Rafting in Liptovský Mikuláš: White Water on the Olympic Canal

Where the whitewater slalom course is and what you can do there

The Ondrej Cibák whitewater slalom course (Areál vodného slalomu Ondreja Cibáka) is on the south-eastern edge of Liptovský Mikuláš, on the left bank of the Váh. It is an artificial canal with four slalom courses, where Olympic champions Michal Martikán and Elena Kaliská train. In 2007 it hosted the European Canoe Slalom Championships.

When there are no training sessions or races, the canal belongs to the public. Besides rafting you can try kayaking or hydrospeed here, and on the bank there is also archery and paintball. Every raft has an instructor on board who knows the course. According to the operator Rafting Adventure, most of them are former or current slalom racers.

Rafting on the canal is not a river trip. You run the same course several times: down the canal, the raft is taken back to the start and off you go again.

• The stretch is 350 - 400 m long.
• The difficulty is WW II - III+, so the waves, stoppers and drops are the real thing.
• Rafting Adventure says it takes about two hours and 8 - 10 runs; the town of Liptovský Mikuláš counts on an hour and a half.

How much is rafting in Liptovský Mikuláš

The price depends on the operator and on how many of you are in the raft. The official Slovakia.travel portal lists the price list of the operator Rafting Adventure for the course (as of 1 October 2026):

• 4 people in the raft: €40 per person
• 5 people in the raft: €35 per person
• summer offer in July, August and September for 6 people: €30 per person
• schools and children’s camps: €25 per person
• drone filming with an edited video: €50 per crew

Photos, video and rescue cover from the bank are included in the price. Rafting Slovakia charges €50 per person on the same canal, also with photos and video from the bank.

For a group staying in one house, it pays to fill a whole raft. With five people you pay €175 in total, with four €160. If there are ten of you at the cabin, two rafts of five come to €350 on this price list. Anyone who does not want to go on the water can take photos from the bank.

When you can go and from what age

The season runs from April to the end of October. In July and August the course is open daily 10:00 - 18:00, in other months by booking only. The town says recreational rafters can use the course between 12:00 and 15:00 and after 17:00, when the racers are not training.

So arrange your slot in advance, even in the middle of summer.

The town of Liptovský Mikuláš recommends rafting on the canal from the age of 10, and there must be at least three people in the raft. Individual operators have their own rules, so tell them your children’s ages when you book. With younger children, the calmer water of the Váh is a better choice.

For teenagers who find a raft too tame, there is hydrospeed. You lie with your upper body on a board, your legs with fins are in the water, and you weave through the rapids on your own. Rafting Adventure offers it from May to September and the activity lasts 60 minutes.

What to bring for rafting

The operator lends you everything you need on the water: raft, helmet, buoyancy vest, waterproof jacket, full-length wetsuit, neoprene shoes and paddle. The changing room and the water fee are included in the price too. Bring:

• swimwear or thin sports clothing to wear under the wetsuit,
• a towel and dry clothes to change into,
• a strap for your glasses if you cannot see without them,
• something warm for afterwards; after two hours on the water you will be glad of it even in summer.

Leave your phone and keys in the changing room or in the car. The team takes photos and video from the bank, so you do not need your phone in the raft.

Calmer water: a raft trip down the Váh

If you want to go on the water with smaller children or without the adrenaline, you can float down the Váh from May to September. The usual stretch runs from Červený Kút near Kráľova Lehota, where the Čierny Váh and Biely Váh meet, to the hydroelectric power station near Uhorská Ves. It is 11 km long and takes 1.5 - 2 hours.

The route passes Liptovský Hrádok, the Borová Sihoť campsite and Podtureň. Calm stretches alternate with gentle rapids of difficulty WW I - II.

Visit Liptov recommends this trip for families with children from about the age of 8 and advises booking 1 - 2 weeks ahead in the season.

The third option, the wild Belá river below the Tatras, is only truly wild for a few weeks in April and May, according to Visit Liptov. For a family trip in summer, the canal in Liptovský Mikuláš or the Váh is the more sensible choice.

What to combine it with

Rafting takes half a day. In the afternoon you can stay in town and stroll around the centre of Liptovský Mikuláš, or warm up in the thermal water at Tatralandia. If you want water without a helmet and wetsuit, the Liptovská Mara beach is a few steps from the cabin.

From Bosorka Zrub in Liptovský Trnovec to the course it is about 8 km, 10 minutes by car. In the evening you can dry wet swimwear and towels in the garden, and the infrared sauna will warm up hands stiff from paddling. More summer tips are on our summer at Liptovská Mara page.