Kayaking, White Water Rafting and Canyoning
The outdoor sports of kayaking, white water rafting and canyoning are popular with Slovenians and many tourists come to Slovenia to experience them. Slovenia has beautiful and mighty rivers and rugged canyons to experience these sports in. Not only can Slovenia offer excellent conditions in which to practice these sports, the cost is competitive compared with many other countries.
All three activities are known as extreme sports but they don’t have to be. You can try them as a complete beginner, with highly qualified local guides to help you enjoy them safely, amidst the beautiful scenery in Slovenia.
Kayaking
Kayaks were originally designed by Eskimos several thousand years ago. The original Kayaks were made from stitched animal skins which were then stretched over a wooden or whalebone frame. The Eskimos used them for transportation and hunting but today, they are used for leisure and kayaking is a popular sport which can be enjoyed by complete beginners.
The word “kayak” actually means “man’s boat” or “hunter’s boat” but, of course, women can use them too! Kayaking is one of the most popular water sports in Slovenia, where you can kayak down fast running rivers or take it more gently on quieter rivers and lakes, where you can simply take in the beautiful scenery.
The Soča, the Sava, the Savinja, the Krka and the Kolpa are great rivers for kayaking; you can get an adrenalin rush by kayaking down these fast moving rivers, through rough rapids and white water.
There are numerous centres in Slovenia where kayaks can be hired and, for the inexperienced, a qualified guide should be used, to guarantee safety. This is sensible for even the quieter stretches of river in Slovenia until you are familiar with the flow of the river. Hiring a kayak or organising a holiday can be done at a competitive cost. In Slovenia, you can also enjoy some of the best kayaking, and with the backdrop of some of the best scenery in Europe.
White Water Rafting
White water rafting uses an inflatable raft and is normally done on fast running or white water which gives the sport its name. As an adventure sport, it became popular in the1970s and its popularity continues to grow. It is considered an extreme sport but can be tried by complete beginners on supervised boats with qualified instructors.
The most popular Slovenian rivers for rafting are the Soča and Sava which are the two major rivers of Slovenia, but the Savinja river in Štajerska, the Kolpa river in Bela Krajina and the Krka river in Dolenjska all offer excellent stretches of white water to navigate.
Canyoning
Canyoning is a sport which consists of travelling through canyons in a variety of different ways which can include one or all of the following – walking, climbing, jumping, abseiling, swimmings and scrambling. The terms canyoning and canyoneering are more often associated with technical descents which require abseils, ropes etc rather than simply walking.
Canyoning, by its very nature, takes place in rugged settings and the most popular locations in Slovenia are considered the following – Sušec and Fratarca located in the Soča Valley, and Grmečica and Jerečica which are near Lake Bohinj.
Canyoning is all about discovering nature while following a water trail so if you like water and unspoilt nature, you will enjoy canyoning and there is no better place, to discover this sport than in Slovenia.
Try All Three at Kobarid
On the banks of the Soča River, the town of Kobarid is a convenient destination to enjoy all the sports we have just mentioned with fast running white water and also great canyoning to experience.
Slovenia an Adventure for…The Experienced, or the Complete Beginner
If you are experienced in the above sports, you will find beautiful and challenging scenery in Slovenia, and if you’re a complete beginner, you can enjoy the sports at a more gentle pace under professional instruction. Therefore, whatever your experience, Slovenia can offer you an unforgettable holiday.
There are many areas of Slovenia where you can enjoy adventure sports but the most popular is the Soča Valley. Its popular with tourists and also, property investors and you will find a wide variety of property for rent and to buy. You can learn more about the Soča Valley on our site and view a wide range of rental and investment properties.
