Národný park Nízke Tatry
Národný park Nízke Tatry, abbreviated as NAPANT, is the largest Slovak national park. It lies in the territory of central Slovakia, extending into three regions - Banská Bystrica, Žilina, and Prešov. The Nízke Tatry are separated by the valleys of the Váh and Hron rivers. Both of these rivers rise beneath Kráľova hoľa, as do the Hnilec and Hornád. The buffer zone of the national park covers the entire Nízke Tatry mountain range. The park currently has an area of 728 km² and a buffer zone of 1,102 km², but upon its establishment in 1978, it covered an area of up to 811 km² with a buffer zone of 1,240 km².
The Nízke Tatry are a unified whole from a geomorphological perspective. However, in terms of geological structure, they are two distinct zones of the central Western Carpathians. The Ďumbier part in the west, also referred to as Ďumbierske Tatry, belongs to the core mountain ranges zone, while the Kráľova hoľa part in the east belongs to the Vepor zone. These two parts are separated by the Čertovica saddle. The highest peak of the Nízke Tatry is Ďumbier with an altitude of 2,043 m above sea level.
Home to many caves and waterfalls
The underground of the limestone-dolomite massifs conceals hundreds of caves; for example, cavers have discovered more than 170 of them in Demänovská dolina, while Jánska dolina is home to the deepest Slovak cave system named Hipmanove jaskyne. The karst area of the Nízke Tatry is, of course, the creation of underground riverbeds. Water works wonders on the surface as well, where one can admire many waterfalls, including the fourth highest in Slovakia, which is Bankovský vodopád with a height of 55 m.
In the Nízke Tatry, one must reckon with a harsh mountain climate. The average January temperature on the ridges reaches -9 °C and in July it does not climb higher than 9°C. Interestingly, the snow cover stays on Chopok for up to 130 days a year. Of the average annual precipitation (1,600 mm), the largest part falls in the form of snow.
Hiking with marmots and chamois
The vast majority of the Národný park Nízke Tatry is covered by forest, most frequently mixed forests where European beech, silver fir, Norway spruce, sycamore and mountain maple, and European ash grow. The dwarf pine zone is not widespread in this mountain range; it was largely removed by human activity. Bilberries and cowberries are most frequently found in these stands. Despite the harsh climate, or precisely because of it, the Nízke Tatry also feature interesting and valuable flora, including the Slovak pasque flower, Soldanella alpina, mountain buttercup, and edelweiss.
The diversity of habitats, the ruggedness of the terrain, as well as the inaccessibility of parts of the mountain range create conditions for a species-rich fauna. Endemic and relic species live here as well. Among the best-known animals of the Nízke Tatry is the Tatra chamois; this species did not originally live in the Nízke Tatry, but 30 individuals from the Vysoké Tatry and Belianske Tatry were artificially released here in the 1970s. In addition to chamois, red and roe deer, wild boars, wolves, lynx, and foxes are abundant here, as well as brown bears, which are the symbol of the Nízke Tatry, rare marmots, and golden eagles.
The Národný park Nízke Tatry offers visitors “great value for money”
Thanks to its area, NAPANT is characterized by a diversity that conceals something for every type of tourist. There are easy hikes for families with children or seniors to choose from. They can take a walk around Vrbické pleso or along the Jakub nad Banskou Bystricou educational trail. Conversely, more demanding hikes include ascents to Chopok, Ďumbier, or Kráľova hoľa. For those who prefer to explore the most interesting places, we recommend visiting the Demänovské jaskyne caves: Demänovská ľadová jaskyňa and Demänovská jaskyňa slobody, Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov, Stanišovská jaskyňa, or Záskočská jaskyňa.
If you want to spend more time in this area and are looking for accommodation near the Národný park Nízke Tatry, you can focus on five districts, Banská Bystrica, Brezno, Ružomberok, Liptovský Mikuláš, and Poprad. In each of them, you will find various types of accommodation; it is up to you whether you decide to stay in a cottage near the forest or choose an apartment in the city center where you can enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of cafes and squares while commuting to nature daily.
