Triglav Hike: Prepare to climb Slovenia’s highest mountain
Triglav is the most iconic hike in Slovenia. Standing at 2.864m above sea level, Mount Triglav is the highest peak in the country.
Conquering Triglav is not an easy feat. In fact, we even have a saying here that “You only become a true Slovenian once you climb Triglav”.
We have lived and traveled through Slovenia for the past 5 years, but only recently have we finally completed the hike to Mt Triglav. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to plan your hike to Triglav as well.
Triglav Hike Stats
There are many different routes you can take to hike Mt Triglav. The route we took was a 2-day hike from Krma Valley to Mt Triglav:
- Duration: 4-6h until the hut + 1.5h ascent to summit (one way)
- Elevation gain: 1934 m
- Starting point: Krma Valley β check parking location here
- Difficulty: From Krma to Kredarica hut (moderate), from Kredarica to Triglav summit (difficult)
- Infrastructure: Kredarica Mountain Hut offers rooms for overnight stays, a restaurant with food and drinks, and toilets
- Best time to hike: July, August and September
Trail options for hiking Mt Triglav
The most important part of the journey is deciding which route to follow for your hike to Triglav. These are some of the main trail options:
- Krma Valley – Kredarica – Triglav (2-day route) – this is the one we did, we’ll describe it in more detail in this guide. You can check the trail in detail below.
- Rudno Polje – Vodnikov dom – Dom Planika – Triglav (2-day route) – considered the “easiest trail” because it has the lowest ascent. Check the trail here.
- Planina Blato – Seven Lakes Valley – Planika – Triglav (3-day loop route) – one of the most beautiful routes, in our opinion. Check the trail here.
- Vrata Valley – Kredarica – Triglav (2-day route) – one of the most difficult ones
See the route that we did here:
Do you need a guide to hike Mt Triglav?
Most travel guides will mark the Triglav hike as difficult and that is because of the last section of the trail where you climb to the peak. This is the one section all routes have in common.
I’ll admit, this section of the summit is difficult. The route has the via ferrata cables and iron spikes to help, but it is very exposed and very steep.
Personally, I was glad we had a guide on this section, especially since the weather was a bit unstable. The guide was the one who figured out the best time to go up.
I would only tell you to skip the guide if you have proper equipment and climbing experience. Otherwise, I would recommend getting a guide for the summit climb.
We did this tour with Altitude Activities. We have done a few tours with them already and they are very good at what they do! I can 100% recommend them.
Use code MAUKA10 for a 10% discount on any of their Triglav climbing tours – you can book a full hike or just the summit climb.
Mountain huts you can use as a base when hiking Triglav
There are a few mountain huts in the area that you can use as a base for overnight sleeping when hiking Mt Triglav on a multi-day trail.
The two most popular huts are Kredarica (2.515m) and Dom Planika (2.401m). They are the closest huts to the peak, which is great since you can then observe the weather and decide the best time to go up to the summit.
These are other mountain huts in the area:
- DoliΔ (2.151m)
- Vodnikov dom na Velem Polju (1.817m)
- Prehodavci (2.071m)
Pro tip: The mountain huts normally open around the 20th of June (the exact date might vary depending on the weather) and they stay open until the end of September.
Equipment you need for hiking Triglav
If you will be doing the Triglav Hike during the summer, you will need:
- Good hiking boots
- Helmet
- Via Ferrata kit with harness (recommended)
- Gloves (recommended)
PS: Mountaineers with enough experience might feel comfortable climbing to the Triglav summit without the via ferrata equipment. However, I’d still say the helmet is essential, regardless of how much experience you have.
Hiking Gear recommendation
Check out our favorite hiking gear and essentials which we always bring with us.
Best time of the year to hike Triglav
The best months to do the Triglav Hike are July, August, and September.
The season normally opens somewhere in the middle of June, but it depends a lot on the weather.
June is normally the month when the snow melts on the highest peaks around the country, but you might still find a lot of snow at the start of June.
August is the busiest month by far. If you can, we recommend avoiding hiking Mt Triglav on a weekend because the route gets even more crowded.
For us, the start of September is the best time to go up to Triglav. It is typically less full than the previous month and you still have a lot of probability for good weather.
By the end of September, the weather starts being a bit unstable. During this month, you will have to be really flexible with your schedule to see the best weather to go up.
Hiking Triglav during the winter
It is also possible to go up to Triglav during the winter, but that’s an entirely different adventure.
Difficulty level goes up even more during the winter. We highly recommend getting a guide for this one. Our friends at Altitude Activities also offer winter climbs.
Use code MAUKA10 for a 10% discount on any of their Triglav climbing tours
Weather and safety
One of the most important things you need to know for hiking Triglav is that you need to respect the weather and be really aware of the conditions.
Triglav itself is not a dangerous mountain, but it becomes really dangerous once a storm settles in. Since the mountain is full of via ferrata cables, it attracts lightning, which is not a fun combination.
During the summer, it is common to have storms in the afternoon. This is why we recommend doing the Triglav Hike as a 2-day trip and having some time at the mountain hut to decide on the best window on the weather for your climb to the summit.
This is one of the big advantages of getting a guide – he/she will check the best time to climb up to the peak.
We urge you to please not take this lightly. Every year, many accidents happen because people are not careful about the weather and hike Triglav in the wrong conditions. All we want is for you to stay safe!
SafetyWing Travel Insurance
We know that insurance is one of those things that we think we don’t need… until we actually do! Dealing with hospital visits and health issues is stressful when you’re traveling, so getting a good travel insurance is the only thing that will give you peace of mind. We recommend SafetyWing, they have very flexible insurance plans covering almost every destination in the world! Take a look at their options and prices below.
Useful apps for checking the weather
Here are some apps and websites that can be useful for checking the weather forecast and radar:
- Arso – Slovenian website, but you can use the translator
- Rain Radar App
- Ilmeteo – Italian website, but you can use the translator
As a curiosity, next to the Kredarica hut, there is the meteorological station. So if you are not sure about any of the apps, once you arrive in the hut you can ask around. They will happily advise you when is the best time to start your summit climb.
Hiking Mt Triglav: Trail description from our experience
Hike from the Krma Valley to Kredarica Hut
As we mentioned before, we decided to hike to Triglav starting from the Krma Valley. It is a moderately difficult route because of the altitude difference. You will go up 1.611m in one go, which is quite steep.
For an average person, the hike to the hut takes between 4 to 6 hours, depending on your pace. We were in a group of 7 people ranging from 30 to +60 years old, and it took us a total of 5h 30 min considering a lot of stops on the way.
On the first half of the trail, you will be walking through the valley. The views are incredible, especially if you start in the early morning like we did.
You will pass through one water spring on the way after about 2 hours of walk. Make sure to fill up your bottle because this is the last point with access to drinkable water until you get to the hut.
The halfway mark is at the shepherd’s hut called Prgarca. It’s a private hut, used by the shepherd who takes care of the cows in this valley.
The second half of the trail is where the path starts getting steep. You will start getting to an open terrain following an endless zigzagging path until you reach the Kredarica Hut.
I highly recommend spending the night at Kredarica, not only because this trail is better done in 2 days than 1, but because the views from the hut are amazing. We caught a beautiful sunset up there, it was incredible!
Summit climb from Kredarica to Triglav
From the Kredarica hut to the Triglav summit, you have about 1h30 of climb. The hut is the point where you should make a stop and put on your helmet and safety equipment.
From here on, the path has via ferrata cables and it is marked as difficult. It is a very steep trail, wearing a helmet is a must!
Going up is not the hardest part, coming back down was even trickier for us. We don’t have a lot of experience with via ferratas and we really felt our knees coming down.
The way to the top is very clear and easy to follow. You will first climb to the summit of Mali Triglav and from there, walk on the top of the ridge to the summit of Triglav itself.
From the top, you have 360 views over the Julian Alps. I am told it is amazing, but I can’t really testify because as you can see, it was completely foggy by the time we made it to the top.
We decided to go up to see the sunrise. We started our climb at 5:30 and the wind was almost clearing up the clouds, but it didn’t fully open, unfortunately.
Where to stay for hiking Triglav
It depends on which route you will pick. However, there are two places that are central and accessible for almost every starting point: Bled and Bohinj.
I personally like Bohinj better but Bled is also a great option, especially if you won’t be traveling with your own car.
Accommodations we recommend in Bled:
- Ribno Alpine Hotel: The first zero-waste hotel in Slovenia! What I like about this place is that it is located in a quieter area, but still easily reachable for all the hiking and exploring around Bled and Bohinj.
- Garden Village Lake Bled: My favorite glamping place near Lake Bled. This place is a dream, with incredible treehouses.
Read also: Best places to stay in Bled
Accommodation we recommend in Bohinj:
- Hotel Bohinj: One of the absolute best hotels around Lake Bohinj. I absolutely love the design of the hotel and they are very well-located!
- Green Garden Apartment SokliΔ: Nice apartment with private parking and a communal garden
- Bohinj Eco Hotel: Slovenia’s first eco-hotel is a 4-star hotel for those looking for a little more comfort. In addition to breakfast included, guests have access to the water park with saunas and pools.
FAQ – Popular questions about the Triglav Hike
Can you do Triglav in one day?
Yes, the Triglav Hike can technically be done in one day but it is quite demanding. I’d say it is only doable in one day for people who have good mountaineering experience.
For most people, I would say that hiking Triglav in 2 days is a much better fit. You will be able to enjoy the route more and have a more flexible window at the top to actually go to the summit in the best weather.
Can a beginner hike Triglav?
We recommend the Triglav Hike for people who are at least active. It is a demanding hike because it is quite steep.
That being said, I do think that beginners can hike Triglav if going with a guide, as long as they are in good physical condition for the exercise.
Can you hike Triglav without a via ferrata?
People who have extensive mountaineering experience might feel comfortable climbing Triglav without wearing the via ferrata equipment. A helmet is still strongly recommended, though.
Can I take my dog on the Triglav Hike?
The summit climb is not suitable for dogs.
Is there phone signal on the trail?
Yes, there is. Even though you normally don’t have any signal in the mountains here in Slovenia, this specific trail has a signal almost the entire time because there is an antenna right on Kredarica Hut. This is something super unique about this trail and the Kredarica hut itself.
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Slovenia, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Check out our page with curated Slovenia experiences
- Travel insurance: Make sure you are protected during your trip. We use SafetyWing whenever we are traveling abroad.
- Renting a car: We always use Discover Cars to get the best car deals.
- Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com.
- Activities: Get fun ideas of what to do and buy unique activities with Get Your Guide.
- SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.
- Slovenia Map: Check out our custom-made Map with 290+ must-see spots!
- Slovenia itineraries: Check out our pre-made Slovenian itineraries!
- Recommended hiking gear: Check our recommendations on Amazon if you will be hiking in Slovenia!
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