The Area
Nestling at the foot of the High Tatra mountains, our base for walking in the Slovakian High Tatras is picturesque S tary Smokovec, a village conveniently located at a junction of the ‘Tatra Railway’ allowing excellent access to all the main walking areas. The village has a source of excellent mineral water and soon hotels were built and it became a thriving spa town. Today many fine historical buildings remain, making the village a pleasure to walk t h rough. The High Tatras became the country ’s first national park in 1948 with peaks rising to 2655m, as well as home to the symbolic national peak of Slovakia, Mt Kriván 2495 m. high.


The Walking
The Tatra mountains, part of the Carpathian range extends for 50 km, and forms the border between Poland and Slovakia. There are numerous side ridges spreading out from the main ridge forming deep valleys. Well marked paths are plentiful (250km in total) extending through meadows and canyons shaded by spruce, pine, oak and larch trees. The Tatras are fashioned of both hard granite, forming frayed soaring crags, and limestone creating more gentle shapes with numerous caves and other typical limestone features.
Nearby is the Pieniny National Park which provides a pleasant contrast in walking with its choice of paths along the fast flowing Dunajec River into Slovakia (don’t forget your passport) or a walk to the top of the park’s spectacular limestone peaks.
 

Self Guided
We offer a choice of walks for all abilities. Most walks start from the top of a cable car, chair lift or funicular railway so you can take out some of the uphill section and get deep into the mountains. Walk to the top of one of the many peaks, higher peaks can also be reached but a guide is required. Alternatively enjoy a contour panorama walk giving spectacular views. Some of the higher walks lead to places where a head for heights is an advantage, but there are alternatives in each instance. 

Guided walking

We can arrange a private guide for a group of walkers or individual travellers if required, contact us for details.

Getting about

A railway links all the villages that lie at the foot of the High Tatras. Some of these villages are the starting points of cable cars, funicular railways and chair lifts that give access into the most mountainous areas. Our base, Stary Smokovec, is located at an important junction on this railway. We provide details of local transport required for each walk in our walk booklet. .

When to go

The paths in the National Park do not open until the 15th of June in order to protect young wildlife. Walking is then possible until the 1st of November when the paths close again. The highest rainfall is in June and July when it falls mainly in thunderstorms. September and October are months noted for long periods of beautiful sunny weather.

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