Exploring Slovenia

“If the point at which you immerse yourself in the river is the present, I thought, then the past is the water that has flowed past you, that which has gone downstream and where there is nothing left for you; whereas the future is the water that comes down from above, bringing dangers and surprises. The past is in the valley, the future in the mountains. Whatever destiny may be, it resides in the mountains that tower over us.” Paolo Cognetti, The Eight Mountains

We enjoyed countless mountain adventures together this past year, the same as in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and the years before that. I’ve written about our Best mountain tours of 2024, yet the list of memorable mountain tours that we had is much longer and thus my heart is filled with fond memories. Therefore, a big Thank You All for trusting us as your go-to mountain trekking and climbing Slovenian agency in 2024! 

What may have set us apart in the valley became meaningless up in the pristine raw mountains. I even dare to assume that we all strived for the same goals as we humbly approached the daring peaks together, hanging from steep walls above looming cliffs, staring dreamily at the glittering mountains as the sun sank behind them, and hiked lightly along wonderfully remote paths to the unknown. The mountains connected us and what seemed big in the valley, may it have been burdens or victories, got lost somewhere on the trail. We simply WERE and that was enough.

It has truly been a privilege sharing those moments with you! You have enriched my life and, hopefully, me and other guides of Exploring Slovenia managed to touch yours as well.

Here are a few highlights of the mountain paths that we shared in 2024. Enjoy!

As the lights on the Christmas tree are twinkling, the snow is glistening from the mountain peaks, and we are eagerly glancing at the sky not to miss the first snowflakes, our hearts fill with love and expectations. Heart-warming childhood memories rush back and we dream of the moments that we could be as free as when we were kids. Many of us have found freedom in the mountains, many in the forest near home, and many in dancing, gardening, traveling and more. Regardless of how busy our lives may be, it’s absolutely essential to keep on searching for those moments of freedom. 

Our dear co-adventurers, who like ourselves look for those moments in the mountains, here is a selection of the best pictures from Exploring Slovenia’s hiking and climbing tours in 2023. Enjoy and hopefully we’ll see each other again on the trail!

With all big celebrations behind and before we leap fully into 2023, let’s take a step back for a moment and reflect. We’ve shared many unforgettable mountain adventures together; hiked, wandered carefree on undulating trails, climbed steep walls, overcoming fears of many kinds and sweating for the same goals. We’ve enjoyed sandwiches seated on conditionally comfortable rocks, yet snugly sunk into mesmerizing views. We yelled at the top of our lungs from the top of the mountains, sharing happiness with everyone around us. We’ve admired with big Wooows the mighty Alpine ibexes as they stretched their muscular bodies in the warm sun somewhere high up in the remote rocky world. We’ve become friends, connected with an invisible thread, knitted so precisely around our hearts as only the magic of the wildest mountains can do.

There are so many mountain adventures I would love to share with you! So here are a few photos of Our 2022 to reflect the beautiful trails we’ve walked together. Enjoy!

It’s that time of year again! We are all cheering, laughing, dancing, spending time with our loved ones, cooking, baking, and making our lives a little brighter at least for a few moments. I’m sure we’ve all seen better years or at least calmer and less stressful ones, and to be honest, more joyful years, too. I’m also sure that our biggest wish this year was to return things back to normal. Funny, right? For all those wishes we usually have and the little things that bother us and wish to change, once faced with a real situation with lockdowns and social contact restrictions, normality seems like heaven. Oh, the beautiful times when I shipped the kids to school and got those 7-8 hours for calm work! Oh to all those lunches and dinners that we spent at my parents’ (without having to cook or clean afterwards!)! Oh to all crazy get-togethers with my friends! Oh to all hikes, climbs and time I spent in the real mountains!! Life is not quite the same without all that, right?!

That’s why my greatest wish this year for all of us is to appreciate and enjoy life and enjoy the little things that we still have and can’t be taken away that easily. While I keep my fingers crossed that in the months ahead things will get back to normal, I also wish that we’ve all realized what’s really important in life, what’s worth fighting for, and what’s worth keeping regardless of the restrictions. To appreciate the little things that breathe meaning into our lives. Have a great Christmas, happy holidays and an awesome New Year, and make sure you spend the special moments the way you want to! 

Here are a few highlights of my 2020…

“This is my life. The path that leads nowhere else but to another path and then again yet to another path. Endless paths. Freedom in its most perfect sense of meaning. I’m destined for freedom, so free that when among people who either love me or hate me, I remain alone. Alone with my wishes, dreams, yearnings, and alone on my endless paths.”

Same as Nejc Zaplotnik, I thrive on freedom too.

The first day of a new year is the day for making new vows, new plans, and new promises. Mine have always been simple. To stay healthy and happy.