May 15th – 22nd, 2023
Join me on the annual trip to my home town for sightseeing, exploring, reaching mountain peaks, and competing in the Spartan Trifecta races to round off the trip.
Trip Overview
Part 1: exploring
Trip starts on Monday evening with a dinner in Old Town Ljubljana. For the 3 days that follow we’ll visit some of Slovenia’s best spots for outdoor enthusiasts. We’ll take a tour of the capital, visit the castle, climb a Via Ferrata, ride bikes along the coast, eat sea food to the setting sun into the Mediterranean, jog around, hike above, and jump into lake Bled, and eat plenty of typical Slovenian food to fuel those adventures.
Part 2: racing
The focus of the weekend will be the trifecta races in Planica, the home of the second largest ski jump in the world. On Friday I’ll lead a course walk through and lead a discussion in how to prepare for a race using the course map and what to look for when looking at obstacles the day before the race. Saturday and Sunday will be dedicated to racing. Transport to the venue from the hotel is provided and we’ll have a secure spot to leave our belongings while we race.
How do I know if the trip is for me?
This trip is for anyone who likes adventure travel. Days will be packed with activities and you’ll see a lot of the country in just a few days. Some prerequisites to have fun are ability to run a 10k (but since you’re doing a trifecta, that shouldn’t be a problem), knowing how to ride a bike and ability to ride 25 miles (on a relatively flat route), positive attitude, and a spirit for adventure!
Trip cost: 2000€
What’s included
- 3 nights of lodging with breakfast in Ljubljana
- 4 nights of lodging with breakfast and dinner in Kranjska Gora
- Trifecta pass
- Transportation to and from all activities during the week
- Via Ferrata gear rental
- Bike and helmet rental
- Guiding for 7 days
- Ascent Protein recovery bundle
- Spring Energy race bundle
Not included
- Transportation to and from the airport (~90€ total)
- Dinners in Ljubljana (x3) and lunches for the week (roughly ~100€ total)
- Any alcoholic beverages purchased outside of included meals
- Purchases associated with activities not planned on the trip
- Optional activities on Friday organized by Spartan Race (paragliding, canyoning, via Ferrata in Kranjska Gora)
Itinerary
Monday
As you arrive to Ljubljana on Monday you’ll have a chance to relax from traveling and visit the grocery store that is a walking distance from the hotel to get any snacks needed for the week. We’ll meet that evening for dinner in the Old Town where we’ll go over the plan for the week and answer any questions you might have about the trip.
Tuesday
Tuesday is for exploring the capital. We’ll do a walking tour of Ljubljana, visiting historically significant buildings including the castle. We’ll have traditional Slovenian lunch on one of the squares. After an afternoon break we’ll have an early dinner followed by a sunset hike to Smarna Gora, a short but steep hike with a church and a restaurant at the top, popular with locals. There’s a race to the top with the fastest times just over 10 minutes; you can test your own times (though not exactly on an empty stomach).
Wednesday
Wednesday will be an actioned packed day we’ll start early. First, we’ll do a Via Ferrata in Vipava; it’s a style of climbing mountains popular in Europe, a cross between hiking and climbing. It starts off with an easy section to test whether that’s something you enjoy, followed by a longer and harder stretch to the top. There’s a hike around for those who decide the first bit was enough. Afterwards we’ll have lunch at a homestead, then drive to the coast where we’ll rent bikes for a 25 mile ride along the sea. The path follows an old railroad among vinyards and eventually to one of the most beautiful Slovenian coastal towns. We’ll stop there for ice cream, ride back, and finish the day off with a seafood dinner on the coast.
Thursday
We’ll be packing our bags and leaving for Kranjska Gora, the race venue. We’ll start the day a bit later to give you a chance to do some souvenir shopping in the morning and catch up on rest. On the way there we’ll stop at Lake Bled, the iconic destination with a church on an island and castle on a cliff. We’ll hike to a couple of view points and run around the lake before stopping for lunch and jumping in.
Friday
Friday morning is free for you to sleep in, go for a shakeout run, relax, or participate in one of the Spartan organized activities. In the afternoon we’ll go to the venue to pick up our registration packets and look around the course. I’ll lead a workshop in how to best prepare for a race looking at a race map and obstacles, and how to form a race plan.
Saturday
Saturday is the hardest day of racing, with Beast in the morning and Sprint in the afternoon. We’ll head to the venue together in the race van which should give everyone plenty of time to warm up. Since Sprint doesn’t have an age group category there’ll be an option to run it together as a team, practice obstacles, and ask me any questions about tips and tricks on completion. In the evening there’s usually a party organized by Spartan – it’s always fun and everyone is welcome to attend.
Sunday
After the last day of racing and an afterparty at the venue we’ll head back to Kranjska Gora. We’ll stop at Zelenci on the way, a quick walk to an underground river source creating emerald pools with the backdrop of jagged peaks. Back in Kranjska Gora we’ll go for a farewell lunch and celebratory drinks and conclude our trip!
Sunday
Depending on your flight time you might have to leave early for the airport. For those with flights in the afternoon I can give you ideas for hikes in the area as the options are endless. Thank you for joining me for the trip!
Testimonials
If you have the chance to join Rea on one of her KAPE adventure trips, the answer has to be YES! There is never a dull moment and Rea makes sure that you will never forget a minute of the trip. Our group was given a full tour of Slovenia from the perspective of a local who knew all the best places to go and people to meet. She lead the way climbing the via Ferratas, touring the country side on bicycle and our many hikes and sunset adventures. Our special ending to the trip was Spartan Trifecta Weekend in Kranskan Gora. None of us will ever forget earning that Shield (and watching our guide win the races!)
Erica Critchfield
Slovenia with Rea is a high-octane adventure experienced inside a European postcard. The expansive view of Vipava valley from the mountain top is much more exhilarating after a “Via Ferrata” climb and the Adriatic plunge more refreshing after biking along the sparkling coast. Slovenia itself, with its unique history, culture and food represents the best of Europe: Alps, Lakes, Canals, Churches, Coastline and Gelato all nestled around and in the sweetest villages populated by the nicest people. Rea is a terrific host, tour guide and adventurer- I highly recommend this trip!
Renee Thomas Jacobs
KAPE 