from where you can easily take a day trip to Bled) and finishes in Kranjska Gora with a few days in Bovec in between.

Subject to change.

The Soča Trail

• Most of the route is technically easy but it's a long walk (the section to the river source is challenging but it can be avoided)
• 25km with 400m height gain
• Approx. 8-10 hours walking time

You can't come to Bovec on a walking holiday without hearing about the famous Soča Trail - it's the oldest and longest trail in the Triglav National Park and follows the River Soča from close to its source back to Bovec. Along the way you'll follow old footpaths and discover hidden, lesser-known parts of the valley- there are several places to stop for refreshments along the way too, and you'll pass the start and end of the magnificent Great Soča Gorge.

Note that if you want to visit the actual source of the river, there's a marked trail from the cabin near the source of the river to the actual source which takes around 15 minutes. It's a maintained trail, but very demanding in the higher parts, with a small via ferrata section with wire ropes and wedges for protection. This part of the walk is challenging and requires good fitness and sure-footedness. You can easily skip this section and begin the walk from where the bus stops.

Virje Waterfall

• Easy walk
• Approx. 9.5km with 325m ascent/descent
• Approx. 2-3 hours walking time

This relatively easy walk starts and finishes in Bovec so you don't need any public transport to enjoy the beautiful views of the Soča Valley. You'll pass through the quiet village of Plužna on the way to the picturesque Virja waterfall and then on the way back, you'll pass a small hydroelectric plant where, in good weather, you can capture a perfect reflective photo of the surrounding hills. If you want to explore a little further, you can visit the Gljun springs which originate from the underground Karst caverns of the Kanin mountain- particularly impressive after rainfall.

Brjeka Trail

• Easy walk
• Approx. 10km with 125m ascent/descent
• Approx. 2.5-3 hours walking time

This walk is a great way to enjoy some local scenery and get up close with the dazzling waters of the Soča River. It's a relatively easy loop, from Bovec to Čezsoča and where the path then follows the river to the Brjeka footbridge. Cross the footbridge to return via the Koritnica bridge to the Vodenca campground. Along the way look out for skydivers near the airfield and enjoy the spectacular colour of the river as it meanders through the rocks.

Lake Krn

• Moderate walk
• Around 10km with 810m ascent/descent
• Approx. 6 hours walking time

Lake Krn is the largest Slovenian high-mountain lake, at an altitude of 1,394 metres and is a wonderful walk in the Triglav National Park, surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks and vast forests. The route follows an old military mule track and there are a couple of mountain huts for refreshments. In July and August, a hop-on hop-off bus from Bovec runs around three times a day to the starting point at Dom dr. Klementa Juga in the Lepena valley.

Mt. Svinjak

• Challenging summit hike (good fitness and sure-footedness required)
• Approx. 15km with 1,335m ascent/descent
• Approx. 6-8 hours walking time (you can shorten it by starting and/or finishing at Kal Koritnica instead of in Bovec centre)

Get some of the most wonderful views of Bovec on this challenging summit hike- the route ascends through beech forest and the last 150 vertical metres are quite steep, requiring a good head for heights as you make it to the summit ridge. Here, you'll be rewarded with spectacular views over Bovec and the surrounding area. On the way down, it's worth a visit to the World War I Čelo Battle Station.

Juliana Trail – a walk around the Kingdom of the Golden horn

The Juliana Trail, a 270 kilometre-long circular long-distance trail, offers an exciting opportunity to explore the area at the doorway to the Julian Alps, leading you under the high peaks and inviting you to explore them. The trail is divided into 16 sections, with an average length of around 17.5 km. The sections are designed so that, at the completion of each, hikers can take a break and regain their strength to continue their journey. The trail covers a total of 7,163 metres of altitude difference, but its terrain is generally quite gentle, making it great for family outings.

Stage 13: Kobarid - Bovec is 20.4km long, easy (but long) and takes approx. 6 hours

Stage 14: Bovec - Log pod Mangartom is 11.3km long, moderate and takes approx. 3 hours

Recommended equipment

Comfy walking boots, sun cream, insect repellent, waterproofs, rucksacks and walking poles are useful for hiking around Bovec.

Walking maps

Detailed walking maps are available from the Tourist Office or most hotel receptions.

Walking guidelines

The mountains are a natural paradise, with lots to explore and discover. To help it stay that way, and remain an enjoyable and safe place for everyone, we recommend following our little list of do's and don'ts:

• Plan your route well and don't overestimate yourself
• Check the weather forecast
• Tell someone where you're planning to walk and what time you're expecting to be back
• Take all the recommended equipment
• Make a note of emergency numbers:
  • Slovenia Emergency Services: 112
• Don't leave the marked trails or go onto a glacier without a guide
• Let nature stay wild by not picking alpine flowers (it's illegal in some places) or getting close to/making contact with wild animals
• Always leave gates as you found them
• Leave no trace