Tours Nature & adventure Outdoor sports Outdoor activities Hiking National parks

Enjoy some of the best hiking trails in the High Tatras, Slovakia's highest range known as the 'Eastern European Alps' and one of the most dramatic and beautiful mountain regions in Europe.

Highlights

• Explore the dramatic High Tatra mountains, with its unique wildlife and flora
• Hike great trails through long green valleys and along high summit ridges
• Discover the traditional way of life of the Slovakian mountain regions

Description

The High Tatras sit in Slovakia, close to the Polish border. Snow stays all summer here atop jagged granite peaks, waterfalls tumble from stark rock walls, and deep narrow gorges and ridgetop trails offer great hiking, while a wealth of alpine flora is found along quiet forest paths and richly green meadows. This hiking tour will take you to the tallest and most beautiful mountains in Slovakia and Central Europe. The High Tatras ridge has been a popular hiking destination for visitors locals for a long time.   On this hiker’s odyssey, you’ll make easy scrambles up local peaks, traverse long green valleys to high summit ridges, and meet the friendly locals who share the trails with you (hiking is Slovakia’s national sport!). Hikes range in length from five to eight hours, with a return to the hotel at the end of the day. They also vary considerably in difficulty (a few are fairly strenuous); trails are often exposed and chains, ladders, and metal platforms are used to negotiate some of the trickier spots. If you feel like skipping any of the hikes, you’ll find opportunities to explore the local culture. DAY 1 We take an easy hike from the hotel through beautiful forests to the hotel situated at the base of Gerlachovsky (8,710'), highest peak of the High Tatras and the focus of tomorrow's optional climb. The trail is part of Tatranska Magistrala (a long distance path from the eastern corner of the High Tatras to the western Tatras). The contrast of the Sliesky Dom hotel, a typical example of Communist architecture, and the majestic mountains gives us an unusual feeling. DAY 2 Walk for 30 minutes or take the funicular from Stary Smokovec to Hrebienok and hike up the Malá Studena Valley (Small Cold Valley) to Teryho Chata (6,609'), a hut built more than a hundred years ago and surrounded by five lakes and huge mountains (three hours hiking). Along the way we may see a few young men portaging supplies up to the hut (their loads average close to 180 lbs.). DAY - OPTION DAY Today we have an option. Those who wish to can climb Gerlachovsky (2655m). You can find out more about the ascent from your leader and there is no need to commit yourself until a couple of days before . DAY 3 Closed by the old communist regime until 1993 the Belianski Tatry now welcomes visitors and is the final area of the Tatras we visit. After transferring to the village of Tatranska Javorina, we follow the Biela River and a steady walk through the meadows and pines of the Monkova valley before a steeper climb to the top of the forest. We continue to the splendid viewpoints of Kopske Saddle before dropping down to the Chata Pri Zelenom Pleso (chalet at the green lake). Built in 1924 at 1545m the chalet is considered to be in one of the most picturesque spots in the Tatras. Suitably refreshed we descend through the forest to the main road and our transport back to the hotel. Total walking of 7-8 hours.

Includes

Expert leadership Accommodation in mountain hotels Breakfast & dinner Sightseeing as noted in the itinerary Ground transportation within the mountain regions

Important Information

• Few visitors to the Slovak Republic take the trip out to Slovakia’s magnificent mountains, but adventure travelers know what they have to offer: challenging hiking and spectacular alpine scenery. The High Tatras, on the Polish border, are a scaled‑down version of the Alps, where snow stays all summer atop jagged granite peaks, waterfalls tumble from stark rock walls, and jewel‑like tarns sparkle in wide, green glacial valleys. And in the Malá Fatra mountains, a subsidiary range, deep narrow gorges and ridgetop trails offer great hiking, while a rich alpine flora is found along its quiet forest paths and richly green meadows. On this hiker’s odyssey, you’ll make easy scrambles up local peaks, traverse long green valleys to high summit ridges, and meet the friendly locals who share the trails with you. Hikes range in length from five to eight hours, with a return to the hotel at the end of the day.

Easy cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund