Slovak Paradise National Park

Located in the north of the Slovak Ore Mountains in the eastern part of Slovakia, the Slovak Paradise National Park is one of nine national parks in the country. The park includes more than 300 kilometers of hiking trails, many of which feature ladders, chains and bridges. The paths are marked by red, blue, yellow and green colors. More than 350 caves can be found within the park, but only the Dobsinska Ice Cave is open to the public. One of the largest ice caves in Europe, Dobsinska has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
While the park is 90 percent forest, it also contains several famous gorges, as well as a large water reservoir that is popular for water sports, swimming and fishing. At nearly 12 kilometers, Prielom Hornadu is the longest canyon in the park while Zavojovy vodopad is the highest waterfall at 70 meters tall. The park is also rich with flora and fauna, with 2,100 species of butterflies, 930 species of plants and 40 species of mammals, including bears, foxes, wolves, wildcats and deer. Overall, 95 endangered species call the park home.

Practical Info

Slovak Paradise National Park can be accessed from the administrative center in the village of Spisska Nova Ves or from the tourist centers of Cingov or Podlesok in the north or Dedinky in the south. You can reach Spisska Nova Ves by train from Kosice or Poprad and from there, either catch a bus or walk an hour further to Cingov. For the southern part of the park, take the train to Dedinky, Dobsinska or Stratena. The closest airport to the park is at Poprad, which there are larger airports not far away at Bratislava, Krakow and Budapest.