Vltava Canoe Trail

The stretch of the Vltava from Vyssi Brod down to Boresov or Zlata Koruna is the most paddled river in the country and something close to a national summer ritual: open canoes, three to five days, campsites along the bank, small weirs shot rather than portaged, and a fixed set of stops and pubs that everyone knows. It runs about sixty kilometres through forest, past Rozmberk castle and directly through the middle of Cesky Krumlov, where the boats pass under the castle. The water comes from the bottom of the Lipno dam so it is cold and its level is controlled by releases, which are published - paddling depends on them. The culture around it is specific and boisterous, with a great deal of drinking, and July and August weekends are extremely crowded. Grade is easy; the weirs catch out beginners.

What to look for

• Sixty kilometres of river - Vyssi Brod to Boresov over three to five days.
• Through Cesky Krumlov - the boats passing under the castle in the middle of town.
• Weirs shot, not portaged - small drops taken in the boat, where they catch beginners.
• Dam-controlled water - releases from Lipno published and paddling planned around them.

When to go

June to August. Three to five days.

What to expect

Extremely crowded on July and August weekends. Water is cold and levels depend on published dam releases - check them. Drinking on the water causes most of the accidents. Camps book up.

Nearby

Lipno is upstream; Zlata Koruna and Divci Kamen are downstream.