Park Snow Donovaly: the ski resort on the pass between Veľká Fatra and the Low Tatras

Donovaly is a ski village on the pass of the same name between the Veľká Fatra and the Low Tatras, on the road from Ružomberok to Banská Bystrica. The Park Snow Donovaly resort consists of two areas on either side of the village: Nová hoľa, topping out at 1361 m, and the gentler Záhradište, from where you can see the Veľká Fatra ridge with Krížna, Ostredok and Ploská. Donovaly is one of the most popular winter resorts in central Slovakia, especially with families.

Slopes and lifts

The official 2025/26 map shows 17 slopes: five on Nová hoľa (red Nos. 1, 2, 2a and 9 and black No. 10) and twelve at Záhradište (Nos. 4–8 and 11–17), mostly easy blue runs. The resort is served by 15 lifts: the combined TELEMIX lift to Nová hoľa with 8-seat cabins and 6-seat chairs, the 4-seat Buly Expres chairlift at Záhradište and 13 surface lifts. At Záhradište more than 2 km of slopes are lit with modern LED lighting for night skiing. Here you also find the Riders Park snow park and the children's H_SKI PARK, and ski-touring routes A, B and C are marked from Nová hoľa.

Away from the slopes Donovaly offers cross-country trails, an ice rink by the Záhradište car park, dog sledding, paragliding and a free tourist "train" running between four stops in the resort.

Season and ski passes

The 2026/27 ski-pass price list applies from 15 November 2026; the start of skiing depends on snow. An adult day ticket at the cash desk costs €34 in the "first snow" period (until 20 December), €57 in peak season (21 December – 6 January) and €47 in main season (7 January – 7 March); online it is €4 cheaper, but only when bought at least one day in advance. There are 4-hour tickets (in main season €45 at the cash desk, €41 online) and evening tickets for 16:00–20:00: at the cash desk €26 in the "first snow" period, €43 at peak and €36 in main season. The Donovaly season pass costs €345. Night skiing runs from dusk until 20:00. Prices as of October 2026 — check the official website.

Who it suits

Záhradište with its wide blue slopes, children's zone and night skiing suits families and beginners; the red and black runs on Nová hoľa suit confident skiers; Riders Park is for freestyle. A ski and snowboard school with courses and equipment rental and service operate here.

Getting there from Ukraine

From the Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké border crossing the road leads via Michalovce to Košice, along the D1 motorway via Prešov, Poprad and Liptovský Mikuláš to Ružomberok, and from there south over the pass to Donovaly — roughly 300 km. By train from Košice you can reach Ružomberok and continue by bus to Donovaly; from the south the resort is reached from Banská Bystrica. There are several car parks by both areas.

Nearby: trails and peaks

From Donovaly start the hiking routes Špania Dolina – Donovaly, Recreation Center and Nižná Revúca – Zvolen; on the Veľká Fatra ridge you can see Ostredok. Other resorts nearby are Malinô Brdo near Ružomberok and Jasná.

Official website: parksnow.sk

Photos: Pudelek (Marcin Szala), CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Pudelek (Marcin Szala), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Pe3kZA, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.