The Vltava River
The Vltava river is the longest Czech river. It springs in the wooded hills of the Sumava National Park and after having run 430 kilometres, near the town of Melnik, it joins the Labe river. Seventy nine kilometres of the upper part of the river – from Vyssi Brod down to Ceske Budejovice – satisfy conditions of touring by water. This river passage belongs to the busiest ones in Europe.
Year-long navigability from Vyssi Brod has been ensured since the Lipno lake dam was built in the early 60´s. With a classification of WW I, flow rate between 3 – 5 kms/hour and even the weirs [most of them passable] allow a real novice to enjoy a boat trip.
The Vltava mostly runs through beech, spruce and pine forest. The woods are natural housing for a large animal community, such as wild-boar, pine marten, badger, hare, deer and others. With some luck you can meet an otter or a muskrat. Subaqueous fauna offers plenty of fish – common and rainbow trout, carp, pike, bream, perch or pikeperch. The river banks are not stony.
Lenora - Nova Pec (km of the river 395.9 - 363.6)
An open canoe trip can be started in Lenora. Here the Vltava passes through the national park, so canoeists must abide several regulations. Entering the river is allowed from May 1st to October 31st unless the water-level stage shows 55 cm [water gauge in Lenora]. It is also forbidden to get out of the river and step out on the river bank except in permitted locations. These 31 km of the river can be done in a day or two and an overnight stay can be spent at the camping site in Soumarsky most. In Lenora and Nova Pec you can find the site of Ingetour station.
Nova Pec - Vyssi Brod (km of the river 363.6 - 318.9)
In Nova Pec the Vltava flows into Lipno Lake. From here to Vyssi Brod we arrange transportation of boats and our clients.
Vyssi Brod - Borsov (km of the river 318.9 - 248.6)
The most frequented part of the Vltava. The Lipno dam lake guarantees navigability in very dry periods and the river is also optimally regulated in periods of heavy rains. In 1997 this part of the Vltava river and its surroundings was declared a Natural Preservation Site. The route from Vyssi Brod to Borsov is usually managed within 3 – 5 days and offers several camping sites and numerous pubs and buffets. The trip can be enriched with visits to the Cistercian monastery in Vyssi Brod, medieval castles in Rozmberk or Cesky Krumlov, the monastery in Zlata Koruna or the ruins of Divci Kamen. This is also the site of the main Ingetour station.
Borsov - Hluboka nad Vltavou (km of the river 248.6 - 228.4)
From Borsov you may carry on as far as Hluboka nad Vltavou. The river leaves its romantic river-basin, surrounded with woods, and runs through the city of Ceske Budejovice, where passing some of the weirs requires canoeing skills. For experienced canoeists we recommend an artificial slalom waterway in Ceske Vrbne, where training in kayaks and rafts and with sufficient equipment is offered. It must be prearranged.
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