Overview
This easy to moderate self-guided walking holiday lets you explore at a leisurely pace the lakes and valleys of the Slovakian Alps, the highest mountain range, in the country’s Tatras National Park. Otherwise known as the Slovakian Alps, you may be lucky enough to encounter chamois along the way, the symbol of the High Tatras. Finish your trip at Spisska Nova Ves, gateway town to Slovak Paradise National Park.
- High Tatras
- Poprad
- Skalnate Pleso Lake
- Popradske Pleso Lake
- Jamske Pleso Lake
- Strbske Pleso Lake
Itinerary
Day 1: Poprad/Tatranská Lomnica
Arrive at Poprad airport and meet with our representative at the airport. Poprad is considered to be the primary entrance gate to the High Tatras. Our rep will transfer to your hotel in Tatranská Lomnica. On the way, you will enjoy a short sightseeing tour in the town centre of Poprad and explore the unique historical sights of medieval Spisska Sobota, which is the historic part of Poprad. Tatranska Lomnica is one of the mountain hiking centres of the High Tatras. It is located under Lomnicky Peak, which can be easily reached by cable car.
- Accommodation: Paula Pension or similar (optional upgrade: Grandhotel Praha)
Day 2: Skalnate Pleso | 7km
Take the cable car to Skalnate lake, which offers beautiful panoramic views. Walk around the lake. You can optionally get to Lomnicke saddle using the chairlift, from where starts Slovakia’s highest and steepest ski piste at an elevation of 2190 m. On the way back, walk to Tatranska Lomnica with a stop for a tea and snack in a typical mountain hut – Skalnata hut.
- Walking for the day: km, 2-3h, ↑10m ↓900m
- Accommodation: Paula Pension or similar (optional upgrade: Grandhotel Praha)
Day 3: Stary Smokovec | 9km
Start your day by walking to Rainer mountain hut. On the way, you can enjoy the impressive scenery of the Waterfalls of Cold Creek valley. Continue to Hrebienok for a simple but tasty lunch in a self-service restaurant or continue to Billik hut. Cog railway from Hrebienok will bring you to Stary Smokovec, where you will spend the next two nights in a charming hotel.
- Walking for the day: 9km, 3h, ↑570m ↓140m (3h extra walk possible)
- Accommodation: Villa Siesta or similar (optional upgrade: Grand Hotel Starý Smokovec)
- Optional additional walk: From Rainer hut continue on the red marked trail to Zamkovsky hut, where you can have lunch. On the way to Zamkovsky hut, you will pass by the Huge Waterfall (20 m). From Zamkovský hut take the red marked trail to Hrebienok.
Day 4: Tatranska Kotlina | 6km
Take the bus from Starý Smokovec bus stop to Tatranska Kotlina to visit the only show cave in the High Tatras – Belianska cave. On the 1,370 m long show path with 860 steps, you can admire flowstone waterfalls, Music Hall, Palm Hall, stalagmites and beautiful forms of cave decoration. After been impressed by the natural beauties of the underground world, you can take the bus (or a walk along the road on the cycle lane) to Bachledova valley to visit the Treetop walking path. Enjoying the panoramic views from the 32 m high tower, you will feel the majesty and uniqueness of the Tatra mountains. Taking the bus back to Starý Smokovec, you will finish a day full of impressions.
- Walking for the day: 6km, 2h, ↑170m ↓30m
- Accommodation: Villa Siesta or similar (optional upgrade: Grand Hotel Starý Smokovec)
Day 5: The Glacial Lakes | 9km
Take the cog railway to Popradske Pleso station. Continue to Popradske Pleso, where you can enjoy the panoramic views and have lunch. Then walk along a scenic hiking trail to reach the highlight of the trip – Strbske Pleso Lake (1,352 m). Just the perfect place to stay for your last two nights, Strbske Pleso is the highest settlement of the High Tatras (1,350 m).
- Walking for the day: 9km, 3h, ↑380m ↓300m
- Accommodation: Vila Polar or similar (optional upgrade: Hotel Solisko)
Day 6: Skok Waterfall or Jamske Pleso | 10km
Option 1: Walk through Mlynicka valley to one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the High Tatras. You will see the 25 m high waterfall Skok in Mlynicka valley, which is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the High Tatras. Walk back to your hotel.
Option 2: Hike along the Tatranska Magistrala (Tatra artery) to Jamske Pleso through a pine forest. Enjoy the serenity of Jamske Pleso Lake and return to your hotel.
- Walking for the day: 10km, 3h, ↑435m ↓435m (Option 1) or 10km, 3h, ↑370m ↓370m (Option 2)
- Accommodation: Vila Polar or similar (optional upgrade: Hotel Solisko)
Day 7: Slovak Paradise/Spisska Nova/Poprad | 12km
Today you will visit the Spisska Nova Ves and the Slovak Paradise National Park. Private transfer from Strbske Pleso to Slovak Paradise.The hiking trail starts from Podlesok, heading through the gorge Sucha Bela. From Spisska Nova Ves take the bus to Poprad. Slovak Paradise offers a totally different way of hiking compared to the High Tatras. Forget the massive peaks and lakes; all this is compensated by gorges full of greenery, climbing ladders and bridges. All this offers a unique experience, which you will keep in memory.
Spend the afternoon in Aquacity Poprad – one of the biggest Aqua parks in the region using the water of a geothermal spring with curative effects contains more than 20 minerals. Thanks to using no aggressive chemicals for the disinfection and exploiting the heat of the water for heating in the hotel area, it is one of the most eco-friendly resorts in Europe. Just the perfect place to relax on your last day.
- Walking for the day: 12km, 4h, ↑475m ↓475m
- Accommodation: Satel Hotel or similar in Poprad (optional upgrade: Aquacity Resort)
Day 8: Departure
Return home or individual stay extension. Complimentary transfer to Poprad Airport is included.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in private en-suite rooms in a mix of comfortable country inns and 3-star hotels.
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*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
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Optional “In Style” upgrade: Seven nights in 4-star hotels. Two of the hotels were built at the beginning of the 20th century and have unique architectural features. Although they have been modernised to the highest standards, you can still admire their Golden Age beauty and atmosphere. The two nights at Strbske Pleso are spent in a luxury 4 or 5-star hotel on the shore of the lake (lake view rooms subject to availability). The last night is in Aquacity spa resort. All hotels provide superior accommodation in well designed double/twin en-suite rooms. There are wellness centres in all hotels. Hotel Grand Praha and Aquacity have pools with thermal water.
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included. Each hotel has its own restaurant where you can taste international or Slovak meals or you can also try Slovak cuisine in local restaurants called Salash or Koliba. Each hiking day passes by several mountain huts with restaurant facilities where you can get water and lunch. We recommend you to try the lentil or goulash soup. You should also try traditional local spirits called Horec or Tatra Tea. These are the typical spirits for the High Tatras and are made of herbs. Be careful – they are quite strong!
Difficulty and terrain
Easy to moderate level, good fitness is required. While the walks are generally easy, not long and there are no exposed sections, some of the stretches are on stone paths which can become slippery in rain or fog. Average walking time is 2-4 hours per day (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from the beginning of May until the end of October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season. The itinerary contains routes which are closed to the public during winter and spring due to the protection of nature. The best months for hiking in the High Tatras are September and October.
The climate is mostly of a mountain and alpine character, cold and moist influenced by high altitudes. Snow cover in valleys and peaks persists from 180 to 250 days of a year. Windy weather is typical, and during summer afternoons storms are typical. Average year temperature at 1,000m above sea level is 5C, in July it is 15C. For more information visit our blog Best time to go to Slovakia.
Getting there
Up-to-date FCO travel advice on Slovakia
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Recommended arrival and departure airport: Poprad Tatry
You can check Bratislava or Krakow airports too, with more frequent flights from different UK airports operated mostly by Ryanair.
Complimentary transfers from/to Poprad Tatry airport are included. The driver will wait for you at the arrival hall holding up a board with your name. Pick up time from the hotel on departure day will be specified on the spot. You will be provided with the contact info of the driver. Airport transfers from Bratislava and Krakow can be arranged at an additional cost.
Inclusions
Included
- Pre-departure holiday information pack, incl. paper map of High Tatras
- 2 x accommodation incl. breakfast in pension Paula 3* Tatranska Lomnica, or similar
- 2 x accommodation incl. breakfast in Vila Siesta 3* in Stary Smokovec, or similar
- 2 x accommodation incl. breakfast in Vila Polar 3* in Strbske Pleso, or similar
- 1 x accommodation incl. breakfast in hotel Satel 3* in Poprad
- 1 x cable car to Sklanate Pleso on day 2
- 1 x cog railway – funicular from Hrebienok down to Stary Smokovec on day 3
- 1 x Treetop walk in Bachledka on day 4
- All luggage transfers when changing hotels (3x transfers)
- Private transfer Štrbské Pleso to Slovak Paradise on day 7
- 2 x complimentary transfers from/to airport Poprad
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local representative
Excluded
- Flights and connecting land transfers from/to airports other than Poprad
- Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
- Entrance fees (incl entrance fee to the aqua park on Day 7)
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not explicitly mentioned in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Supplements, Options and Extras
- Where individual members of a group require a single room, a single room supplement is applicable
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Private airport transfers to/from airports other than Poprad
- Hotel upgrade
- Extra nights in Strbske Pleso or Poprad
