Slovenia is a beautiful, small, fairytale land in the heart of Europe. Some people say it is similar to New Zealand but much, much closer. This extremely diverse land is full of mountains, lakes, crystal clear rivers, deep old forests, wild animals and colourful beaches. The perfect combination for outdoor lovers and nature enthusiasts.
Slovenia is also the third most green country in Europe, where forests cover more than 60% of the land.
Take a road trip and reconnect with nature!
Because of its small size and tricky to reach beauty spots, the best way to travel around Slovenia is in a campervan. Self-drive adventures not only get you right up close to those unspoilt places, but van-trippin’ also means you can have easy access to the many opportunities for outdoor adventures that Slovenia has to offer.
Read on to see what you might expect from a van trip in Slovenia, and why Balkan Campers are the people to do it with.
Outdoor adventures in Slovenia
Cycling in Slovenia
Not to miss cycling trail: Single Trail Park Jamnica
Location: Ecohotel Koroš
Distance: 24km of mountain biking trails
Campsite: Bike Nomad
Cycling is one of the best outdoor activities Slovenia has to offer, with a huge network of both on and off-road routes. Explore coastal routes and take in view of the Adriatic sea. Cruise through the vineyards of Goriška Brda. Take in mystic Karst and breath-taking mountain trails. And the best part is that, providing your camper van has a bike rack, you can use your own bike so that you’re ready and flexible to hit the trail at the drop of a hat.
Hiking in Slovenia
Best day hike: Češka Koča
Location: Park at Jezersko
Duration: 3 hours return trip
Campsite: Eko Farm Šenkova Domačija
Slovenia is a top hiking destination. You can explore majestic Triglav national park, the mighty Juliana Trail (270km long) and many other beautiful locations. Conveniently, there are lots of options for sleeping in a camper van right next to the hiking trails. From big campsites to small, cute ones, hidden in nature. You can pick the view from your house on wheels and change it every day. Camper van life is the perfect home to come back to at the end of a big day hike.
Adrenaline sports in Slovenia
Not to miss adrenaline sport: Whitewater rafting
Location: Soča Valley
Campsite: Aqua Tours Bovec park, right next to the river
Slovenia offers a variety of adrenaline sports on crystal clear rivers, deep wooded valleys, mighty mountains and low lying akes. Try canyoning or rafting on Soča river – one of the most amazing rivers in Europe. Have a go at wakeboarding on fresh water lakes or go scuba diving in the Adriatic Sea. And for something even more adrenaline-fueled, enjoy mountain views under the wing of a paragliding instructor!
If adrenaline sports are your thing then you really don’t need to choose between one or another; do them all! Travelling around in your van means you can move from one adrenalin check point to another in a short period of time.
Watersports in Slovenia
Best lake for watersports: Lake Bohinj
SUP/kayak rental: Alpin Sport
Campsite: Camp Bohinj
There are many lakes in this water rich country and some of them are truly breathtaking. It is hard to imagine nicer scenery than the island and castle at Lake Bled, for example. But for outdoor and water sports lovers, Bohinj lake is even better. You can SUP or explore this lake, captured between mountains, with a kayak or canoe. Better still, you can park and sleep in the campervan just two meters from the lake in one of the country’s best campsites.
Why choose Slovenia for your next van trip?
Avoid mass tourism
So far, 2020 has been a pretty special, if not crazy, year. Luckily, Slovenia wasn’t hit hard by Covid 19 so it is a very safe place to visit. Besides safety in general, traveling in a campervan is one of the best ways to avoid mass tourism. Especially in off season months like September, October, November, May and June.
Slovenia is also one of the safest countries in the world in terms of criminal activity. You can properly relax and enjoy nature, or even take some time to visit the wonderful cities too. Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, is small but very relaxed and beautiful. The old town surrounding the river Ljubljanica will take you back in time. You can find camper stops and campsites inside the city too.
Not to miss in Ljubljana: A morning walk through the old town and a visit to the market by the river
Campsite: Avto Kampi
Nostalgic roads
Aside from all the beauty and adventure that you’ll have at your fingertips, Slovenia also has very good roads, connecting all the country and its regions. Camper vans are the perfect way to explore nostalgic regional roads and really get to know the country. You can observe real Slovenia and its people’s habits so much better than from the main highways. Camper vans are also higher than normal cars giving you a better view of the scenery.
Best road route to drive: Solčava Panoramic Road
Distance: 21km
Campsite: Logarska Dolina
Freedom to roam
There are many great things about van-powered travel, but the most important of all is freedom. You can change your location every day. Since your camp is set up in a matter of minutes, you can sleep, eat and rest in the best locations, with different views at every new destination. Plus, if the weather takes a turn for the worse, you can simply adjust your travel plans and head for sunnier climes.
Go campervan trippin’ in Slovenia with Balkan Campers!
If you like the sound of road trippin’ and adventuring on the backroads of Slovenia, then Balkan Campers is the company for you. Our story is unique in the region because we rent out old-school VW camper vans (as well as a few newer ones) to visitors. And despite our motto to have no plan at all, we’ll also help you to create the perfect road trip plan to really get the most out of your time in our beautiful country. Plus, if you are flying to Ljubljana we’ll organise a free shuttle from the airport to our base.
Responsible tourism
The impact of tourism on ecology is huge. Responsible travel should be on the agenda of every employer in the tourism industry. At Balkan Campers, our old-school VW models are recycled. But we also use old spare parts and try to keep the vans going as long as they can. It is better to drive a 40 year old camper van than change to a new car every 4 years. Production of new vans is a big problem in terms of ecology.
Additionally, we support small organizations which are fighting for the last pockets of Wilderness like Balkan River Defence.
We’ll also plant a tree when for every new booking. At Balkan Campers we plant more than 50 trees every year (with your help) to reduce our CO2 footprint.
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