Family winter holiday in Slovakia
| country: | Slovakia |
| departures: | 2009: 13 Dec, 20 Dec, 27 Dec 2010: 14 Feb, 19 Dec, 26 Dec 2011: 20 Feb, 19 Dec, 26 Dec |
| price: | From £739 - £1099 (8 days) per adult and from £669 - £989 per child including flights from the UK. From £559 - £949 per adult and from £529 - £869 per child excluding flights. |
| offers: | NEW LOWER PRICES: 13th December was £829 now £739 SAVE £90 20th December was £969 now £869 SAVE £130 27th December was £1,069 now £979 SAVE £90 Price quoted includes flights, subject to availability. Child price reductions also apply, please contact us for details. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
A centre-based week of snow-filled winter sports and traditional activities, including skiing, sledding and relaxing in thermal pools, in the unspoilt Tatra Mountains
Winter Base
The snow-clad mountains of the Tatras are the perfect place for an invigorating week of winter activities. After arriving in Krakow you’ll travel south across the Polish/Slovakian border to reach the small mountain village of Zuberec/Habovka and your comfortable pension.
Skiing or Snowboarding
Around the village there are three slopes equipped with lifts and downhill pistes. These are the ideal places for either learning to ski or snowboard, or simply developing your skills.
Activities!
Amongst the snow-covered mountains you’ll enjoy many fun activities. A meal with a Slovak family, an expedition on snowshoes, sledging and swimming in a thermal pool. The week peaks with dog-sledding and - if you’ve any energy left - you can try night skiing!
Winter Base
The snow-clad mountains of the Tatras are the perfect place for an invigorating week of winter activities. After arriving in Krakow you’ll travel south across the Polish/Slovakian border to reach the small mountain village of Zuberec/Habovka and your comfortable pension.
Skiing or Snowboarding
Around the village there are three slopes equipped with lifts and downhill pistes. These are the ideal places for either learning to ski or snowboard, or simply developing your skills.
Activities!
Amongst the snow-covered mountains you’ll enjoy many fun activities. A meal with a Slovak family, an expedition on snowshoes, sledging and swimming in a thermal pool. The week peaks with dog-sledding and - if you’ve any energy left - you can try night skiing!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London After your flight to Krakow, you transfer by charter bus (2 ½ - 3 hours drive) to your pension in the small mountain village of Zuberec/Habovka where you check in. Situated on the western edge of the High Tatra, Zuberec was originally an agricultural settlement. Today the village lies at the centre of three downhill skiing areas and has developed to offer a range of facilities for tourists. There are a number of small guesthouses, pensions and hotels, and a growing range of organised activities on offer to visitors in both the winter and summer months. Most accommodation in this area is built in chalet style, with wooden furniture, offering simple but clean and comfortable quarters. Breakfast is served in your accommodation each morning and you’ll be able to choose from a selection of mountain restaurants and village cafes for your lunches and dinners. Hotel / pension - 7 nights |
| Day 2: | Snowshoeing & Thermal Pools (optional) After breakfast you head into the Rohace mountains for a day’s snowshoeing expedition. Your Group Leader will give a quick lesson on how to put on your snowshoes and how to use them with a pair of poles to move around. It really isn’t difficult at all and, although you might feel a little ungainly at first, you’ll soon discover that you can climb even a fairly steep slope with ease. With snowshoes you can go almost anywhere - which means you can get to places that skiers cannot. You may set off along a prepared forest trail but if a glorious view or interesting diversion presents itself you have the freedom to get off the beaten track –literally! The group’s ability will dictate how far you go but it maybe possible to climb to one of the highest peaks in the Western Tatra, Brestova, at a height of 1902 metres. As you’re likely to be away from the main skiing areas it’s a good idea to take a vacuum flask and provisions for a picnic. After lunch you’ll meet up with your leader and make the short drive to the neighbouring mountain village of Oravice (11km), to visit one of the area’s open-air, thermal pools (optional, at additional cost). Such pools are found in many parts of Slovakia and are popular for their restorative properties. As well as offering general health benefits, the waters of Oravice are reputed to have beneficial cosmetic properties - but they also make a great place to relax weary ski-legs. (B) |
| Day 3: | Downhill skiing or snowboarding Today you’ll take to the powdery Slovakian snow for the first time, with a choice of either a day on skis, or a day snowboarding. Downhill skiing has long been the most popular form of skiing; in fact it was first taken up as a leisure activity by the British in Victorian times. However in recent years snowboarding has become the fastest growing winter sport. Both of these activities require different equipment so your first stop will be to get kitted out with the correct boots and then either skis or a board. As well as experienced ski technicians, your leader will be on hand to make sure everything fits properly and to show you how it all works. Then it’s off to the slopes. The village offers tracks (pistes) for all categories of skiers or snowboarders. Shorter slopes of 400m and 860m are for beginners. On the other hand a longer slope of 1490m is for more competent skiers. The main ski area is situated in the Pod Salatinmi Valley, 1090m above sea level. Here you’ll find a self-service restaurant and artificial snow-making machines to ensure good skiing. If you’re a beginner, you’ll join a three hour lesson, aimed at your level of ability/experience, while proficient skiers are free to ski! For the remainder of the day you’re free to practice your new skills or explore the area before returning to your pension. (B) |
| Day 4: | Skiing (optional), Winter Games & Cultural Activities This morning there’s the chance to return to the slopes for more skiing and snowboarding (optional, at additional cost). Beginners will be amazed at how quickly they can develop their balance and technique, whilst for more experienced skiers and boarders there’s the chance to try more demanding pistes. After lunch, enjoy playing in the snow, perhaps building a snowman, making snow angels or perhaps having a snowball fight! After an early dinner tonight a short bus ride will take you to the village of Brestova and its celebrated open air museum of local life. There are many interesting artefacts and displays here but your visit will be timed to also make the most of the cultural evening that the museum organises each week. You’ll have the chance to try a local honey drink and to learn some local games and folk dances. (B) |
| Day 5: | Lunch with a local family & Sledding This morning you’re free to relax in the pension, explore the village or take an optional visit to a local school to interact with Slovak school children during their lessons before joining up with your leader for lunch with a local family. The main dish will be a specially prepared Halusky. This is a traditional mountain dish of hot potato dumplings served with melted cheese and sprinkled with bacon. Over lunch you’ll discover more about Slovakian life and see how families live today. After lunch you’ll take to the slopes around the village again for a sledding excursion. This is great fun for both adults and children as you whiz downhill on small plastic sleds! (BL) NB: The morning on day four is suggested for those wishing to visit a local Slovak school however the date is flexible depending on the group’s wishes. The visit is only available on February and March departures as the school is closed over Christmas. See ‘Responsible Travel’ for more information. |
| Day 6: | Dog-Sledding After a good breakfast to set you up for the day, you’ll leave the pension to meet up with the dog team handlers and their dogs – the dogs come from the Lower Tatra to meet you, and you’ll get to know them in the fields around the village. Upon arrival the handlers will show you how to handle the sled and brief you before setting off. The dogs always get really excited as soon as they see the sleds coming out and it’s often a struggle to hold them back, so the sleds have a snow anchor just for that purpose. Each sled carries two people - a driver (or musher) and a passenger - pulled by a team of 2-6 huskies. It takes a while to get everything ready but eventually you’ll set off in crocodile file, with the dogs tugging hard at their harnesses before they break into a smooth rhythm. All you can hear are the runners of the sled fizzing over the frozen snow and the odd bark or yelp from the dogs. While you’re waiting your turn, there’ll be tea, snacks and your leader and dog handlers will make a warming fire (if possible). There’s also likely to be the offer to try some of the traditional home-made Slovakian spirit called Slivovica, which will definitely warm you up! It depends on the group, how long the activity lasts, so it should be an enjoyable activity for all! (B) |
| Day 7: | Free Day Today is free for you to choose from the many activities on offer in and around the village. You may wish to head back to the slopes for more downhill skiing or snow boarding (in which case you’ll need to purchase a lift pass). You may decide to try cross-country skiing, along one of the specially prepared circuits on the edge of the village. Alternatively why not strap on some snowshoes and walk amongst the snow covered forests, or even have a go at sledging! Your leader will of course be on hand for advice, should you decide to explore further afield and to help arrange a celebration meal on everyone’s last night together in Slovakia. (B) |
| Day 8: | Trip Ends; Fly To London This morning, you transfer by bus (2 ½ - 3 hours) to Krakow. Clients travelling on our group flights fly to London. (B) NB: in the event of some activities not being possible due to weather conditions e.g. lack of snow, we reserve the right to substitute other activities and/or change the location of the trip in order to try and provide those activities. Depending on numbers, on some departures it may also be necessary to change the order of activities, or divide into smaller groups, so that different activities can take place simultaneously. Your Group Leader will co-ordinate this. On most days there is a choice of café/bar/restaurants for meals and refreshments near the areas where the activities take place. Your leader will advise accordingly. |
travellers' tales
Enjoy and take as many kids as possible. (more)
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip: By staying in locally-owned accommodation and using only local leaders, your tourist spend directly benefits the local economy. The museum of village life at Brestova is made up of over 50 dwellings, barns and workshops dating back as far as the 15th century. A visit here offers a great insight into traditions and customs, whilst sharing a meal with local people is a great way to find out about every day life in modern Slovakia. The family would also appreciate a small token or gift, if you wish to take one. The gift should be something that is typically English, for example tea, confectionery or maybe a present from your home town. This should not be expensive, but something that will help them appreciate a little bit of English culture, as they show you theirs.
The optional visit to a local school is a great opportunity for the children and adults on the trip to interact with Slovak school children during their English lessons. The cultural and linguistic exchange is fun and valuable for the both hosts and guests. We encourage taking something of educational value as a gift such as children’s books for the school library, magazines, DVDs or CD/tape audiobooks to listen to. Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |