Slovenia & Croatia
From the Alps to the Adriatic
Saturday 17 Sunday 25 May 2008 (9 days)
A superb and imaginative itinerary covering two of Europes newest nations Slovenia and Croatia. We travel from the majestic Julian Alps, through Slovenias limestone gorges and caves, to the Mediterranean coast and islands of Croatia surely one of the most varied itineraries possible in Europe!
Slovenia is a nation with wonderful scenery and rich wildlife, and still relatively unknown and undiscovered. We start our journey amongst the soaring crags of the Julian Alps, where we explore its lakes, forests and high mountain pastures. We then move on to the karst limestone region, with some amazing geological features including a seasonal lake - that turns into an arable farm in the summer! - and vast caves, into which we descend. In one, we hope to encounter the Olm a mysterious pink aquatic salamander, restricted virtually entirely to this region. We continue to the Adriatic coast, and cross into Croatia, for an excellent range of Mediterranean birds and wildlife, including a visit to one of the islands.
Price: £ 1,445
Single supp. £ 135 per room
Deposit: £ 300 per person
The price is per person and includes return flights London Stansted - Ljubljana, airport taxes, ground transportation, accommodation on a full-board basis, local taxes, incidental tips, and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes holiday insurance, optional tips to the driver and local guides, drinks, and other personal expenses.
Leaders: Keith Grant and Attila Steiner
Itinerary
Day 1
We fly from London Stansted to Lubljana, arriving late afternoon, arriving late afternoon, and drive for about two hours to our hotel, in a stunning location next to Lake Bohinj, among the craggy peaks of the Julian Alps. If there is time, well stop en route at Lake Bled, amidst the towering peaks of the Slovenian Alps, where we can see the small Christian Church of the Assumption on an island. We can also admire Bled Castle, perched high on a cliff above the lake.
Overnight Lake Bohinj
Day 2
This morning we visit the glacial lake of Bohinj. Just next to the hotel, Dippers dive in the translucent source of the Bohinjska Sava River, and Grey Wagtails flit among the off-shore rocks. Walking on the shore of the lake we might encounter singing Bonellis Warblers and if we are lucky we might see Golden Eagle, Chamois and Alpine Ibex on the rocky cliffs above.
Later we visit the nearby spectacular Slavica waterfall where we will look for Grey-headed Woodpecker and Red-breasted Flycatcher in the surrounding beech forest.
A cable car takes us up Mt. Vogel where we will enjoy spectacular views over the snowcapped Julian Alps, among them Triglav, the highest peak in Slovenia (2,864 meters) and Lake Bohinj below. We get acquainted with the legend of the Triglav and Zlatorog (a Chamois), and hope to see Raven, Ring Ouzel, Crossbill and with a bit of luck Alpine Chough.
Overnight Lake Bohinj
Day 3
We spend the morning in the Julian Alps walking in the spectacular spruce forests of the Pokljuka region looking for Firecrest, Crested Tit and Common Crosbill. Three-toed Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker and Nutcracker both occur in the area, and we may be lucky with them as well. We will discover beautiful alpine pastures and meadows home to colourful flowers and many interesting butterflies including Clouded Apollo, Purple-edged and Purple-shot Coppers, Assmans and Nickerls Fritillaries.
Later in the day we drive to our next accommodation in a beautiful setting deep in the Dinara mountain range. Rakov National Park is a famous nature reserve, showing many typical karst features. Most of the park is a limestone plateau with trees and with seasonally vanishing waters. In this plateau, several deep river valleys can be found ('Poljes' in Slovenian, a word adopted by geologists worldwide for this kind of karst feature).
Overnight Rakov Skocjan
Day 4
During the morning we visit Lake Cerknica, a seasonal lake in Inner Carniola, a region of Slovenia and a world-ranking attraction. When full, for about half the year, it is the biggest lake in the country. It starts to disappear in spring and leaves behind a field where farmers cut hay through the summer. There are huge expanses of reed, sedge and wet grasslands, and some remnants of raised peatbogs on the east shore.
The birdlife is very dependent on the water level, but we hope to see White Stork, Curlew, Black Tern, Red-backed Shrike, Marsh and Barred Warblers. Hopefully we will have a chance for Red-necked Grebe, Corncrake, Savis and River Warblers and Common Rosefinch as well.
After lunch we explore the magnificent Mt. Nanos, a huge island-rock, which stands like a secret garden above the surrounding plain, full of amazing flowers. The mountain has a very interesting flora and fauna, and holds many rare butterflies, including Poplar Admiral, Assmann's Fritillary (endemic ssp. mitchiellii), Marsh Fritillary, Alpine Mountain Argus, Scarce Large Blue, Alcon Blue, Amanda's Blue, Great Sooty Satyr, Large Grizzled and Large Chequered Skipper. Lots of interesting reptiles live here including the enigmatic Nose-horned Viper, and Nanos is home to Golden Eagle and Chamois. On the high plateau of the hill we will look for Chamois, Golden Eagle, Rock Thrush and Rock Bunting.
Overnight Rakov Skocjan
Day 5
This morning we visit Skocjan Cave and the surrounding habitat. The visit to the cave is optional. Those who choose to visit the cave on a guided tour will walk 90 meters high above a giant underground river, and finish the trip on the bottom of a huge, hundred metre deep gorge, from where a cablecar returns to the starting point. Those who decide to explore the karst forest around the cave take an hour's birding walk around the enormous sinkhole above the cave. Peregrine breeds in the walls, and Alpine Swifts are abundant. Rock Bunting is widespread here and we might see Short-toed Treecreeper and Crested Tit, too.
Leaving the Skocjan Cave we start to descend to a different area, the Mediterranean Adriatic region, with very different flora and fauna. Our lunch spot will be among the bushy scrub of the Slovenian karst. Here we hope to see our first Mediterranean birds, including Short-toed Eagle and Blue Rock Thrush.
After lunch we visit the old saltpans ('salinas') of Secovlje, which were established during Roman times to extract salt from sea-water, and which is now one of the most important birdwatching areas of the country. Amongst the throng we hope to see Shag, Kentish Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Little Tern, Zitting Cisticola and Cettis Warbler.
After our birding in the saltpans we cross the border into Croatia and head to our hotel for the night in the lovely seaside town of Lovran. Our hotel is situated just next to the shore, and is a wonderful spot for strolling and listening to the waves of the Adriatic. The city, together with the more bustling and noisy Opatija were the favourite holiday resort of the Habsburg monarchy, including the Emperor Franz Joseph.
Overnight Lovran
Day 6
In the morning, we catch a ferry to the second largest of the Adriatic islands, Cres. We travel to one of the oldest settlements, the picturesque seaside town of Beli, where we visit the centre for monitoring and protecting Griffon Vultures. The most important long-term activity of this Eco-Centre is the programme for rescuing young Griffons from the sea, and caring for sick or wounded birds.
We take a walk on the eco-trails of the centre, in the old, broadleaved woodland, known for its ancient oak and horse-chestnut trees. The hillsides are full of warblers, while Honey Buzzards and Short-toed Eagles soar alongside the Griffon Vultures, and lizards, dragonflies and butterflies abound. We return back on a late afternoon ferry to the mainland.
Overnight Lovran
Day 7
After breakfast we take a longer drive to the Paklenica National Park. En route we stop at the Gacka River near Otocac, where the wonderful classic landscape holds good numbers of Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike and other farmland-birds.
Then we continue our journey to our next destination to arrive late afternoon to the Paklenica National Park.
Overnight Starigrad
Day 8
In 1978 the area of Paklenica NP was put under the protection of the United Nations programme 'Man and the biosphere' becoming a part of the international network of biosphere reserves, while its most attractive part, the Small and Big Paklenica Canyons with the surrounding forests, had been proclaimed a national park in 1949. Today 'Paklenica' is one of the most attractive natural tourist regions of the north-eastern Mediterranean, with its two monumental canyons, the second largest European preserve of Austrian fir, ancient beech forests and steep cliffs. The visitor to Paklenica is astonished by the surprising quality of the plant and animal world. A large number of endemics has been recorded here, (flora, cave fauna, reptiles), as well as rare and endangered species of birds and certain species of butterflies.
In the morning we explore the inner plateaus of the Velebit, where we hope to see the shy Rock Partridge, Sombre Tit, Rock Nuthatch and Black-eared Wheatear amongst others. Orphean, Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers are common and we also have a chance for Eastern Olivaceous Warbler.
The hillside meadows are full of butterflies, including Scarce and Common Swallowtails, Two-tailed Pasha, Southern White Admiral, Southern Comma, Balkan Marbled White, Tree Grayling, Cardinal, Cleopatra Brimstone, Eastern Dappled White, and many other Blues, Hairsteaks, Coppers and Whites. The park is a home of many endemic and relict flowers, including its symbol, the Degenia. Many reptiles live here as well including Hermann's Tortoise, the beautiful Leopard Snake and the enormous Balkan Green Lizard.
In the afternoon we drive to the fresh-water lake of Vrana, being the biggest lake of Croatia, fringed with reedbeds and separated with only a 2km wide landstrip from the seacoast. It is also an important ornithological refuge, with several protected bird species.
Here we will look for Montagus Harrier, Bee-eater, Tawny Pipit, Golden Oriole, Woodchat Shrike, Spanish Sparrow and Black-headed Bunting. The lake is a breeding place for Pygmy Cormorant, Purple Heron, Black-winged Stilt, Whiskered Tern, Penduline and Bearded Tits.
Overnight Starigrad
Day 9
It is a five hour drive back to Ljubljana for our late afternoon flight back to the UK.
Please note that we can arrange optional extensions to the trip in Ljubljana, for a chance to spend a bit more time in this delightful city. Please let us know at time of booking.
Accommodation: Three-star hotels with all rooms en suite.
Numbers: Max. 14 clients