Overview

Your Trek Travel guides will meet you at the Urban Boutique Hotel Center at 9:30 AM on the first day of the trip. You’ll then shuttle 45 minutes to your first hotel, where your Trek Travel guides will discuss the rules of bike safety and spend time familiarizing you to your Trek Domane for the week. You will then warm up around Lake Bled where you will start the first climb of the week – Pokljuka is one of the most famous and most challenging in the area, featured several times at the Tour of Slovenia. It goes up steeply, then it levels a bit and you get a nice cool breeze from the surrounding pine forest. On the top, enjoy a well-deserved lunch in the high altitude training base of different national sport teams. After lunch, it’s all downhill back to the valley and our home for tonight. This evening you’ll gather at the hotel for drinks, and discuss the week ahead, before savoring Slovenia's flavorful cuisine to fuel up for tomorrow’s adventures.

Overview

After a hearty Slovenian breakfast, you'll say goodbye to Lake Bled and start riding through the quiet roads of the Triglav National Park to Kranjska Gora, where you’ll start your big climb of the day. Vršič Pass from Kranjska Gora is almost six miles long with an average gradient of 8%. It’s known as the “Russian Road” as it was built by Russian prisoners during the first World War and its 24 switchbacks up this side are still partially cobbled at the turns. Once at the top you’ll have a long descent into the valley where you will be amazed by the emerald-green water of the Soča river. Your charming hotel tonight holds the same name and it’s a perfect place to relax after a challenging day. Tonight, stroll into the village of Bovec armed with a list of recommendations from your guides and enjoy a delicious dinner of your choice.

Overview

Start your ride today in the picturesque Soča Valley, pedaling southward towards the enchanting National Park of the Julian Prealps in Italy. This hidden gem is a haven for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and anyone yearning to immerse themselves in the serene and pristine beauty of the Italian Prealps. This lesser-known route, mostly frequented by locals, promises untouched nature and quaint villages along the way. Your biggest climb awaits right at the beginning, followed by a rewarding long downhill. From there, embark on a natural roller coaster of rolling hills before finishing the loop with a thrilling descent back to Bovec. Tonight, the group gathers for dinner, a great time to exchange stories of the day.

Overview

After filling up on a bountiful mountain breakfast, you will start your warm-up straight from Bovec toward the village of Log pod Mangartom, where the official climb to the top of the imposing Mangart begins. Your first part of climb begins in the trees, but when it reaches higher altitude the pines begin to give way and the final couple of miles open up to expose a wonderous world around you. The road to the Mangart Saddle is the highest paved road in Slovenia which ends at the top, where your efforts are rewarded with a spectacular view of Italy. It’s well worth pausing to admire the vista before beginning the descent the same way you came up. You won’t descend all the way to the valley floor but will instead turn to climb Predel Pass, where your cycling adventure leaves Slovenia for the finale in Italy. Be sure to snap one last picture on the top before you cross the border! After a long, well-earned descent, a private shuttle will quickly bring you to Sutrio, and the Osteria Da Alvise, your comfortable home base for the next two nights.

Overview

It can only be described as an epic day for cycling enthusiasts when you are given the chance to climb the legendary Zoncolan. Climbing specialists all over the world have called Monte Zoncolan "the hardest climb in the world," in the same rarified company as Spain's Angliru and Italy's Mortirolo. It's a mix of steep grades over a long ascent, and has been featured in the Giro d'Italia multiple times. Take your time, pace yourself, and be sure to take some photos as you ride to the roof of this wilder side of the Dolomites, gaining almost 4,000 feet over six miles! This is hallowed ground as this road has created race champions like Simoni, Basso, and Nibali. At the summit, you will feel the ultimate joy of conquering the beast. A lunch of your choice awaits you on your descent back to the hotel which sits at the base of this magnificent mountain. Tonight, it’s a night to celebrate all your achievements during this past week. We’ll enjoy a feast together at the hotel's restaurant in this picturesque mountain village and toast to new friendships, conquered climbs, and unforgettable cycling.

Overview

It's hard to believe that our adventure is coming to an end. This morning is yours to recover after an epic week of cycling. You'll have time for a short loop to stretch out your legs on one last climb, or choose to sleep in and have a slow breakfast for a full recovery. You'll say farewell to your guides at 11:00 AM at the hotel and a private Trek Travel shuttle will take you to the Udine train station, arriving at around 12:00 PM. Trains run from here to Venice every 30 minutes which is a great place to launch into the next part of your adventures!