Introduction to Sumava National Park

My dear friends,
January is a perfect month for planning. You are probably already thinking about your next summer adventure. What is it going to be? Where am I going? Last year I spent one of my holidays in Sumava National Park in the Czech Republic. I never traveled that much in my country and I decided to change it. 

As you probably know, I am a big planner. That´s something I do for my living as well as during my free time. I plan things all the time. Last summer I organized for my friends 8 days of trips in Sumava National Park. Yes, I think that I can establish a travel agency. My trips are always interesting because you never know how it will end up. Also more kilometres I walk, happier I am. However this time I´ve bought a guidebook (Ottuv turisticky pruvodce) so we didn´t get lost. I love when I get lost because then the real advanture begins!

We are all from different cities - Prague, Liberec and Decin. So we had 3 cars and also we came to Sumava in different days.

If you wanna organize some trip, this is basically how it works

- your friends have to tell you if they are coming or not (it takes months)

- you spend days of planning

- you have to send the proposal to your friends if they agree with everything

- usually someone doesn´t agree, someone else doesn´t read it and others just don´t care

- you make some changes in your plans

- someone will cancel their participation (before the trip or during the trip)

- on the spot the weather is bad or your friends change their minds so you change all your plans

- at the end you just give up and let it go

This is basically how it works in practise from my experience. During last year I organized some trips practically every weekend. But what can I say? I like it.

About Sumava National Park

... the biggest national park in the Czech Republic
... take a bike with you, conditions for it are better for cycling than for walking
... close to border with Germany and Austria
... nights can be cold during the summer (you are between 600 - 1378 meters above sea level.)
... primeval forest, lakes..
... wild animals
... UNESCO - Biosphere Reserve of Sumava.

Typical me while I´m hiking - always smile on my face.

Camping site in Susice called Autokemp Annin 1. It was really cheap - about 100 CZK per night and acceptable. Good starting point for making trips around.

Every morning view while you are having a breakfast and breathing fresh air.

Typical break - studying the way where to go and changing clothes - too hot, too cold.

Holasovice and UNESCO - quick stop on our way to Sumava.

Lipno - the city + sailing. There are many opportunities how to spend your free time actively.

Half day trip from Lipno to Medvedi Hora - the views are amazing and it´s a little advanture to climb it.

Vitkuv Hradek - lookout tower. You park your car nearby.

Me + uni friend Ondra + italian/czech friend Marco. First few days it was just us. More friends joined our group later.

Cerne a Certovo jezero. (2 lakes) - nice trip from my guidebook + something extra, in total 30 kilometres.

Kasperske hory- we had very nice breakfast in place called Bistro Pod Nebem.

Boubinsky prales - very special place. (primeval forest )

Polednik - the lookout tower. The hill is quite big and it seems like you walk forever.

Javornik and around - very nice and short walk around the lookout tower.

Our SUMAVA group - fotopoint.

Wolves - Visitor center in Srni.

The source of the Vltava river.

Castle Rabi - quick stop at the end before our way to home.

Climbing center in Susice - Offpark. I love climbing so much so I let me friends vote if they wanna go to a place like this and they said a big yes. Also, there is a very nice restaurant nearby - Pivovar u Svelchu, according to locals the best in town.

Smiling at the beginning, smiling at the end. More people on the trip means more fun. And we were quite a group.

With love for hiking
Misa