Zelená Javorová dolina — the Green Javorová Valley — is one of the most untouched corners of the Slovak Tatras, a short side valley barely a kilometre long, hidden among towering peaks and completely off-limits to visitors. That very inaccessibility is what makes it so compelling: a truly wild place where nature does exactly as it pleases.

The valley cuts into the massif of Široká (2210 m), flanked by the peaks of Štít nad Zelenou dolinkou (2131 m) and Žabí vrch Javorový (2174 m). At 1815 m above sea level lies the jewel of the valley — Zelené Javorové pleso, a serene mountain lake whose waters drain underground into the Zelený Javorový stream. In summer the valley floor glows with alpine green; in autumn warm golden grasses take over, and in winter the whole scene becomes a silent, snow-covered wilderness.

• The valley is entirely within a strict nature reserve and is closed to tourists — access is not permitted.

• The entire valley is a strictly protected nature reserve — no tourist entry is allowed.
• There are no shelters, huts or shepherd buildings in the valley.

A historical footnote worth knowing: in 1885 a hunting lodge belonging to Prince Christian of Hohenlohe stood on the shores of the lake — today there is no trace of it, and the valley has returned to its original, undisturbed state.