Alps and Adriatic: Additional Trip Information

Required Forms

All of our Riders are required to complete the following forms:

Please download, print and complete the forms and bring them with you to your tour starting point. (note: the waiver is legal size - if you print it on 8 1/2 x 11, it will take two pages)

Arrival and Departure Airport

You should fly into and out of Ljubljana Airport (LJU). There are two alternatives, should you be unable to find a suitable (or affordable) flight to Ljubljana. Please note, you will need to make your own way to Ljubljana airport or our downtown hotel for one of our pickup times.

Zagreb: code ZAG, about 3 hours by train to Ljubljana

Venice: code VCE, about 5 hours by train to Ljubljana.

Please read the pickup/dropoff information below to find a suitable flight.

Please note: We do not book international flights for our clients. Please contact your local travel agent for information on booking flights for this trip.

Pickup & Drop-off Information

Pickup (see the schedule page for exact dates for pickup)

We have two scheduled pickups on this trip. If you are arriving early and will not be staying at the Hotel Park, you will need to get to either the Hotel Park or the airport on your own in order to join one of the two scheduled pickups below:

1) 3 pm: Hotel Park, downtown Ljubljana (for Riders arriving early and spending the night in Ljubljana - see below for more information if you need to make a booking)
2) 4 pm: Ljubljana Airport, at the bar in the airport lobby

Dropoff (see the schedule page for dropoff dates)

We will be leaving Rovinj on the morning of the last day of the trip and arriving in Ljubljana as follows:

1) 1 pm: Ljubljana Airport, departures area
2) 2 pm: Hotel Park, downtown Ljubljana (for Riders arriving early and spending the night in Ljubljana - see below for more information if you need to make a booking)

Extending your trip

There are a few options for extending your trip:

1) Spending extra nights on the Adriatic sea in Rovinj, Croatia: To book extra nights at the Mareonda Apartments, please call them at +385-52-811-418 or email them with your dates.

2) Spend a few days in Ljubljana: Ljubljana is a beautiful, old city and the capital of Slovenia. Book extra nights either before or after the trip at the Hotel Park by calling +386 1 300 2 500, email them with your dates, or make your booking online (click on the British flag at the top left to convert the text to English)

If you want information on other places to visit and things to see in Slovenia and Croatia please visit the following websites:

Slovenian tourism website

Istria Tourism website

Trip Cancellations

You may cancel your reservation with no penalty within 7 days of booking. After the first week, our cancellation policy is as follows:

-60 days notice or more: $250 cancellation fee per person, or $100 transfer fee if you transfer to another trip
-30-60 days notice: $500 cancellation fee per person, or $250 transfer fee if you transfer to another trip
-less than 30 days notice: the full trip price is forfeited.

Please note that our cancellation policy is strict, and we ask that you do not request an exception to our policy. For this reason we strongly urge you to purchase affordable trip cancellation insurance.

Travelling with your bike

If you've never traveled with your bike, don't worry - it's much easier than you think! If you don't have a case for your bike, then you can pick up a cardboard travel box for your bike at your local store. Some stores will also pack your bike up for you for a fee.

Alternately, if you are planning on traveling with your bike more than just this one time, we sell travel bags for bikes, handmade by Pikapackworks. These travel bags are specially made for bikes and can often go on flights without having to pay the extra charges incurred by cardboard boxes or hard cases. The bags cost $395, including shipping withing North America. Click here for more information on our bags.

Bike Rentals

We offer Rocky Mountain Hard Rock front-suspension mountain bikes for rent. Price is $300 Cdn for the duration of the trip. This can be booked online when making your booking, or added afterwards.

What type of bike should you bring?

We recommend you bring a solid all-mountain bike with you on this trip, with at least 4-5" of travel, and no heavier than 30 pounds since there are several long climbs. A bike with at least 2 rings up front is recommended.

Spare Parts for your Bike

Although there are some parts available locally, we recommend you bring the following parts with you to avoid problems in case of breakdown or broken parts:

rear derailleur hanger (at least 1, preferably 2)
front and rear brake pads
extra chain if your chain is more than 6 months old
4 tubes
4 extra spokes
shock pump

Weather and Clothing

The weather in the Slovenian mountains can be quite cool, especially in the evenings, with lows between 10 and 18 degrees Celsius, so we recommend you bring long pants and a jacket for the evenings. Daytime highs are usually quite warm, especially in the Istrian region of Croatia.

Although rain is rare in the summer months, it isn't unheard of, so we recommend you bring some sort of rain gear or shell.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance, including emergency evacuation coverage, is compulsory for all our tours. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance that includes cancellation protection so that you will be covered in the event that you are unable to attend our tour (due to injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstances) or in the unlikely event that our tour must be cancelled.

You can purchase discounted comprehensive insurance from World Nomads directly via our site at our insurance page.

Passports & Visas

All travelers require a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity). Citizens of some countries will also require a visa.

For more information, visit the World Travel Guide pages for Slovenia and Croatia.

Emergency Contacts

If you need to contact us in an emergency, you can reach us during office hours at the following numbers:

Dialing within North America: 1 (888) 423-7849
Dialing outside of North America: +1 (647) 999-7955
If you feel that you need to contact us outside of office hours, our Slovenian operations manager Dixi Strucl can be contacted at +386 2 870 30 60.

If you do not receive an immediate answer when calling the above numbers, please leave us a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Food

We take care to select restaurants that are well-regarded for their cleanliness, in order to avoid food-borne illness. We also supply you with bottled water for drinking for the duration of your trip. However, there is always some risk of contracting a food-borne illness when traveling in a developing country.

Fitness Requirements

You should have a moderately high level of fitness and be able to bike for up to four hours a day in order to fully enjoy the spectacular scenery and riding on this trip. This is one of our most challenging trips, and you need to be prepared.

We recommend you train in advance of this trip, in order to get the most out of this trip. We have partnered with Fit for Trips to develop customized training programs for you in advance of your trip. We recommend beginning your training at least 2 months prior to your trip. For more information, please visit the Sacred Rides page at Fit for Trips.

Safety & Security

Slovenia and Croatia are both safe countries, however certain precautions should be followed, as with all foreign travel. To maximize your safety during our tours you should exercise common sense and caution at all times. We recommend that you always stick to set travel arrangements, and avoid unknown areas. We also recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and that you keep valuable items safely stored. Always keep a copy of your passport, airline tickets, travelers checks and credit card numbers separate from where you keep the originals.

Meals

On this trip, all breakfasts and lunches, as well as some dinners, are included in the trip price. Other dinners are taken in local restaurants. You should budget $15-20 CAD per dinner (depending on the quality of restaurants you choose).

Other expenses

Other expenses include souvenirs, alcoholic beverages, and optional activities such as massage. The best way to pay for these services is to withdraw money from an ATM in Slovenia or Croatia (which are widely available) - you can withdraw local money (Euros in Slovenia or Kunas in Croatia) and will usually be charged the best rate by your bank at home.

Local Money

The Slovenian currency is the Euro. Check here for current exchange rates.

The Croatian currency is the Kuna. the Quetzal. Check here for current exchange rates.

n.b.: Euros can be easily exchanged for Kunas at the Croatian border or anywhere in Istria.

Tipping

Gratuities of 10-15% are common in Slovenia and Croatia. We encourage you to tip your guides if you feel you have received excellent service and have had an enjoyable trip. A typical gratuity $20 - $100 per guide.

Our Guarantee

We're so sure you'll have an amazing time on this trip that we're offering a satisfaction guarantee. View more information about our guarantee.