Ride through Unspoiled Nature and Discover the Hidden Treasures of Slovenia ~ SOLD OUT.

To get on my waiting list, just email me here: joyrides.dgo@gmail.com

Ride a horse or ride a bike on the scenic Karst Plateau of Slovenia with its wide open landscapes and natural wonders. If we get lucky we might even see this regions “disappearing lakes”.

We’ll spend our days riding through diverse terrains of forests, hills, farms and small towns. We will discover ancient caves, churches and castles and visit the hideout of Slovenian Robin Hood. After a full day of exploring, we’ll spend the evenings at small inns, indulging in the local food and drink and we might even catch one of the local mens’ singing groups practicing in the bar.

This is a half progressive/half stationary ride, meaning we’ll be staying at different places most nights, which gives us an incredibly unique opportunity to see a large part of the country that we would never get to experience as a typical tourist. This is a complete off-the-beaten-path adventure!

October 3rd-12th, 2024

  • Imagine strolling along the cobblestone streets of Ljubljana, riding the funicular to the castle above, gazing at the the emerald green river and the red rooftops below and discovering the treasures of one of the oldest cities in Europe.

  • Picture riding your trusty horse or peddling your mountain bike through the valleys and hills of unspoiled Slovenia, cantering or riding past castles, ambling through forests and splashing through creeks in countryside that is rarely visited by tourist.

  • Envision a carefree vacation where you don’t have to make any decisions or plan anything: healthy meals prepared just for you with local foods, drinks and ambience, horse and bike routes chosen for the best and least visited places, accommodations in off-the-beaten-path inns all equal an adventure of a lifetime where all you have to do is show up and have fun.

Trip Highlights

  • 2 nights in Ljubljana, one of Europe’s smallest and quaintest capitals cities. Visit the castle, enjoy an early morning market, stroll along the Ljubljanica River and immerse yourself in the rich culture and history of Slovenia

  • 6 nights in the bucolic countryside as we journey through wild landscapes and long ago cultures on this diverse progressive trip with local guides and fellow adventure travel enthusiasts

  • 1 full day and night in Piran, the jewel of coastal Slovenia.  Italy is within sight and many of the influences here feel very much Italian.  Especially the gelato!

  • Leave the crowds behind with a trip designed for people who are passionate about horses, biking, natural beauty, wide open spaces and small group travel

  • Go deep in the earth on a magical tour of the Škocjan Caves, a real life “Lord of the Rings” underground river and cave system

  • Spend the evenings with local hosts who prepare our meals and provide a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. Mingle with other travelers or maybe take a stroll through the tiny towns

Trip Includes

  • All guided horse and biking activities, in-house meals, travel and accommodations while together in Slovenia

  • Adventure and cultural activities including a visit to the ancient castle of Ljubljana, a trip to the Škocjan Caves, and a day at the Adriatic coast

  • Riding guidance, mindfulness activities and complete trip support while together at the barn and on the trails

  • 3 coaching calls prior to our trip to discuss what you hope to discover and gain from the adventure

  • 1 follow up phone call after our trip to continue the process of self-discovery and mindful living

  • 9 days and 9 nights of pure off the beaten path Slovenian culture, including two evenings in Ljubljana upon arrival. I will also be happy to provide my personal guidance on organizing travel plans to and from the country. Once we meet up at the designated time and place, all of your travel needs will be taken care of

The Horses, The Bikes, The Food, The Accommodations

Your trail partner will be an Icelandic, Quarter Horse or Warm-blood. All horses are well-trained and relaxed with a forward going style. They are well suited for the varied terrain and very experienced on the trail. Get ready for your steady partner to bring you on in journey in mind, body and soul! Your bikes will be high quality mountain bikes. You can choose between a full suspension, hardtail or e-bike.

During the trail you will stay at a different location every day; with simple and clean accommodations. All of your hosts are friendly locals who like to share a story and a laugh.

First night and the last night at turist farm Požar. Second night at B&B Trnje with your hosts Lisa and Zvone who are also international judges for competitions of Icelandic Horses. Third night at in the newly built Lipizzaner Lodge in Landol with hosts Hana and Cris who came to live and work here from England. The fourth night at Farm Volk in Suhorje where, weather permitting, you can experience sleeping on the hay. They are proud breeders of Appaloosa Horses. If the hay is too much for you we can arrange sleeping in a bed in the nearby village.

Breakfast and dinner are typically taken at the place where we will start or finish the day. Breakfast is buffet style with an assortment of breads, home-made jams, cheese, honey, yoghurt and cereals, with tea and coffee. Lunches are taken in different locations and usually in pubs offering delicious homemade food. Most of the meals will include meat but it is possible to arrange vegetarian meals with advance notice. Lunches include delicious local wine.

Riding and Fitness Level

Horse skills: intermediate through advanced. You need to be comfortable in walk, trot and canter and be able to control your horse in all gaits when not in a nose-to-tail line. We will do some extended canters on the trail, as well as some hill work, so if you have a weak back or core, we highly recommend to start a workout routine several months prior to the trip to strengthen these areas. Also, to make the trip the best possible experience for you, we recommend that you ride at least one to two days per week starting two or more months prior to the trip, just to get your derrière and riding muscles ready to spend some hours in the saddle.

If you haven’t ridden for awhile and are a lower intermediate rider, for maximum enjoyment of the experience, you can still prepare by taking 8 or more riding lessons before joining me on this trip. Bike skills: while most of the routes are not technical, there will be hilly terrain throughout the trip with a distance of 35-40 km a day. The majority of the routes will be forest service roads and very lightly travelled paved roads through the countryside and local towns.

***While we all do our best to stick to exact itineraries, sometimes changes are inevitable and flexibility is key!

We will be doing some light walking and exploring each day. To make your trip more enjoyable, we suggest that you have a walking/light workout routine 3-4 weeks prior to the trip.

Please fill out all liability and release forms 4 weeks prior to the trip and return them to Joy Rides Coaching at joyrides.dgo@gmail.com. If you are unable to download them from this site and fill them out online, please contact staff to get copies via mail.

  • Cost: Early bird pricing from now until December 31st, 2023 – $5600. Regular pricing after January 1st, 2024- $6000

  • $1000 will reserve your spot and payments plans are tailored to individual needs.

  • *All prices are based on double occupancy. Single occupancy rates may be available upon request for an additional fee. Airfare and restaurant meals are not included.

Cancellation policy:

If you have to cancel, costs are fully refundable (less deposit) up to 120 days before the start of the trip. Between 60 and 120 days before the trip, 50% of the costs are refundable, less a 3% credit card fee.  If you have to cancel 30-60 days before the trip, the costs are nonrefundable, but are transferable to another person. The trip deposits are nonrefundable. However, this deposit amount may be transferred to another excursion is space is available.


Trip payment options