Slovenia is a nation of mountaineers and hikers. The first hut was built in 1893. Now, over 160 mountain huts are standing, managed by the local hiking clubs under the Alpine Association of Slovenia. Each area of the Julian Alps, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, and the Karawanke has at least one hut, some even more. They are there to provide shelter and a resting point for adventurous hikers on their hut-to-hut tour or brave mountaineers on their quest for greatness.
Even though huts are all over Slovenia, they share some commonalities. They are not a luxurious way to spend a night in the mountains, but an authentic place that brings you closer to the Slovenian mountain spirit. The food you can eat there is a part of that. The menu in mountain huts always consists of traditional homemade dishes that make a hiker's belly happy and the hiker ready for the next day of adventure.
An authentic experience in the mountains
The comfort found in these lodges is basic, but that doesn’t mean it’s not cosy. Most huts in the high-altitude don’t have drinking water because of the soluble rock surrounding them. Water and other supplies get transported to them by helicopter. Showers are therefore also a luxury, found only somewhere at lower altitudes.
Apart from all the stuff you need to take with you on every hike, you need to take some extra when staying in huts. That means extra clothes, some cash if they don’t have a reliable internet signal, your ID and the UIAA membership card if you want a discount. They have both dormitories and private rooms available for booking, but I recommend you do it early since the huts are quite crowded in the summer.
Staying in mountain huts is a wonderful thing that every hiker must experience. It is not only extra time spent in the mountains — It’s a place to meet like-minded people with whom you can connect. And don’t forget, you will be able to watch both the sunset and the sunrise. The sun coming down or up and colouring the peaks in exceptionally magnificent colours will be a sight you will never forget. I couldn’t recommend you more to see it at least once. And staying the night in a mountain hut requires the least amount of effort.
Some of the best mountain huts in Slovenia
When someone thinks of the huts in Slovenia, the huts under Triglav probably come to mind first. Planika Lodge at Triglav is our favourite. It is the most convenient option if you want to include Triglav in your hut-to-hut tour and is a smaller, more authentic alternative to the better known Kredarica hut. Its name comes from the Slovenian name for the Edelweiss flower. It stands on the edge of the southern plateau beneath Triglav, with an excellent view that stretches far down south to the Adriatic sea.
Plankia Lodge
The next must-visit hut is located in one of the most picturesque areas of the Triglav National Park, the Triglav Lakes Valley. Standing next to the Double Lake, the Triglav Lakes Lodge is the perfect resting place on your Seven Lakes Valley Hut to Hut Hike. Surrounded by a rocky ridge on one side and the forest that turns yellow in autumn on the other, it is a magnificent place to spend a night.
Related: Climbing Mount Triglav with Slovenia Discovery
Last but not least, it is the Vodnik Lodge on Velo Polje. It stands on the crossroads of many different routes in the heart of the Julian Alps, which makes it a convenient option for many hut-to-hut hikers. If you’re coming from Pokljuka plateau, Lake Bohinj or the Krma Valley and are heading to Triglav or the Seven Lakes Valley, be sure to stop here. The night will be one of the more comfortable ones on your tour, maybe even your last day with a proper shower.
Besides these three, there are more equally awesome but unique huts in the Slovenian mountains. Be sure to check them out and add them to your plan for the perfect hut-to-hut tour in Slovenia.
