Der Grüne Karst

8 days of unforgetable experiences in company with the locals

8 DAYS OF EXPERIENCES IN THE COMPANY OF TOP EXPERTS

SLOVENIA: GREEN KARST; PART OF THE DINARIC KARST

 

Let the guides lead you from the secrets of the friendly surface to the surprising depths

This is a unique programme where you will acquire knowledge and skills in karstology, speleology, ornithology, Scouting, coexistence with wild beasts, hiking and outdoor survival.

We start our journey in a karst cave underneath the surface and finish it atop the highest peak of the Green Karst, Mt. Snežnik (1796 m), where the view extends as far as the sea. The stops in-between will allow us to uncover the miracles of nature and the life teeming within it. We will eventually leave the wild and return to civilisation, visiting the biggest tourist attractions of the Karst, which were created by nature and complemented by human creativity.

 

Programme day by day – 8D/7N

Day 1: Postojna – Karst Museum

ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE AND GAINING RESPECT FOR THE KARST

Karst is so special that karstology became its own branch of science, which was born in this windswept region. During our visit to the Karst Museum, we will be learning about the secrets and mechanisms of the formation of karst phenomena, the splendour of the subterranean world, the richness of the flora and fauna, and the coexistence of people with this unique landscape. This new-found knowledge and respect for its extraordinariness on a global scale will transform your exploration of the Karst in the following days into a one of a kind experience! We start our programme in the afternoon by visiting the Karst Museum with an expert guide, which will be followed by an introductory dinner.

 

DAY 2: Križna Cave, Lake Cerknica (Notranjska Regional Park)

BOATING IN THE UNDERGROUND AND DISCOVERING MAGNIFICENT LAKES

Just like real cavers with a lamp and a boat, we will venture into the world of the mysterious, emerald subterranean lakes adorned with a lace of stone. An expertly guided tour of Križna Cave lasts 4 hours and includes rowing across cave lakes, examining bones of cave bears and enjoying a rest in the underground. We will then emerge from the darkness into the sun and visit the mysterious seasonal Lake Cerknica. First, we will examine it from a horse-drawn hay cart or bike. We will also visit the Jezerski hram museum and observe the dynamic of the lake on a live model, experience the many different stages of the lake in all seasons in a multimedia presentation, learn about the construction of a special lake boat – drevak, and make our own wooden skates.

 

DAY 3: Lake Cerknica, Rakov Škocjan (Notranjska Regional Park)

RECOGNISING BIRDS, FISH AND THE PECULIARITIES OF THE KARST LANDSCAPE

A lake can be a meadow full of rare and special flowers today and a big body of water full of various fish tomorrow. We will travel across it in a drevak, made from the trunks of century-old fir trees, created specifically for this magical lake. Locals and fishermen will help us learn about the ancient and modern fishing techniques and will tell us beautiful and scary stories about the lake. If you go fishing, you might catch a pike, the biggest freshwater predator. We will observe birds through the swaying fields of reeds as the lake represents an ornithological treasure trove on a global scale. The locals will invite us into the Heritage House where we will learn the trades of blacksmithing and flax processing. The guide will also take us to Rakov Škocjan – a picturesque karst valley where we will stroll across the Big Natural Bridge and descend under the arch of the Small Natural Bridge.

 

DAY 4: Pivka, Seasonal Lakes of Pivka, Mašun Forest

DISCOVERING ANIMAL TRACKS AND GETTING READY TO MEET THE BEAR

From the very beginning, humans were hunters-gatherers. Deep down, we still have our primal instincts. Follow the call of the wild inside of you and spend the day with a forester and hunter in the vast Snežnik forests. We will take a guided tour in the new DINA Center and familiarise ourselves with the three remaining wild beasts of the Dinaric Alps (the wolf, the lynx and the brown bear), we will learn to recognise animal tracks in the Ecomuseum of the Seasonal Lakes of Pivka, we will watch a movie about forests and wild beasts in the Mašun Forest House and we will go for a hike along the education trail in order to learn even more about the forest and prepare for our most exciting experience of the day – observing the brown bear in its natural habitat.

 

DAY 5: Mašun Forest, Sviščaki, Snežnik hiking trail

SPEND THE DAY IN THE PRIMEVAL FOREST AND GET A VIEW OF THE ADRIATIC SEA

This day is all about hiking. A guide will lead us from Mašun across the vast Snežnik forests to the edge of the millennial primeval beech forest, which is inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. We will then ascend above the tree line across the blossoming slopes to the top of mighty Snežnik (1796 m). We will be rewarded with a view of the beautiful blue waters of the Adriatic Sea. We will meet the caretaker of the hut and spend the night there, between the millennial forest, starry sky and the infinite sea. Early in the morning, we will be greeted by the sun, which will rise deep underneath us.

 

DAY 6: descent from Mt. Snežnik, Leskova dolina, Snežnik Castle

DESCEND INTO THE VALLEY AND RELAX IN THE COMFORT OF THE CASTLE

Like a mighty and elegant guard, Snežnik Castle has stood proudly in the middle of the vast forests surrounded by two small lakes and a park for centuries. This idyllic and romantic castle with an authentic interior will be where we learn about another story of nature, the preservation of the Snežnik forests and the development of forestry skills. The guided tour of the castle’s chambers and estate will be full of stories of the last princely family to live in this hunting manor and their responsible attitude towards nature. You will learn why the lords of the castle made hunting rare animals illegal long ago, why they supported the foundation of the first Slovenian forestry school and their introduction of a steam-powered sawmill, which sparked the beginning of wood industry in the valley.

 

When you retire to your forest hut in the evening and lay down to rest, you will not miss the luxury of the castle.

 

DAY 7: Postojna Cave/Predjama Castle/Škocjan Caves/Lipica Stud Farm

PICK YOUR KARST ATTRACTION AND EXPERIENCE IT WITH NEW KNOWLEDGE AND RESPECT

After breakfast, you will have free time for your preferred activities or the option to go on one of the OPTIONAL TRIPS (programme includes two out of four attractions)

• Postojna Cave: most visited karst cave in Europe with an underground train system that has been in operation for more than 140 years;
• Predjama Castle: the largest cave castle in the world, ranked among the ten best European castles you can visit;
• Škocjan Caves Park: UNESCO Heritage, cave with the deepest and largest underground canyon in the world;
• Lipica Stud Farm: the oldest stud farm in Europe breeding a single breed of horses without interruption from 1580!

 

DAY 8: depart for home or continue the journey to Gorski Kotar  – EXPLORE THE WONDERNATURE CROATIA – GORSKI KOTAR (B)

 

Price: 3,100 EUR/per person

 

What is included in the price?

• All transfers according to the programme with a van (8+1, AC)
• Return airport transfer on arrival/departure (up to 200 km) to the destination
• Sightseeing and experiences according to the programme
• English speaking local guide/driver who will accompany the guests throughout the tour
• English speaking experts at individual attractions (curator, caver, forester, hunter, fisherman, mountain guide, cart driver...)
• 7 x overnight with breakfast (type of accommodation: farm stay, pension, forest hut, mountain hut)
• 5 x lunch in a restaurant or packed lunch or outdoor catering
• 7 x dinner in a restaurant, farm stay or mountain hut
• VAT, tourist tax, travel insurance

 

What is not included in the price?

• Airline ticket
• Trip cancellation insurance

 

Group Size: 2-8 people

The programme is modular (8-day package or individual days of your choice)

The programme is available all year round. Between October and April, some outdoor activities are adapted to the weather conditions. The best time to do the trip is May-June and September-October.

Info

DMC GREEN KARST

RRA Zeleni kras d.o.o.

Prečna ulica 1, SI-6257 Pivka

Slovenija

T +386 5 721 246

www.zelenikra.si, info@zelenikras.si

T: +386 5 721 246
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