Once again, we completely forgot that the cable cars don’t run very long. Our plan was to hike up and take the cable car back down. It was already 12:00, and the lady at the information desk told us that we wouldn’t be able to catch the last cable car to the summit. So our only option was to take the cable car up and hike down from there. No sooner said than done!

Outside of the summer season, the cable cars only run once an hour for a few minutes. Luckily, we arrived in time and didn’t have to wait long. We then took the modern cable car all the way to the top at about 2000 meters. We enjoyed the incredibly beautiful view and arrived at the top just 20 minutes later. You can find all the information about the cable car here: Prices & Opening Hours.

Start of the hike

We started our hike at the Hotel Rotunda, which is also where the cable car ride ended. We could have stayed at this point for hours; the views of the mountainous landscape were just too beautiful. A night at this summit hotel* often costs €450 per night for two people in a deluxe four-bed room. Well… we were only here for the hike, not for summit luxury.

A few meters from the Hotel Rotunda* stands the small and very modern “Kamenná chata pod Chopkom” (Kamen’s Cottage pod Chopkom). Here, we ordered a coffee, went to the bathroom again, and marveled at the many banknotes hanging at the bar. The restaurant is very modern and has a huge glass front through which you can look out at the stunningly beautiful surroundings. There are also some small snacks, such as chocolate bars and other snacks, available at the cash register.

Our ridge hike

The ascent to Chopok, which has a height of 2025 meters, begins right at the cable car station. The route takes only about 30 minutes, scrambling over scree and rocks all the way to the top. We were blessed with perfect weather that day, so it was quite busy up here. We skipped the climb to Chopok because we wanted to climb the beautiful Dumbier peak (2043 m). So we set off, but stopped after just 20 meters. The reason:

Views like these always remind us how much we love the mountains. We simply forget everything around us, living in the here and now. Hiking is a wonderful way to unwind, breathe in the fresh, clear mountain air, and drift from hill to hill. Usually, there’s no destination here, because the journey is already the destination. We could already see the peaks of the High Tatras, the Liptov Reservoir, and the countless green hills of the Low Tatras. But now we wanted to move on and make our way to the Dumbier peak.

We hiked along the red trail for about an hour, always along the side of the ridge, until we reached the first point of the trail (Demanovské Sedlo at 1756 m). It seemed as if most visitors were only taking the cable car up and back down. Only occasionally did we encounter other hikers who had apparently opted for the ascent and now had the final stretch to the cable car ahead of them. Our hike went the other way around.

The last meters to the Dumbier

After another 30 minutes, we reached the last point before the summit. From there, it was another 30 minutes to the very top. The path led us over large stones and scree; sturdy footwear is highly recommended. Although our sneakers were fine, we still wished we had our hiking boots with us. We, the “hiking pros,” had once again forgotten them. Well, you can forget your hiking boots on a hiking holiday, right (#idiot)?

Okay, let’s leave the topic of hiking boots alone for now. The last few meters were a bit of a challenge; we were slowly starting to sweat with the 300 meters of elevation. The route so far had been quite relaxed; you don’t really need to be particularly fit. At the top of the summit, we naturally took a souvenir photo; there was nobody around, so we were able to fully enjoy the view all by ourselves. Because the weather was so fantastic, we had a fantastic view all the way to the High Tatras and the Liptov Reservoir. A beautiful Patriarchal Cross adorns the summit of Dumbier, which also features on the Slovakian coat of arms.

“Everyone will notice that on high mountains, where the air is pure and thin, one breathes more freely and feels physically lighter and mentally more cheerful.”

(Jean-Jacques Rousseau)

Break in the Chata Štefánika

After we had enjoyed the time on the summit to the fullest, it was slowly time to start the way down. But first, we were looking forward to a refreshment at Chata Štefánika, which was now just under an hour’s walk away. The path repeatedly led past scree and rocky slopes, but eventually turned into a more relaxed hiking trail. The trails are generally well marked; just follow the red trail. Along the way, a blue trail branches off to the right and takes you down to the “Kosodrevina” train station. From there, you can take a rather unsightly and steep path along the ski slope all the way down.

Arriving at the Stefanika Hut, we ordered something to drink, some fresh lentil soup, and goulash with bread. The break came at just the right time; we could finally relax our tired muscles a bit and enjoy the stunning view while eating. By this point, we had been walking for about 3.5 hours. We paid a total of around €9 or €10 for the food and drinks, which we think is very reasonable. There are also restrooms in the hut, which you can use free of charge.

The Way Down

After refreshing ourselves, we set off downhill. The last 2 hours passed through the beautiful forests of the Low Tatras. At first, we walked along the well-maintained green path; in the distance, we could already see the tree line. Up to this point, the day had already been a complete success; we had so thoroughly enjoyed our time amidst nature. The break at the Stefanika Hut gave us a chance to recharge our batteries for the final kilometers down. We don’t remember exactly, but about 30 minutes later, we reached the tree line.

A small stream babbled beside us, surrounded by grass, bushes, and trees. This part of the hike was truly beautiful. We talked about everything under the sun, made new plans, laughed about silly things, and were happy to be together. Ah, we simply love spending time in nature. For us, it was balm for the soul and just what we needed after all the work stress of the past few months. The last 2 kilometers lay ahead of us, and our app already showed 700 calories burned. Cool thing, we were quite active that day.

The last meters

After about 90 minutes, we reached the road again and passed the Chata Trangoška accommodation. Now the goal was almost within reach. Our legs were slowly giving up. When we reached the parking lot and our car, the app showed a brisk 12.5 kilometers, 900 calories, and a hiking time of 6 hours. Amazing! We were incredibly proud of ourselves, took off our shoes, and sat down on the ground. Yeah! We had done it! What a beautiful day hike! The sun was slowly setting, it was getting cooler, and we headed back to our accommodation.

Getting to the National Park

From Banská Bystrica, it took us about 50 minutes to get to the parking lot in Chopok Juh. We stayed on Route 66 until the left turn onto Route 72, and then continued to the roundabout, where we took the second exit onto Route 584. It’s easy to find with a navigation system; it’s really not difficult to find. On the other hand, you can drive from the Liptov Reservoir in just 20 km on the 584 to Jasna, where you can take the cable car up.

From Zilina, it’s about 90 minutes and just under 100 km to Jasna, and from Poprad, it’s about 70 km and a 50-minute drive. We definitely recommend a car, as the buses can be a bit time-consuming, depending on your starting point.

Accommodation

You’ll find many accommodations around the Low Tatras National Park. The best way to find it is to simply enter “Low Tatras” on Booking.com* and then click on the map. This way, you’ll see all available accommodations at a glance. You can also roughly estimate how long it will take you to get to your starting point. After extensive research, we’ve selected five really great accommodations for you, ranging from inexpensive to slightly more expensive. Alternatively, you can also check out Airbnb*. We found a great vacation apartment there (view here), where we stayed for three nights.

More Highlights in the Area

There are several other highlights and sights around the Low Tatras National Park in Slovakia. Just 7 kilometers from Jasna is the impressive Demanovská ľadová jaskyňa Ice Cave. You can visit this cave for just €8 per person on a 650-meter-long tour (more info here). The Liptov Reservoir is also a truly beautiful oasis between the Low Tatras and Dolný Kubín. You can take boat trips, paddleboards, or watch anglers at work on the reservoir.

In Jasna in the Low Tatras National Park is the Tarzania high ropes course. There you can climb among the trees and try out various treks. Unfortunately, it is currently closed because a storm destroyed the high ropes course. However, they are already working on rebuilding it. Another highlight is the Brankov Waterfall, which is about 60 meters high and is located on the Kurucká Rock. If you feel like it, you should definitely make a detour to Banská Bystrica and the beautiful mountain village of Banská Štiavnica.

Conclusion: Low Tatras, Slovakia

This day hike in the Low Tatras National Park was truly beautiful and one of our highlights during our tour through Slovakia. In perfect weather, we were able to enjoy unique views from the peaks. In total, we were on the trail for about 10 hours that day (including travel there and back). So you should definitely plan a full day for it. From the cable car station at the Rotunda Hotel, it took us about 6 hours to get down to the parking lot. We highly recommend this national park and especially this hike; you definitely won’t regret it.