*Can be changed due to conditions or upon agreement
This tour takes you up the famous Bamberger Route, a legendary via ferrata along the western ridge of Triglav’s northern wall. The ascent is demanding and requires excellent mountaineering skills and technical knowledge. With the right equipment and our expert guide, your Triglav ferrata tour is also the most fun you’ll have in the Julian Alps. The only way is up!
The Bamberger Route via Plemenice, a plateau on the edge of the northern wall, is the crème de la crème of via ferrata routes this side of the Alps. The marked trail was secured and put into use back in 1913 by members of the Carniolan section of the German-Austrian Mountaineering Association. It was named after one of the founders and the first president of the Carniolan section, Ottmar “Otto” Bamberg. This Triglav via ferrata route is considered the most difficult Triglav ascent, not only due to its rough features, but also because there is no mountain hut to stop off at on the way, meaning the ascent has to be done in a single push.
We start our ascent from Vrata Valley, from where we first climb to Luknja. The latter may translate to “hole”, but it’s just the opposite. In fact, Luknja resides at an elevation of 1758 m. Continuing along the ridge between Vrata and Trenta, we can feel the terrain acquiring its wild high-alpine character. This is where things get interesting.
The trail soon turns into an extremely steep via ferrata – probably the best in the country. As the path is perfectly secured, the ascent along it with the use of the right equipment is completely safe. But make no mistake, this path is an adrenaline-fueled climb, which allows no room for vertigo. The trail then ascends up the spectacular western edge of the northern Triglav wall, known among alpinists simply as The Wall. Magnificent views open up, reminding us of the sheer magnitude of this natural phenomenon.
Gradually nudging towards the top, we will also have the pleasure of witnessing one of the most spellbinding scenes the Slovenian mountains have to offer: a close-up view of the Sphinx – the steepest monolith, home to the most demanding mountaineering routes in our mountains. The route then leads us to Plemenice, a grassy plateau at the top of the Wall, from where we turn around towards the south and eventually reach Triglav’s summit. The descent will take us to the Kredarica Lodge, where we will spend the night and recuperate. The next day, we will head back to our starting point in Vrata Valley, but along an easier path, via Prag. After all, the Bamberger Route demands a somewhat smoother finish. But fear not, the return journey will certainly be more than memorable!
NOTE: It can be busy up there in the summer. To ensure your spot in the lodge, we recommend booking the tour several weeks in advance, especially for the weekends. For last-minute bookings, we cannot guarantee a free spot in the lodge, but we will try our best or find the most suitable alternative for you.
We will start our tour by picking you up and driving to the beautiful Vrata valley (45min from Bled). Our meeting time depends on the forecast and time of the year and will be set a day or two before the tour. After a quick gear check, we will start walking in the forest, slowly starting to gain altitude before reaching a saddle Luknja after about 2.5h. This is where we gear up with helmets, harnesses and via ferrata sets and start climbing a very steep route. After about 2 hours of via ferrata, we reach the Plemenice Plateau from where another 2h is needed to reach the summit. After about 1.5h of descending on the other side, we enjoy a well-deserved rest and dinner at Kredarica mountain hut. The first day is long and strenuous, with no room for adjusting or shortening our route.
From Kredarica there is around 4h of descending back to the car on the second day, with some steep sections requiring some down-climbing. We usually reach the car in Vrata around midday.
