The Bohemian Forest

You want to spend your holiday in the Czech Republic but are still unsure which places in this country are particularly worth seeing? Then we especially recommend the Bohemian Forest. Discover the beautiful nature of the Czech Republic and follow the countless hiking trails. An adventure that's worth it.

The Bohemian Forest (Czech: Šumava)

The largest national park in the Czech Republic covers 690 square kilometres and is located in the south of the country. The Bohemian Forest also borders the German Bavarian Forest National Park. In addition to the numerous hiking trails, which total around 500 km, you can also discover nature in other ways. For example, use a mountain bike and enjoy a relaxing break in the national park. Alternatively, you can rent a canoe and explore the Bohemian Forest from the water. The Vltava or the Otava are particularly suitable for this, promising you around 60 kilometres of water fun. If you prefer something more relaxed, you can rent a stand-up paddle board and let yourself drift peacefully on the water. This allows you to experience the landscape from a completely new perspective.

The quiet zones

The so-called quiet zones in the Bohemian Forest are part of a measure to ensure that visitors to the national park respect nature and its uniqueness. These quiet areas serve to protect rare animal species and are located particularly in areas where the national park's fauna is especially present. Quiet zones have been established above all at breeding and nesting sites as well as at wintering locations, in order to avoid disturbing the animals.

The quiet zones refer to marked paths or hiking trails that may be used by visitors. In total, the quiet zones cover around 22% of the area of Šumava National Park. When hiking, please make sure not to leave the paths in the quiet zones and to respect nature and its inhabitants. A particular highlight of the national park is the peat bog, home to many interesting animal species such as the capercaillie or the black grouse. These animals depend on the peat bog and its continued existence. Here too: please stay on the marked paths. However, don't let the quiet zones put you off. The paths were deliberately designed so that visitors can still experience the special places of the national park.

Flora and fauna

Numerous endangered animal species live in the Bohemian Forest, dependent on the various habitats of the national park. You can also spot lynxes, falcons, otters or even wolves in the Bohemian Forest. In addition to the unique wildlife, you shouldn't miss the hiking trails around the Křemelná River between the village of Prášily and the abandoned village of Stodůlky. There you can discover the Žďárské slatě marsh, the Častá natural forest and the Polecký vrch mountain (Spitzberg).

These highlights, too, were only made accessible to the public thanks to the quiet zones.

Apart from the wildlife, the Bohemian Forest is also home to rare plant species, which you can discover from the river valleys to the mountain spruce forests. In addition to rare plants such as the Bohemian gentian or the English sundew, the national park is also home to rare fungus species such as the brown-spotted sap porling or the fragrant fire sponge.

National park in winter

The Bohemian Forest is not only known as a hiking destination but also for its varied ski slopes in winter. So don't miss the national park in the cold season either, and enjoy wonderful downhill runs in the well-known Lipno ski area as well as the unique view of the snowy winter landscape. The Bohemian Forest is also particularly interesting for cross-country skiing enthusiasts. Zadov in particular is considered one of the most famous cross-country skiing areas in the Czech Republic. In total, you can be impressed by around 313 kilometres of cross-country ski trails in the Bohemian Forest.

The best time to travel

The best time to visit the Bohemian Forest National Park depends on what goal you have for your trip. If you want to discover the national park on foot via the numerous hiking trails, the months of May to September are particularly suitable. If you also want to experience nature from the water and perhaps even take a dip in the cool water, you should preferably travel during the summer months. But the national park is also inviting during the cold winter months, especially if you're interested in cross-country skiing. The months of January to April are particularly suitable for winter adventures.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!

We wish you a pleasant trip to the Czech Republic and lots of fun exploring Bohemian Forest National Park. Please don't forget to find out in advance about the country's toll regulations. If you have any questions, we're happy to help. Please contact us by email.