| Departures | | Every Saturday from 3 May to 27 September |
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| HIGH TATRAS - SELF-GUIDED TOUR | price from 389 € | | Slovakia - Independent walking - 8 days |
| The High Tatras are a classic, but still largely unknown alpine trekking region in the heart of Old Europe with varied terrain from gently sloping valleys and lush forests to barren, rocky passes and glittering tarns. In a self-guided manner, you can discover the beauties and rich wildlife of this pristine high mountain country. You can spend memorable nights in old, secluded mountain huts on the shore of crystal-clear tarns far from everything |
Day 1 Arrival to Tatranska Lomnica
After arrival to Poprad airport, you are transferred to the town of Tatranska Lomnica at the feet of the High Tatras. Here, you have time to take a stroll in town, visit the museum of the High Tatra National Park or the Botanical Garden or take a cable-car to the peak of Lomnicky Stit at 2633 meters |  |
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Day 2 The hut by the green tarn
After breakfast, you start out for your first ascent into the High Tatras - with luggage for 2 days only, your main luggage remains at the pension you will return to on Day 3. Walking out of town, you ascend along a forest road by a creek with many picturesque waterfalls with the Kezmarska-peak high above you. After a relaxing picnic lunch at a sunny resting place, you walk on up, reaching the Zelenom pleso (green tarn) nestled between steep mountainsides at the end of the valley | 
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Day 3 The Svistovkou saddle, Lomnicky Stit
Breaking away from the valley, you follow a path up along a creek feeding the tarn to a small lake, then head for the saddle 500 meters above you. Stopping occasionally for breath and to look back at the valley during the steep ascent, you reach the saddle at 2023 meters and glance down into the lush green, untouched valley on the other side. Descending the untamed, rocky mountainside, you reach the Skalnaté pleso, another tarn and starting point of the cable-car to the top of 2633 meters high Lomnicky Stit. From here, you can descend back down to Tatranska Lomnica directly or visit another welcoming mountain hut before returning to Tatranska Lomnica | 
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Day 4 The Zbojnicka chata
Starting from the pension with a pack for 2 days again, you head for the mountain through the lush forests full of squirrels and birdlife. Passing an old shelter hut, you arrive in the Studena-valley, leading you deep behind the peaks of the High Tatras. As you leave the forest, the view is dominated by the steep mountainsides plunging to the ever-narrowing valley, you crisscross brooks from the waterfalls plummeting down the rocks. Soon, you walk among large rocks, surrounded by peaks all above 2000 meters. Climbing on, you reach the Zbojnicka shelter at 1960 meters | 
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Day 5 Prielom and Polski hreben
Waking to the pristine alpine air, enjoy this remote refuge and the magnificient views. After breakfast, you continue along a range of peaks above 2300 meters, past many smaller tarns. After passing the Prielom saddle (2290 meters), you reach one of the most secluded valleys of the High Tatras, then climb out over the Polski Hreben saddle (2199 meters) to look down the Velicka-valley towards Vysoké Tatry. Descending into the valley, often guarding patches of snow well into May and June, you pass the Gerlachovsky Stit, the highest peak in the High Tatras. The path leads you leisurely back to Stary Smokovec, where your luggage awaits you at the hotel |  |
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Day 6 Strbské Pleso
After breakfast, you are transferred to Strbské Pleso, a popular excursion town with a beautiful lake, gateway to the Western peaks of the High Tatras. Drop your luggage at the hotel, and with a day pack only, start out to a real peak attack. Walking round the lake and then up the Mengusovska-valley via a beautiful forest road, you reach the Poprádské pleso, another lake beautifully set between the mountains. After a rest on the shore, continue up along a creek under the shadow of the mighty Satan peak at 2421 meters. At the end of the valley, you mount the ridge leading to Koprovsky Stit at 2363 meters. After a rocky climb, you have a magnificient view in every direction: North to the Polish plain and South to the Low Tatras and beyond. Since going further on would lead you into Poland, you descend back the same way | 
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Day 7 Bystré sedlo, Predné Solisko
If you want to enjoy the beauty and calmness of the lake, get up early and take a stroll along the shore. Your route today takes you up the Mlynicka-valley via an adventurous forest trail, then, leaving the forest, past the 25 meters Skok waterfall. The peaks of the Solisko and Satan guard your way as you climb up to the tarn at the end of the valley and then up to the Bystré saddle. On the other side, the trail drops sharply as you descend past several tarns and waterfalls. You can take a detour to the house under the Solisko and even the peak of Predné Solisko, right at the edge of the range, with beautiful views of the whole Poprad-valley. Descend back to your hotel at the lakeside through a leisurely forest path. | 
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Day 8 Departure to Poprad
After breakfast, your have time to take a drink on the terrace of one of the restaurants at the lakeside, enjoying the view of the lake and Solisko peak above you. Then, your transfer arrives to take you back to Poprad airport |  |
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| Details | Starting point
Poprad
End
Poprad
How to get there
Access to Poprad from London (Luton) airport
Accommodation
In comfortable pensions and hotels + two nights in authentic mountain huts
Number of people
Minimum two.
Level of difficulty
You need to be used to trekking in the high mountains and be able to read and follow map instructions. From 4H30 to 8H30 hiking hours per day on sometimes difficult trails.
Carrying
On the first 4 days, you have to carry luggage for 2 days, on the last 2 days, only day packs. Main luggage transfer between hotels
Options
- Single supplement : 185€
Included
Airport transfers, main luggage transfers, dossier with route notes, map and necessary information, 7 breakfasts, 4 lunch packages, 2 dinners, accommodation in 3-star hotels (3 nights), 3-star pension (2 nights) and huts (2 nights)
Not included
Air tickets, transfers not scheduled in program, local public transportation, entrance fees to sites, optional activities, drinks, picnics except on days 2, 4, 6 and 7, tipping, personal expenses, holiday insurance
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