Vel'ká Fatra (High Fatra) - Slovakia

Extent: 784 square kilometres

High Fatra is located in Central Slovakia, in Fatra-Tatra  Area , in districts of Martin, Ružomberok, Dolný Kubín and Turčianske Teplice. This mountain range forms a part of Internal West Carpathian Mountains.

Highest peak: Ostredok (1592 m).

Surface: remarkably afforested, the forests are mixed and of beech-woods, less pine-woods.

In high levelled sites, there are to be found plough-tails and pine forests. The areas, where trees are missing, are covered with meadows, Alp-meadows and glades.

Climatic zone: it is mostly cold.

Mountain relief is very rough, montaneous, in lower sites is hilly. The nucleus is formed with rests of granite and granite eruptives, wrapped up mostly with limestone, on some places even with karst appearances.

In this mountain range, there are to be found many of mineral as well as thermal springs.

High Fatra was declared as Protected Countryside Area in 1973, and later, in 2002, declared as National Park, especially thanks to its local fauna and flora.

One of the largest core mountain ranges in Slovakia - High Fatra offers a plethora of hiking trails, natural beauties and mysterious corners. It is a home of rare animals and still belongs to  natural environment not much negatively influenced by human activity. Join us on a night and day winter walk, where you can enjoy views of the sunrise, panoramas of the surrounding mountains and city lights deep in the valleys.

Text: Oskár Mažgút

Photos: Karol Kobella (www.karolkobella.sk)