Soča River - Slovenia
Nestled in the heart of the Julian Alps, the Soča Valley is one of the most stunning places we have seen in Europe.
The river is a crystal clear emerald green colour and with numerous sections of whitewater from Class I up through to Class V the Soča has something for every whitewater kayaker.
It has been called the classroom of whitewater kayaking and we have not found a solitary river that contains so much variation for us to coach and for you to practice and improve your kayaking technique. The emerald green water provides a very friendly place to try out new techniques and to understand the fundamental principles of whitewater kayaking!
Tour Overview
Slovenia
Slovenia is one of the smallest countries in the European Union with a population of just over 2 million.
Nestled in the heart of the Julian Alps, the Soča Valley is one of the most stunning places we have seen in Europe. As a former Republic of Yugoslavia, Slovenia was the first to gain its independence and unlike its neighbours of Croatia and Bosnia it had a rather smoother transition to independence.
Since the days of the former Yugoslavia the locals have maintained a tradition of trying to be self-reliant. The Slovenian family that we used to stay with and have remained friends ever since, have their own trout pools, sheep, chicken and with plenty of fruit trees and berry bushes scattered around their land we are regularly given some of their fresh produce!
We have been coming to kayak the Soča River since 2001. With over 25 trips to the valley, it still amazes us just how stunning the area is. What better way to improve your personal kayaking skills and enjoy being in one of Europe’s gems!
Daily Kayaking Program
We come and pick you up from your accommodation at 9.15am. On the way to the river we can stop at the bakery to pick up lunch if you have not brought anything.
If we are spending the whole day on the river, then we drop you off at the put-in with the kayaks and paddles. We quickly do a shuttle with our little motorbike so that the vehicle is at the take-out waiting for us.
Lunch will be taken in dry bags by your kayaking coach/guide and we stop for lunch somewhere along the river.
In the afternoon we continue downstream and tend to arrive at the take-out around 3pm.
After changing and packing up, we head back to your accommodation.
If we are planning on running 2 separate sections for the day, then we take lunch between the sections at the side of the river.
Practicalities
Soca Kayaking Season
Spring
In early Spring the Soca river will be relatively low. The snow is still up in the mountains and it can take up to mid-April for the melt to really start feeding the main rivers in the valley. However as the sun becomes stronger it does not take long for the Soča to rise, even more so one of its main tributaries the Koritnica. By mid-April the river can already be at its optimum and all sections of the Soča will be running! If we have rain then this will also pump up the levels.
Spring weather is naturally unpredictable with a possibility of a cold snap with snow falling in the mountains or hot sunny days with crystal clear blue skies! Temperatures can be anything from 10 degrees in early Spring up to the mid 20’s by the beginning of May! If you are considering camping then be prepared for 3 seasons within a week. A holidayhome will be more comfortable with a better opportunity to dry out your thermals and kayaking kit ready for the following days kayaking.
Autumn
After a very busy Summer in the Soča Valley, Autumn is a welcome release. The majority of the tourists have left and once again the unique charm of the valley comes back. Though the Koritnica has no water, the Soča on the other hand still has sections of quality whitewater. When the rains arrive it does not take long for the porous rocks on the mountainsides to bring the rain into the river opening up the upper sections. As Slovenia is on the southern side of the Alps, Autumn is not too cold and this gives the Soča Valley the ideal getaway to make the most of the remaining whitewater in the Alps. The changes in the fauna, pine needles and leaves just adds to the stunning crystal emerald green river.
Why us?
We are extremely proud of our Team here at Kayak School Arlberg. Our Coaches, Instructors and Guides have gained a huge amount of experience around the world. They have completed First Descents, exploring rivers where no-one has been before, opening up rivers that were hardly ever kayaked. Their coaching, instructing and guiding abilities are second to none be it through British Canoeing, the American Canoe Association or teaching in the prestigious UFRO University in Pucon Chile. Some have represented their countries in Slalom and extreme kayaking but what makes them all stand out is their love of whitewater kayaking! So whether you are a Beginner, a Class 2 kayaker or a seasoned veteran, our team will not only help you improve but develop your understanding of whitewater and have some great times on the river!
To find out more about our coaches, guides and instructors please check out Our Team page.
Group Composition
Our ratios are extremely low be it in the Kayak School in Europe, India, Peru or Chile! The ratio of the group is no more than 1 guide to 4 guests! We will also not take more than 6 guests on this trip! This gives you plenty of whitewater action, personalised kayak coaching with the opportunity to become a much more all rounded confident kayaker! This is why we like to keep our group sizes small!
Kayak Coaching and Instruction
Without a doubt this is one of the most important aspects that our guests are looking for when coming on any of our courses. We have spent over 23 years working on our coaching, gaining experience all over the world and putting these skills into our courses.
With the in-depth understanding of the techniques for whitewater kayaking, the background knowledge and of course putting all these techniques into practice ourselves over the years and throughout the world gives you the confidence to improve your personal padding, understanding of whitewater and having a whole lot of fun while doing it!
With our various methods and different styles of coaching, we can make the path become a lot easier and painless in achieving your goals. Be it Improving your fundamental skills on Class 2, nailing the line on Class 3-4 or perfecting that boof or flare on a steep piece of whitewater, we will tailor our methods and style of coaching for you to do just that!
Kayak Guiding
If you are looking to get more kilometres paddled and being lead down the best lines in the rapid, catching some airtime boofing or surfing a sweet wave, our extensive knowledge of the area, the river Koritnica and the sections of the Soča will help you achieve this. We also even give you the odd tip along the way to improve your technique or understanding of whitewater without stopping in one place for a coaching session!
Experience Required
We run 2 different types of courses in the Soca Valley.
Our Class 2-3 course is ideal for people with some experience of Class 2 whitewater such as the Lech or Salza in Austria. Throughout the week we will be cementing our fundamental skills such as breaking in and out, ferry gliding, carving, dynamic forward paddling. We will also spend time working on theory such as explaining river currents to get a better understanding of whitewater.
Our Class 3-4 kayak course is ideal for kayakers looking at improving their advanced techniques such as boof strokes, power strokes, dynamic bow rudders and draw strokes in the eddy and in the main flow. Maintaining a solid line in the rapid is an integral part of this course along with river theory and understanding whitewater.
We will be kayaking for around 4-5 hours a day so though you do not need to be an Olympic athlete, you should have a certain amount of paddle fitness and stamina.
Accommodation, Food & Drink
Within the Soča Valley, the region offers camping, holiday flats and comfortable, cosy holiday homes and of course hotels.
We recommend that you stay somewhere between Žaga, Bovec and Kal Koritnica. For more advice and recommendations on accommodation please do not hesitate to drop us a mail or give us a ring.
With an abundance of restaurants, cafe’s and bars, you will find something that will please your palate or taste buds. Be it the famous Soča trout, traditional dishes, great coffee or local brewed beer, ALL of which come at some of the most affordable and competitive prices on the Continent!
Dates & Prices
Tour Dates & Prices
We have tours planned on the following dates:
20-27 April 2024 (1 Week)
27 April - 04 May 2024 (1 Week)
No dates to suit your plans? Just let us know through the contact form, we are pretty flexible here at the Kayak School giving you a more of a chance to kayak with us on the River Soca.
For an itinerary, price and more information about this Adventure Trip, please send us a message through the contact form and we'll get back to you soon.