Main ridge of Low Tatras (48 km from Kráľova Hoľa to Čertovica)

Main Ridge of the Low Tatras is one of the most beautiful tourist routes in Slovakia. The hike passes through various ridges and beautiful nature and offers wonderful views of the Demänovská Valley and the High Tatras almost the entire route. The length of the entire ridge is approximately 100 km and the average tourist can handle it in 5 days.

In this blog post, I will focus on tips and advice for the first section of this entire ridge, the 2-days version, which is a tour from Telgárt to Čertovica. Let’s do this! I recommend the tour to all moderately advanced tourists, who should be able to handle it without any problems.

I wrote down the basic parameters of the route, accommodation options, information about what to pack, and where to find drinking water on the ridge. In the second part, you will find a rich photo gallery and my travelogue from the ridge of the Low Tatras.

Low Tatras National Park (NAPANT)

The Low Tatras National Park (NAPANT) is the largest Slovak national park, located in central Slovakia. Its biggest attractions are numerous karst phenomena with several caves.

The natural values of the Low Tatras have been under the protection of the Low Tatras National Park for more than two decades, which they declared in 1978. The original area of NAPANT’s own territory was 811 km2, while its protection zone covered an area of 1,240 km2. In 1997, the borders of the national park were modified to apply for nature protection more effectively. Today, NAPANT has its own area of 728 km2 and a protection zone of 1,102 km2, making it the largest national park in Slovakia.

The national park is characterized by long valleys, deep canyons and cliffs. Physically fit tourists can climb the highest Low Tatras peaks Chopok and Ďumbier, which offer attractive views of almost half of Slovakia and are part of the most beautiful Slovak ridge.

The greatest wealth of the park is several caves, the most famous of which is the complex of “Demänovské jaskyne”. There is a strong population of our large carnivores, such as bears, lynxes, or wolves. There is also the Tatra chamois and the mountain marmot.

Route specification and information

Now, when we know something about NAPANT let’s look at our tour through half of the main ridge of Low Tatras. I wrote down the basic parameters of the route, accommodation options, information about what to pack, and where to find drinking water on the ridge. Basic parameters:

• Length: The entire ridge of the Low Tatras is 97.6 km long, the 2 days section of the ridge is 48.3 km long.
• Route profile: Total climb is 2 648 meters and total descent is 2 295 meters.
• Start of the tour: Telgárt, square
• The aim of the tour: Čertovica
• Max height reached: Kráľova Hoľa, 1 946 m
• Min height reached: Priehyba, 1 185 m
• Marking: You will follow the red sign all the time, which makes orientation much easier.
• Route map of the entire ridge: https://mapy.hiking.sk

Where to sleep on Low Tatras ridge

You have to noticed that our tour will last two whole days and of course we can’t skip the night. So we have to fold somewhere and get sleep. Since the Low Tatras are a national park, it is not as easy as it may seem. 

In the Low Tatras National Park, isn’t allowed to sleep outside the permitted places, due to the protection of fauna and flora. And this usually includes sleeping in a sleeping bag as well as sleeping in a tent. On the ridge and in its immediate vicinity, a one-time overnight stay is allowed in three shelters and several other places. It is also possible to set up tents everywhere. 

• Front saddle under Kráľová Hoľa
• Cabin Andrejcová 
• Priehyba saddle
• Ramža shelter,
• Čertovica (under the Mountain Rescue Service cottage or behind the Čertovica rest house)

*These places are only for our two-day section of the tour from Kráľova Hoľa to Čertovica. In the next section of the ridge are other places to sleep as well. 

Prices of shelters and cottages

*You need to contact in advance and book your place

What to take with you and how to be prepared

I will start with a serious recommendation, which I have to say at the beginning, and I will be glad if you don’t take an example from me. Take as little things as you can and when you are packed, still consider what you really need for this tour. I personally took a 70-liter backpack, which weighed about 10 kg on its own and I packed so-called “for every case”, and I’ll tell you honestly, I regretted it!

• A light backpack that you have tested and you know that your crosses will not go away with it, or that it will not fall apart along the way.
• Sleeping bag and possibly also a mat. It is not even necessary to have a mat if I have arranged accommodation in Cabin Andrejcová or Čertovica. Even at Cabin Andrejcová, they can borrow you a tent and even a mat.
• A headlamp or a flashlight, in case you have to walk in the dark or go to the latrine at night.
• Quality shoes that have already been well tested in the mountains. This is the basis for avoiding bruises and painful feet. Many choose heavy hiking vibes, but I recommend more comfortable and lighter shoes designed for trail runs in the hills. In the Low Tatras, it is mostly walked through forests and scrubs. The rocky and rough terrain in the Low Tatras is unique.
• Tourist poles. They greatly relieve the load on the legs and back. I didn’t have it and it was felt, especially when walking down.
• Mosquito and tick repellent. You will penetrate most of the way through large grass and vegetation, especially in the summer and spring months.
• Sunscreen and protective lip cream, which can be damaged and painful by the sun and wind.

• A mobile phone and a power bank always had a charged phone on hand to keep you in an emergency.
• Magnesium is a basic mineral for muscle relaxation. It will help you avoid cramps from exhaustion or dehydration.
• In the first aid kit: Medicines for pain and fever, bandages and especially patches for bruises, and also do not forget about black coal or other medicines for diarrhea, which can make a two-day hike very uncomfortable.
• The clothes are up to you, but I recommend a high-quality gore-tex jacket that won’t blow, waterproof pants, and in case of rain and mud, wall covers. Thermal underwear has worked very well for me. The sun can blow on the ridge, so don’t forget a suitable head covering.
• The food at your own discretion. I will deal with it in the following paragraph.

Food and boarding on the ridge in the Low Tatras

You will find hot food and refreshments on the route in the saddle of Čertovica and hot refreshments are also offered in the Cabin Andrejcová, bean soup and morning scrambled eggs or sausages can feed well on the path that awaits you.

Many people take a gas stove and cooking equipment with them on the ridge. Personally, it seems to me like an unnecessary burden during a two-day hike, and you can deal without it. If you don’t care too much for hot food and hot tea. I remind you again, you want to have as lightest backpack as possible.

I consider carbohydrate foods to be a good source of energy. For myself, I recommend oatmeal, muesli, protein bars and dried fruit with nuts. The classic for hikes is also bread, whey, salami and various spreads. Be sure not to take watery and heavy foods such as apples or canned food. Dried fruit with nuts worked best for me.

Sources of drinking water

On our two-day route of the ridge of the Low Tatras you will find drinking water here: 

• Telgárt (accommodation or shop), 
• Cabin Andrejcová, 
• saddle Priehybka, 
• saddle Priehyba, 
• Ramža Shelter
• Čertovica (cottages, rest house)

If you do not mind drinking from natural springs, I recommend you to see the exact location of the springs in the GPS application Maps.me, where you will see them all.

Day 1: Telgárt – Kráľova Hoľa – Cabin Andrejcová

Route description: Telgárt – Zubrovica spring – Kráľova hoľa – Stredná hoľa – Orlová – Bartková – Ždiar saddle – Andrejcová – Cabin Andrejcová.

After spending the night in the Brezno village, we catch up the morning train to Telgárt, half an hour away. We arrive at the small station named Telgárt Pension. For a short while, we go to see If the Telgárt train viaduct is still standing, we take a few photos, and we are continuing to Telgart square, from where we take the official hike to the Kráľova Hoľa.

21,5 km , total elevation: 1 985 m , max height reached: Kráľova Hoľa 1 946 m, min height reached: Telgárt 882 m

Mountain ascent on Kráľova Hoľa

Right at the beginning, a strong elevation gain awaits us, where we will raise from 882 to 1 946 meters above sea level, which is more than a one-kilometer elevation. The signs tell us that to the top it’s only 2 hours with tourist tempo, but it takes us longer.

The first part – the ascent from Telgárt to Kráľova Hoľa.

We keep breaks to replenish fluids, and we also refresh ourselves along the way and regain energy for the next, steep ascent to the top of the hill.

It is necessary to keep drinking and have good mood when you ascending.

Come up at lunchtime, and we pass a lot of people along the way because there is a bike path leading to Kráľova Hoľa, along with which you can get up on electric bicycles. We take pictures at the top with a sign reaching the highest point on our route.

Last meters to Kráľova Hoľa – 1 985m.

Taking more photos of a beautiful view of the High Tatras and the valleys below them. Also, making a warm soup to warm up, it is so windy on Kráľova Hoľa. Starting our tour on the main ridge of Low Tatras.

View on High Tatras – Štraba – Štrbské Pleso.

Continue along the ridge

Upon the ridge, the walk is very nice. Along the way which follows are no large elevations already, only a slight descent to the shelter Andrejcova. The long walk is shortened by deep discussions with my friend Michal, with whom I did this hike.

Main ridge of Low Tatras.

We cross one peak after another, and we are still looking at beautiful views of the High Tatras and other valleys and mountains in the area around. We don’t meet very many people on the ridge road. Just a few people who have also decided to cross the entire ridge of the Low Tatras. The weather is great, it’s a little windy tho, but the sun warms pleasantly between the clouds.

The ridge we crossed in a one hour and a view of the Kráľova Hoľa.

After a few hours of walk on the way down from Bartková (1 790m), we are starting to be tired and getting a crisis. We did everything in our power to continue, and we are slowly coming to Ždiarské saddle.

Bartková in front of us.

Last kilometers to Cabin Andrejcová

From then I told myself I want to be as soon as possible in our tonight seller, although I was pretty tired. I set a fast tempo of walking, breathing regularly, and I didn’t care about things around except for keeping that tempo speed. Michal didn’t catch up with me. He even almost starts running, screaming at me to wait for him.

Ždiarské sedlo is just a short walk down the hill.

So I slowed down and after a few meters, we noticed a couple of spread out tents. We knew that Cabin Adrejcová was on the way. At the shelter, we finally put our things in the ready-made pre-booked tent and, of course, enjoyed our glass of beer and called home to the family that we had finally made it.

Cabin Andrejcová – Beer or Water sign.

Slowly the sun began to set behind the mountains, and we enjoyed the view of the evening tat he High Tatras with a good beer and also during a conversation with new friends who joined us. We took the last photos of the beautifully visible Milky Way in the sky and went to sleep in our tent. 

View on High Tatras from Cabin during the sunset.

Day 2: Cabin Andrejcová – Čertovica

Route description: Cabin Andrejcová – Priehybka – Veľká Vápenica – Priehyba – Kolesárová – Oravcová – Zadná hoľa – Homôľky – Havrania poľana – shelter Ramža – Jánov grúň – Bacúšske sedlo – Zadná Leniva – Čertovica (motorest)

This day is quite challenging by elevation and it is literally a way up and down. It’s quite demotivating if you go up the hill and find out that you have to go down to the saddle again. And then again. And again. However, the first part of the tour is nice, we have the High Tatras in the palm of our hand and we quite enjoy the views. We are still going together with our friends we met at Cabin Andrejcová, and discussions and getting to know each makes our journey more pleasant.

26,8 km , total elevation: 2 985 m , maxi height reached: Veľká Vápenica 1 687 m, min height reached: Priehyba 1 185 m

In the steep hill from the Priehyba saddle, our friends are lost in the distance and we can barely climb it. We ran out of the water and we are looking for a spring where we could replenish it. The breaks are getting more frequent and we are really exhausted. We try the music and various tactics of motivation to continue further, but the sun that shines on us sucks energy from us even the last drops of water. We are happy for every shadow that follows.

During a little break, Michal shows us some card tricks.

We’re almost there

We are already looking forward to getting on the Ramža shelter. Time runs and the sun slowly goes down. We got lost a few hundred meters before Ramza shelter. I’m glad I checked out the application, we returned to the tourist sidewalk, and in a moment we are in a Ramža shelter. Well, no beer is waiting for us. It is already 6 pm and we only have an hour until sunset and still two hours of walk to Čertovica according to the signs. But not a single time on the signs was true, so I’m quite afraid that we will come after dark.

Exhausted, we come to the saddle above Čertovica and it’s slowly getting dark. Unable to continue, the group of people we met helped with the backpacks and took them down with us. We are at the cottage in half an hour. We took a shower in the evening and went to bed. Happy we did it today without any injury.

Conclusion: General advice and tips for ridge of Low Tatras

• Don’t overpack it with a lot of things so you don’t have a heavy backpack. The more economical you pack, the better you will enjoy the ridge. Believe me, during those 48 km you will feel every extra gram. This is really rule number 1!
• This does not apply to water. Don’t limit yourself there and just take a lot. The biggest and most common trickle that can happen to you on the ridge is that you run out of water. Walking dehydrated is really a shock and every minute for you will be suffering. Therefore, always guard your water supply and have marked sources of drinking water along the way. We had 3 liters with us and we kept filling it along the way.
• For better navigation, I recommend downloading the GPS application Maps.me, where you can download a map of Slovakia (you do not need the Internet to use it), in which you can monitor whether you are still on the route. Sometimes springs are also marked in it. We had it anyway, we got lost on the route once and we were not the only ones.

• I recommend getting up as soon as possible and leaving for the planned second section in time. On the one hand, the weather in the mountains is better in the morning and on the other hand, you will arrive at the accommodation in Čertovica or Ramža shelter sooner and even in the light. It was really depressing to arrive at Ramža at 5 pm and we still had 2 hours of walking to accommodation in Čertovica. 
• I do not recommend taking long breaks, the journey is really long, and doesn’t forget to use sunscreen as protection. We didn’t do that and after the second day, we were burned.
• Take a whistle or at least make some noises during the tour and not walk in complete silence. To give animals and especially bears the opportunity to avoid you.

Buy the lightest gear on hiking More photos from my journeys here More stories from Slovakia here