Slovenia – Europe’s Answer to New Zealand
We’ve all drooled over the stunning panoramic shots of New Zealand in the Lord of the Rings films – forget hobbits, the scenery is what caught our attention. But for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, you may be surprised to find that Slovenia is an untouched natural beauty bearing more than a little resemblance to the home of the kiwi.
NZ’s tallest mountain (3,754m), Mount Aoraki, stands a little higher than Slovenia’s 2,864m Mount Triglav. However, the National Parks in which they are located (Mt Aoraki National Park and Triglav National Park, respectively) bear an unmistakeable resemblance to one another. Think vast snow-capped mountains, and crystalline glacial lakes, with a backdrop of impeccably clear skies. You could walk the trails in both and not see another soul for hours; there is nothing more peaceful than the absolute silence found in these stunning parts of the world.
Both New Zealand and Slovenia enjoy a temperate climate (with a fair amount of rain – might be best to pack your brolly), as well as a stunning mountainous landscape, with the Southern Alps and the steep slopes and fjords of Fiordland in NZ, and the Julian Alps and the Dinarides in Slovenia. Interestingly, as much as 80 per cent of New Zealand was covered with forests before human habitation and massive deforestation reduced that number to 23 per cent; on the other side of the world, around 66 per cent of Slovenia’s land mass today is forest, and reforestation plans are increasing that number yearly. Perhaps a trip to Slovenia is akin to stepping back into New Zealand’s past?
