'''Vysoke Tatry''' (''High Tatras'') is a National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Slovakia.

Regions

Cities

Other destinations

Understand

High Tatras (Vysoke Tatry) stretch in the northern part of Slovakia bordering Poland and belong to Carpathian mountain range. High Tatras are divided into three parts Western, High and Belianske Tatras. High Tatras belong to the national park (TANAP) and also are registered in UNESCO because many protected animals and plants occur in High Tatras. High Tatras consist of peaks, mountain lakes and basins. The highest peaks are called Gerlachovsky ?tit (2655), Kriva? (2494), Rysy (2499) and Lomnicky ?tit (2632m). Gerlachovsky ?tit is the highest peak in Slovakia rising to 2655m above the sea level. In November 2004 a huge storm destroyed a considerable part of the forest and disturbed natural fauna and flora. The trees that used to protect the soil from erosion are gone now and the topsoil is being exposed to rain and erosion. The disaster did not have such catastrophic impact on tourism, and all ski centers, hotels and cottages go on providing their services. To High Tatras indisputably belong Poprad that is a town stretching below High Tatras offering a beautiful town center, various types of accommodation, small air port for tourists and incredible view at High Tatras scenery.

Talk

Found people in the small resort towns to be very cool towards outsiders. Sort of the typical resort attitudes towards tourists.

Get in

If you're coming from Prague, and want to get as much time in for sightseeing as possible, consider the overnight train. It leaves Prague in the evening (get a full day in Prague), and you can get a very cheap ticket for a sleeper booth, plus you wake up in the Tatras with the whole day in front of you.

Get around

Transportation and orientation in High Tatras is very easy. Trains, cog railway, cable railways, and trams these are possibilities how to get to any locality in High Tatras. If you want to see High Tatras from birth perspective you can take the cable railway from Tatranska Lomnica to Lomnicky ?tit or take a tram and travel under the highest peaks and take delight in magnificent nature. The easiest access to High Tatras is from Poprad or Tatranska ?trba where are two main railway stations with an access to cog railways or trams leaving for the mountains.

The trains running between Strbske Pleso, Vysoke Tatra and Tatranska Lomnica are an inexpensive way to get around, although the schedules are not the most convenient. Trains run mostly one per hour, and unfortunately the schedules do not always overlap. Coming back to Strbske Pleso from Tatranska Lomnica can take nearly two hours on account of the schedules. For convenience sake, either rent a car or stay in Poprad as all the trains come through Vysoke Tatra and then onto Poprad on a regular basis.

See

Itineraries

Do

High Tatras do not just offer opportunities for hiking but also for different kind of sport activities. Snow conditions during the winter are perfect for skiing or snowboarding. Funiculars are accessible to many alpine localities, such as Solisko (1840m) or Skalnata chata (1751m) where tourists can take another funicular and go to Lomnicky ?tit (2632m) and see whole Tatras below. In High Tatras is possible to ski in nine localities and each one consist of two to nine slopes. Cycling is other activitie that is very interesting for people who love adrenalin. Cyclists can choose either between asphalt or field roads. Different kind of roads with various level of difficulty is suitable for less or more demanding people.

Eat

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Stay safe

Skalnata chata in Skalnata dolina, Zamkovskeho chata in Mala Studena dolina, Teryho chata in Mala Studena dolina, Bilikova chata in Hrebienok, Rainerova chata, Mountain hotel Sliezsky dom in Velicka dolina, Mountain hotel at Popradske pleso, the highest cottage Chata pod Rysmy. Among others, these cottages are located in high attitudes above the sea level. Each cottage offers accommodation and food and most of them offer their service just during the summer because of bad access condition during the winter. The most attractive cottage is a cottage Chata pod Rysmy (2250m) for hikers who look for a difficult ascent. This cottage was built in 1932 and in 1977 was enlarged and now offers 14 beds for 300sk each. Teriho chata (cottage) (2015m) is situated in Mala Studena Dolina and is the highest accessible cottage during whole year. This cottage is attractive for tourists who want to see incredible scenery either in winter or summer. The cost for one bed is 360Sk or emergency accommodation in your sleeping bag for 260Sk. Sliezky Dom is the highest situated hotel in Slovakia 1670m above the sea level and offers 123 beds. (www.vysoketatry.com)

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