“It’s too scary…” came a weak, almost tearful voice from above. We all came to a halt as my nine-year-old nephew stopped halfway up on the iron ladder. “We can’t stop here! Hold on tight, keep going and don’t look down,” my sister told her son helpfully. It was late afternoon in July and we were only maybe halfway through the Suchá Belá gorge in the Slovak Paradise National Park.
The protected area in eastern Slovakia known as the Slovak Paradise (Slovensky Raj) is located about 30km south-east of the higher Tatra mountains. With its narrow rocky gorges, impressive waterfalls, and hiking trails aided with ladders and iron steps, this is definitely a paradise for anyone who loves the great outdoors. The area had been on our radar for some time when my sister suggested that we explore this national park during our annual mini break.
The four of us arrived in the Slovak Paradise after a 4-hour drive from Hungary. We checked into the campsite, which featured small wooden huts that brought back memories of school trips in the ‘90s. It was only around 2pm, so we all agreed that we should start exploring immediately.
The hiking trail through the most popular canyon, Suchá Belá, started only about a kilometre from our campsite. It suited perfectly as our first hike in Slovakia. As we headed to the trailhead, it crossed my mind that perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to start a 10km walk that navigates through a narrow gorge aided with iron ladders and iron steps at 3pm, but it was July, the daylight hours were long and we were keen to stretch our legs after the drive.
The trail that led us to the first waterfall was easy but exciting, offering plenty of opportunity to hop from rock to rock as we crossed the stream myriad times in the narrowing gorge. The most exciting sections were aided with planks and iron steps secured into the rocks just above the water. And the late start also had its advantages. This wild playground gets very popular in the summer months, and it’s not uncommon for queues to form at the bottom of the ladders, but due to our late start we had the gorge pretty much to ourselves.
So, there we were, halfway up the first ladder on the first afternoon in the Slovak Paradise. It wasn’t the first time that the four of us had taken a mini break together, and my nephew could easily tackle a 10km walk from the age of 6 (provided we had enough gummi bears to keep him going). As we didn’t plan to do any trails that were unsuitable for him, we were all a bit surprised when he announced on the ladder that it was “too scary.”
The idea was to spend some time together and give my nephew an adventure to remember, an experience that would help him learn to love nature and the outdoors – not to provide him with a nightmare-inducing trauma.
After a few long minutes, my nephew – considering his options – decided that reversing on the ladder would be worse than climbing up, and with trembling knees he slowly made his way up to the platform where my partner Jacint was waiting for him. He climbed the second, almost vertical ladder in silence, without taking a glimpse of the waterfall that was rushing down the rocks just a few metres away. But by the time we reached the third set of ladders, my nephew was following Jacint more confidently and he might have even peered down from the top.
The late afternoon light couldn’t reach us at the bottom of the narrow canyon, so we didn’t see the dark clouds that were gathering somewhere above. The rumble of thunder duly came as a surprise when we reached the forest track that led back to the campsite.
We quickened our steps, but it wasn’t long before heavy raindrops hammered on our backpacks. We continued to march down the forest track with torrents of rainwater gushing around our boots. Our waterproof jackets gave some protection from the elements, but on some parts of the path our feet were submerged in murky water. It was well after 7pm when we squelched back into camp.
After a hot shower we placed four pairs of soggy footwear on the campsite’s shoe-dryer rack, which was already heavily loaded with wet boots. That distinctive wet-shoe smell still lingered in the hall the next morning when we went to retrieve our pairs. The drying rack clearly couldn’t handle such a large volume of dripping wet gear overnight. We had no choice but to put our damp shoes back on. However, we didn’t want my nephew to grow to hate hiking from being forced to trek all day in wet shoes, so we dried his trail shoes as much as we could with a travel hairdryer before we left for our second adventure of the trip.
One of the most significant waterways that cut the Slovak Paradise’s gorges and canyons, forming spectacular waterfalls and caves, is the Hornád River. There are a few different routes that follow its meandering course. We joined a well-trodden trail from the campsite to pick up a woodland path alongside the river. There were many fellow hikers enjoying the mid-morning sunshine, but the trail wasn’t as busy as we’d feared.
My nephew clearly wasn’t too exhausted from the previous day’s trek. With endless energy, he balanced on the iron platforms that were secured just above the river. The route we followed soon left the Hornád and took us to the more exciting Kláštorská roklina gorge. Before long – whilst hopping from rock to rock – my nephew managed to step into the stream, submerging his freshly dried trail shoes. Luckily, it didn’t dampen his spirits and when we reached the first ladder, he followed Jacint without a murmur.
In fact, by the time we reached the second ladder, my sister could hardly keep up with him. We soon had to remind him to concentrate more on the steps and less on the views, as he was getting really confident. The nervousness of the previous day was gone, replaced by eagerness and a strong will to explore.
After climbing through the short but steep gorge, we emerged into a large meadow beside the ruins of a 13th century monastery. The clear day treated us with views all the way to the higher Tatra mountains. There was also a mountain hut near the ruins, located at the intersection of several trails, which was a popular place to stop for refreshments. We treated ourselves to some ice cream before starting the descent back on the forest track to the campsite.
In the evening, my nephew still had plenty of energy to play football at the campsite before we walked a good kilometre to the closest restaurant, where we wolfed down big plates of halušky – the soft potato dumplings that are a traditional part of Slovak cuisine.
The third day, we opted to explore Vel’ký Sokol, one of the wildest gorges in the Slovak Paradise. After leaving streets lined with neat holiday homes in Pila, we walked several kilometres along the wide riverbed, often hopping from rock to rock and climbing over fallen trees. From time to time, we also came across the remains of old wooden platforms and steps that had been swept away in the early spring. After the winter snow melts, the water travels down the narrow gorge with enormous power, obliterating anything in its path. One could only try to imagine the scale of the challenging work that must take place at the beginning of each hiking season.
Eventually we reached the narrow, aided section of the gorge, again replete with metal rungs and ladders. It proved a little shorter than it had been in the other gorges but it wasn’t any less impressive, and as fewer people ventured into this gorge, we didn’t see another soul for hours at a time.
Exploring these three gorges in three days meant leaving some other trails and the park’s famous ice cave for another time, gibing us a good reason to return. I can only hope that my nephew will come to treasure these summer memories as much as I do – and that he looks forward to a similarly exciting family mini break next summer.
It is not easy to reach the Slovak Paradise without your own transport. A daily ticket is required to enter the national park. These tickets can be purchased at the trailheads or at the tourist kiosk at Podlesok, or you might be able to buy it at your accommodation.
Daily ticket for adults: 2€/ Children under 15: 1€
You can also purchase a 3-day ticket, which works out cheaper if you’re planning to explore multiple gorges, trails and caves.
Parking cost is about €5 for a day in Podlesok and in Pila. If you are planning to stay at a B&B type accommodation it is advisable to book well in advance, as the summer months (especially July and August) are the busiest. The campsite and the campgrounds with wooden huts in Podlesok are a good base to explore some of the most popular trails.
The national park is popular with families and children will enjoy the routes but the sections aided with ladders in the narrow gorges may not be suitable for children under 9 (this will also depend on the height of the child). For several reasons, it is highly recommended to travel upstream in the gorges. At the end of the gorges, the return route often takes forest tracks and paths back to the starting point. This means that children should be able to walk up to 17km (10.5 miles) comfortably before tackling the routes in the Slovak Paradise.
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