Fly Water Travel is proud to offer a unique and exclusive array of custom tours in the remarkable nation of Slovenia. The tiny nation of Slovenia (which borders Croatia, Italy, Austria and Hungary) showcases the grandeur of the Swiss Alps, the quaint charm of Tuscany's wine country and crystal clear trout streams that rival New Zealand's finest. Moreover, this small, exceedingly safe country of 2 million is among the most progressive, well-educated and greenest in the EU where the majority of the population speaks impeccable English. Slovenia is not only a mecca for fly fishers but also for foodies, wine enthusiast, cyclists, boaters, hikers, skiers and climbers.

Together with our in-country partner, Fly Water Travel now offers some of the greatest custom couples tours imaginable. These trips are perfectly suited to groups of two to six guests but larger groups are easily accommodated. All you need to do is let us know the desired dates and duration of your trip, how many days the angling contingent might like to fish, the nature of the guided activities for those that will not be donning waders, and from there we will help design a custom trip that will show you the best of what this remarkable little country has to offer. Your head guide/driver will pick your group up at the airport and every detail will be taken care of from that point forward.

While these trips are most popular for couples and families, they can also be built for serious anglers who want to fish hard every day. The county offers countless rivers and regions with excellent sight fishing for rainbow, brown and indigenous marble trout, as well as native grayling. Come experience the wonders of our new favorite country before the rest of the world catches on!

Fly Water Slovenia Location: Slovenia borders Croatia to the south, Italy to the west, Austria to the north and Hungary to the east. Many of our most popular tours focus on the northwestern region and include the Julian Alps, the Soca River Valley, and the western wine country.

Fly Water Slovenia has great many angling options, the vast majority of which are walk and wade opportunities. There are also some great float-tubing options where, at specific times of the year, guests can target large wild fish. Slovenia is known for excellent sight fishing and their rivers tend to all be under special regulations. In most cases, rivers are single fly only and some rivers do not allow the use of additional weight or strike indicators. Where our guest will fish will depend on the dates of their trip and the nature of their trip as well as their preferences and abilities.

Fly Water Slovenia is plugged into a vast network of fine hotels, boutique inns, and restaurants. Broadly speaking, the accommodations are very nice and the dining experiences tend to be exceptional. When working out the foundation of your custom trip please be sure to let us know how much emphasis to place on meals, accommodations and or wine tastings. In some cases, somewhat simpler meals and accommodations can be arranged to pair with trips that are solely focused on fishing, but generally speaking, these trips are of the highest quality. For guests particularly fond of fine dining experiences, a night at the world-renowned Hiša Franko can often be arranged with advance notice. If you are looking for a budget tour of the country with the most simple meals and accommodations, this program will not be a good match.

Fly Water Slovenia is a program ideally suited to groups with a broad range of interests and travelers who elect not to fish will find an endless array of thoughtfully guided activities to enjoy. Our partner in Slovenia is very well connected and can arrange for all of the following:

• City tours of Ljubljana
• Walking tours of villages
• Lite hiking to waterfalls and other points of natural interest
• Longer hikes in the Alps and other mountain ranges
• Cooking classes
• Road biking
• Mountain biking
• Whitewater boating
• Tours of numerous WWI sites and museums
• Winery tours with tastings
• Canyoneering
• Via Ferrata climbing
• Resort and off-piste skiing/snowboarding
• Winter fly fishing for huchen

2024 Rates: Per person based on double occupancy

Custom packages, rates average $1,000 to $1,500 per day

Included: Meals and accommodations as per itinerary, limited beer and wine, all in country transportation, all activities per itinerary, all guided activities, fishing licenses, tourist tax, waders, boots, rods, reels, flies and all terminal tackle

Not Included: International airfare and airport taxes, meals and wine pairings not listed on the itinerary, gratuities

Species: Rainbow trout, brown trout, marble trout, and grayling

Season: Year-round with the best fishing occurring in May-June and September-October.

Capacity: Parties of 2-6 are most popular but larger groups can be accommodated.

Who is best suited to this destination? These custom trips can accommodate an exceedingly wide range of group types including couples, families, hardened anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. Likewise, they can be tailored for all physical abilities. Anyone who likes and respects nature and the outdoors will fall in love with Slovenia.

Where is the lodge? Guests stay in a variety of boutique hotels throughout Slovenia. The majority of the angling and other tours are based out of villages and major cities including Ljubljana, Bled, Bovec, and the Nova Gorica area.

How do I get there? Guests will need to fly to Ljubljana (LJU) where they will be met by their Slovenian travel guide. Guests may also choose to travel through Trieste (TRS) or Venice (VCE), Italy, Vienna (VIE), Austria or Zagreb (ZAG), Croatia.

When should I go? There are five different fishing / touring seasons in Slovenia:

Pre-season: The pre-season runs from the beginning of April through the first few weeks of May. The fish are rested and the larger marble trout are aggressive. April typically experiences some unstable weather, and the weather becomes more stable in May. These months see heavy baetis and midge hatches and somewhat shorter fishing days due to daylight.

Main season: This season runs from mid-May to end of June. The weather tends to be stable and sunny with average highs around 70 degrees. This is the prime time for hatches of both mayflies and caddis. A variety of waters are open including alpine rivers, spring creeks, and limestones systems. The days are longer and offer great evening angling to rising fish.

Mid-Summer season: The mid-summer season runs from early-June to late-August. Freestone rivers and lakes are all fishing well at this point. Despite warm air temperatures, there is still plenty of cold water and the days are long.

Autumn season: This season runs from September 1 to the end of October. Aggressive pre-spawn trout and grayling can be caught on dry flies. The weather is cooler, but there is usually an Indian summer in Slovenia. Guests will also have the pleasure of experiencing amazing fall colors highlighted by larch trees.

Winter season: The winter season runs from the first heavy late-fall snows to mid-February. For guests that want to fish for huchen (a kissing cousin to taimen) this is the time. Guests can even pair fishing with downhill, nordic or off-piste skiing for a unique experience.

How will I fish? Guests will depart by car each day with their guide to walk and wade fish. Much of the fishing in Slovenia is sight fishing. The guides use nymphs most often for productive days, but there are also good dry fly fishing opportunities. Typically, Slovenia limits anglers to single-fly set-ups and on some systems indicators and weight are not allowed.

Is there wade fishing? Most of the fishing in Slovenia is wade fishing. There can be some float tube fishing on lakes if guests are interested in still water angling.

Where will I fish? The classic Slovenian rivers are the Soca, Unica and Krka. Other options are the Sava Bohinjka, Tolminka and Idrijca. When Fly Water Travel’s Destination Manager pushed his favorite guides in determining how many days it would take to fish all their favorite water, they estimated 60 days. It goes without saying that there are many options in this special region.

How long does it take to reach the fishing grounds? The length of time to each fishing destination depends on where the group is staying and what river they are fishing. The itineraries are developed to keep travel times to the rivers and other activities short. On average the approach is 40 minutes. If a group chooses to stay in the Ljubljana area, most fly fishing rivers are one hour or less away.

What type(s) of fish I will catch? They type of fish one may see will vary based on the system, but in this region anglers can expect to catch rainbow, brown, and marble trout, as well as grayling.

How many fish will I catch? The number of fish per day varies on the angler, the system, and the day, but a person might expect to catch three to five fish over 14 inches per day.

Will I see other anglers? The number of anglers seen is few during pre-season and the autumn season. In the middle of the season guests will likely see other anglers throughout the day. The Soca can get crowded on summer weekends.

What are the guides like? While they are all individuals with unique personalities, they are all responsive, patient, knowledgeable and they all speak excellent English. They are well versed on all the rivers in Slovenia so there are lots of options for fishing depending on weather and river conditions.

What are the physical demands? The activities are all easy to moderately physically demanding, and guests should inform Fly Water Travel of any limitations so that the guides can schedule and prepare accordingly.

Are there special skills required? There are no special skills required for an enjoyable angling experience.

Does the lodge/outfitter provide equipment? The outfitter provides all angling and activity equipment, and guests are welcome to bring their own if they choose. The guides will also provide flies, and guests are welcome to bring their own.

What is your favorite setup for the trip? A fast action 9-foot 5-weight. The ideal rod is a multi-application rod (capable of casting nymphs, dry flies, and light streamers) that is good with line control, has a quick recovery rate and can keep the line speed fast.

What are the top flies? Similar to many of the western rivers of the U.S., the top flies include bead-head nymphs, CDC mayflies, and deer hair caddis.

What are the options if water conditions become challenging? The guides can often find water that is not affected by weather, if the conditions become bad enough that guests can not fish there are lots of other activities in the area to keep guests entertained.

What is a typical day like? The typical day begins with a thoughtful breakfast at the hotel followed by the guests’ planned activity. Anglers will be met by their guide and whisked off to the stream while the touring contingent will head out with their primary guide for the day’s activity. Some guests may meet with more specialized guides depending on what is planned. Dinners tend to very nice with many courses and curated wine pairing.

What is the general vibe, atmosphere and style of the lodge? Collectively the accommodations listed above are safe, relaxed, clean, social, health based, and environmentally friendly.

Is there an on-site manager, owner or point person at the lodge? There is always a tour guide with the group, and the availability of a point person at the accommodations varies by hotel.

Where do we eat and what are the meals like? Most breakfasts tend be classic European buffet style featuring fresh breads, meats, cheeses, yogurt, and fruit and are served in the hotel. Lunches tend to be enjoyed at low-key local establishments and dinners tend to be taken at local restaurants, or at the hotel restaurants (which are of the highest quality). Fly Water Travel considers this trip a great pick for foodies as Slovenia prides itself on cuisine and fresh, locally grown organic meats and produce.

What is the alcohol policy? Wine and beer with dinners and wine tours is included. Additional alcohol outside of meals and activities is not included.

Where do I stay and what are the accommodations like? There are many boutique hotels throughout the country from which to choose.

Fly Water Travel has had experience with and favors a few as listed below:

• Hotel Dobra Vila – Bovec
• Hotel Vila Bled – Bled
• Castle Gredič – Wine Region (Goriška Brda)
• Hotel CUBO – Ljubljana
• Hiša Franko – Kobarid

Single accommodations are available for an upcharge and family accommodations are available in most locations.

Is there internet and/or cell service? Slovenia has very good internet and cell coverage. Travelers may lose service when on hikes or in the more remote parts of the country but can expect cell coverage and Wifi at most lodges.

Are there other activities? There are many other activities for guests to enjoy throughout this diverse country! Hiking, walking, mountain biking, road cycling, climbing, skiing, via ferrata climbing, history tours, art tours, culinary and wine tours are all popular options suiting most travelers.

Are there any other expenses? Guide tips are not included in the listed Fly Water Travel rates and should be factored in. Additionally, the Hiša Franko dining experience will be an additional expense if guests choose to dine there.

Do I need a visa? United States, Canadian and Japanese citizens do not need a visa to visit Slovenia.

Are there any health concerns, dangers or annoyances? Slovenia is a very safe and welcoming country, there are no ongoing health concerns, dangers or annoyances. It is recommended that travelers consult the U.S. Department of State’s travel page for information regarding current happenings in their destination.