Sept 4-9 Slovenia 1: Julian Alps; Soca Emerald Trail; Bovec Water Activity

We would like to stress at this stage, anyone booking and paying for future events that have to be cancelled due to COVID will continue to receive the option for a full refund or the option to transfer the funds for another event.
We have been going to this destination since 2012.

Click this link to see the reviews & photos (https://www.meetup.com/AAA-London-Group/events/63919772/)from our previous trips.

Here are some photos on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pg/AAALondonGroup/photos/?tab=album&album_id=743195265880767)

Slovenia is a tiny country, about half the size of Switzerland and counts just over two million people. But the only way to describe pint-sized Slovenia, an independent republic bordering Italy, Austria, Hungary, Croatia and the Adriatic Sea, is that it's 'a mouse that roars'.

If you sign up for both Slovenia Trips: 1 and 2, you will have one night B&B ****hotel accommodation for free + transport in between for free!

Most of the photos below were taken during our past trips in Slovenia.
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Slovenia has been dubbed a lot of things since independence in 1991 - 'Europe in Miniature', 'The Sunny Side of the Alps', 'The Green Piece of Europe - and, though they may sound like tourist-brochure blurbs, they are all true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9vUyVyQyok

Nestled between Austria and Italy, Slovenia is a superb hiking destination, from the ridgetop trails that cross the snow-capped Julian Alps to the outrageously picturesque Logarska Dolina, a stunning glacier-carved valley flanked by the sheer peaks of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps.
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It is all about immersing yourself in a scenery of incredible natural beauty.

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There are many different routes in Bovec area, most of them have been hiked by the group in previous years, some of them starting in Italy and hiking back to Slovenia but there are still more trails to discover.

You may go scrambling with the challenging team and experienced leader.
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You may also follow the pleasant and fairly easy Trenta/Soca Emerald trail and check out pure water of Soca river.

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Here is a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlOIC07t29Q) nicely presenting this amazing country.

The Triglav National Park, the only national park in Slovenia, lies in the immediate vicinity of Bled. It comprises one of the most beautiful and attractive areas of Slovenia, almost the entire Slovenian part of the Julian Alps. The territory of the National Park is very picturesque and varied. The highest mountain in Slovenia, Triglav (2864 m), after which the park was named, lies in its centre. From Triglav, deep and sharply cut valleys, mainly of glacial origin, open on all sides in the form of a fan.
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During this trip, we will be based in Bovec town in the Soca river valley. Bovec is very close to the Italian border, this is why some of the hikes may start in Italy. We plan to finish the trip with lunch in the Italian mountain hut.

The region of the Soča Valley (Posočje) stretches from Triglav National Park to Nova Gorica. Its most dominant feature is the 136km Soča River, which can widen to 500m and narrow to less than a metre but always stays a deep, almost unreal aquamarine colour. The valley has more than its share of historical sights, but most people come here for rafting, hiking and skiing.

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Deeply carved into the white limestone of the magnificent Julian Alps is the Soča Valley. It is a valley of wonderful colours, full of waterfalls, pools, ravines and canyons, with its own distinct flora and fauna. The impossibly blue-green River Soča flows over white gravel and through this fairy-tale valley. The Emerald Trail follows the river in the most amazing places.
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WATER ACTIVITIES

The town of Bovec offers world-class adventure sports, great for the adrenaline junkie. We may arrange this on our arrival. Last year we had great time rafting down the river Soča, which is known to be among the most beautiful rivers in Europe.
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We plan to visit and hike in all the above places, the trip will also involve some optional activities: Rafting, Canyoning, Kayaking, Zipwiring and many more. We can not tell you a day to day agenda at this stage because it always depends on the weather conditions.
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HIKING

There will be at least 2-3 experienced hike leaders on this trip plus we have a local guide - Nejc who has been guiding our group for the last 7 years if we need we may split a group into 2-3 smaller groups so members can choose a hike according to their fitness and abilities!
But we can tell you one thing, you will remember this holiday forever.
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PRICE OF £529 INCLUDES:

• 5 nights 3-star hotel accommodation in twin rooms (free WiFi),

• all meals: 5 (buffet) breakfasts and 3 dinners (buffet) in the hotel restaurant, (except 5 lunches & 2 dinners),

• all transport on the local coach,

• Financial Consumer Protection according to Package Holidays and Tours Regulations 1992,

• and guided hikes by Mountain Leader trained at Plas Y Brenin ( The National Mountain Centre http://www.pyb.co.uk/... (http://www.pyb.co.uk/)) ) guides, and certified First Aiders.

(You can have a single room for £130 extra, please contact us).

The price does not include flights, any activities (around 40-70 each) and 5 lunches (8-10), 2 dinners when we will go out to try some local cuisine.
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ONLY PAYMENT CONFIRMS YOUR RSVP!!!

After you RSVP yes, to secure your place you will need to make a bank transfer of £529 to

Account Name: AAA LG
Sort Code 60-09-02
Account 69543038

Please, make sure you have got your name as a reference as on your profile on Meetup (to avoid misunderstanding) in your payment so I will be able to recognize it as yours. ALSO, DROP A LINE TO aaalondon.meetup@yahoo.co.uk WHEN YOU HAVE TRANSFERRED FUNDS PLEASE

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Airport Transfers will be organised for the recommended flights.

London (Heathrow) to Venice (Venice)

Fri 4 Sep

15:35 LHR - 18:50 VCE
Operated by: British Airways

Venice (Venice) to London (Heathrow)

Wed 9 Sep

18:10 VCE - 19:30 LHR
Operated by: British Airways

Economy Plus 1 x 23kg checked bag included

£107.04 return, on 14.08.20

or

one way EZY8421 Fri 4th Sep
Gatwick 07:05 Ljubljana 10:15
£103

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Conditions: You will need to have travel insurance and provide details before travel. It is strongly recommended to have this in place at the time of paying the deposit or the flight.

Visa: Please check with the Slovenian Embassy if you need a visa to travel there. It is your responsibility to obtain all necessary travel documents, including visa. It is also essential that you take out travel insurance that covers hiking activities up to 3000 meters.

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If you have signed up to the event you acknowledge the AAA London Group Terms and Conditions. (https://www.meetup.com/AAA-London-Group/pages/AAA_London_Group_Terms_and_Conditions/)

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Safety is always paramount with AAA London Group!

All participants (members and their guests) on any AAA London Group walk or activity are personally responsible for their own fitness, safety and welfare and must be equipped accordingly.

Everyone in the group has to obtain appropriate insurance.
The BMC: http://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/insurance/Policies.aspx
offer excellent policies for all outdoor enthusiasts at competitive rates.
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Errors and Omissions Excepted