For beautiful mountain views and a go to to a number of vividly inexperienced alpine lakes, the hike to the summit of Vel’ká Svišt’ovka is an efficient one so as to add to your Tatras mountaineering listing.
A cable automobile lops off the primary main ascent, so this hike is simpler than lots of the hikes within the Tatras. Even so, this hike is to not be underestimated. It is a lengthy hike, with a surprisingly troublesome downhill part, components of it requiring the usage of chains. To get again into city, you additionally must be ready for what appears like a by no means ending stroll via a pine forest on a rocky, uneven path.
Regardless of my warnings, this can be a nice hike. The views are beautiful and the inexperienced lake was nicely price seeing. Plus, sections of this hike are pure enjoyable, which makes up for the lengthy, monotonous stroll on the very finish of this hike.
Climbing Stats
Distance: 13.2 km (8.2 miles)
Issue: Reasonable, with some rock scrambling and the usage of chains
Complete Ascent: 365 meters (1,200 toes) achieve (beginning at Skalnaté Pleso)
Elevation Loss: 1,200 meters (3,930 toes)
Size of Time: 6 to eight hours
When to go: There are a number of indicators posted alongside the path that state that this hike is feasible from June 16 to November 1. Throughout the the rest of the 12 months, the path is closed, to forestall injury in the course of the months when snow is current.
Elevation profile
Please apply the seven rules of Depart No Hint: plan forward, keep on the path, pack out what you convey to the mountaineering path, correctly get rid of waste, go away areas as you discovered them, be thoughtful of different hikers, and don’t method or feed wildlife.
The Inexperienced Lake (Zelene Pleso)
Climbing to Vel’ká Svišt’ovka
Cable Automotive to Skalnaté Pleso
This hike begins at Skalnaté Pleso, a inexperienced, alpine lake positioned up within the Excessive Tatras. To get right here, you’ll be able to hike up or you’ll be able to take the cable automobile. I like to recommend taking the cable automobile. It’s quick, it’s scenic, and it shaves off roughly 2 to three strenuous hours of mountaineering.
The decrease station of the cable automobile is positioned in Tatranská Lomnica. There are three components to the cable automobile. The primary leg consists of two separate cable vehicles that take you proper to Skalnaté Pleso (1,751 meters). To do that hike, that is what you need.
Nevertheless, if it’s a wonderfully clear day, you’ll be able to pay extra and journey the entire method as much as Lomnický Štít, one of many highest peaks within the Excessive Tatras. If in case you have clear skies, I believe it could be definitely worth the cash (it’s costly!). We weren’t so fortunate. Low clouds hid the mountaintops on the day we did this, so we solely went to Skalnaté Pleso.
To get to Lomnický Štít (2,634 meters), tiny cable vehicles on very lengthy cables slowly climb as much as the height. This cable automobile can solely transport 45 individuals per hour, which isn’t a lot! Generally, these tickets must be booked 2 to three days prematurely, since there are only a few tickets obtainable.
From Skalnaté Pleso, you even have the choice to experience a chairlift as much as Lomnicke Sedlo. This doesn’t take you as excessive as Lomnický Štít, however with an elevation of two,190 meters, that is one other method to get these excessive alpine views.
In case you comply with this hike how we did it, you’ll solely must buy a one-way ticket as much as Skalnaté Pleso. In case you select to experience the cable automobile or chair elevate up the mountain from Skalnaté Pleso, you’ll be able to e book this leg of the journey spherical journey. On the ticket workplace in Tatranská Lomnica, you should purchase your tickets for the cable automobile. You can even buy tickets at Skalnaté Pleso, if you happen to select to go increased as soon as you might be there.
Cable Automotive Costs
To Skalnaté Pleso (one-way): 20€
Spherical journey to Lomnický Štít from Skalnaté Pleso: 34€
Spherical journey on the chair elevate to Lomnicke Sedlo from Skalnaté Pleso: 17€
The costs above are present as of 2022. Get up to date pricing on the official web site.
At Skalnaté Pleso, there’s a small restaurant, memento store, and loos.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: The official web site recommends that you just buy your tickets a number of days prematurely, as a result of they do promote out. I attempted to do that and couldn’t get the web site to work. However we had no points getting tickets on the morning of our hike. We did this on a beautiful Sunday in July. At 9 am, ticket traces have been small and there have been no traces to get onto the cable vehicles. I’d advocate getting right here at opening time, which is 8:30 am. This manner, you skip the crowds and get a head begin on the hike. Thunderstorms can roll in in the course of the afternoon, so it’s a good suggestion to start out your hike early within the day, if potential. Belief me concerning the thunderstorms…you’ll hear about these quickly!
The primary cable automobile seats simply 4 individuals and takes a number of minutes to get to the switch station. On the switch station, you get on a a lot bigger cable automobile that may maintain as much as 15 individuals. On a sunny day, these cable vehicles get scorching due to the greenhouse impact. It was great to step out into the a lot cooler air at Skalnaté Pleso.
Attending to the Trailhead
As soon as at Skalnaté Pleso, exit the cable automobile and stroll in direction of the restaurant. Stroll to the left, across the restaurant, and in entrance of you can be Skalnaté Pleso (the lake), the cable automobile station to Lomnický Štít, and off within the distance, an observatory.
The path begins on the opposite facet of the lake. There’s a brief part of planks that head up the hill in direction of the observatory. That is the place your hike begins.
For this hike, you’ll comply with the purple path. Estimates are given in instances, not distance.
The Path to Vel’ká Svišt’ovka
Skalnaté Pleso to Vel’ká Svišt’ovka: 2.5 km (1.6 miles), 330 meters (1080 toes) elevation achieve, 1.25 hours mountaineering time
A brief however barely strenuous climb takes you uphill, within the route of Lomnický Štít. This primary climb takes about quarter-hour after which the path ranges out.
Don’t neglect to look again! The views over Skalnaté Pleso and the cities of Slovakia are beautiful from right here.
The path undulates because it heads east in direction of Vel’ká Svišt’ovka. A big portion of this a part of the hike takes you throughout a large discipline of boulders. It’s a number of enjoyable, if you happen to like this type of factor, or it may be nerve-wracking, since some boulders can shift and slide underneath your weight.
As soon as throughout the boulder discipline, the path begins to climb some extra. Now you’ll be able to see Vel’ká Svišt’ovka off within the distance. It actually doesn’t take too lengthy to get right here from the cable automobile.
It’s one last, strenuous climb to the height of Vel’ká Svišt’ovka. The views from listed below are the very best of the day. Now, you’ll be able to look down at Chata pri Zelenom plese (the restaurant and lodge subsequent to the lake), Zelene Pleso (the inexperienced lake), and the valley far beneath. This beautiful valley is surrounded by the excessive mountain peaks of the Tatras. And that’s the place we’re heading subsequent.
Trying up on the peak of Vel’ká Svišt’ovka from the saddle.
The view from the highest of Vel’ká Svišt’ovka, wanting again on the saddle and all the way down to Zelene Pleso.
Various End to this hike: You’ll be able to flip round at Vel’ká Svišt’ovka and hike again to the cable automobile the identical method you got here. This may make the hike so much shorter, however you’ll miss extra of the views over the valley and the go to to the beautiful, vibrantly inexperienced lake subsequent to Chata pri Zelenom Plese. In case you select this selection, you have to to buy spherical journey cable automobile tickets to Skalnaté Pleso.
Climbing Right down to Chata pri Zelenom plese
Vel’ká Svišt’ovka to Zelene Pleso: 4 km (2.5 miles), 500 meters (1640 toes) elevation loss, 1.5 to 2 hours mountaineering time
As soon as we reached Vel’ká Svišt’ovka, we might hear occasional rumbles of thunder off within the distance. Clouds have been shifting in and being on a mountain peak is the final place you wish to be throughout a thunderstorm. And I had learn that the storms might be depraved right here within the Tatras.
So we needed to actually get shifting.
The hike from Vel’ká Svišt’ovka to the Chata pri Zelenom is, for my part, essentially the most difficult a part of this hike. It’s an extended, steep descent on uneven, rocky trails. We have been already sore and drained from mountaineering up Koscielec within the Polish Tatras yesterday, so this steep, downhill descent actually had our thighs burning and our knees aching.
So, although you at the moment are going downhill, don’t be misled and assume that that is straightforward. It’s not harmful, it’s simply tiring. And at instances it appears like it can by no means finish.
In the direction of the underside of the descent, you’ll climb down via a gorge. There are chains to make use of right here, because the rocks are very slick. Visitors jams can happen if the path is busy.
Then, it’s simply one other brief downhill part. As soon as the path ranges out, you’ve got only a few extra minutes of strolling till you get to the lodge.
Zelene Pleso, the Inexperienced Lake
Our timing couldn’t have been any higher. As soon as the lodge got here into view, large, fats raindrops started to fall. We obtained underneath cowl proper when the rain actually began. We discovered an open desk contained in the restaurant and ate lunch, all whereas the skies opened up and torrential rain fell. I couldn’t assist however really feel sorry for the individuals nonetheless on the market on the path.
The storm lasted about half-hour after which, what have you learnt, the skies cleared and the solar got here again out. We now obtained to see the vivid inexperienced colour of the alpine lake and the fortunate geese who get to name this house.
Tim and Tyler took a couple of minutes to fly the drone and that is what they captured. Wow!
Remaining Leg of the Path
Zelene Pleso to city: 6.7 km (4.2 miles), 2.5 to three.5 hours
Climbing instances from the lodge again to city. Now, you’ll comply with the yellow path.
From the lodge, it’s an extended however straightforward stroll again to civilization. It’s a gradual, downhill stroll, largely alongside a river, so this half goes quick, which is nice, since you’ve got one other 7 kilometers of mountaineering forward of you. Many of the stroll is underneath the quilt of bushes, so it’s cool and nice. However sooner or later, in case you are like us, you’ll simply be prepared for it to be over.
In the direction of the top of the path, you’ve got an choice. You’ll be able to hike 20 minutes to the Biela Voda car parking zone, positioned on route 537, the principle highway that runs between the cities alongside the Tatras. There’s additionally a bus cease right here, so you’ll be able to take the bus again to Tatranksá Lomnica and the cable automobile station. This path is shorter, if you happen to simply miss the bus (like we did), you could possibly find yourself ready half-hour till the subsequent one arrives. As an alternative of ready, we had the very good man who runs the car parking zone name a taxi for us. 5 minutes and 5 euros later we have been again at our lodge.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: Buses run roughly each half-hour and cease close to the decrease cable automobile station. I wouldn’t have costs however my guess is that it prices about one euro per particular person.
Choice quantity 2 is to take the path in direction of Tatranske Matliare. This path continues on to the cable automobile station. It takes about 45 minutes to hike to the cable automobile station from this fork within the path.
Video of the Zelene Pleso Hike
Wish to see a video of all the hike? This consists of some superior views of the Inexperienced Lake captured by drone.
Tricks to Have the Greatest Expertise
Begin early! Attempt to be on the cable automobile at opening time. This manner, you’ll be able to keep away from the traces and also you get an early begin to the hike.
Watch the climate. If thunderstorms are within the forecast, you could wish to save this hike for one more day. It may be very harmful to be on a mountain peak throughout a storm. There isn’t a cowl from the time you permit Skalnaté Pleso till you get all the way down to the valley to the lodge at Zelene Pleso.
Convey numerous water, sunblock, mountaineering poles, lunch and/or snacks. Put on mountaineering footwear or boots. It’s a good suggestion to convey a rain jacket, simply in case you get caught within the rain. It can be chilly on prime of Vel’ká Svišt’ovka, so having a jacket is a good suggestion.
In case you plan to take the cable automobile the entire method up Lomnický Štít, convey heat clothes. It may be significantly colder up there than in Tatranská Lomnica. And don’t neglect to purchase your tickets prematurely!
The Spherical Journey Hike from Tatranská Lomnica
You’ll be able to skip the cable automobile altogether and hike as much as Skalnaté Pleso from the decrease cable automobile station. Merely comply with the inexperienced path as much as the lake. We noticed fairly a couple of individuals doing this and we didn’t remorse skipping this a part of the hike in any respect. You’re merely strolling up a path alongside the cable automobile tracks, a relatively boring hike with the identical views that you just get from the gondola. Climbing to Skalnaté Pleso provides 2 to three hours, 4 km (2.5 miles), and 855 meters (2808 toes) of climbing to this hike.
The place We Stayed
We stayed at Villa Meribel in Tatranská Lomnica. This place is superior! We had a two bed room two bathtub residence with a small kitchen and residing space. From Villa Meribel, it was solely an 8 minute stroll to the cable automobile station, a superb location for this hike. Tatranská Lomnica is a superb house base for mountaineering the Tatras. There are a number of eating places and a grocery retailer on the town. There’s additionally a toboggan, an amazing place to take youngsters in case you are touring as a household.
Does this appear like a hike you want to do? Remark beneath if in case you have any questions or recommendation for our readers.
Extra Details about Slovakia
- TATRAS: Climbing the Excessive Tatras of Slovakia: Learn how to Plan Your Go to
- SLOVAK PARADISE: Our Expertise in Slovak Paradise Nationwide Park
- RYSY: Climbing Rysy from the Excessive Tatras of Slovakia
- BRATISLAVA: Prime 10 Issues to do in Bratislava
Learn all of our articles about Slovakia in our Slovakia Journey Information.
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