Triglav, at 2,864 meters the highest peak in Slovenia, rises in the heart of Triglav National Park and the Julian Alps. Its ridge is rugged and characteristic of this mountain range.
There’s something about starting before the sun. The road from Istria was still cloaked in night when we set off, headlights carving through quiet mountain villages. With hot coffee in hand and backpacks in the trunk, our destination was Rudno Polje. It was the last weekend of September, just before the mountain huts closed for the season. Perfect timing, we thought, for one last hike before winter claimed the heights.
Rudno Polje – Where Triglav Begins
By the time we arrived at Rudno Polje, the alpine silence was already awake. At 1466 metres above sea level, this is not a dramatic start—no towering cliffs or snow-capped spires just yet. Only forest, morning light, and the steady beat of footsteps on pine needles.
The trail begins gently. Through woods, over meadows, past the echo of old shepherd paths. In the early stretch, the hike is more a forest meditation than a mountain battle. The slope is mild. The terrain patient.
We passed through glades where the fog hung low, and it wasn’t long before we reached the first signs: Studorski Preval, Vodnikov Dom. The kind of names that promise effort. Promise story.
The Fog and the Climb
As the elevation crept up, so did the fog. Dense. Whispering. We climbed through it, eyes squinting for trail markers, boots confident on slick stone. For a while, it felt like we were alone in the world—just two hikers on a path no one else could see.
Then, a glimpse of roof through the mist. Vodnikov Dom. A quiet rest at 1817 metres. No crowds. Just the creak of a wooden bench and the distant clatter of goat bells somewhere down in Velo Polje.
From Vodnik to Planika: Into the Sky
Beyond the lodge, the terrain changed. The trail steepened. Rocks gave way to bigger rocks. The first cables appeared, bolted into the cliffs—reminders that we were now entering high alpine terrain. Climbing up past Vernar and over the slabs near Skok, the fog began to loosen. The sun started leaking through. And then it broke—suddenly, sharply—like curtains pulled open to reveal a stage.
There, below us, clouds. And above, only light.
Planika lodge appeared like a miracle on the slope—2401 metres up, crouched under the final wall of Triglav. It had taken six hours to get here from Rudno Polje, but the climb felt shorter somehow. The views had carried us.
Final Push: To the Summit of Triglav
The summit waited. We drank tea, tightened our helmets, clipped on our ferrata gear. The route above Planika is no place for distraction. It’s narrow, exposed, demanding. But also, deeply beautiful.
There’s something sacred in walking a ridge above the world. Between Mali Triglav and the main peak, the terrain is serious but secure. Cables guide your hands. The void waits just beside your boots.
And then it’s there. Triglav. 2864 metres. Aljaž’s Tower rises like a silver exclamation mark on Slovenia’s highest point. Around us, the peaks of the Julian Alps swelled and dipped like waves frozen in time. We had made it. Not fast, but with purpose. With joy.
Descent Through Light and Quiet
As the sun dipped, we began our descent. Carefully down to Planika. Then, the next morning, a new day greeted us with golden light spilling over the ridgelines. It was cold, crisp, and heartbreakingly beautiful. The kind of morning you wish you could bottle.
Back through Vodnikov Dom. Down into the forest. Each step more relaxed. Each breath easier. It was as if the mountain was releasing us, gently guiding us home.
The Rhythm of the Mountain
Climbing Triglav isn’t just a hike. It’s a rite of passage. A quiet pilgrimage into the Slovenian soul.
It’s about slow beginnings. Fog and mystery. Sunlight over cloud carpets. And standing, just for a moment, where eagles soar.
For some, it’s about ticking off a summit. But for those who move slowly, who listen to the mountain and not the stopwatch—it becomes something more.
A story. A memory. A walk above the clouds.