Untitled - SACR

The
View of the northern slopes of Ďumbier
superlatives...
The village of Špania Dolina
Demänovská jaskyňa slobody
(Demänová Freedom Cave)
The Chopok sever - Jasná Lúková ski centre
In area, the Low Tatras (Nízke Tatry) form the
largest mountain range in Slovakia
The highest summit in the range is Ďumbier at
2043 metres above sea level
The longest valley is Vajskovská, on the
southern side of the range
The cave with the largest number of visitors is
Demänovská jaskyňa slobody (Demänová
Freedom Cave) in the valley of Demänovská
dolina
70% of the Low Tatra National Park is covered
by forests
and the forest paths along which they transported the ore to the hammer
mills and smelting works. In Špania Dolina we can see the remains of a
water pipe that brought water from beneath Prašivá peak, 15 km away.
It was the opening to the public of a cave, Demänovská jaskyňa, that
attracted the tourist industry to this area. Tourists began to discover the
beauty of the Low Tatra landscape on a large scale only in the second
half of the 20th century, when chair lifts were built on the northern and
southern slopes of Chopok. Two of the largest tourist centres in the
national park — Demänovská dolina — Jasná in the north and
Trangoška-Srdiečko-Kosodrevina in the south — grew up around their
valley stations.
Bratislava
The second most frequented mountain range in Slovakia is the Nízke
Tatry - the Low Tatras. On account of its plentiful forests and rich ore
deposits, this area has attracted interest since times immemorial.
Documents from the period tell us that precious and non-ferrous metals
were already mined here in the Middle Ages. Mining for silver ore in the
11th century uncovered such rich deposits of copper ore that silver lost
its former value. The intensive mining of minerals was concentrated in the
area of the Staré Hory hills, Špania Dolina, Magurka and Dúbrava,
Vyšná Boca and Nižná Boca. Copper, iron, antimony, gold, silver and
lead were the main ores to be extracted. In 1917 a lump of gold
weighing 7.5 kg was found in Magurka, where extremely pure gold
usually occurred in silica veins in the form of tiny grains and strands. All
that is left nowadays to remind us of this glorious mining history are the
characteristic wooden houses of the German miners who settled here
Brankovský vodopád,
a 55-metre waterfall
www.nizketatry.sk
Pages 2–3
THE LOW TATRAS

Kráľova hoľa dominates the eastern part of the Low Tatras
summits
The The Chopok sever - Záhradky ski centre
The Kosodrevina mountain hotel
on the southern slopes of Chopok
The Low Tatra range is a massive mountain arc stretching
through the middle of Slovakia from the west to the east. The main
ridge is almost 100 km long, reaching a height of 1500 - 2000
metres above sea level. Three Low Tatra summits are even higher
than this - Ďumbier (2043m), Štiavnica (2025 m) and Chopok
(2023 m), another 18 summits are over 1800 m and a further 27
more than 1700 metres above sea level. The range is flanked by
valleys and washed by the waters of two substantial rivers, the
Váh and the Hron. To the north the Low Tatras run into a broad
basin, the Podtatranská kotlina, to the south into the Horehronské
podolie. To the west they border on the Veľká Fatra range, to the
east on the karst plateaux of the Slovenský raj ("Slovak
Paradise"). Three quarters of the Low Tatra area are covered by
forests. Lower down these are mixed forest, while firs and dwarf
pines cover the mountainsides, which give way to treeless alpine
summits.
The highest peak in the Low Tatras is Ďumbier (2043 m), a huge
alpine massif that has also given its name to the western part of
the range - the Ďumbierske Tatry. This is the higher and more
rugged part of the Low Tatras, while majestic Kráľova hoľa (1946 m)
is the queen of the eastern part, known as the Kráľovohoľské
Tatry. The border between them is formed by the Čertovica
mountain pass (1238 m).
A number of Low Tatra summits offer splendid, distinctive
panoramic views over the surrounding countryside. All the ranges
of hills and mountains in central and northern Slovakia can be
seen from Ďumbier. It has mountain faces 500 m high and gullies
running into the glacial basins of the Bystrá and Ludárová valleys.
Its gentler southern slopes are covered with large areas of granite
rocks. In the Ďumbier valleys we find sites of now-exhausted
deposits of non-ferrous and precious metals. Battles took place
in 1944 during the Second World War in the saddle between
Ďumbier and Králička and we are reminded of this historical event
by a memorial dedicated to fallen partisans not far from Chata
Milana Rastislava Štefánika, a mountain hut built below the summit
of Ďumbier in 1924 at a height of 1728 m. It provides overnight
accommodation and refreshments 365 days in the year.
The third highest peak in the Low Tatras is Chopok (2024 m). Its
slopes attract downhill skiers in particular, but also offer plenty of
sporting activities in the summer months. It is accessible on the
northern side from Luková, which can be reached by chair lift from
Koliesko chalet in Demänovská dolina valley. On the southern
side it can be approached from Kosodrevina Hotel, which is
served by a chair lift from Bystrá dolina, starting at Srdiečko Hotel.
After a strenuous ascent to the top of Chopok we are rewarded
by a breathtaking view over the surroundings. Refreshments are
offered by Kamenná chata pod Chopkom, a mountain hut open
all year round, where it is possible in emergencies to sleep
overnight in a common dormitory. At a height of 2000 m, it is the
third highest shelter in Slovakia. It can also be reached from
Demänovská dolina, from the upper station of the chair lift to Luková.
Kamenná chata pod Chopkom is ideally situated for mountain
hikes and when crossing the ridge of the Low Tatras. There is also
a meteorological and relay station on Chopok.
Kráľova hoľa (1946 m), often mentioned in legends, myths and
folk songs is, after Chopok, the most frequently visited summit in
the range. If you reach the top, you will have a wonderful view
over the Muránska planina and the Slovenský raj and to the north
you can see the High and Western Tatras. It is a broad, grassy
hill and the highest summit in the eastern, "Kráľovohoľská", part of
the Low Tatras. Its southern slopes are broken up by little valleys,
while the northern side has long, rounded slopes covered with
trees. Like Kriváň in the High Tatras, it is a national symbol of the
Slovaks, which is why hundreds of tourists climb it every year. In
1960 a television transmitter was built on its summit, which also
provides a post for the Low Tatra Mountain Rescue Service.
Nižná Boca below the Čertovica mountain pass
Pages 4–5
THE LOW TATRAS

The starting point from the Kráľova hoľa summit
Climatic
conditions
At the sources of
Slovak rivers
On account of the great differences in altitude, there are as
many as 5 temperature zones within the national park. The
treeless ridges have a harsh climate with average temperatures
of -9°C in January and 7 - 11.5°C in July. The lower mountain
valleys have an average summer temperature of as much as
16°C. From the point of view of winter sports, the slopes that can
be used for the longest period of time are those of Chopok, which
have a covering of snow for up to 130 days in the year.
Avalanches from the steepest slopes of the summits pose a very
serious threat. The snow cover in April and even in May is more
stable and you can experience some fantastic skiing on Chopok
at that time. In summer the weather is very changeable in the Low
Tatras, with frequent local storms, which go as quickly as they
come. For hiking August and September are the most suitable,
when the weather is drier and more settled.
The sporting and tourist activities the slopes and valleys of the Low
Tatras have to offer are primarily downhill and cross-country
skiing, hiking, cycling, mountaineering, rock climbing and
paragliding. The most popular ski resorts are Jasná and Donovaly.
The Low Tatra region provides a vital supply of water. Four
large rivers have their sources on the slopes of Kráľova hoľa
— the Čierny Váh, Hron, Hornád and Hnilec, which is why
the Kráľova hoľa massif is also called "the roof of Slovakia". The
mountain streams, brooks and little rivers actually flow into two
main rivers, the northern slopes of the range being drained by the
longest river in Slovakia, the Váh (403 km) and the southern
slopes by the Hron. In the east, they are helped by the Hnilec.
Near the source of this river a waterfall, Martalúska, cascades
down the Kráľova hoľa hillside. A similar original natural
phenomenon, 30 metres of foaming cascades is to be found in
Vajskovská dolina, one of the longest valleys in the southern
slopes of the Low Tatras. The original technical facilities for
transporting wood down the river have been restored on the
Vajskovský potok.
Many rivers flow underground through the karst landscape, later
surfacing as large springs, especially in the Demänovská and
Jánska valleys. In addition to the sources of drinking water, there
are a number of mineral springs. Health resorts have been
established in Korytnica and Liptovský Ján. Refreshing, pleasanttasting
springs also bubble out of the ground near Moštenice,
Hiadeľ, Jasenie, Mýto pod Ďumbierom, Jarabá, Beňuš, Bacúch,
Liptovská Lúžna, Ludrová, Liptovská Štiavnica, Liptovské Sliače,
Vyšná Boca and Malužiná. In contrast to the High Tatras, the Low
Tatras have few natural lakes. One exception is Vrbické pleso in
Demänovská dolina, which covers 6.2 hectares and lies at an
altitude of 1113 metres above sea level.
Korytnica, a part of Liptovská osada, surrounded by steep hills
with deep coniferous, (mainly spruce) forests, is the highest
located Slovak health resort (825 m). Mineral water
springs from the ground at an altitude of 850 m. The
ferrous, gypseous acidulous mineral water is often compared
to the springs in the Czech town of Karlove Vary and Vichy
in France. In the form of tub baths and drinking cures it
has a positive effect on digestive and metabolic disorders
and disorders of the endocrine glands. Korytnica mineral
water won a gold medal at the World Exhibition as
early as 1873 and in 1904 a silver medal in Saint Louis
in the USA. Korytnica mineral water with its characteristic
taste is bottled to this day and is available in the shops.
The tarn of Vrbické pleso
Pages 6-7
THE LOW TATRAS

In the deep
valleys
Tatralandia Aquapark near Liptovský Mikuláš
Golf at Tále
Paddling down the River Váh
The valley in the Low Tatras which is most often visited is the 15-
kilometre Demänovská dolina. While its lower part is a deep
limestone canyon, the upper part is granite with a number of smaller
valleys. Formerly this was the home of woodcutters, shepherds and
herdsmen, who in the 18th and 19th centuries built sheep farm huts,
shelters and log cabins here. The valley became a tourist attraction
after the discovery of the Demänová Freedom Cave (Demänovská
jaskyňa slobody) and after the building of a chair lift from Jasná to
Chopok. Demänovská dolina is a popular place to go to for tourists
throughout the year. It provides over 2000 beds in hotels, guest
houses and chalets of all categories. In summer the conditions here
are ideal for recreational hiking in the mountains. Marked trails of
varying difficulty run through the valley, their total length on the
northern slopes of the Low Tatras being as much as 515 km.
In the Jasná centre (1102 m) in the upper part of Demänovská
dolina fans of extreme and adrenalin sports can practice
paragliding, climb 20 - 40 m limestone cliffs in the Machnaté
saddle area (1450 m), try out rafting on a 12 km stretch of the River
Váh, or the water slalom course built in Liptovský Mikuláš. Cyclists
can cover almost 140 km on mountain bikes, either around the
Liptovská Mara reservoir, or along hillier terrain on good asphalt
and natural roads through the hills. A horse-riding arena has been
established in Jalovec, 5 km from Liptovský Mikuláš. For skilled riders
it offers steeplechase or individual outings in the countryside and
trips in the saddle up to a height of 2000 metres. For those less
experienced, qualified instructors are available, and that applies to
all branches of sport.
In winter Jasná is one of the most popular winter sports centres in
Slovakia. The downhill skiing conditions here are excellent for
beginner, intermediate and expert skiers alike. Of the 28 km of
tracks for recreational skiing, 18 downhill runs are regularly
maintained, 11 km have snow-making facilities and 1.5 km are
floodlit to make evening skiing possible. The ski slopes have several
runs that meet the criteria for the top sporting events. World and
European Cup competitions have taken place here, as well as
World Winter University competitions. The cross-country trails and
ski mountaineering localities are equally well maintained. The
newly-opened snow park for snowboarders and freestyle skiers in
Otupné is one of the most modern and it has 12 metal obstacles
and a medium jump, a tow and a cabin cableway. In the winter
Záhradky can boast of an ice tower 7.5 metres high. The North Low
Tatra Mountain Rescue Service and mountain guides offer
avalanche courses, rock and mountain climbing schools.
Chopok sever (north) – Záhradky (1025 m)
6 and 2-seater chair lifts, 4 ski tows
Chopok sever – Jasná Luková (1234 m)
4-seater chair lift, 2 ski tows
Chopok sever – Otupné (1142 m)
1 cabin cableway, 4-seater chair lift, 5 ski tows
Chopok sever – Luková (1670 m)
2-seater chair lift, 1 ski tow
In the karst hollow of Jánska dolina lies the spa village of Liptovský
Ján (634 m), which written records mention as early as the 13th
century. The focal point of the village is the Gothic church of St. John
the Baptist from 1380 and over 20 yeomen's mansions and manor
houses have been preserved, as well as a number of log cottages.
For visitors there are hotels, guest houses and leisure facilities. Since
2000 Liptovský Ján has been classified as one of Slovakia's climatic
spas. However, its thermal gypseous, sulphurous, carbonic mineral
springs were used much earlier for the treatment of nervous,
rheumatic and women's disorders. Contemporary studies have
confirmed the curative effects of another two bore holes, which are
used to supply the indoor pool in the Máj leisure centre and the
• Mountain Rescue Service headquarters (Poprad)
Tel.: 00421/18300 (from all telecommunication networks)
• Demänovská dolina Mountain Rescue Service (Jasná)
Horská záchranná služba
Tel.: 00421/44/5591678
thermal pool at the edge of the forest above the village with
its swimming and children's pools. It is clear that there is an
abundance of underground curative springs in the area
when we consider that only a few kilometres from Liptovský
Ján there are three of the most modern aquaparks in
Slovakia - Termálpark Bešeňová, Aquacity Poprad and
Tatralandia Liptovský Mikuláš, which can remain open
throughout the year thanks to their hot thermal waters.
Other localities equally suitable for hikers, cyclists or
motorists no doubt help to make the holidaymakers' stay
a pleasant one. In the village of Vlkolínec not far from
Ružomberok a unique group of almost 40 log cottages
have survived to this day. In 1993 Vlkolínec heritage
reserve was included on the UNESCO List of World
Cultural and Natural Heritage. The construction of a
dam 45 m high on the River Váh formed a 21.6 km 2
artificial lake known as Liptovská Mara, with eight Liptov
villages disappearing below its surface. Many of the log
cottages and the more valued buildings were dismantled
and re-erected in the Museum of the Liptov Village in
nearby Pribylina. An exceptional Lutheran wooden
church from 1774, built in the now submerged village of
Paludza to meet stringent Counter-Reformation
regulations (e.g. no nails) for a congregation of 5000,
was transferred to the village of Svätý Kríž, where it once
again serves its original purpose. The open-air
archeological museum in Havránok (near Liptovská
Mara) is a reconstruction of original Celtic buildings and
a small medieval castle. On your way eastwards, in the
midst of the Tatra national parks, you can stop in the little
town of Liptovský Hrádok, which was mentioned in the
annals as having the first forestry school in the former
Hungarian kingdom (1796). The pride of the town is
also a protected alley of linden trees 200 years old and
www.jasna.sk
www.tatralandia.sk
www.aquacity.sk
www.besenova.sk
Pages 8–9
THE LOW TATRAS

The upper station of the chair lift to Nová hoľa
The World Sled Dog Race Championships at Donovaly
Racing on old-fashioned sledges
in the village of Turecká
the Hrádok arboretum with 719 species of rare trees and shrubs.
Summer visitors to Slovakia should also not miss the folklore
festival held on the first weekend of August at the foot of Kráľova
hoľa in the distinctive village of Liptovská Teplička (919 m). Its
interesting features include cellars dug in the hillsides for storing
potatoes and the thin strips of fields and meadows that lend
colour to the surroundings of the village.
Of the southern valleys in the Low Tatras, Bystrá dolina is the best
known to tourists. A trip to this valley starts in the mountain village
of Bystrá. Originally a mining village, it now attracts
holidaymakers. From here we can get to the cave of Bystrianska
jaskyňa, as well as to the popular tourist centre of Tále and Bystrá
dolina. Tále (700 m) took its name from the wide belts of
meadows stretching above it. Its geographical position is suitable
for both summer and winter sports. In its vicinity there is an 18-
hole golf course, tennis courts, a horse and pony farm and a
summer swimming pool. From Tále there is an excellent hike to the
top of Chopok and Ďumbier from Trangoška mountain hut (1120 m),
or Srdiečko mountain hotel (1216 m), lying at the end of Bystrá
dolina beside the valley station of the chair lift to Chopok. On this
route, near the top station of the Srdiečko - Kosodrevina chair lift,
we can visit the seasonal mountain hotel Kosodrevina (1500 m).
An easy tour from Tále to the west takes us to a natural lake and
the recreational village of Krpáčovo (730 m).
Tále ski centre (700 m) – 5 ski tows
Chopok (south) - Kosodrevina (1489 m) – 3 ski tows
Chopok - Srdiečko (1216 m) – 1 chair lift, 1 ski tow
Only 5 km from Tále there is another winter sports centre at the
mountain village of Mýto pod Ďumbierom. It is situated at an
altitude of 630 m, and hiking trails lead from here into the valley
of Mlynná dolina.
5 ski tows, night skiing, artificial snow, ski and snowboard
hire, a ski school
The Ďumbier and Kráľova hoľa parts of the Low Tatras are divided from
each other by the Čertovica mountain pass. This connects the Horehronie
and Liptov regions. At the end of Bocianska dolina below Čertovica we
find Vyšná Boca (951 m) and Nižná Boca (851 m), former mining villages
where at one time there were rich deposits of iron, gold and antimony.
When the deposits were exhausted, forestry, cattle breeding and felt
making became the population's main source of livelihood. Only the timber
miners' houses with balconies running along one side, which now serve the
D
tourist ruh×m industry, najnav‰etvovanej‰ím are left to remind us of the pohorím villages' former Slovenska prosperity. sú Nízke In the
Čertovica Tatry. saddle Svojím there bohatstvom is a mountain lesov chalet a ‰tedr×mi of the same náleziskami name (1238 rúd m)
that boli provides odpradávna accommodation vyhşadávanou and refreshments. oblasČou. ZThe dobov×ch grassy northern správ
slopes vieme, of Ďe Bocianska uĎ v stredoveku dolina offer tu excellent dob×vali conditions drahé for askiing.
farebné kovy.
• Mountain Rescue Service (Tále centre)
Tel.: 00421/48/6170038, 00421/903/624078
• Mountain Rescue Service (Donovaly centre)
Tel.: 00421/48/4199724, 00421/903/624049
VThe XI. valley storoăí of Starohorská pri ČaĎbe striebornej dolina also rudy falls within sa odkryli the administrative také bohaté
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Záujem downhill cestovného tracks covering ruchu 2500 o túto metres oblasČ with artificial súvisel snowmaking
objavením
afacilities. sprístupnením The village Demänovsk×ch of Turecká (610 jask×Ŕ. m) regularly Krásy nízkotatranskej
holds unusual
prírody races on zaăali traditional v masovej‰om Slovak sledges meradle and the objavovaČ world championships turisti aĎ
vin druhej cooking polovici and 20. eating storoăia, the national kedy sa pasta vybudovala dish with lanovka sheep's zo
cheese, bryndzové halušky. At an altitude of 960 m lies
the 300-year old mountain village of Donovaly, which
has become an exceptionally popular tourist centre for
recreation and sport. For more skilful skiers the slopes
below Nová hoľa (1370 m) offer 2 km of downhill runs
with a six-seater chair lift and 2 ski tows, while the
Záhradište area is ideal for families, with its four-seater
chair lift, 11 ski tows, snowboarding obstacles and 25
km of maintained tracks for cross-country skiers. In
1999 this was the venue for the World Sled Dog Race
Championships and on several occasions the European
championships have been held here. The gentle terrain
around Donovaly is suitable for family hiking trips and
cycling and the top of Nová hoľa is the starting point to
the surrounding slopes for ski mountaineers and
paraglider pilots. Cosy hotels, guest houses, apartment
rooms with all services, restaurants with a selection of
Slovak and international specialities, swimming pools,
fitness centres, saunas and massage will please even the
most exacting visitors.
www.parksnow.sk/donovaly
Pages 10-11
THE LOW TATRAS

Stalactite decorations in Demänovská jaskyňa slobody
An enchanting world
underground
Speleotherapy in Bystrianska jaskyňa
Ice formations in Demänovská ľadová jaskyňa
Over thousands of years the rushing waters of the Low Tatras
carved out and shaped the enchanting underground world
that we can admire today in the caves that have been made accessible.
The most important area is the Demänová karst region in the north of
the range, where cavers discovered a huge and intricate cave system
with over 170 caves formed by rivers in Demänovská dolina. The longest
cave system with nine levels and a 173 m elevation difference measures
30 km. It is made up of nine interconnected Demänová caves, of which
two, Demänovská jaskyňa slobody (Demänová Freedom Cave)
and Demänovská ľadová jaskyňa (Demänová Ice Cave) are also open
to the public. Demänovská jaskyňa slobody with its large sinter waterfalls
and columns, unique sinter water lilies and other bizarre lake formations
is one of the most beautiful of its kind in Europe. In many places its
passages, which measure 8126 m, widen out into spaces reminiscent
of halls and domes. The largest of them is known as Veľký dóm (The
Great Dome), which has magnificent sinter decorations. The two
possible sightseeing routes, approximately 1200 and 1800 metres
long, pass the riverbed of the Demänovka stream and the cave
lakes. The cave was discovered in 1921 and in 1933 it was made
accessible to visitors. The constant temperature of around 7°C and
the relatively high humidity also make it suitable for therapeutic
purposes in the treatment of respiratory diseases and allergies.
People knew of the existence of the ice cave Demänovská ľadová
jaskyňa even in the Middle Ages, although the first written mention
dates back to 1719. As in other caves in Slovakia, the remains of
bones of vertebrates and cave bears can still be seen. The ice
columns and waterfalls were formed 400 years ago. In 1880, and
again in 1950 a 650 m stretch was opened to the public.
In the Važec karst region, on the western edge of the village of the
same name, it is possible to see another cave, Važecká jaskyňa. It
was discovered in 1922, opened to the public in 1934 and
reconstructed twenty years later. Its 530 metre-long underground
spaces are an important paleontological site. The present
sightseeing route covers a 235-metre section.
On the fringe of the village of Bystrá on the southern side of the Low
Tatras, a cave known as Bystrianska jaskyňa was discovered in
1923. It runs through the Bystrianske podhorie foothills for a length
of 1000 m, of which 490 metres have been open to visitors since
1968. It has interesting curtain-like sinter decorations and in places
aragonite is to be found.
Many caves have been open for decades, but there is growing
interest in little-known, newly discovered caves not generally
accessible. They attract those with a taste for adrenalin sports. One
such cave is the fascinating Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov (Cave of
Dead Bats), discovered in 1981 in the alpine karst of the Kozie
chrbty hills. Its entrance is to be found near the marked hiking trail
between Trangoška and Chata M.R.Štefánika. The cave was given
its name on account of the bones of the bats that lived here in large
numbers. It has 14 km of passages, a section of which can be
viewed in the company of a speleological guide, who provides
visitors with special overalls, helmets and torches.
You can learn more about the caves in Slovakia if you pay a visit to
the Slovak Museum of Wildlife Conservation and Caving in Liptovský
Mikuláš.
Demänovská ľadová jaskyna - Demänová Ice Cave
www.smopaj.sk
Pages 12-13
THE LOW TATRAS

The Low Tatra
National Park
The summit of Rovná hoľa (1723 m) is easily
reached from the saddle Bocianske sedlo
NAPANT
The first attempts to provide overall protection for the Low
Tatras date back to 1918 - 1921, but they took on a
definite form only after 1963. An area of 81 095 hectares in
the Low Tatra mountains was actually declared a national park
(NAPANT) as late as 1978 and 123 990 hectares around it
were registered as a protection zone. Almost twenty years later
the borders of the national park were revised. It now covers
72 842 hectares, with a protection zone of 110 162 hectares.
Of Slovakia's nine national parks, this is the largest one. Within
NAPANT there are 10 national nature reserves, 12 nature
reserves, 3 protected grounds, 2 national natural heritage sites
and 6 natural heritage sites. Systematic activities are organised
here for the protection of the landscape, flora and fauna, for the
special protection of minerals, fossils and trees. The
administration offices of NAPANT are in Banská Bystrica.
It was not by chance that the brown bear (Ursus arctos)
appears in the national park's emblem. The symbol itself
suggests that this, the largest predator, is to be found in its
territory. In recent years its numbers have grown rapidly and
the shy bear has become a regular visitor to human dwellings.
Nowadays, it is no rarity to come across a family of bears on
a walk through the countryside or in the vicinity of mountain
villages, where it is very fond of rummaging through the
dustbins and tasting the fruit growing on the trees in the
orchards. In the forests and alpine zones the fauna includes
chamoix, wolves, lynx and other small predators, as well as
large numbers of red and roe deer and wild boars. It is a
fascinating experience to watch the majestic flight of an eagle
or other birds of prey, to listen to the strange calls of the
capercaillie and the song of the Ring Ouzel (Turdus
torguatus), the Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus)
and the Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris).
On the granite mountain ridges the harbinger of spring is the
White Pasque Flower [Pulsatilla alba], but the attractive Edelweiss
[Leontopodium alpinum], Spotted Gentian [Gentiana punctata]
and other flowers grow here. On the valley hillsides and in lower
meadows we can find healing plants and at the edge of the forest
wild strawberries, raspberries, bilberries, blackberries and of
course several species of tasty edible mushrooms.
If you visit the Low Tatras in any season of the year, you will be
welcomed by lovely, unspoiled countryside, fresh air and a wide
range of opportunities for sporting and leisure activities, as well as
for getting to know the beautiful natural sights, the abundance of
cultural and historical monuments, and living folklore and as a
bonus to your satisfaction, also good food and peaceful sleep.
No doubt you will soon want to repeat the unforgettable
experiences that you will take away from a visit to Slovakia.
The Low Tatras can be reached along good quality first and
second-class roads as well as by rail. Sections of third-class
roads lead to villages off the main routes and through some of the
nature reserves. There are two airports open all year round in the
close vicinity of the mountain range — Sliač near Banská Bystrica
and to the north east Poprad - Tatry.
The Vajskovský vodopád waterfall
www.nizketatry.sk, www.airports.sk, www.airportsliac.sk
Pages 14-15
THE LOW TATRAS

Slovak Tourist Board offices abroad:
Slovenská agentura pro cestovní ruch
Jilská 16, 110 00 Praha 1, Česká republika
Tel.: +420 2 249 46 082, Fax: +420 2 249 46 082
e-mail: sacrpraha@seznam.cz
Narodowe Centrum Turystyki Slowackiej
ul. Krakowskie Przedmiescie 13 pok.17
00-071 Warszawa, Polska
Tel.: +48 22 827 00 09, Fax: +48 22 827 00 09
e-mail: sacr@poczta.onet.pl
Slowaaks Verkeersbureau
WTC Amsterdam, Strawinskylaan 623
1077 XX Amsterdam, Nederland
Tel.: +31 20 575 2181, Fax: +31 20 575 2182
e-mail: info@slowaaks-verkeersbureau.nl
www.slowaaks-verkeersbureau.nl
. 17/19, 123 056
.: 007 095 251 76 31, : 007 095 251 76 45
e-mail: sacrmow@comail.ru
Slovakische Zentrale für Tourismus
Prinz-Eugen-Str. 70, Stiege 2, 1.Stock
1040 Wien, Österreich
Tel.: +43 1 513 9569, Fax: +43 1 513 9763
e-mail: sacr-wien@aon.at
Slowakische Zentrale für Tourismus
Vertretung Deutschland
Zimmerstrasse 27, 10969 Berlin, Deutschland
Tel.: +49 30 25 94 26 40, Fax: +49 30 25 94 26 41
e-mail: sacr-berlin@botschaft-slowakei.de
e-mail: tourismus@botschaft-slowakei.de
Ministry of Economy SR
Governing body for the Sector Operational Programme
Industry and Services
Mierová 19
827 15 Bratislava
Slovenská republika
e-mail: soper@economy.gov.sk
www.economy.gov.sk
© Slovak Tourist Board
Slovenská agentúra pre cestovný ruch
Nám. Ľ. Štúra 1, P.O.Box 35
974 05 Banská Bystrica, Slovenská republika
Tel: +421 48 413 61 46, Fax: +421 48 413 61 49
e-mail: sacr@sacr.sk, www.slovakiatourism.sk
Branch office Bratislava
Záhradnícka 153, P.O. Box 97
820 05 Bratislava 25, Slovenská republika
Tel: +421 2 507 00 801, Fax: +421 2 555 71 649
e-mail: sacrba@sacr.sk, www.slovakiatourism.sk
Regional office
Reimannova 9
080 01 Prešov
Tel./fax: +421 51 756 03 61
e-mail: presov@sacr.sk, www.slovakiatourism.sk
Editorial board:
Silvia Kolláriková (chairperson)
Kamila Hanáková
Daniel Kollár
Viera Dvořáková
Gabriela Užovičová
Robert Bunča
Editor -in-chief:
Bedrich Schreiber
Photographs:
M. Barlok, BoArt, K. Demuth, M. Eliáš, A. Jiroušek,
L. Khandl, Z. Vlach, A. Vojček
Graphic layout and publishing:
REMARK/CMA s.r.o.
Rozmarínová 31, 821 04 Bratislava
Tel.: +421 2 434 153 60-62, Fax: +421 2 434 153 59
www.remark.sk
English translation:
Heather Trebatická
Published with the support of the European Union