LOMNICKY PEAK: HOW TO GET THERE & ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Lomnicky Peak is the second highest peak not only of Slovakia, but also of the entire Carpathian Mountain Range. Stunning, panoramic views from this steep pointy mountain are heavenly. When the weather is good, and the sky is clear you can see far into the distance. You’ll see a large portion of Slovakia, including the Low Tatras as well as Poland in the north. In my opinion, visiting the Lomnicky Peak is the No. 1 experience you can get in Slovakia, and here below I explain how you can get there, too.

ABOUT THE LOMNICKY PEAK

The Lomnicky Peak (pronounced as lom-nitz-keh), or Lomnický Štít in Slovak, measures 2634 metres above the sea and is just a few meters shorter than the tallest mountain of the Carpathians the so called Gerlachovsky Peak. The Gerlachovsky Peak (2654 metres above sea) is hidden deeper in the mountains and cannot be seen from the valley, neither it is easily accessible by regular tourists as you need to be a skilled Alpine climber to go there. On the other hand, the ‘Lomnicak’, as Slovaks lovingly call their No.2 pointy peak, is perfectly visible and comfortably accessible by gondola.

 

WHY VISIT THE LOMNICKY PEAK?

I highly recommend you go up there because what you’ll experience is an out-of-this-world, magnificent views paired with crispy fresh air and silence. Moreover, the ecstatic feeling of immense natural beauty and the happiness of being alive to see such a splendour is priceless.  This will also be the closest to heavens you can get within Slovakia 😊

Slovaks love to go up there. I have been lucky to go there twice already. Once in winter and once during summer. I prefer winter because thanks to the snow contrasting the dark colour of the granite rocks the mountains get a more dramatic look.

HOW TO GET TO LOMNICKY PEAK

There are two ways to ascend the peak. Either by climbing up on all four or comfortably and sweatless in a gondola.

 

CLIMBING THE LOMNICKY PEAK

The first way to ascend the Lomnicky Peak is by climbing. It is demanding and physically challenging. It’s not for inexperienced tourists, unfit folks or families with children. There is no marked trail leading up the peak, so you must have a certified mountain guide with you.

If you want to go for such a climb, you need to plan your trip months in advance. The first thing is getting seriously fit. Then you need to plan your stay and book a mountain guide. There are several ways up depending on your fitness level and experience. The guide will discuss this with you. The easiest path up takes about 6 hours.

The Lomnicky Peak is accessible for climbers all year round. You need to have your basic equipment, and the guide will provide the specialized items such as carabiners, helmet, ropes, crampons, harness etc.

The cost for a mountain guide is around 500 Euros. You absolutely must have an insurance, specifically insurance that covers accidents in the mountains. The weather plays a big role in the High Tatras. It can change rapidly. Your guide will be on top of this information and will decide accordingly.

You will also have to count in the cost of gondola tickets as well if you don’t plan on descending on foot. All in all, ascending a peak like the Lomnicky entirely by your own effort is a dream come true.

TO LOMNICKY PEAK IN A GONDOLA

For regular folks, a gondola ride is the only way to reach the mountain top. A gondola ride itself is an unforgettable experience, too. Since there is only one gondola with a limited capacity of 15 people pre ride, you need to book your time slot several days in advance, especially during summer season.

TATRANSKA LOMNICA

Tatranska Lomnica (pronounced as lom-ni-tza) is a small mountain resort town directly below the Lomnicky Peak. It is your starting point. From here you will take 3 different gondolas up the peak. So, let’s see the whole process.

The whole route from Tatranska Lomnica to Lomnicky Peak is serviced by four gondola stations:

• Tatranská Lomnica gondola station (898 metres above sea)
• Start gondola station (1 165 metres above sea)
• Skalnaté pleso gondola station (1 764 metres above sea)
• Lomnicky peak gondola station (2 625 metres above sea)

When you buy your gondola ticket, the most important thing to note is that the gondola departure time for the Lomnicky Peak that is stated on your ticket is the departure time of the last gondola that takes you up the mountain. This last gondola ride is booked for a particular date and time, so this is the information you need to focus on. The two lower gondolas that go between Tatranska Lomnica – Start and Start – Skalnate Pleso are not booked for a particular time slot. You just get into a line as you arrive and take one of many small gondolas that are hanging on the rope hauling people up the slope.

It takes about an hour to get from Tatranska Lomnica to Skalnate Pleso. So, make sure you start your gondola trip early. I strongly suggest you set out 2-3 hours before your Lomnicky Peak gondola departure. Three hours is plenty of time for the two lower gondola rides, waiting in line as well as a washroom stop, checking out souvenir shops and perhaps a snack at the Skalnate Pleso bistro.

Furthermore, Skalnate Pleso is a lovely place to look around. If you have enough time while you wait for your last gondola leg, you can walk around the Skalnate Pleso. Skalnate Pleso can be literally translated as ‘Rocky Mountain Lake.’ And it’s the name of the small mountain lake behind the main chalet building. The lake used to have more water but recent dry years with minimum snow fall are causing it to dry up.

For better views and great shots, walk up to the Observatory as well. It’s a scientific workplace for meteorologists and sky observers so it’s not open for visitors.

 

THREE GONDOLA RIDES STEP-BY-STEP

Now, let’s dive into all the details of this fun trip.

 

LEG 1 – TATRANSKA LOMNICA TO START

This gondola route is a short one and is mainly used by skiers and sledders who get off at its upper station at Start and then run downhill.  The gondola cars are small, only for 4 people.

When you want to go further up, you must get off the small gondola, leave the building and get into the correct line for the larger gondola that frequents between Start and Skalnate Pleso stations.

 

LEG 2 – START TO SKALNATE PLESO

After you leave the building, get into the waiting line for the larger gondola cars. The path is clearly marked. Have your tickets ready as you’ll need to scan them on the ticket turnstile. These gondola cars have a capacity of around 12 people. As you ride up, the views get better with every ascended metre.

 

LEG 3 – SKALNATE PLESO TO LOMNICKY PEAK

Hopefully you have arrived in time for your reserved time slot of the last leg. Please note that the departure station is in a different location compared to where you arrive from below. When you arrive and get off the second gondola, you can either walk around the big building or you can go in and walk across the main floor to the back of the building to get to the gondola ticket gate. Be there 15 minutes before your gondola departure time. Tickets are non-refundable, so don’t miss it.

This last ride is the most exciting one. Not only you will ride hanging on 3 steal cables many metres above ground, but also quite fast. With every second you ascend 4 metres. The gondola slides on two cables and is pulled by the third one. The whole 1 868-metre-long ride takes around 9 minutes, and you will pass the elevation difference of 864 metres.

The capacity of this gondola is approximately 15 people and depending on the season, you will be squeezed in with other 14 passengers. Off-season periods are much less crowded compared to summer and winter holidays.

AT THE TOP

As you get off at the top, the whole lot of fresh arrivals walk up 2 floors of the building. An attendant will give you a numbered return card. The numbers are from 1 to 5 and each number is for one set of arrivals. The gondola takes 15 people up every 10 minutes. You will have 50 minutes at the peak top. You don’t need to watch your time as they will call the numbers and direct them to the departure gate. As your 50 minutes come to an end, be close to the terrace so you can hear when they call your number.

50 minutes is enough time to enjoy the peak. If I could, I would love to stay longer and just observe the mountains. But that’s impossible because the peak would get too crowded, and crowds tend to ruin any experience.

The building at the top has a small bistro that serves great coffee, pastries and snacks. The seating is mainly indoors, but there is a large table with benches on the terrace. I suggest you enjoy a cup of coffee there and just relax and take in the stunning views.

But before you sit down with your cup, follow the short trail to the very end. From the observation area at the end of the trail you’ll have perfect views of the northern and western side of the High Tatras. You’ll see far into Poland. Other peaks will seem to be within a hand’s reach, tête-à-tête.

And there is also the popular hanging platform that each visitor needs to have a photo from 😊 It’s fun and that photo will have a prominent place in your album for sure. The platform is 4 metres long and can hold 1520 kg of weight per m2, so no worries, it’ll hold you well. It’s also built to withstands wind gusts of 252 km/hr.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE GONDOLA AND THE PEAK

• The gondola was built shortly before the WWII and the regular operation started in 1941.
• The construction material was carried by horses up to Skalnate Pleso.
• Altogether 70 people manually carried almost 300 tons of building material from Skalnate Pleso to Lomnicky Peak. The gondola builders came mainly from the nearby villages and towns.
• One cable needed hands and backs of 36 men to be carried up to the top.
• The stones for the building came from a nearby stone quarry.
• The building at the peak has 6 floors.
• The building also contains an emergency room for 45 people in case they get stuck at the top due to bad weather or technical issues of the gondola.
• Around 10 people work in the building. They come for 10-day shifts, and they are the researchers for the observatory and the meteorological station, a server for the bistro and hotel rooms as well as gondola technicians.
• February is the coldest month here with average temperatures below -20°C.
• The highest temperature measured at the peak was 19,3 °C in July 1998 and the lowest temperature was -31,6°C in 1969.
• The strongest wind was measured at 221 km/h on February 24, 2017.
• Water boils here at 90 °C and meat must be cooked in a pressure cooker.
• Despite the harsh mountain environment, there are many plants growing on the rocks of the peaks. Many of these resilient plants are endemic to this location. Read the information on boards along the trail for details.
• There are two hotel rooms available for visitors who want to spend a romantic night at the peak. For such an exquisite experience, you need to book several months in advance. The Lomnicky Peak overnight stay is very popular with the locals, so the waiting queue is long. The high price includes all gondola rides, multi-course dinner with beverages and wine, the accommodation and breakfast in the restaurant in Skalnate Pleso. One room sleeps up to 4 guests and the other one has a bed for two guests.
• There are two scientific institutions in the building: the Meteorological Observatory and Astronomical Observatory, both part of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The weather scientists conduct 42 different measurements and send out hourly reports.

HOW TO BUY TICKETS TO LOMNICKY PEAK

The gondola operates daily between 9 am and 2 pm. If there is a gale, obviously, the service is closed.

The easiest way to buy gondola tickets is online or via a Gopass.travel app. But you can also buy gondola/cable car tickets at any gondola ticket booth in the High Tatras.

If you decide to buy them ahead of time online, go to gopass.travel, switch to English language and follow the prompts. You will click through the selections of starting gondola station, number of travellers, date and time slot etc.

Prices go up annually at a rate of approx. 10 Euro.

What is the price for Lomnicky Peak gondola ticket?

The return ticket from Tatranska Lomnica to Lomnicky Peak and back will cost you 85 Euro. It’s 75 Euro for youth 12-17 and seniors 60+.

Children 6-11 pay 64 Euro. Children under 6 shouldn’t be taken up there as they are a bit wild, tend to run around and the risk of falling through or under the rails is much higher.

 

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13 RULES OF THE HIGH TATRAS 

DAY TRIP TO STARA LUBOVNA CASTLE 

DAY TRIP TO UNESCO VILLAGE OF VLKOLINEC