Vysoke Tatry Travel Forum

Any suggestions or opinions on what the 5 best hikes in the Tatra National Park are? and/or the 5 best things to see and do?

Hi,

I just came back from Slovakia/High Tatras yesterday, and it was wonderful. I did three hikes, each was great. All hiking tours are well sign-posted; almost impossible to miss the trail. A big storm hit the Tatra in 2005 and knocked down lots of trees, but this does not affect the hiking trails which are higher up where the storm didn`t hit.

1. Strebske Pleso - Podbradske Pleso - Symbolic Cemetery - Rysi
From Strbske Pleso to the beautiful Podbranske Pleso lake; take your time to walk around the lake and make a detour to the "symbolic cemetery" near the lake. Then ahead to the "Rysi" summit (ca. 2400 m). Along the way you will cross a few beautiful few streams and waterfalls. At the end of the hike you`ll see some beautiful snowcapped mountains and a lake. It takes ca. 6-7 hours to do this hike and return to Strbske Pleso, and it is not really exhausting. All along the hike you have beautiful views of the mountains.

2. Vysne Hagy - Batiskovske Pleso (yellow/white sign)
Quite exhausting but very worthwile. You start from the parking lot in Vysne Hagy, then back to the main road, then you will see the yellow/white sign and go up again. In between, you will have to do some stone - hopping through a small stream - extremely beautiful. At the end of the hike there is a beautiful mountain lake and snowcapped mountains. It takes about 5 hours to do this hike depending on your fitness.

3. Tatranska Javorina - Meadow
This is a fairly easy and short walk. You start at the TANAP sign next to the main road in Tatranska Javorina and soon you will follow a beautiful stream up to a wooden bridge, where you go left past a foresters house. There you are at a beautiful meadow with a magnificent view on the surrounding mountains. Tatranska Javorina has a beautiful wooden church; the hunting castle of a German count which is a short drive from T. Javorina, but at the moment under repair.

I recommend the "Pension Pazicky" in Stara Lesna (near Tatranska Lomnica).

Happy Holidays !