Sometimes it takes a bit of that adventure in life. If you’re not too keen on quiet walks and feeding the swans, go for the fun! The Karlovy Vary region has a lot to offer. Whether you like snowkiting, wakeboarding or rock climbing, no problem!
Winter fun
The Ore Mountains are renowned for their quality ski resorts and extensive network of groomed cross-country ski trails. You will find almost 20 ski resorts here and other ski slopes in Smrčiny (Fichtelgebirge) and Slavkovský les (Slavkov Forest). Everyone can choose from a wide range of slopes and snow parks, regardless of their skiing ability. The Karlovy Vary Region also has excellent conditions for cross-country skiing, which is why many cross-country skiers head for this sport every winter. However, snowkiting is becoming increasingly popular. It is also skiing or snowboarding, but the difference with downhill skiing is that snowkiting does not require a ski slope or a ski lift. You can go flat, uphill and downhill. The main driving force is the wind and the kite. No queuing for lifts or confining yourself to the often crowded ski areas. And God’s Gift is the perfect place for snowkiting because of its location. The Ore Mountains offer plenty of wind and the snow is here much earlier than in other parts of the country. The plains of the Ore Mountains are spacious enough with very good wind flow, which often reaches much higher speeds than in other parts of the country. So even if the forecast servers don’t show the wind, God’s gift is riding!
Something for the water elements – for water, wakeboard
If you’re one of those people who has a board strapped to your feet pretty much all year round, you’ve probably heard of wakeboarding. Wakeboarding is a water sport that was created by combining water skiing, snowboarding and surfing techniques. It involves riding a wakeboard pulled by a boat or cable tow across the water. Currently, wakeboarding can be practiced on the “Sokolov Sea” – Lake Medard. And it is also popular with kiteboarders – athletes who ride a board on the water pulled by a kite driven by the wind. According to kiteboarders, Medard is one of the best areas for this adrenaline sport in the country. There are no trees around the large reservoir for the kite to get tangled in. And it’s often windy.
Up into the sky
Some consider mountaineering an extreme sport, others a lifestyle or a form of relaxation. Either way, if you enjoy vertical climbing, don’t miss a visit to the Karlovy Vary region. Probably the most famous climbing site there is Svatošské skály (Svatoš rocks), which you can find on the banks of the Ohře River. However, not many people know that you can also get a perfect climbing experience from other places in the region, such as Horní Blatná, Šemnice, Merklín or Hroznětín. In the off-season or in bad weather, there are also several opportunities for indoor climbing.
Even those who are not so experienced with challenging climbing ascents, but are still attracted to climbing, will find it interesting. For such climbers, there are suitable secured routes, the so-called via ferrata, which lead in inaccessible mountain or rocky terrain and are equipped with belaying steel ropes and iron step. The new via ferrata in the botanical garden near the Bečov castle offers adrenaline experiences along with the discovery of some plant species. And in Nové Hamry, four ferrata have recently been created, so if you don’t suffer from vertigo, go try them out.
Rope centres and rope parks have been a hit among fans of “safe” adrenaline sports in recent years. You can find several of them in the Karlovy Vary Region. In addition to treetop walks, you can often try out other tempting adrenaline attractions, such as giant swings or bungee trampolines.
So what are you waiting for? There’s plenty to choose from, so go for it!
