Holiday Apartment in Helpa: Hiking, Culture and Nature

On the first Saturday in August, the hiking event Výstup na Veľký bok is organised annually in Heľpa by hikers in cooperation with the municipality. Route A of this event starts in Heľpa’s square and leads to the summit of Veľký bok. A less demanding variant starts at Priehyba Saddle; participants are taken there by bus from Heľpa.

Nature

The highest parts of the Heľpa area along the ridge of the Low Tatras lie within Nízke Tatry National Park. The southern part of the cadastral territory of Heľpa extends into the Veľká Stožka State Nature Reserve.

Hiking

The Náučný chodník chotárom obce Heľpa educational trail is an 8.3-kilometre circular route that can take up to 3.5 hours. The Chotárom obce Heľpa educational trail can be started in the village centre; parking is available at Jarmočisko. In April 2026, the Chotárom obce Heľpa educational trail had new information boards and offered views of the surrounding landscape. There is also a charging station for electric bicycles in Heľpa’s village square.

Another annual hike is the Silvestrovský výstup na Veľkú Vápenicu, which takes place in Heľpa on 31 December. Thus, both the first Saturday in August and the last day of the year are fixed dates in the local hiking calendar.

Cycling

The Z Heľpy cez Pohorelú na Priehybu route is a 23.6-kilometre circular tour of medium difficulty. It starts at a car park in Heľpa and leads to Priehyba, a connection point between Liptov and Horehronie. The connection therefore describes not only a circular tour but also extends to a named crossing point between these two regions.

Culture and Tradition

The Horehronské dni spevu a tanca in Heľpa take place annually on the last weekend in June. This event presents traditional crafts, ethnographic exhibitions and traditional cuisine. The event date thus combines a fixed place in the annual calendar with crafts, ethnographic representation and regional culinary tradition.

Since 1992, Heľpa has been protected as a heritage conservation zone. The zone is characterised by originally block-like wooden log houses, predominantly positioned with their gables facing the street, as well as traditional shingle-roof details. The local architectural and sacral landscape also includes the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Heľpa. It is a late Baroque church built in 1800 and has a wooden Louis XVI pulpit from the early 19th century.

In January 2026, the mines of Vyšné Poľany were made accessible.

Getting There

Heľpa can be reached by bus or train. For further navigation to nearby locations, you can also visit Bystrá, Valaská, Ráztoka, Dolná Lehota, Polomka, Zavadka Nad Hronom, Benus and Vaľkovňa.

For the higher-level travel overview: Brezno District.