BRATISLAVA JEWELS AND MALA FATRA MOUNTAINS

You will meet your guide at the airport. Transfer to the village Terchova situated in the National Park Mala Fatra. It is the birth place of Juraj Janosik, the very own Slovakian Robin Hood! The transfer from Bratislava takes approximately 2, 5 hours. Terchova offers plenty of active holiday facilities, many good restaurants and places to drink.

The Mala Fatra Mountains is one of the most valuable mountain ranges of Slovakia in terms of landscape. It spreads in the north-west of Slovakia and it is full of tourists in every season of the year. 15 min bus transfer will take you to the cableway. Chleb Mnt. (1 645 m) is one of the most popular in Mala Fatra. Comfortable cabin cableway ride will take you almost to the very top. Self - service restaurant with a great wooden terrace in the top station of cableway offers comfortable refreshment with the unique panoramatic view on magic Vratna valley and its peaks. Take a breath in the arms of pure nature in 1 494 metres above sea level. This afternoon you get onto the minibus for a trip to the Open Air Museum of Kysuce village in Vychylovka (50 min transfer). Life of a past is celebrated in perfectly preserved wooden village with all it takes. An extra attraction of the Museum is the forest railway, the unique technical monument and the only of the kind in Europe.

Janosikove Diery (canyons) is part of the National Park that visitors should not miss! Canyons consist of various waterfalls and gorges accessible by wooden footbridges and ladders. Part of the trek has also educational boards on the way providing the basic information of the area (fauna, flora). Only few minutes transfer will take you to the end of the village where the walk starts, just by the famous Diery hotel. After about 10 min you will get to the first waterfalls. Getting through the canyons requires using ladders and in parts there will also be some chains to help you through more tricky parts. This is relatively easy day but full of surprising views, mountain streams and waterfalls. At the end you will walk through a mountain village Stefanova where some of the impressive wooden houses and some small farm gardens can be seen. Approximately 5 hours of walking. This evening you will set up a barbecue and get everything ready for a pleasant evening by the fireplace behind the hotel.

Today is a day of an extraordinary transport for you to try. A trip down the river Orava bellow the cliff hanging Orava castle is one of the most popular attraction. 40 min. bus journey will get you to the village Dolna Lehota where it all starts. Rafting down the river using a wooden rafts you will learn the history of log rafting and you can also try to steer. It is more of the genle rafting with historical value and observation of surrounding countryside. The most attractive tourist locality of the northern Slovakia is definitely the Orava Castle. The castle dominates on the high rocky hill above the river Orava and the Oravsky Podzamok village. It has a great defensive system, that’s why it was never conquered.  

This day is to enjoy and relax in Besenova Thermal Pool resort. It takes one hour to get to Besenova on the bus. Thermal water has healing effect especially on tired muscles but also reputed to have beneficial cosmetic properties. There are outdoor pools with thermal hot water and water attractions, indoor pools with clear heated water and Wellness Centre – system of saunas and different kinds of inhalations in Besenova Thermal Resort. You will refresh your body and mind by visiting relax centre and you might like to try a massage. After a relaxing day you have another culinary evening ready for you. Do you know how to cook the best goulash on open outside fire? Cut the wood, peel the onion and potatoes, sing ....and much more.

After breakfast you will be equipped with bikes and start your biking expedition passing mountain settlements of highland people. You will see the way people live high in the mountains till this very day. Just like in a paradise, far away from civilisation, nothing but green hills and forests around. Sometimes there are kilometres from one house to another. After a good lunch in typical Slovakian restaurant you will take 40 min transfer to village Turany, where endless hills and meadows guaranties the best horse riding of this region. Horse – drawn carriage will take you along the woods and meadows right bellow the mountains. You will be accompanied by number of loose horses ready for you to try horseback riding on your own.  If you know how to ride, you are free to go. If you are a beginner you will be instructed and lead by professional.

Today you will travel for 2, 5 hours back to Bratislava. The Capital of the Slovak Republic Bratislava also referred to as the beauty on the Danube has got interesting history but it also is the centre of the most dynamically developing region of central Europe at present. The most attractive parts of Bratislava which you will explore today are the Castle and the old town. The Castle built on a castle hill dominates the centre of Bratislava and its four towers became symbol of the city. The Old Town tiny lanes offer an ideal atmosphere for romantic walks for those who love to follow signs of history in the middle of modern world.

Back to the airport.