Time table:   Likavka 1/2 h - Likavský hrad 1/2 h - Predný Choč 1 3/4 h - Stredná Poľana 1 1/2 h - Veľký Choč 1 h - Vráca 1/2 h - Žimerová 1/2 h - end of Jastrabá 1/2 h - Lúčky 1/2 h
Basic route:   At the bus stop of Likavka (540 m) choose the red-marked road. The road passes by the ruins of the Likavský hrad castle on its left and moderately ascends in a shallow valley. It steepens only in its head where the steep path traverses a wide clearing and continues in the forest by two meanders. Long traverse follows. It heads to a wide grassy saddle (1 152 m) below the Predný Choč Mt. (1 249 m). If you want to get a nice view from the summit of the Predný Choč Mt., you have to make a short detour turning off onto an unmarked path. The red hiking mark joins the red one in the Spuštiak saddle. The ascent to the slope of Západný Choč Mt. leads on a steep unpaved road. When you reach the clearing turn left onto the path heading first to the Západná Poľana alpine meadow, where the tourist cottage called Hviezdoslavova chata used to stand before the Second World War. Beyond the forest the Stredná poľana Mt. alpine meadow (1 250 m) appears and it is the second time you change to colour of marking. Turn right to green-marked trail leading to the northern edge of the alpine meadow. The trail turns left near tall spruce trees and due to the fact that it follows the gradient line the sea level altitude increases rapidly. A sharp right bend will carry you to a traverse. After a short stretch where you have to use also your hands, another traverse follows. Suddenly you realise that you left behind the spruce trees. The dwarf pine scrub all around you announces the summit of the Veľký Choč Mt. (1 611 m). If the weather is favourable, you will immediately understand why the place is so unique. There are few mountains in Slovakia from which you can get such a panoramic view as from the Veľký Choč mountain. It comprises all surrounding mountain ranges of the Western Carpathians. The Babia hora Mt. and Pilsko Mt. are in the north, in the east you can admire the High Tatras and Roháčske Mts., in the south-east it is the mountain range of the Nízke Tatry Mts. The Veľká Fatra Mts. Are on the south-west and Malá Fatra Mts. are on the west. Going back you will descend again to the Liptov region, but taking another route. It is the red-marked trail heading to the Vráca saddle (1 422 m) in the south with a short rocky crest of Malý Choč Mt. (1 465 m) on the other side. The descent from the saddle on a very steep path heading to the east then passes through a spruce forest. Lower ahead the path leaves the steep valley by traversing to the right towards the meadows on Žimerová Mt. (1 080 m). The fresh mountain meadows offer fine retrospective views of the Veľký and Malý Choč mountains. The descent continues to the Jastrabá valley, which ends in the bigger Lúčanská dolina valley. There is an old asphalt road in the valley, which will bring you to the spa buildings in the village of Lúčky (598 m).