A quite brief email landed in our e-mailbox one day. Classic demand for corporate teambuilding combined with a daytime congress and an evening party. Treasures of Tatras, a.k.a a pilgrimage to the Tatra treasures. We know such an assignment very well, but we had no idea that this simple assignment would become one of the most complex and complicated events we have come across. But let’s get through it gradually
After the aforementioned demand, it was time for a standard client-agency round with possible location checks, that would be suitable for teambuilding of 250 people and with sufficient conference capacities. In order not to burden the readers with long texts, the choice of location fell on Hotel Partizán and the wider area of Brezno. The program was planned for three days, with only breakfast and an early departure planned for the last day.
So, what was waiting for the participants? The first day served as “acclimatization” for all guests – roughly 90% were guests from Hungary, the rest were mainly Slovaks and Croats. We probably do not need to emphasize that the main language of communication was naturally English. After the arrival of the guests and a delicious dinner, only a free program and relaxation was prepared. But not for us, as we were already preparing a complete program divided into several levels of difficulty (light, medium and extra).
The second day was the real D-Day. In the afternoon, a conference program was held with a presentation of the company’s internal results and plans. Immediately after it ended, we already had 16 extremely skilled (and fluent English-speaking) team guides ready to spend the next hours with “their” teams. The team guides went over all the points of the program with their clients and explained to them what would be waiting for them step by step. So that we don’t beat around the bush, let’s go to the individual levels and their exciting program.
LIGHT LEVEL consisted of 5 teams, which together started with special puzzles made up of Slovak regions right in the hotel area. From there, they took a special bus directly to the square in Brezno, where a great Slovak folklore group members and a hat dance for several dozen participants awaited them. After a successful “dance”, they moved to the nearby train station, where a special train arrived shortly after, which had only one stop – Salaš Zbojská. Here, the teams were waiting for several activities of a folk character – butter churning, mangalica race, dumplings workshop or a short hike to a nearby lookout tower.
MEDIUM LEVEL was divided into two subcategories (to make it not so easy). The group with a simpler programme, after a short activity at the hotel, waited for its own bus, which went to the train station, where the special train took them to Salaš Zbojská. Here, however, they did not follow their colleagues from the light level but chose the Educative Trail of Jakub Surovec. In addition to the lighter hiking itself, several interactive activities were prepared for variety during the hike. The final point was again Zbojská, where in the end all teams and levels.
The second part of the MEDIUM LEVEL had a different program – they moved to Hronec by their own bus, where Cyklodreziny were prepared for all 4 teams and about an hour’s pleasant pedalling to Čierny Balog. After a short break and accompanying activities, the transfer to Zbojská strela to Sedlo Chlipavica was already planned. There, in addition to the traditional feast, other folk activities were waiting – hammering nails, blowing an egg on a fried egg, milking a goat or Slovak kremeš. After the activities, the guests moved to our destination.
Finally, the best – EXTRA LEVEL. For this group, the goal was to prepare an even more sophisticated program with an emphasis on fitness and endurance. To begin with, it was a tailor-made Treasure Hunt in the vicinity of the hotel, followed by a private transfer to Hronec. Dozens of e-bikes with local instructors were already prepared there. On the way to Sedlo Chlipavica (where folk activities were also waiting for them), our extra group stopped in the village of Čierny Balog, where they collected parts of a special flag, and the complete conclusion was in their case also in Zbojská.
When all the teams successfully reached Salaš Zbojská, folk music, truly fantastic home-made food and, of course, an evaluation of the entire teambuilding program awaited them. A well-deserved rest was followed by a return to the hotel and a well-deserved evening party.
This team building really tested our abilities to the last bone. And we have to say, fortunately, that we managed to prepare a truly unforgettable day for our guests, who thoroughly enjoyed the whole day’s program. And of course we don’t claim that, but directly the participants – because they always have the main evaluation word whether the program was a success or not