Ljubljana Life

Searching for Adventure

Is living on the edge becoming mainstream?

by kristin pedroja, june 2006

On an easyJet flight back to Ljubljana a year ago, I found myself among a gaggle of twentysomething gentleman with excitement in their eyes and beer on their breath. “Stag weekend,” one told me, launching into grandiose plans of climbing Triglav, rafting the So~a and partying in Ljubljana during their three-and-a-half-day Slovene adventure. I gently asked if perhaps this schedule was a bit ambitious, but was quickly hush-hushed as my seatmates babbled on about their plans. “Slovenia is perfect,” the groom-to-be beamed. “There’s just so much to do.”
There goes the neighborhood. The secret has been leaking out for some time now, but instead of rambling pensioners wielding walking sticks, a new tourist is descending upon Slovenia: the adrenaline-seeker. The reasons are easy – with a manageable size and magnificent scenery, and with more adventure travel companies popping up every season and offering extreme ideas and exceptional deals, Slovenia has become a hot destination for the European adrenaline seeker.
“We’ve been in business for seven years, and each of the past three years has shown a 40% increase in guests,” says Martina Krivec, sales manager for Maya Outdoor Centre in Tolmin. Guests from as far away as Japan, Argentina and Lithuania have graced Slovenia's nature with their presence, and with more budget airlines flying to or near Slovenia, as well as easy road connections to the surrounding countries, it’s likely that this percentage will increase.
The Slovenian Tourism website lists over a dozen ’active holiday’ companies, most of which offer similar ideas for the actively-inclined among us. Numerous adventure activities are offered by most companies (see sidebar for specifics), always including pursuits for both the scared-y cats as well as adrenaline junkies.

Adventure travel
The adventure travel business nets millions per year worldwide. It seems that conventional travel just doesn’t cut it anymore. Indeed, asking people about highlights from recent travels usually yields an anecdote including some form of daring or frightening (yet self-inflicted) experience. Some participants do it once, then never again. Others catch the bug for life, going to extremes such as spending hundreds of Euros on license fees, equipment, and lessons to do things like paragliding, scuba diving, or glider flying on their own.
“Rafting in the Swiss Alps is one of the first things I tell people when I talk about my backpacking trip,” says Trista Caldwell, who spent 4 weeks backpacking Europe in 1999. “Now I go rafting at least twice every summer. It just goes along with visiting mountains – doing something to conquer them.”
Most adventure travel clients share Caldwell’s thoughts. Instead of travel for travel’s sake, more and more people are planning active holidays to make the most of their time off. Clients visiting Slovenia are eager to focus on the hills, rivers, and mountains, though their visions of ‘conquering’ differ considerably.

Defining the adventure
For the timid, a hike up the hill to Ljubljana’s castle constitutes an adventure, and rambling around Lake Bled in the sunshine has proved enough for many a visitor. But as companies, and countries, compete for tourism dollars, merely accompanying travelers on a hike just isn’t enough. “It’s good to push the tourist a bit,” says one source at a local tourism company. “Sometimes it just sounds scary. If we can assure them that the activity is safe and the guides are experienced, they’re more likely to try something new.”
And trying something new is where the big tourist bucks lie. Risky activities, such as canyoning and paragliding, tend to be at the high end of the price list. Technical activities, like climbing Triglav or ice climbing, can also be quite pricey, and rightfully so; having an experienced guide along could be a lifesaving choice. But Slovenia is still considered a cheap place for expensive thrills; the average prices of adrenaline activities here can be up to half the price of similar activities in Switzerland or Austria. Slovenia’s long winter will also contribute to the pockets of many adventure companies. “Because of so much snow this winter, we expect especially high water levels this season,” adds Krivec. “The rivers will make for amazing hydrospeed and rafting adventures.”
Though the high-adrenaline activities are often marketed to young backpackers, weary from weeks of hostels and hangovers, the trend is also pointing to the over-35s seeking a new way to spend their leisure time. This tourist segment, with more disposable income and free days to spend away from work, could be the key to keeping the adventure travel business afloat. “I don’t care where I go, but I won’t give up my annual ski holiday,” says one thirtysomething Canadian who recently spent a week snowboarding at Kranska Gora and Krvavec. Three of his last five summer vacations have included adrenaline activities, and he’s planning another visit to Slovenia in July.

Many companies
Sifting through the plethora of information at the tourism board, or on the official Slovenia travel website, can be daunting. Many companies are trying to make their mark in Slovenia. Nearly all adventure travel companies offer one-off activities as well as specialized longer holidays tailored to what the guests want. Some also offer corporate events and teambuilding exercises.
Though competition is obvious, it seems most adventure travel companies in Slovenia aren’t as cut-throat as they are in Switzerland, Colorado, or British Columbia, for example. “We all know each other and help each other out,” says one source from a Bohinj-based sports group. “We are all here for the same reason.”
Stewart James, one of three cofounders of Humanfish, based in Tr`i~, agrees. “We never wish for the mountains and nature’s environment to be oversaturated with tourism. That’s why the Slovene mountains are special.”

Slovenia is unique
There is something special about the striking peaks of Slovenia’s mountains, the color of the Sava river, and the picture-postcard views that dominate the landscape. James mentions that once a client asked if the mountains were real or man-made because they looked like a film set.
“People always find Slovenia impressive,” says Robert Logie, a Scot who has lived in Slovenia for nearly two years. “It’s easy to have people visit, because we can go skiing in the winter and do things like paragliding, hiking, or climbing in summers.” Of the sixty or so guests he and girlfriend Hannah Cockburn have hosted throughout the past two years, nearly half have returned to experience more of what Slovenia has to offer. “My cousin Henry made a comment that summed it up well. He said how fantastic it was to have a day’s skiing at Krvavec and still be back having a cup of tea at home in Glasgow at 10.30 that same evening.”
There goes the neighborhood, indeed.

Adrenaline Defined

Common definitions of Slovene adventures:
Hiking – walking along established trails
Trekking – usually involves walking uphill and overnight stays in huts
Climbing – vertical movement, usually along the face of a rock or ice
Cycling – on a bicycle, along an established, often paved trails
Mountain biking – cycling along rougher trails
Rafting – floating down a whitewater river in an inflatable boat
Snow rafting – floating down a snow-covered hillside in an inflatable boat
Canyoning – following a river through canyons, into hidden pools, and down waterfalls with the aid of a rope
Snowshoeing – walking along trails wearing snowshoes
Riverboarding/Hydrospeeding – floating down a river with a riverboard in the hands and flippers on the feet
Paragliding – jumping off the side of a hill and floating back down to earth. Always done in tandem with an instructor
Ropescourses/Adrenaline Parks – various challenging activities, such as climbing up a ten-foot pole only to balance atop it, walking a tightrope, or swinging from a starting point of 20 feet in the air, all while wearing a safety harness

Slovene Adventure Travel Companies

www.humanfish.com
www.maya-bn.si
www.pac-sports.com
www.3glav-adventures.com
www.xpoint.si