Karawanken (German) or Karavanke (Slovenian) is a mountain range on the border between Slovenia and Austria. With a total length of 120 km, the Karawanken chain is the longest range in Europe.

Together with the Kamnik Alps and the Savinja Alps, the Karawanken chain forms a natural border between Austria and Slovenia. There are therefore a number of mountain passes on important trade routes. One of them, the Loiblpass (Slovenian: Ljubelj) at 1370 m has been used since prehistory. Nowadays both railway and motorway run through tunnels below the Karavanke, connecting Villach (Slovenian: Beljak) and Jesenice.

Karawanken offers a good opportunity for mountaineering with numerous mountain huts. Many of the peaks offer a good view of the Klagenfurt (Slovenian: Celovec) basin as well as over steeper valleys on the Slovenian side. The Austrian side is more rocky and steep while the Slovenian side is less steep and overgrown with forest, grass or pine bushes.

The most important peaks are:

• Hochstuhl / Stol: 2236 m (7336 feet)
• Mittagskogel / Kepa: 2143 m (7031 feet)
• Petzen / Peca: 2 113 m (6943 feet)
• Velika Kapa: 1542 m (5059 feet)

Some others are the Korošica Ridge, Kahlkogel / Golica, and Olševa.

External link

• Karawanken at Summitpost

Mountain ranges of the Alps | Mountain ranges of Austria | Mountains of Slovenia

Karawanken | Karavanke | Karavankák | Caravanche | Karavanke