Home > Custom Tours > Discover the vast dinaric forest
This is a whole-day excursion which goes a little bit different from our half-days. Instead of hiking in a large circular path from and to a single point, we drive over unpaved roads through the vast forest and have several stopovers and hikes on the way. Like this, we get to know the Dinaric forest at its best, including a forest reserve which is virtually indistinguishable from primaeval forest virgin forest). Our longest hike takes us out of the forest to an open mountain top, from where we can see most of Slovenia! On the way, we keep our eyes open for butterflies and flowers, as well as tracks of large mammals.
And while we are there, you can be sure that the ravens will see us … Ravens see everything which happens in the forest. Often, during our excursions and tours, they come to inspect what happens. For a moment, they fly above us, then they go again. In the same way, they inspect what the wolves are doing and hunters tell that the ravens know the difference between a hunter who carries a gun and a hunter who doesn’t. They come to see what happens, but only follow the hunter with a gun, in the hope of leftovers of the game which he may shoot …
The Dinaric forest is home to many mammals, including deer, wild boar, bear, wolf, lynx and fox. With the exception of lynx, which is very rare, we regularly see the footprints of all these mammals during our excursions through the forest. The animals themselves are shy, but if we are quiet, we may catch a glimpse of them. Regardless if we see them or not, we will see their influence on the forest. Forestry researchers have made an exclosure (a fenced area where the large mammals do not go) in the middle of the forest. Here, we can see the difference which the mammals make to the forest.
The forest looks very natural, but, nevertheless, it is used for wood-production. Only here and there, there are forest reserves with a special status. Here, no trees are cut and foresters can study the natural processes in the forest. During our trip, we pass one of these forest reserves. Several decades ago, when it was established, it was not very different from the surrounding forest. Since then, some large trees were felled by storms. In the rest of the forest, such wind-felled trees are removed and the timber is sold. In this forest reserve, however, the dead trees stay where they are. In this way, the forest is rapidly changing into a natural old-growth forest which is similar to primaeval forests.
Our longest hike takes us uphill for about three kilometres. The path is nowhere really steep, in fact, with a four-wheel drive it would be driveable. We start out in the forest but on the way the landscape changes. Towards the top, trees disappear and we have a fantastic view over much of Slovenia! The top of the mountain is a botanical reserve full of flowers. Both the open space and the flowers attract uncountable butterflies. We usually aim to have our lunch right on the mountain top, which makes this hike one of the highlights of our whole-day tour!
