11 Exciting Tips for Your Adventure to Velká Javořina and the White Carpathians

When you think of Carpathians, what comes to your mind? Some folks might picture the stunning White Carpathians, a beautiful area of wild nature on the border between Moravia and Slovakia. Others may think of the larger Carpathian mountain range as a whole. In reality, the Carpathians only touch the Czech Republic in a small section in southern Moravia. This mountainous region stretches for 1,500 kilometers, starting from Austria and passing through Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, and Serbia, covering an area totaling 210,000 square kilometers, and even crosses the Alps. Many sites within the Carpathian Mountains are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites; examples include the original beech forests, wooden churches found in Polish, Ukrainian, Romanian, and Slovak villages, fortified villages in Transylvania, Orthodox monasteries in former Romanian Moldavia, and the unique caves of the Slovak Paradise and Karst.

1. White Carpathians, a haven for plants and animals

The White Carpathians are thriving in this global competition of mountains, showcasing their own best features. For instance, the White Carpathian flowery meadows boast an incredible variety of plant species, making them one of the richest biotopes in Europe and indeed the world. This protected landscape area is also the habitat for more than half of the animal species found across the Czech Republic. Scientists estimate that around 20,000 different animal species live here, with about 16,000 of them being insects. It also hosts the largest variety of butterfly species of any region in the Czech Republic. This remarkable mountain range, known for its extensive diversity of plants and animals, is recognized as both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a protected landscape area.

2. Legendary orchid meadows of the White Carpathians

You don’t need to be a plant expert to be enchanted by the White Carpathian flowery meadows. Biologists will find a true paradise here, as these meadows are home to over 800 species of plants, many of which are endangered. From late April to the end of July each year, more than twenty species of orchids bloom, including May, male, military, and cuckoo orchids, elder and skin orchids, mountain heads, yellow Carpathian gentians, and various crucifers. The meadows, dotted with typical solitary trees, have developed in place of the original warm-loving oak and beech woodlands, creating an ideal environment for these plants. Interested in learning more about orchids? You can join a guided tour organized by the White Carpathians Education and Information Centre in Veselí nad Moravou.

3. Velká Javořina, Queen of the White Carpathians

Apart from a few sections, the Carpathians aren’t towering mountains but rather lower, forested hills. Velká Javořina, the highest peak of the White Carpathians, standing at 970 meters, is quite impressive and visible from afar. Several hiking trails lead to its summit, providing breathtaking circular views. From the peak, you can spot landmarks like Chřiby with Buchlov Castle, Pálava, and the sand and gravel lakes near Ostrožská Nová Ves and the Small Carpathians in Slovakia. On clear days, you can even see the Slovak peaks of Považský Inovec, Strážovské vrchy, and Mala Fatra, along with other notable peaks on the Czech side, including Velký Lopeník, Beskydy, Vizovice, and Hostýnské vrchy. If you’re lucky, you might also catch a glimpse of the Austrian Alps and the Schneeberg massif.

4. Celebration of the Brotherhood of Czechs and Slovaks at Javořina

If you prefer to avoid the most famous trails like Žítková and other tourist hotspots, you can enjoy hours of solitude walking in the White Carpathians. But if you enjoy being around others, you should note that Velká Javořina stands as a symbol of the unity and brotherhood between Czechs and Slovaks. Their tradition of gathering here goes back to the early 1800s, and you can join in by coming here on the last Sunday in July for the annual Celebration of the Brotherhood of Czechs and Slovaks. The popular hikes on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day also lead to Velká Javořina.

5. Javorina National Nature Reserve and Forest

One of the national nature reserves in the White Carpathians is Javorina, which covers a significant area on the northern slopes of Velká Javořina. Initially declared an unofficial reserve in 1907 by the Lichtenstein family, who owned the land, it became an official protected area in 1933, and in 2008 it was recognized as one of the protected areas with an area of 166 hectares, making it the largest unregulated natural area in the country. As with other preserves, visitors are only allowed to walk along designated trails. However, there is little risk of getting lost in the woods; the paths are well-maintained and any fallen trees blocking the way are cleared away.

6. Čupec, the highest point of South Moravia

Less than five kilometers from Velká Javořina, right on the border of Czechia and Slovakia, lies the Čupec hill. Standing at 819 meters above sea level, it may not be tremendously tall by the standards of the White Carpathians, but it boasts one important distinction: it is the highest point in the South Moravian Region. There is, however, a point within the region that is even higher at 836 meters, but this elevation is found on the slope of a nearby Durda Hill, not on its own peak.

7. Květná and Strání

You can start a trip to Velká Javořina from Strání or Květná. However, don’t think of Strání as a forgotten little village hiding in a deep valley in the Carpathians. This village developed along the Uher trade route, which led north from the south through Uherský Brod and Olomouc all the way to the Baltic Sea. Today, the main road passes through here toward Nové Mesto nad Váhom, and be sure to check the event calendar, as you might catch an Open Day at the local glassworks.

8. Velký Lopeník, Durch and places with stunning views

The slopes of the White Carpathians alternate between meadows and dense forests. Because of this, besides Velká Javořina, lookout towers like those on Velký Lopeník, Travičná, or Královec provide stunning views. The Durch observation tower is remarkable for its view and design, acting as a special viewpoint on the northern edge of the White Carpathians near Valašské Klobouky, where some see it as a beautiful picture frame and others view it as a window to the landscape beyond.

9. Windmill in Kuželov

Above the village of Kuželov stands one of the few remaining Dutch-type windmills. Built in 1842, it milled flour for more than a century. After being restored, it has become an exhibit at the Technical Museum in Brno, showcasing a display of windmilling. Next to the mill, you can learn about how people lived and worked in this area around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, all thanks to a small local museum.

10. Which way to Velká Javořina?

The highest peak in the Carpathians is the Slovak Gerlachovský štít, which stands tall at an altitude of 2,655 meters. Fortunately, we don’t have to trek that high, but the journey to Velká Javořina is still quite a challenge. For example, the green marker trails from Květná lead in one direction to Velká Javořina and in another toward Velký Lopeník, with elevation gains of 600 to 700 meters for both paths. To make the hike easier, you might consider starting from the saddle between Strání and Horní Němčí, where there’s a bus stop and parking available; the red trail takes you directly to the summit of Javořina. The round trip on this route is approximately 15 kilometers with an elevation gain of 382 meters.

A leap across the border:

• • The White Carpathian Mountains are named after the Červenokamenské bradlo and Vršatská bradla, which are the large white rock formations found on the Slovak side of the mountains.

• • Holuby’s hut on the eastern slope of Velká Javořina, located in Slovakia, has been serving hikers for a hundred years, with its foundation stone laid on 8 July 1923, and it remains open all year round.

• • The trek across the White Carpathians from one end to the other spans about 100 kilometers and typically takes four to five days of walking. If you’re after a bigger adventure, consider venturing deeper into Slovakia via the long-distance Path of the SNP Heroes, which starts at Devín Castle near Bratislava, traverses part of the ridge of the White Carpathians, and continues through Strážovské vrchy, Malá and Velká Fatra, the Low Tatras, the Slovak Ore Mountains, and the Volovské vrchy, all the way to the Dukla Pass, covering a total distance of roughly 770 kilometers.