Supporting local tourism and local communities 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on local communities and livelihoods across the planet, we’re keen to promote adventures in countries that are actively working towards sustainable tourism and conservation projects such as Slovakia.

We’re passionate about exploring off the beaten track routes in order to help communities who are in the shadow of mainstream tourist destinations. We also aim to create an adventure which is about discovery, immersing yourself in fascinating environments, customs and cultures and provides an understanding of the alpine region and people.

Financial protection
If your adventure needs to be cancelled for any reason, like say a global pandemic, you won’t be left stuck and you’ll be offered plenty of alternative options thanks to our financial protection through our insurance company, Towergate. What’s more, in the very unlikely event of Adventurous Ewe going under, you’ll get your money back and be repatriated if you were on a trip at the time.

Secure online payments
All bookings can be made online with Mastercard, Visa and debit card or via BACS. You can also opt to pay via monthly instalments. We use Stripe to handle all our online payments as it is a payment platform which is a global leader in payment processing offering superior security for both you and us as a company. For any further information or to organise monthly instalment payments, please get in touch with us at info@adventurousewe.co.uk.

Pay in instalments, interest free
We’re well aware that adventures can be a significant investment so we’ve set out to make it easy to afford. Once you’ve put down your deposit, you can pay the remaining balance off in monthly instalments with no extra charges so you can get out there and live your dream.

Adventure info available through our mobile app 24/7
On booking your adventure, you will receive all the exciting trip info via our mobile travel app. You’ll have access to all your trip info, training guide, countdowns, live updates, contact info, weather forecasts, kit lists and much more at the touch of a button 24/7 via your mobile phone. No more unnecessary use of reams of paper and the need of carrying around documents with you. The app is free to download and all info is customary to your adventure ahead.

On joining us for this trek, you will receive all the exciting trip info via our free mobile travel app. You’ll have access to your itinerary, countdowns, live updates, contact info, weather forecasts, know before you go trip info, kit lists and much more at the touch of a button 24 hours a day via your mobile phone. No more unnecessary use of reams of paper and the need of carrying around documents with you. The app is free to download and all info is customary to your adventure ahead. A’ppy days.

With being a small family business we pride ourselves with providing personal, professional and friendly service. We appreciate that everyone has different levels of experience and reasons for wishing to embark on this trip and therefore require varying levels of support and guidance. We’re here to help you every step of the way from the moment you join the flock all the way through to completing the challenge and beyond. Jim and Sue’s knowledge and expertise stems from dozens of years of travelling and exploring the destinations that we visit in order to fully support you in the lead up to your adventure.

On signing up for the trip, we will provide you with the recommended flights to book or alternately, we can book the flights for you through our ATOL & ABTA protected Flight Agent at an additional cost.

Flights are not included in your package to give you the flexibility to travel from your nearest airport, use your frequent flyer points or extend your stay in Slovakia if you wish. The recommended flights for this will include airport transfers in Slovakia. There are direct flights from London and some major airports across the UK.

All nationalities require a full passport that must be valid for 3 months beyond the intended length of stay. Airlines may not carry passengers holding passports with less than 3 months validity.

British nationals do not require a visa to enter Slovakia for the purpose of tourism.

For the latest entry requirements, please visit the F&CO website. 

Plus for further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers.

Travel Insurance is an important part of any booking. It is compulsory that everyone who travels with us has taken out adequate travel insurance which includes, among other things, cover for the full value of your trip, medical (emergency, evacuation and repatriation) arrangements, activities undertaken, personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects and COVID-19 travel cover.

For UK residents we have partnered with Campbell & Irvine Direct to provide you with a travel insurance. If you would like to obtain cover for your trip please feel free to contact specialist Insurance Brokers, Campbell Irvine Direct for a quote.

You must send your Travel Insurance Policy to Adventurous Ewe no less than one month prior to departure.

Vaccinations
There are currently no mandatory vaccination requirements for Slovakia however we would recommend that your tetanus jabs are up to date.

For the most up to date details on vaccinations, please consult with your GP or travel healthcare practitioner 8 weeks in advance of travel and check the latest health advice for Slovakia from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website.

Severe allergies
If you have a severe allergy please inform us at the time of booking. We will do all we can to help, but unfortunately we are unable to guarantee an allergy free environment on this trip. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as ‘adrenaline auto-injectors’ are not carried as standard by AE leaders and crew. Whilst your leader is aware of our trekkers medical history, please also inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Adventurous Ewe puts the safety and well-being of you, our leaders & crew and the communities we visit at the centre of all our operations, always. Your safety and well-being is our top priority. The Slovakia Adventure Hike is intentionally challenging and requires individual preparation as the trip is designed to take you out of your every-day comfort zone and achieve something incredible. Rest assured we have a thorough Safety Management System, indepth risk assessments and risk management systems in place.

You will be accompanied by local qualified Mountain Guide/s. Our Guides are First Aid trained and have extensive experience in leading groups in this region. They will be ultimately responsible for your safety on this trip.

Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Travel advice website for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers.

We also ask that you please ensure you use your alcohol-based hand sanitiser at all times to minimise the spread of any germs throughout your fellow flock of trekkers!

You will be accompanied by certified Mountain Guide/s throughout this mountain trek. They will be ultimately responsible for your safety on this trip. Our Guides have been carefully selected to ensure you have the best experience with a bit of humour thrown in for good measure.

Your Guide is a key part to this trip. They are all expertly trained and experienced in every field of mountain trek, bilingual (English and Slovakian) and have a huge passion for what they do and have plenty of knowledge ready to share with you. They are responsible for ensuring the complete safety, wellbeing and enjoyment of the team whilst also retaining a flexible and fun attitude. The Guide/s have radio and mobile phone contact with base, the local office and Adventurous Ewe’s HQ.

We pride ourselves in small group travel to minimise the impact on the environment and to make your experience more authentic and safe.

The minimum group size is 4 people and the maximum group size is 8 people.

You are most welcome to join this mountain adventure as a private group or a bunch of family, friends, colleagues, or as a solo traveller. You are also welcome to use this trip as a fundraiser for the charity of your choice.

If you have a group of over 4 people, we would be more than happy to run a private trip for your flock, your charity or your company.

For any further info or to chat about running a bespoke trip, we’d love to hear from you at info@adventurousewe.co.uk or call 01492 588 069.

Trekking experience and level of difficulty – ‘Tough’

You’ll be covering 11 – 17km each day across uneven terrain, so a moderate level of fitness is needed so you will enjoy the experience. Elevation gains are modest (400 – 700m) and while the trails are complex, you’ll be moving at a walkable pace.

The ladders, catwalks and ledges (some of which are quite narrow) are very sturdy and secure, however, you should be comfortable with heights. Imagine climbing up to the 3rd story of a building on a ladder. If you can do that, you’ll be fine and your guide will never be far away.

As with any trek in mountainous areas, safety is paramount and your Guide will always make decisions to amend the itineraries to ensure the safety of the whole group. 

A bespoke training programme will be provided when join the team for this adventure to help you with your preparations. This includes info, videos and an exclusive discount code for a 28 day kettlebell training programme which is ideal for strength and endurance training. This programme is also perfect for people who are tight on time.

The more you are prepared, the more you will enjoy the challenge.
Our motto is: Train hard, smile harder and enjoy the journey!

A full kit list will be provided when you register for this trip. Good kit can make the difference between a fantastic adventure and an uncomfortable one. Well worn in waterproof hiking boots are essential together with a good quality waterproof jacket AND trousers.

An exclusive Adventurous Ewe discount code will be provided for the independent outdoor retailers on registering for this mountain adventure.

To help you get the very best from your mountain trek we will provide you with an exclusive Adventurous Ewe discount code to use in outdoor retailers both online and in store. They offer a large choice of kit that the staff themselves use while climbing, hiking, mountaineering, running, travelling or enjoying expeditions across the globe and they pride themselves on sharing their experience and knowledge of equipment so you can choose the right gear to suit you and your trip.

The Slovak Paradise National Park in summer is beautiful and relatively warm. From June to August the average daytime temperatures range from 18 – 22°C, but at night it cools down to ~8 °C. In the spring and fall it’s a little chillier, ranging from 10 – 18 °C during the day and 3 – 6 °C at night. Autumn is the driest season and also boasts some beautiful colours.

We recommend that you check the mountain weather forecast in the days leading up to your trek. 

3 nights guesthouse accommodation (twin share)

We’ve sourced our accommodation very carefully in Terchova and picked a locally owned lodge in line with the Adventurous Ewe style of travel. You will be staying in a small family owned guesthouse 3* Penzion Sagan, situated in the quite village of Terchova – Stefanova, situated right in between the mountain ranges.

Single travellers

Our group trips are designed for shared accommodation in order to keep the cost at a minimum for you. Single rooms may be organised for an additional cost however this is dependent on accommodation availability. Single travellers share with people of the same gender in twin share accommodation. For more info or to request a single room, please get in touch with us at info@adventurousewe.co.uk.

Food

3 breakfasts and dinners are included. Lunch is not included.

Slovakian food is fresh and hearty and staples include pork, poultry, cheese, pastry, potatoes, onions and garlic. Lentil and vegetable stews are also common, as is wild game, pasta and the Gnocchi dish “Bryndzove Halušky.” You’ll have plenty of time to stock up on local food for lunches while out hiking.

There are also a variety of restaurants in town, including European-American fusion, pizza, pubs and Italian. It’s possible to accommodate Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten free and Dairy free diets on this trip, just let us know at least 2 weeks prior to departure.

Drinking Water

It is not recommended to drink untreated water from the taps or streams enroute. You should take purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles. Bottled water can be purchased throughout the trek from the mountain huts, but we strongly discourage buying these as it contributes to plastic waste. For further info on purchasing an Adventurous Ewe Water-to-Go bottle please click here and help reduce the volume of single use plastic in this pristine alpine environment.

The impact of single use plastic is having on our landscape, wildlife and oceans, it is now more important than ever that we all make changes in order to help our planet. We may not be a huge global company but we’re passionate about playing our part and trying to make a huge difference collectively. Together we can dramatically reduce our consumption of single use plastics and support our responsible travel ethos of ‘Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but boot-prints, keep nothing but memories.’

You can make a difference too with taking part in this trip and purchasing one of these environmentally friendly reusable alternative bottles compared to single-use plastic water bottles. Grab a Water-to-Go bottle through Adventurous Ewe and receive a 15% discount. Even better, Water-to-Go will donate a further 15% to our charity partner, Cool Earth. For more info please visit here or email us at info@adventurousewe.co.uk to buy your Water-To-Go bottle.

Deposit of £95 per person is required on booking.
Remaining balance of £495 per person is due for payment no later than 4 weeks prior to the trip start date.
Total cost: £590 per person

You are welcome to fundraise for a charity of your choice if you wish to do so. All sponsorship monies are to be sent directly to your chosen charity.

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We are very excited to have teamed up with leading climate change charity Cool Earth, who share our mission to protect the planet’s precious environment in a sustainable manner. The future of rainforest protection is where everyone makes a difference to climate change! We invest a % of our revenue into supporting critical conservation projects around the world through Cool Earth.

You are most welcome to help make a difference too by sparing a few pennies. Please give what you can and help save the world’s rainforests today by clicking here. Just £2.50 will save 10 trees and lock up 10 tonnes of CO2. Together, we can all make a difference in helping preserve this precious and wonderful planet. Thank-ewe.