and national Alpine Clubs with reciprocal rights, gives a substantial discount for accommodation but not food. It is cheaper to sleep in the dormitory (skupna ležišča) than in a room (soba) – price details can be found on the the Slovene Alpine Club’s website (www.pzs.si); click the tab Koče in poti and then Cene in popusti v kočah to find tables for accommodation and meals – član means member.
A typical planina farmstead that offers delicious home-cooked food (Walk 18)
Opening hours
Shop opening hours are long in Slovenia, from early in the morning until 6 or 7pm, with no break for lunch. At weekends, most shops are open on Saturday mornings only, although they may be open for longer during the main tourist seasons. Some supermarkets are open on Sunday mornings. Post offices usually keep shop hours during the week and Saturday mornings.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Most shops and banks will be closed on the following days:
Jan 1 and 2 (New Year)
Feb 8 (France Prešeren Day – national poet of Slovenia)
Easter Monday
April 27 (Insurrection Day)
May 1 and 2 (Labour Days)
June 25 (National Day)
August 15 (Assumption Day)
October 31 (Reformation Day)
November 1 (All Saints’ Day)
December 25 (Christmas Day)
December 26 (Independence Day)
Communications
Slovenia has one of the highest rates of mobile phone ownership in Europe, and various networks serve both the local population and visitors. Coverage is high even in mountain areas, but you may lose the signal in dense forest or in certain locations – this is more common in the Karavanke which are not so frequented as the Julian Alps. The international prefix for Slovenia is +386. The emergency services number is 112 and the police number is 113.
Internet access is increasingly available in hotels and cafés.
Slovenia is in the CET zone (Central European Time), which is one hour ahead of GMT.
Health and hazards
Slovenia is generally a healthy place to be, but as with any foreign travel situation, it pays to plan ahead. No specific vaccinations are required for the short-term visitor, but it is as well to make sure that routine vaccinations such as polio and tetanus are up to date. Tap water is safe to drink throughout the country.
EU citizens should carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) at all times, then medical care should be free at source (those from the UK should see www.ehic.org.uk). Travel insurance is a sensible precaution for anyone travelling outside their own country. Visitors from outside Europe will need medical insurance; check to see if your travel insurance covers you for mountain activities.
Medical services
Small towns have a medical centre where GPs and dentists are based, while larger centres have a hospital; specialists are based in Ljubljana. The pharmacy is lekarna in Slovene, and is identified by a green cross. In the lekarna you will need to ask for what you require, rather than helping yourself from the shelf, but pharmacists usually speak at least some English and are very helpful. Basic medical supplies, like painkillers and plasters, are not available in supermarkets.
Hazards
There are few hazards in Slovenia, but one to mention here is the tick. In Slovenia they can carry not only Lyme’s disease, a nasty infectious illness, but also encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain which can be very serious indeed. They thrive in grassy areas and meadows on the edge of forests – fortunately they are less common the higher you go. If you find one attached, use tweezers to pull it out from as close to the skin as possible to make sure you remove the head as well as the body. Pulling from the rear of the tick carries a risk of leaving the head in situ, increasing the possibility of infection. If a rash develops around the site of the bite, consult a doctor.
There are few other biting creatures; mosquitoes are easily kept at bay with insect repellent. Snakes are common in mountain areas of Slovenia, particularly the adder, but there are no deadly ones and they pose little threat to walkers as they usually seek cover as soon as they sense danger.
Fitness
There is no doubt that, with any mountaineering holiday, it pays to get fit before you go. This applies even more in the case of multi-day treks, as there is little or no possibility of recovery before the next day looms, and stiff legs one day can be agony the next. There is no better way to get fit for walking than to walk, but there are many other possibilities, including cycling, gym workouts and jogging.
MOUNTAIN SAFETY
Check the weather forecast before you go
Study the route details beforehand, and make sure you have enough time to safely complete it
Carry enough food and liquid
Leave details of your planned route and expected time of return with a responsible person
Carry first aid equipment
Carry map and compass and know how to use them
Avoid dislodging rocks and stones – people may be below you
If in doubt, do not be afraid to turn back to shelter – but do not forget to tell people who may be expecting you elsewhere
Know the International Distress Signal – six blasts on a whistle (or torch flashes at night); the answer is three signals
In case of accident call the emergency number 112
Check your travel insurance covers what you are planning to do
Do your best to protect the fragile mountain environment
Mountain rescue
In case of an accident call the 112 emergency number; much of the area is covered by mobile phone networks. Unusually for the Alps, mountain rescue is free in Slovenia unless you are shown to have been ill-prepared or unduly negligent, in which case charges can be fearsome. Mountain rescue teams are extremely well organised. There is a network of 17 bases around Slovenia, and a helicopter, with an experienced team on board, is on duty at the airport in Brnik every weekend from June to September. Its response time is 1hr 30min on average. The box shows the signals required when contacting a helicopter pilot from the ground.
The
