Slovak Paradise National Park in Slovakia

Slovak Paradise National Park is one of the nine national parks in Slovakia, situated in East Slovakia. The National Park protects the area of the Slovak Paradise mountain range. There are 300 km of marked trails stretching through this enchanting paradise. Even if it might look so, most walking trails are not that challenging, elevation is not particularly high, but the walk still feels like an adventure. Crossing ravines is like an obstacle course full of wooden or metal ladders, bridges, creepers and chains. It’s a highly addictive attraction. You can explore more of this national park with a Slovakia Travel Agency.

About Slovak Paradise National Park in Slovakia

• Rivers and streams have formed many gorges, canyons, valleys, caves, and waterfalls in the Slovak Paradise, with the Hornad River being most important to the area.

• Most popular nature trails and tourists points are called Prielom Hornadu (river Hodnad is responsible for creating a beautiful canyon), Tomasovsky view, Klastorisko with ruins of Carthusian monastery, Kysel, Sokolia dolina, Velky and Maly Sokol, Piecky and Sucha Bela.

• Visiting Slovak Paradise, even for couple hours will replenish all your inner forces. Narrow, almost touching chasms… diversity of fauna and flora, rich karstic forms, they all are a part of a sensational aesthetical natural experience.

• The Slovak Paradise has the highest concentration of butterflies in Slovakia with 6.06 butterflies per km2. The National Park contains about 4,000 species of invertebrates, which include more than 2,100 species of butterflies, 400 species of bugs and 150 species of molluscs. Vertebrates are represented by about 200 species, of which 130 are protected.

• Forests cover 90% of the park. The most widespread trees are the beech, spruce, fir and pine. The park is home to 930 species of plants, of which 35 are protected.

• The best known tourist centre’s and resorts are Cingov and Podlesok in the north, Dedinky in the south and the only tourist centre located inside the National Park, Klastorisko, with ruins of the Carthusian monastery. The most visited places in the park are the Dobsinska Ice Cave and the Sucha Bela Gorge.

• Visit Dobsinska Ice Cave (closing at 4pm), one of the most significant caves in Europe, where you can treat your eyes to such beauties like ice-falls, ice stalagmites and other monumental glaciation. This could be the perfect ending of your trip to Slovak Paradise.

Location

It is located between the towns of Spisska Nova Ves in the north and Dobsina in the south. It is particularly known for its gorges and waterfalls. The Slovakia Travel Agency will arrange a beautiful trip to the park.

How to Get There

The nearest town is Spisska Nova Ves, which can be easily reached by train. From Spisska Nova Ves you can walk to nearby Cingov, where the main trails start. Visit a tourist office and pick up a map of the park before you go hiking.

Best Time to Visit

If you are planning a trip to Slovakia with a Slovakia Tour Operator then spring can be the best time to visit, as the days tend to warm quickly, with consistently pleasant, mild weather for most of May. This is also the blossom season, when the fruit trees that line so many Slovak roads are in full flower. Autumn is also recommended, with clear and settled weather often lasting for days on end in September and October.