LevelUp Bootcamp Slovenia: Six Days of Hiking, HIIT and Mountain Biking in the Idrija Hills

LevelUp runs a single week in September and the whole thing is built around one small hotel. Kendov Dvorec sits in Spodnja Idrija, a village in the Idrijca valley about an hour west of Ljubljana, and the group takes over what amounts to a family home full of 19th-century antiques. There are 12 spots maximum. Rooms are individually decorated and named after members of the Kenda family who used to live there, and they're assigned first come, first served, so the earlier you book the better your chance of a bigger room or a better view.

A typical day starts at 8am with stretching and breathing before breakfast. Day one is a four-hour hike into the hills around the valley, followed by foam rolling, lunch back at the hotel, and free time before group games and a light dinner. Day two swaps the hike for a three-hour mountain bike ride to Divje Jezero, Slovenia's first natural museum, with a picnic lunch at the Lajšt natural swimming pool and a swim in the Idrijca river on the way back. Other days bring weight training sessions, circuit training and HIIT classes in the hotel garden, a wallyball lesson, and a cooking class on healthy ways to cook the region's traditional dishes.

What separates this from a standard fitness camp is the setting and the people. Nejc Jakopin, an NCSF-certified personal trainer with close to ten years in injury prevention, rehabilitation, strength training and body recomposition, leads the training alongside Eva Svetlik, who founded LevelUp and handles the logistics and the food side. Jerneja Tratnik, Tina Ferjančič and Klavdija Pavšič Bajc round out the instructor team — all of them have sports education degrees from the Faculty of Sports in Ljubljana, and between them they hold instructor certifications in skiing, swimming, aerobics and more. Eva has run sports and weight-loss projects for years and built this camp with Nejc as the trip she'd want to take herself.

The area itself is worth the trip on its own. Spodnja Idrija and neighbouring Idrija sit inside a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed for the town's centuries-old mercury mining history, and the hikes take you through the hills and valleys that surround it. The Wild Lake is a karst spring so clear you can see the water welling up from below, and the Lajšt pool is a local swimming spot on the Idrijca.

Guests finish the week with a routine they can keep, a trainer who's given them something to work on at home, and a decent tan from all the time outdoors. It's a week of hard training with good food and a genuine holiday feel on the side.

What's included

- 6 nights accommodation at Boutique Hotel Kendov Dvorec in Spodnja Idrija - 3 delicious and healthy meals plus snacks daily, reflective of the region and season - Relaxing Epsom salt bath after training (Mon-Fri) - Relaxing detox tea before bedtime (Mon-Fri) - Daily stretching sessions - Circuit Training and HIIT classes in the hotel garden - Guided hikes in the surrounding hills - Guided mountain bike rides - All fitness equipment and bikes - Wallyball learning classes - Cooking class on healthy ways to enjoy traditional regional foods - Motivational consultations with group trainers - Free time to relax in the peaceful hotel surroundings - VAT included

What's not included

- Flights and travel to Slovenia - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Alcoholic drinks - Optional extras and treatments - Anything not listed under inclusions