The wonders of
National park Šumava
A visit to National Park Šumava and its crown jewels, Plechý Sternstein, is at the top of many Šumava visitors’s list.
Discover Šumava
Beautiful Šumava welcomes you
The Bohemian Forest, known in Czech as Šumava is a low mountain range in Central Europe. Geographically, the mountains extend from South Bohemia in the Czech Republic to Austria and Bavaria in Germany.
Šumava nature
The Bohemian Forest comprises heavily forested mountains with average heights of 800–1,400 metres.
Travel tips
Find camping spots
In the Czech Republic, the most valuable area is protected in the Šumava National Park.
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Explore Šumava
Most interesting natural sights are connected with more than 500 km of summer marked and bike trails.
Plan your trip
The Bohemian Forest is the dividing range between the watersheds of the Black Sea and the North Sea, where water collected by the Vltava, Otava and Úhlava rivers flows. These rivers all spring from the Bohemian Forest... Learn more
Owing to heavy precipitation, the Šumava region is an important water reservoir for Central Europe
The Bohemian Forest has had a complicated history. In the 20th century it was part of the Iron Curtain, and large areas were stripped of human settlement. Even before that, settlement was sparse and for centuries forests dominated over human dwellings and pathways. These unique circumstances led to the preservation of unspoilt nature and forest.
Park administration is not always successful in its task, and many believe the rapid growth of tourist accommodation and services is destroying the former calm of the Šumava region. Šumava National Park is also suffering problems connected with bark beetles.
Wildlife of Šumava
Nature in the National Park is dominated by the forests, the streams, the marshes and 8 glacier lakes.
When you visit the park you will surely be able to see deer and elk, they are very common in the region. Because of the lack of natural enemies the population of these species of animals have grown enormously.
Exploring Šumava
The Šumava Mountains were declared as a large size protected area in 1963 with 167.000 ha PLA (Protected Landscape Area); it was at that time the largest protected area in the former Czechoslovakia and it encompasses the current Šumava National Park.
Need help planning your vacation?
We are here to help you with planning your next trip to Šumava. We want to make your vacation as pleasant, impressive and interesting as possible.
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