Ever been to Slovakia’s High Tatras? You should. They’re a thing of magic, especially in the wintertime. With the first snowfall, everything slows down and the rugged mountains transform into a wintry wonderland. So if you’ve been feeling stressed and overwhelmed lately, these quiet mountains are exactly what the doctor ordered. Not only will you enjoy the awe-inspiring scenery, with its piercing peaks, glossy alpine lakes, and mystical caves, but the luxury of 4-star hotels as well, nestled in the pristine nature. Get ready for some pampering and a generous dose of Slovak culture, wonderful dishes, and unforgettable hospitality.
Embark on an unforgettable, week-long winter hiking adventure in Slovakia’s High Tatras! You’ll spend 5 days hiking and going through magical winter landscapes. A great network of trails and Tree Top Walk will allow you to explore and marvel at the alpine gems of the High Tatras, including emerald lakes, dense conifer forests, the most visited cave in Slovakia, and other picturesque landscapes. A massive bonus of the trip is that you will get to stay at cozy, luxurious 4-star hotels offering fantastic wellness facilities. This adventure hits the sweet spot between excitement and comfort, so come along on this journey if that’s what you’re looking for!
Make sure to arrive at Krakow Airport by 4 pm for meeting your team and your guide. A 2.5-hour ride takes you to the High Tatras, and to your first lodging for the night in Starý Smokovec. Get to know your fellow adventures over dinner and enjoy a relaxing evening to prepare for exciting days ahead!
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: 4-star Grand Hotel Smokovec or similar
Begin your journey with a hike to Zamkovskeho chata hut. Trek along beautiful waterfalls and through snow-carpeted forests, immersing yourself in the winter wonderland of the Tatra Mountains. If snow conditions are ideal, you can try to ride down the mountain on a sledge!
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: 4-star Grand Hotel Smokovec or similar
Distance: 11 km / 7 miles
Hiking: 5 hours
Ascent and descent: 500 m / 1,640 ft
Today you’ll visit the renowned Lake Strbske Pleso, a glacial lake surrounded by dense conifer woodlands and mountain peaks. Then hike to Lake Popradske Pleso, another beautiful glacial lake with fantastic hiking opportunities. In the afternoon, have a cup of coffee with one of Slovakia’s best views at a local café.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: 4-star Grand Hotel Smokovec or similar
Distance: 11 km / 7 miles
Hiking: 4 hours
Ascent and descent: 300 m / 985 ft
Take it easy in the morning and enjoy a chair lift ride to the Tree Top Walk, providing surreal views of the Tatra Mountains. Afterwards, explore a captivating local cave before returning to the hotel of some afternoon relaxation. Rarely will you find a unique hotel like this—right on Strbske Pleso Lake, you will be fully immersed in the wintry landscapes of the High Tatras and its forests.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: 4-star Grand Hotel Patria
Distance: 4 km / 2.5 miles
Hiking: 3 hours
Ascent and descent: 200 m / 660 ft
Today you have the longest hike of the tour, but it’s incredibly rewarding. By trekking along a path considered by many to be the most beautiful one in Slovakia, reach Lake Zelene Pleso. As its name implies, the lake has a picturesque emerald green to it, and is surrounded by beautiful peaks. Enjoy the cozy mountain hut on the lake’s shore, creating unforgettable memories in this breathtaking alpine setting.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: 4-star Grand Hotel Patria
Distance: 17 km / 10.5 miles
Hiking: 6 hours
Ascent and descent: 700 m / 2,300 ft
Walk to Hotel Sliezsky Dom, a hotel nestled in Tatras wilderness, surrounded by snowy mountain vistas. Use the afternoon to indulge in some well-deserved relaxation. Recharge at local thermal pools, where you can soothe your muscles after days of walking.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodation: 4-star Grand Hotel Patria
Distance: 12 km / 7.5
Hiking: 4 hours
Ascent and descent: 650 m / 2,130 ft
Bid farewell to the Slovak Tatra mountains, your fellow adventurers, and your guide. You’ll be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home. If you’d like to stay longer in the area and further explore, just let your guides know—they’ll give you excellent recommendations!
Meals: Breakfast
Had a great hiking adventure in the Tatras mountains. Great group of people, amazing views and our guide Patrik was brilliant! Thunderstorms threatened to disrupt everything but Patrik always had a great plan B when needed, so we still did lots of hiking in incredible locations.
Absolutely fantastic trip – highly recommended! Tom and Roman are excellent guides which truly know and appreciate beautiful Slovakia. Can’t recommend enough!
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
While this adventure of hiking the High Tatras does not require any special skills or previous hiking experience, you still need to be reasonably fit to hike 10-16 km (6-10 miles) every day for five days in a row, with 400-600 m (1,310-1,970 ft) of elevation gain. Keep in mind that hiking through snow is a bit more tiring than regular hiking.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
This winter hiking tour in the High Tatras comes with fantastic lodging! Instead of cramming in mountain huts, every night you will stay in cozy 4-star hotels with beautiful wellness and spa facilities. You will perhaps move from one village to another and take in different landscapes of the High Tatras, allowing you to explore new places daily. The hotels will be situated in the villages of Stary Smokovec, Tatranska Lomnica, Stara Lesna or Strbske Pleso. If you sign up as a solo traveler, you will stay in a twin-shared room with another person of the same gender.
Group sizes, prices, and age requirements:
Hiking in the High Tatras can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
To get to your winter hiking adventure in the High Tatras, most people fly into Krakow International Airport (KRK) in Poland. Make sure to arrive by 4 pm on Day 1 of the tour, so your guides can pick you up and transfer you to your accommodation.
You will be dropped off at the airport in Krakow on the last day at around 11:30 am, so make sure to book your flights accordingly (take into account the time for check-in).
If you decide to come to the beautiful Krakow a few days prior to your trip, keep in mind that you will have to come to the airport to meet up with your guides and your team. You can easily reach the airport from the main train station Krakow Glowny—the ride takes 17 minutes and costs a couple of euros.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more.
Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!
A 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 2 months (60 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies. If the Client cancels the booking…
Your guides reserve the right to cancel the trip due to force majeure, i.e. natural disasters, wars, and other similar conflicts. If your guides withdraw from the contract, they agree to pay to the Client the full price of the tour within 15 days from the date of withdrawal from the contract, or to offer to the Client for the same price an alternative tour.
A wonderful hike with a great guide – the roads are well thought of (so you do not need to worry about nothing) you get a lot of care and help. We were on a road with Martin – he did all the possible things to assure we’re all fine, if the road is pleasant for the whole group, he was sharing lots and lots of facts and interesting things about the region and the mountains. Would definitely recommend these guys if you’re on a lookout for a great and active trip!