Slovenia The Karavanke Alps Singletrack Full Itinerary

These flowing trails take us through seldom explored montane forests where you’re unlikely to see another person. A final fast descent before lunch brings us to the beautiful old church of Santa Helena, situated opposite an old fashioned mountain restaurant where we stop for lunch. Sitting on the terrace, perched on the edge of a great view, we enjoy a meal of traditional smoked meats, cheeses, yoghurts, fresh salads and home made bread.

This afternoon we ride the next ridgeline trail, and it really is a stunner. There are some challenges which you might want to try over again to get them right, but everyone will enjoy this breathtaking start to the week.

The biking first brings us around the slopes of Mount Olsheva. It’s exciting in places with high-speed descents on loose tracks. You have to remind yourself to look up now and again to enjoy the views across the ridgelines to little churches perched on the hillsides, or the craggy peaks at the end of the Logarska Valley.

Lunch is taken at a little farm where everything is made on the premises. Once we’re stuffed we can blast down the long descent to the valley floor to ride across a dried riverbed then on to the sweet singletrack of the Logarska Nature trail. This pops us outright in the heart of the valley, amongst cows with jangling bells chewing on alpine pastures. Diving into a café we enjoy some cold beers in the sunshine while bikes are loaded for the drive back.

Today’s ride gets us back into ancient woodlands on some fabulous trails. There is singletrack galore with plenty of roots, shoots and thrilling descents to keep everyone interested. We stop for lunch at an impressive viewpoint – a farm where the lime tree is reputed to be over 700 years old, making it the oldest in the country. From here the descent off the ridge takes in some twisting trails which cut down through dense, natural forest and occasionally pops out into open meadows for some cracking views.

For those who want to get out for a few hours on their bikes, we’ll still be leading a ride for half of the day The route starts with a climb to the village of Motnik, a place that used to be home to hundreds of miners but is now just a tiny hamlet. These miners used to walk around the contours of the mountains to get to Crna and their track is still used today, but now by bikers. It's very narrow and hangs on the edge of the hillside so this isn’t one for the fainthearted. Just before the end, we join up with a fast, rocky descent that fires us out back on the edge of Crna village.

After a cracking meal at one of our favourite local bars we jump into the vehicle and head back up to the highest farm that we visited on day 3 (this is a great climb for those who prefer to pedal up). From here we join Jani’s Wild Ride, an amazing route through wild forests, climbing first then descending on crazy singletrack through dense undergrowth, across log bridges and onto a technical, rooty, rocky trail to the finish.

This incredible ride takes almost two hours and is led by a former miner, now trained up as an underground biking guide. You’ll be issued with a caving light to fit to your helmet and then, in small groups, we’ll head into the dark. Along the way there are places where we stop to explore the caverns and old mine workings. Its night riding but not as you’ve ever experienced it, and even though it is not technical mountain biking this unique ride is truly memorable.

Once we pop out of the mountain its time to climb up to our first singletrack of the day, the Mejitza Mine Trail. This snaking trail winds down into the ski area of the town far below, where we finally arrive at our lunchtime café stop.

This is a lot of riding already but there is more great stuff to come. While you eat lunch our staff load the bikes onto the trailer for the final ride transfer of the trip, a short drive up to the top of the White Valley. This final descent is truly breathtaking – pictures of this trail are on the cover of our brochure and have featured in the mountain bike press too, it’s that good and that scenic.