Trip Ref #10038
DURATION
7 nights
LOCATION
Slovakia
ANNUAL LEAVE
5 days off work
SEASON
Jun—Sep
GROUP SIZE
Up to 12 people
MEETING POINT
Bratislava Airport, Slovakia
ACCOMMODATION
Classic
Hotel · Mountain hut
DIFFICULTY
Moderate
You'll need a good level of fitness and be able to hike for 5-6 hours each day, with an average of 500m elevation gain and descent.
Follow lesser-known routes and remote trails through the Great Fatra and Low Tatras mountains - crowds are not on the agenda
Stay in mountain huts and cosy lodges far from civilisation - perfect for stargazing
Hike to waterfalls and natural thermal pools and visit the UNESCO World Heritage listed village of Vlkolinec
Day 1
Hello Slovakia
Meet your host at Bratislava Airport and head to the town of Banska Bystrica. Settle in and then meet up with the rest of your group for dinner and a chance to chat about the adventure ahead.
Day 2
The Great Fatra
Hiking
5-6hrs · 14km · 560m up · 570m down
Get off the beaten path and hike into the mountainous Great Fatra National Park, an area populated by bears, wolves, deer and black grouse - to name just a few of the local residents. Follow the main ridgeline to the highest peak in the area - Ostredok, passing through vast meadows and small forests. Unwind at a remote mountain hut beneath Borisov Mountain - your home for the night.
Day 3
Smrekovica
Hiking
6.5hrs · 14km · 920m up · 840m down
After breakfast Slovakian style, continue along the main ridge through the National Park. Take in the amazing views in all directions - there’s over 900 metres of elevation gain today, so get ready for some peak-bagging! Finish at a mountain hotel in Smrekovica in time for a sundowner or a Finnish sauna to soothe your limbs after a big day.
Day 4
Hot springs and a UNESCO protected village
Hiking
5hrs · 13km · 410m up · 1050m down
Complete your hike through the Great Fatra, ending at Vlkolinec, a remarkably well-preserved 14th-century village. Drive to Liptovsky Jan, your base for the next 3 nights, famous for its soothing thermal springs. You'll have a chance to take a warm dip this evening and have the place to yourself after the daytime crowds have moved on.
Day 5
Lake Temnosmrecianske
Hiking
4hrs · 10.4km · 495m up · 500m down
Cycling
1hr · 10km · 300m up · 350m down
Today you'll have a choice of activities. If you're ready for a chill, then take a free day and relax in and around Liptovsky Jan. If you're thirsty for more, then hike to Lake Temnosmrecianske - one of the least visited and most peaceful places in Slovakia. First, you'll cycle for 10km along flat gravel tracks into the Koprova valley, next you'll visit the highest waterfall in the country and then hike through the forest to the lake. It’s a hard place to get to but well worth the effort. If cycling isn't your thing, e-bikes are available for a small extra fee, just let your host know you're keen.
Day 6
The main ridge of the Low Tatras Mountains
Hiking
6.5hrs · 16km · 500m up · 1400m down
Ride the cable car ride to one of the highest peaks in the Low Tatras mountains - Chopok (2020m.) Spend the day hiking the main ridge far away from the usual tourist areas. It’s part of the spectacularly named, 'Path of the Heroes of the Slovak National Uprising,' a 400km long trail that crosses the entire country. Today is a tough hike with nearly 1500m of descent, so make sure those knees are ready for it.
Day 7
Mala Fatra Mountains
Hiking
5hrs · 11km · 620m up · 620m down
Take a detour on the way back to Bratislava and hike in the Mala Fatra Mountains. You'll take the cable car up and down, but you've earned the right to cut some corners by now! After bagging the highest peak in the area, Velky Krivan, drive back to Bratislava and spend the evening exploring the city.
Day 8
Time to say goodbye
Depending on your flight, you may have some more time to explore lovely Bratislava, before heading back to the airport in time for your flight home.
Included
Guides
Expert, English-speaking guides
Accommodation
7 nights accommodation in mountain huts, local hotels and guesthouses
Meals
All meals except for dinners on days 1 and 8, lunches on days 4, 5 and 6.
Transfers
To and from the airport and everything in-between
Equipment
Mountain bike for the journey to Lake Temnosmrecianske
Permits
All permits and entry fees
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Some meals as described
Visas where required
Day 1
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Mountain hut · Mixed dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4 – Day 6
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 8
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Slovakian food staples include pork, poultry, cheese, pastry, potatoes, onions and garlic. Lentil and vegetable stews are also common, as well as wild game, pasta dishes and stone fruits.
For breakfast, expect a continental buffet with a little bit of everything. Lunch will be special outdoor food packs heated on a hiking stove, or a packed lunch of sandwiches, snacks and fruit. For dinner, expect a 3-course meal of soup, a main and dessert.
Vegetarians, vegans and most dietary requirements can be catered for, just let your host know in advance. We do recommend those with special dietary requirements bring extra personal snacks to keep you going during the hiking.
What is the accommodation like?
Banska Bystrica
On the first night of the trip, you'll stay in a locally owned 3-star hotel in the town of Banska Bystrica.
Great Fatra
You’ll stay in the remote Chata Pod Borisovom mountain hut beneath Borisov Mountain. This is one of your host's favourite places to stay in Slovakia due to its peaceful setting. There is no electricity and no showers, just tranquillity and epic views.
Smrekovica
You'll stay at Granit Hotel in Smrekovica; a comfortable mountain lodge with a Finnish sauna to help soothe your tired limbs after a couple of days hiking.
Low Tatras
You'll stay at Hotel Strachanovka in Liptovsky Jan, a traditional Slovakian mountain Chalet. There’s another Finnish sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi- perfect to wind down at the end of the day.
Bratislava
You’ll spend your final night of the trip at a centrally located 3-star hotel in Bratislava.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room in the hotels can be booked for an extra charge: see Optional Extras for prices. It is not possible to have a private room on Night 2 in the Mountain Hut. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability)
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Bratislava Airport
16:30
Ends
Bratislava Airport
Flexible
Transfers
You’ll be picked up on arrival by your host at Bratislava Airport at 16:30 on Day 1. You are free to book any flight home on Day 8, transfers are included for all flights departing this day.
If you are unable to make those transfer times, then private transfers are also available. See Optional Extras for prices. Your host is also able to book pre/post trip accommodation for your in Banska Bystric or Bratislava if you want to extend your trip to meet alternative flight schedules.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Slovakia from major airports across the UK and Europe.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What do I need to bring?
Bags
- Soft overnight duffel bag or rucksack
- Large pack (45L+) for both day hiking and the longer hikes on Days 2-4.
- Waterproof liner for kitbag or rucksack / drybags
Clothes
- Waterproof jacket
- Waterproof trousers
- Breathable wicking layers
- Fleece jacket or similar
- Buff
- Lightweight gloves
- Lightweight trousers/shorts etc
- T-shirts
- Underwear & socks
- Sunhat
- Something to sleep in
- Swimwear
- Hiking boots (worn-in)
Other
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent
- Earplugs
- Personal toiletries
- Quick-dry towel
- Headtorch
- Reusable water bottle x1 ltr (2 of these if you have room)
- Energy bars and snacks
Pre night accommodation in Banska Bystrica - Single room
Payable Before Departure
Pre night accommodation in Banska Bystrica - Single room
…
Pre night accommodation in Banska Bystrica - Twin/Double room
Payable Before Departure
Pre night accommodation in Banska Bystrica - Twin/Double room
…
Pre/post night accommodation in Bratislava - Single room
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post night accommodation in Bratislava - Single room
…
Pre/post night accommodation in Bratislava - Twin/Double room
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post night accommodation in Bratislava - Twin/Double room
…
Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Private Room Upgrade
… Per Person
Private transfer Bratislava Airport to Banska Bystrica hotel
Payable Before Departure
Private transfer Bratislava Airport to Banska Bystrica hotel
… Per Person
Private transfer Bratislava hotel to Airport
Payable Before Departure
Private transfer Bratislava hotel to Airport
… Per Person
Really good trip and would recommend to all of my friends! Slovakia is a beautiful country and this trip is also a less touristy hiking option. On some of the trails you won't see any other people, only the nature! The company that MBA uses are fantastic and are really well organised.
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 254kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2022 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
You'll need a good level of fitness and be able to hike for 5-6 hours each day, with an average of 500m elevation gain and descent. There are also 6 consecutive days of hiking, though there is the option to rest day on day 5 if you want to chill between hikes.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Tap water in Slovakia is drinkable and available every day in the hotels. We suggest you bring a couple of reusable water bottles to fill up each morning. There is also drinking water available at the mountain hut on day 2.
The Low Tatras and Great Fatra mountains in summer are relatively warm, with average temperature of around 12°C between June and August, though it can range from 8 – 18°C. It rains approximately 12 days each month, totalling 80mm monthly. Spring and autumn temperatures are a bit cooler, ranging from 4 – 13°C, but it’s also drier (just 60mm monthly) and the autumn colours are beautiful.
You'll be sleeping in 5 different places, however, your luggage will be transferred every day so you won't need to carry it. You'll just need a day bag. The one exception is on Day 2 when you stay overnight in the mountain hut, and therefore won't have access to your main luggage until the hotel at the end of Day 3. You will carry the personal items you need for days 2-3.
For current advice about travelling in Slovakia, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
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