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Summary for: Don’t fall in: Czech treetop walkway now passes over bear enclosureVisitors to one of the Czech Republic’s most popular forest attractions can now find themselves walking directly above a pair of brown bears.
The Krkonoše Treetop Walkway in Janské Lázně has reopened for the spring 2026 season with a new bear enclosure as part of an expanded Bear Trail experience. The walkway allows guests to observe the animals from a safe height as they move through a natural forest habitat.
The new exhibit features two three-year-old brown bears, Alica and Michal, who were originally found as orphaned cubs in Slovakia in 2023. They are now part of a European breeding program and cannot be released back into the wild.
The opening marks what organizers describe as the return of bears to the Krkonoše region after more than 300 years, when the last confirmed wild bear was killed in 1726.
A forest walk with a new twist
The bear enclosure is integrated directly beneath the elevated wooden walkway, which stretches through the forest canopy near Janské Lázně. Visitors can now look down into a half-hectare forested habitat designed to mimic natural mountain conditions.
According to the attraction’s spokesperson Zdeněk Pop, the bears now have full-day access to the outdoor enclosure following a trial period. “From today, the bears have access to the large enclosure all day. Until now, it was in a testing phase,” Pop said, adding that visitor turnout has been strong despite rainy weather.
The project was developed in cooperation with Safari Park Dvůr Králové and the administration of Krkonoše National Park. The bear facility operates as an extension of the existing treetop walkway experience.
The opening drew significant public interest, with around 500 visitors arriving within the first hour of operation, according to Pop. The attraction is included in the standard entrance ticket to the treetop route, which runs CZK 450 for adults and CZK 350 for children.
The Krkonoše Treetop Walkway, which opened in 2017, is one of the most visited nature attractions in the Hradec Králové region. Last year, around 170,000 people visited the site, and organisers expect visitor numbers to continue rising this year.
The walkway itself spans roughly 1.3 kilometres and reaches up to 45 metres in height via a central observation tower. It is fully barrier-free and designed to combine education with outdoor experience.
A focus on conservation and education
Project organisers say the new bear enclosure is intended as both a conservation and educational initiative, highlighting European breeding programmes and wildlife protection efforts.
The bears’ story has also drawn attention. Alica and Michal were rescued after being found in poor health as cubs in the High Tatras. A third sibling now lives in France, according to project representatives.
Visitors can observe the animals from above as they move through a wooded enclosure, designed to provide a more natural environment than traditional zoo settings.
The addition reinforces the walkway’s broader concept of connecting visitors with the forest ecosystem, from soil level to treetop height, and now, in this case, to large carnivores living below the boardwalk. More information can be found at the official Krkonoše Treetop Walkway website.
