The Tatras are the highest and most alpine mountain range within the Carpathians Mountains. They are located in central-eastern Europe, right in the middle between Krakow and Budapest. Most of their area is part of the Tatras National Park, a protected territory extending from Poland into Slovakia and covering a total of more than 900 square kilometers of protected natural reserve. While Poles and Slovaks know this place to be a hiker’s paradise, the international public for the most part doesn’t know of its existence. And inexplicably so, as the Tatras have – unlike most of the Alps – preserved their unique character: that of an untamed expanse wilderness, of immense, uninterrupted forests, of uninhabited valleys and solitary peaks; places where one can walk for hours without ever seeing a road, a village, or a car in the distance. Still, a very well-maintained web of trails and a handful of serviced huts, make the area accessible to all those willing to venture into the wilderness. At the end of the day, once you’ve gotten your fill of scenic views and pure alpine air, you’ll get the chance to enjoy the huge amount of entertainment, dining, shopping and cultural opportunities that Zakopane our base village has to offer. Join us in the middle of the summer to discover the hidden treasures of the Carpathians, while hiking in two different countries and exploring the unknown beauty of the Polish and Slovakian Tatras.
Base Villages: Zakopane, Poland and Strbske Pleso, Slovakia
Hotels:
– Krakow, Poland: Hotel Pod Rosa (5-Star)
– Zakopane, Poland: Grand Hotel Stamary (4-Star Superior)
– Strbske Pleso, Slovakia: Hotel Kempinski High Tatras (5-Star)
Highlights Zakopane and Strbske Pleso – The Tatras are located in the
Carpathian Mountains, drawing the border between Poland and Slovakia.
The highest peak in the Tatras (and the Capathian Mountains) is
Gerlachovsky štít at 2,655 meters. Lomnicky štít (2,633 meters), the third highest
peak in the Carpathian Mountains, is easily accessible from a cable-car in Slovakia.
The vast majority of peaks in the Tatras reach above 2200 meters of altitude and
are very alpine in look.
One particular feature of this mountain range is it’s climate which is heavily influenced
by its northern location (approximately on the same latitude as Paris). The tree line
sits at around 1500 meters (versus 2300 meters in the Alps), so that even a peak
that is barely above 2000 meters, looks a lot higher than it actually is.
For this reason, the best time to hike in the Tatras is between the end of June and the
beginning of September.
While the higher elevations of the mountains tend to be a sequence of rugged, rocky
ridges, the lower portions of the mountains are carpeted with some of Europe’s most
beautiful fir and spruce forests, and because most valleys are unspoiled by roads,
cars or infrastructure, the impression one gets is that of a beautiful and remote place.
Still, there also are a few cable cars which facilitate access, particularly on the
Slovakian side.
