113 km. 2,300 metres of climbing. Four major climbs. Two countries.
If you’re looking for a big day of road cycling in Slovenia, it’s difficult to beat a loop around the Kamnik–Savinja Alps.
The famous Maraton Alpe has been taking cyclists around these mountains for years, linking Alpine passes, quiet valleys, Slovenia and neighbouring Austria in one spectacular circuit. The established event route is around 130 km with more than 2,000 metres of climbing and has long been regarded as one of Slovenia's great endurance cycling challenges.
We live directly on the route in Luče, so I decided to ride and film my own version from our front door: 113 km with approximately 2,300 metres of elevation gain.
It turned into five minutes of some of my favourite roads, climbs and views in this part of Slovenia.
Watch the ride
Embed this YouTube video here:
I'd actually embed the player in Webador rather than merely showing the link. Put it immediately after the introduction and make it full-width if your page layout allows.
Cycling Around the Kamnik–Savinja Alps
What makes the Maraton Alpe concept so special isn't simply one famous climb.
The route takes you around an entire Alpine mountain range.
The traditional Maraton Alpe course has linked Kamnik with Jezersko, crossed into Austrian Carinthia, returned to Slovenia over Pavličevo sedlo and then followed the Savinja through Solčava and Luče before eventually completing the circuit back towards Kamnik.
Starting and finishing from our base in Luče changes where the ride begins and ends, but gives us something even better: we can ride a huge Alpine loop straight from our front door.
From Luče Towards Kamnik
Starting in Luče means there isn't much time to warm up before the mountains begin.
My version heads away from the Upper Savinja Valley and across the southern side of the Kamnik–Savinja Alps towards Kamnik.
Kamnik is one of the principal gateways to these mountains and traditionally serves as the start and finish of Maraton Alpe. The modern Alpe Gran Fondo continues that tradition, with its long course beginning and ending in the centre of Kamnik.
From here, the ride begins its journey around the northern side of the mountain range.
Kamnik to Jezersko
The landscape becomes progressively more Alpine as the route heads towards Jezersko.
Zgornje Jezersko sits beneath an extraordinary wall of mountains and is worth visiting in its own right, but on this ride there's still another climb ahead.
Jezerski vrh takes you to the Slovenian–Austrian border.
On the historic Maraton Alpe course, the climb to Jezerski vrh was listed as approximately 10 km with 500 metres of elevation gain at an average of 5%.
Cross the summit and suddenly you're not just riding around Slovenia anymore.
Crossing the Border Into Austria
From Jezerski vrh, the road descends into Austrian Carinthia towards Bad Eisenkappel / Železna Kapla.
It's one of my favourite aspects of the whole loop.
You're travelling around the mountains rather than simply riding up a climb and coming back down the same way. Crossing an international border by bike makes the ride feel like a genuine journey.
And you don't stay in Austria for long.
Ahead is the climb that gives this loop some serious teeth.
Pavličevo Sedlo
Pavličevo sedlo is the monster.
The historic Maraton Alpe statistics list its principal climbing section at approximately 5 km, 520 metres of elevation gain and an average gradient of 10.4%.
Those numbers tell you quite a lot.
It's steep, it's hard and by this point you've already accumulated plenty of kilometres and climbing.
But it's also spectacular.
The road climbs past isolated mountain farms towards the border, eventually bringing you back into Slovenia high above the valleys below. Contemporary descriptions of the route highlight this section as one of its toughest and most scenic passages.
Then comes the reward: the descent back towards the Upper Savinja Valley.
Solčava and the Upper Savinja Valley
This is where the ride comes home.
After descending from Pavličevo sedlo, the route takes you towards Solčava and then follows the Savinja towards Luče.
This part of Slovenia is home to some extraordinary Alpine landscapes, including Logar Valley, Robanov Kot and the Solčava Panoramic Road.
For us, though, there's something particularly satisfying about riding back into Luče after a huge day around the mountains.
The historic Maraton Alpe route has passed directly through both Solčava and Luče, and the current Alpe Gran Fondo long course also travels through Luče on its circuit of the Kamnik–Savinja Alps.
And for guests staying with us at Discovering Slovenia, Luče isn't simply somewhere you pass through — it's where you start and finish.
My Maraton Alpe Loop From Luče
My version of the ride came to:
- ✓ 113 km
- ✓ 2,300 m elevation gain
- ✓ 4 major climbs
- ✓ Slovenia + Austria
- ✓ 100% road bike adventure
It's a serious mountain ride and one I'd recommend for cyclists who are already comfortable with long days, sustained climbing and Alpine descents.
The official long Alpe Gran Fondo course is different: its current Pro route is 130 km with 2,000+ metres of climbing, taking in Črnivec, Pavličevo sedlo and Jezersko.
So if you want to reproduce my exact 113 km route, rather than the official event course, get in touch and we can help with the route when planning your stay.
Why Luče Is Such a Good Base for Road Cycling
The Maraton Alpe loop is a big day, but it's only one ride.
That's the real advantage of staying here.
From Luče, you can ride directly into the mountains in almost every direction. There are long Alpine road climbs, quieter shorter climbs, gravel roads, mountain-bike trails and some of Slovenia's most spectacular valleys within riding distance.
You could spend several days here without needing to repeat a route.
And when you don't fancy another huge mountain day, you can ride easier roads along the Savinja, hike from the village or simply recover beside the river.
Stay on the Route at Discovering Slovenia
Our self-catered accommodation in Luče is designed as a comfortable base for cyclists who want to explore the Kamnik–Savinja Alps at their own pace.
We have:
- ✓ Secure bike storage
- ✓ Tools and bike-washing facilities
- ✓ Washing machine and drying space for cycling kit
- ✓ GPX routes and local route advice
- ✓ Optional guided rides
- ✓ Bike and e-bike hire available
- ✓ Airport transfers available on request
And because we ride these roads ourselves, we can help you decide which routes make sense for your fitness, the weather and how much climbing you actually want.
Want to ride the Maraton Alpe or spend a few days exploring some of our favourite roads?
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