From the green forest to the barren Mt Golaki

Top highlights

• this arresting landscape is dotted with intriguing karst features, well-hidden under the lush canopies
• steep slopes offer a delicious hiking challenge
• in winter this area offers ideal conditions for winter hiking and other winter sports

Not to be missed

• easy to challenging trail; length upon arrangement
• assembly point: Nova Gorica, elsewhere in the Vipava Valley or upon arrangement
• guided day trips range from €30,00 to €90,00 per person, depending on the number of hikers and length of the hike
• advance bookings only

Tha karst plateaus Trnovo Forest and Banjšice are at the extreme northwest part of the mighty Dinaric Alps. The diverse landscape is riddled with karst phenomena and is ideal for hiking and reconnecting with pristine nature.

The start of the hike is in the idyllic grassy valley Mala Lazna situated on the Trnovo Forest Plateau. From here the trail leads to the Big Ice Cave in Paradana, with its eternal snow and ice. The cave cannot be entered as the entrance is frozen shut. However, the vestibule of the cave is cold enough to offer respite from the outside heat even in August. A pleasant forest trail takes you toward Iztokova koča mountain hut below Mt Golaki. After a slightly longer pause, we push on up the steep alpine path to Mt Mali Golaki (1495 m), which is the highest peak of the Trnovo Forest, and offers fine views in all directions, even as far as the Julian Alps and Mt Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak. In the distance lies the Primorska region. You can even make out a sliver of the Adriatic Sea.

On your way down from Mt Golaki you can return to the start in Mala Lazna and finish the hike after about four or five hours. If you are not a quitter, you can head on to the mountain hut on Mt Čaven, with a few other fascinating peaks waiting to be conquered. In this case, the hiking tour takes about 6 to 8 hours.