Slovenia has one enormous advantage: in a relatively small area it offers world-class mountains that aren’t overcrowded and still keep their raw, mountainous character. One of the most beautiful treks I’ve done here was through the valley of the Triglav Lakes. A classic route in Triglav National Park, and still an exceptional one.
It was a two-day trek with a night in a mountain hut, roughly 30 km in total (without the closing walk around the lake; with it, another 6 km on top) and 1,867 metres of elevation gain. The original plan was more ambitious – to reach Triglav itself. The weather had other plans.
Practical information to start with
- Area: the Julian Alps, Triglav National Park
- Length: approx. 36 km
- Elevation gain: 1,867 m
- Time: 2 days
- Difficulty: medium to high (length, elevation, mountain weather)
- Overnight: mountain hut (booking in advance is essential)
Why the Triglav Lakes are such a big name
The Valley of the Seven Lakes is the heart of Triglav National Park. Not because it’s the highest or the hardest, but because it combines accessibility, dramatic landscape and absolute quiet – if you know when and which way to go.
The Triglav Lakes aren’t one lake. They’re a chain of mountain tarns, each with a different colour, atmosphere and setting. And it’s exactly that variety that makes the two-day trek an experience that doesn’t get old even after hours of walking.
Parking and transport for the Triglav Lakes
In Slovenia’s national parks you can’t just park anywhere. Parking is:
- only in paid car parks,
- either right at Ukanc, by Lake Bohinj,
- or in surrounding villages with a bus connection.
I parked in the town of Bohinjska Bistrica, which has a good bus connection. The spot is HERE. The bus leaves right from the car park, and you can also sleep in your car there, which again is normally banned in Slovenian national parks. You’ll see signs prohibiting sleeping in vehicles at every forest turn-off.
Day one
The moment the bus dropped me at Ukanc, the journey began! At 530 metres above sea level I set off past the Triglav Lakes all the way up to Zasavska koča na Prehodavcih. That’s the very short version. Let’s look at the whole day a little more closely.
The Triglav Lakes that give the valley its name
One by one I passed the individual Triglav lakes, each with a different colour, atmosphere and character. By name they are:
- Črno jezero
- Dvojno jezero
- Umetno jezero
- Močivec
- Jezero v Levicah
- Zeleno jezero
- Rjavo jezero
- Jezero pod Vršacem
Every lake feels different, and together they create a unique mountain mosaic that changes with every kilometre.
Where to sleep: Zasavska koča na Prehodavcih
In the evening I reached the mountain hut Zasavska koča na Prehodavcih, where I spent the night. The hut is an ideal spot to rest, get a hot meal and sleep in the mountains. This was where I planned to continue towards Triglav the next day. You have to book a bed in advance online on the official site, where most Slovenian mountain huts are reserved.
During the night the weather deteriorated fast. Rain, fog, wind. And above all, the forecast for the following days changed and was merciless. It later turned out that it rained for another six days and nobody went up Triglav in that time. Giving up the summit wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the sensible one. And I think that’s a very important thing on mountain treks – not overestimating your own strength.
Day two – going back a different way
On the second day I chose a different descent route, but instead of views I got the reality of mountain weather. Thick fog, persistent rain and minimal visibility were with me almost the whole way down. In places you couldn’t see anything at all – just the path underfoot, wet rocks and full concentration on every step. But it’s in exactly that kind of weather that the mountains show themselves as they really are.
The route led through Vrata, which opens up lovely views of the surrounding mountains – at least in the short windows between clouds.
Planina Dedno polje
One of the strongest moments of day two was Planina Dedno polje, an open mountain pasture with traditional buildings, quiet and the feeling of being far from the world. Exactly the kind of place where you could just sit and look around.
Other spots on the way down
- The lake at Planina pri Jezeru
- Planina Viševnik
- the return past Črno jezero and back to Ukanc.
Bonus: Lake Bohinj and finishing at Ribčev Laz
After the descent I still had a beautiful walk around Lake Bohinj ahead of me, which added roughly another 6 km. An ideal way to end a two-day trek – no more climbing, just quiet, water and tired legs.
I finished the whole trek in the village of Ribčev Laz, from where the bus took me back to the car park.
When to go to the Triglav Lakes
- June-July: patches of snow, very few people
- August: the nicest weather, but the most tourists, and dry
- September: the top choice – colours, quiet, stable weather, dry
Summing up
The Valley of the Seven Triglav Lakes isn’t about one summit. It’s about the journey, the landscape and the rhythm of the mountains. Even though Triglav stayed out of reach this time, this trek gave exactly what it should: calm, respect for the weather and the sense that sometimes turning back is the best decision you can make.
If you’re looking for a two-day mountain trek in Slovenia with an overnight stay, this is one of the best options in the country.
Discover more adventures on our blog – you’ll find plenty of adventure inspiration there.
