Liptovský, Slovakia 2026

Day 1 

Greetings from Slovakia! Today was mainly a big travel day before getting settled into our accommodation. We started off the day in Vienna before taking a train to Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital. In Bratislava, we met up with our guide Robin who helped us on the next train to Liptovský Mikuláš, where we’d be staying! Most of the group slept on the train because of the jetlag but also got to talk with some locals.

Our accommodation was over a mile from the train station so it was quite a hike given we had all our check-in bags. However, the walk was interesting because Robin took us on a route where a brown bear broke the internet for walking through the town. We got to our accommodation which was nice and comfortable! We got some rest and were able to explore the accommodation a bit until we headed to dinner. 

For dinner, we had the traditional Slovak dish, bryndzové halušky, a potato dumpling with sheep’s cheese, before heading on a scenic walk guided by Robin. We learned about the history of all the farmland and got to see 2 of Slovakia’s main mountain ranges, the Low Tatras and the High Tatras. Compared with the other two cities we traveled through, Liptovský is a lot more rural and peaceful. It was a great first night in Slovakia and we are excited to begin volunteering tomorrow!

-Seigo Maeda, Hannah Bernardi

Day 2

Ahoj! Today we voyaged directly into bear country to assist Robin and the Slovak Wildlife Society with their efforts to locate and monitor large carnivore activity. After a quick supply run to Liptovský Mikuláš’s finest Lidl, we drove out to the borders of the Tatras National Park where we trekked along a biking/hiking trail known for frequent bear sightings. At the beginning of the hike, Robin taught us all the signs to look for in the trees, bushes, dirt, and rocks that would indicate the presence of bears, wolves, lynx, and other wildlife present in the ecosystem. This informational session was quickly interrupted by a group of passing bikers warning us to be on guard as they had sighted a bear just ahead of us on the path, an exciting (and slightly terrifying) start to the day.

This trip forced each of us to look far into the depths of the forest in order to get a better idea of what exactly the Slovakian locals were sharing the environment with. When we looked closely, we began to understand the true extent of how much we could uncover from the hints that our surroundings provided us. Since it was a drier, summer month, we couldn’t rely on searching for tracks to understand wildlife movement patterns, so instead we had to get more creative with signs of activity. I don’t think I have ever analyzed poop so intently in my life. Animal scat, which was usually something I used to step over in hopes it would not get on my shoe, revealed significantly more about the health of the forest than I would have ever expected. The size, shape, and texture were all unique and indicative of the differently evolved digestive tracts of each animal according to their environmental needs. We were able to not only identify different species, but also their recent diets, based solely on their turds. 

At first glance, this work may sound like a bunch of bullcrap (or bearcrap), but it revealed crucial information about the behavior of each creature. If bear scat has been identified to be rich in undigested berries, it signifies that the bear is opting to follow a primarily herbivorous diet, which is typically the norm for bears in Slovakia. However, a lack of fibrous content, indicative of a less balanced and more protein heavy diet, could tell us that the bear’s plant based food sources are running scarce and it may try to compensate for this lack of energy intake by adopting more predatory behavior, which is something we would discuss with local owners of sheep flocks (such as the one we visited in the picture below) so that they could adjust their grazing schedules accordingly. It could also be collected and taken to a lab to identify evidence of parasitism, breeding behavior, and genetic diversity. In conjunction with other signs such as markings on trees and deliberately overturned rocks, we gained a true appreciation for the work done by Robin and his organization to maintain the balance between the tame and the wild, all whilst being completely immersed in the beauty of the Tatras.

-Matt Keegan and Caroline Reiss

Day 3

After a long day of hiking and bear tracking, we were excited to complete some true volunteer work. We had a yummy breakfast prepared by our host, Monika, before leaving for a local cattle farm. 

The Slovak Wildlife Society has played a major part in helping farmers implement non-lethal measures like electric fencing to help minimize human-animal conflict while also ensuring farms stay safe and profitable. However, maintaining electric fences adds work to farmers’ already packed workload, making it a great opportunity to help out in any way we could.

We arrived at the farm and were greeted by a friendly couple, Michael and Lucia, who had 2 main tasks for us: clearing debris out of the electric fences and cutting firewood. Robin and the couple helped explain why both were necessary. For the first, any debris in the electric fences’ path can short circuit them, making them less effective in keeping local carnivores from getting to the farm’s 100+ cows. Additionally, cutting firewood was needed in advance of the upcoming rain, as it is used to dry out hay as well as calm bees when harvesting honey. 

The group split up and one half went to clear the fencing with machetes while the other split the firewood with chainsaws. It was difficult work, but it felt good to help the farm owners out, especially since there was so much to do on their farm! The farm was huge and the couple explained how they often don’t have enough time to clear the fencing in detail, often going in to quickly cut down anything they can but never really spending a lot of time out there like we were able to. By the end of the day, we were able to chop 2 giant crates worth of wood and clear 1 mile of fencing from debris!

Overall, it was great to finally complete some hard work and see how more hands helped get the work done faster! The farm owners were very thankful for our efforts, making it a rewarding day. We visited a local beach to cool off after all our work in the sun before heading back to the accommodation for some well-earned rest.

-Hannah Bernardi

Day 4

Today was Day 2 of volunteering work on the farm, and it started with a hearty pancake breakfast served by our amazing hostel host Monica. (Fantastic pancakes but definitely more than we could eat). On our way to the farm, we once again made a quick stop at Aldi to pick up lunch supplies. When we arrived on the farm, our host, Lucia, gave us a deeper look into other parts of the farm. We were able to see the cow fields, their breeding house, as well as some cows here and there.

After the tour, we started the day by doing the same work as the day before. The first half of the group walked along the fence line, making sure the foliage was well managed and the fences were in good condition, checking an additional mile of fence and clearing out thicker brush than the previous day. The other half began cutting and splitting logs as well as covering the hay bales with massive tarps, with the purpose of keeping the hay dry as rainstorms approached next week. 

When lunch came around, we were treated to a delicious baked good from Lucia filled with sausages and apricots, and then it was right back to working, but fortunately with a little bit more shade this time around. By the end of our two-day log-chopping marathon, we managed to fill 5 full containers of firewood. To finish up the day at the farm, we spent some time gathered around the outdoor table, talking to Lucia and Milan, getting to learn more about them as well as getting to share our upcoming adventures.

Our time on the farm was truly an amazing experience, not only getting to meet amazing people like Milan, Lucia, and Michael, but also getting to do work that was both difficult and really gave us a view into daily life on the farm. To wrap up the day, we walked into town and got to experience the Chili Fellaz, a Slovakian band, playing live music in the town square.

Alex Hayes

Day 5 

Ahoj from Slovakia on our last day of volunteering! We started our day off strong with another fantastic breakfast of meats, cheeses, bread, pastries, juice, and tea from our host Monika. Today, we ventured to a different farm to help pick buckthorn berries. At first, we thought this would be an easy task given they only have about 15 bushes, but we quickly realized the amount of work that goes into harvesting the crop. We learned that each berry is very fragile, and despite being in dense clumps, they need to be picked individually. We each took a bush and began plucking off the berries and putting them into our individual buckets, dodging the thorns and bugs covering the bushes. We were joined by some of the other farmers who co-own the trees, and once we began to mimic their technique, our rate of berry picking sped up. After a quick fresh apple pie break, courtesy of the farmers that were helping us out, we got back to berry picking and made some significant progress. By the afternoon, we estimated we picked more than 20,000 berries between all of us! These berries will be used in porridges, baked goods, jams, and for medicinal purposes. 

Afterwards, the farmer, Sylvia, invited us to her home for lunch. She prepared vegetable dumpling soup, lamb, grilled zucchini, fried goat cheese, eggs, and tomatoes–all fresh from her farm! We got to see their backyard, which is full of other berries native to Slovakia and also meet their cats and brand new kittens. We learned about how her family got into farming and the relationships they have with their neighbors, who are also farmers. 

From there, we minibused over to the Demӓnovská Cave of Liberty, which is part of the longest cave system in Slovakia. The Low Tatras mountains have tons of caves and they are an important part of the local landscape. We descended into 2.5 million year old caves and learned all about how the caves in the region were formed, the history of their discovery, and the environmental significance of the caves today. All 913 steps up out of the cave system were worth it because we collectively agreed they were stunningly beautiful. 

For dinner, we grilled burgers and sausages in our backyard with Robin, his son, and his son’s friend. We sat around and talked for a while, and ended the night off playing mafia together. It was great to include our guide Robin in our nightly games because he has made our experience in Slovakia amazing. To end the evening, we had a great journaling session reflecting on how we’ve grown during our time here and the impact we’ve been able to have. 

Slovakia signing off :) 

-Caroline Reiss