Oravská Polhora can be explored through a range of very different themes: the iodine-bromine spring Slaná voda is located in a pavilion at the site of the former spa and is freely accessible to visitors. A seven-hour circular hike to Babia hora also starts and ends at Slaná voda. This puts a destination with historical significance and a long day of hiking side by side as different options for planning your trip. Check local conditions at the spring before visiting; mountain conditions can change seasonally during hikes.
Moorland and Nature Watching
Slaná voda is one of three protected moors in Oravská Polhora. With its educational trail, it is considered the best preserved and most accessible of the three for tourists. A wooden boardwalk makes it possible to explore the moor. Visitors can spot round-leaved sundew, orchids and dragonflies there; their visibility varies with the season. Those interested in moorlands and their plant and animal life will find a nature experience here that differs distinctly from the cultural themes of the area.
The Slaná voda–Babia hora educational trail starts in Oravská Polhora at the Slaná voda chalet and has 13 stops. Individual information boards may be renewed or changed. Slaná voda also serves as the access point for the circular hike to Babia hora, with a bus stop and parking lot. The seven-hour duration makes the route a time-intensive day plan in its own right. If you are travelling by bus, check local connections in advance.
Literature and Bagpipe Culture
Hájovňa pod Babou horou houses two literary exhibitions of the Oravské múzeum: one on Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav’s Hájnikova žena and another on Milo Urban. This means that, alongside nature and hiking, literature is another theme to choose from during a stay in Oravská Polhora.
The Európske centrum gajdošskej kultúry houses a museum dedicated to bagpipe music and its history. The items on display include various types of bagpipes and other related artefacts. The centre also provides a venue for cultural events, workshops, concerts and exhibitions, which are not limited to bagpipe music and culture. At the international GAJDOVAČKA festival, the programme from 19 to 21 September 2025 included concerts, workshops, lectures, a gala programme and a solemn mass featuring bagpipe music from various European countries.
Modralová is also connected with this tradition: it is known as Gajdošská strunga and brings together three regions with living bagpipe traditions—the Orava, Silesia and Lesser Poland. Another cultural highlight can be found in the Parish Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which houses a 5.2-metre-high statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Hiking and Winter Sports
In addition to the seven-hour circular hike, Babia hora can also be reached via the educational trail with its 13 stops. Another hiking option leads to Modralová: this tour is rated as moderately difficult and starts in the village district of Píla. A cycling route also leads to Modralová. These options offer different ways to plan an outing: a specific duration is given for the Babia hora circular hike, while the starting point and difficulty level help you plan the Modralová hike.
In the centre of the village is the family-friendly SKI Oravská Polhora ski area, with five lifts and around two kilometres of ski runs in total. Activities offered there include ski touring and cross-country skiing. Services include ski equipment rental, a ski school, ski servicing, ski touring equipment rental and e-bike rental. These offerings may change seasonally, so check them before your trip. Activities therefore vary throughout the year: hiking trails, the moor and culture offer a different focus from winter sports and the ski area’s seasonal services.
When planning, you can first decide whether to focus on a long day of hiking, literary and musical themes, or winter sports.
Discover more destinations: Námestovo, Oravské Veselé, Bobrov, Novot, Mútne, Oravská Lesná, Sihelne, Hruštín
For the broader travel overview: Okres Námestovo.
