TATRA MOUNTAINS, SLOVAKIA

Presov region in the northeast of Slovakia includes the High Tatras Mountain range with its Gerlach peak at 2655 meters above sea level. High Tatras is a real magnet for foreign tourists with its beautiful untouched nature dissected by thousands of tourist paths and tracks. On both sides of the mountain range, one can ramble through wine-producing valleys and a scenic countryside of hilltop castles and traditional log barns.

The town of High Tatras is a central part of The Tatra National Park (Tanap) which covers an area of 74,111 hectares. It is the oldest and largest national park in the Slovak Republic. . Hiking and skiing out of marked trails is permitted with a certified UIAGM mountain guide.

The densely forested hills of the Low Tatras (Nizke Tatry) run parallel to the High Tatras, sprawling between the valleys of the Vah and Hron rivers. They form the center of an 810 square kilometer (311 square mile) national park packed with thick forests, indigenous wildlife, and hidden caves. From the top of Dumbier, you can see Hungary, the edge of Poland and almost all of Slovakia!

As the most well-known area, the High Tatras has excellent tourist infrastructures to welcome sight seeing visitors and for those who come to take advantage of its slopes for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. Spis, the Strazky Castle, the Cerveny Klastor Monastery, the wooden churches in Hranicne, Potoky and the historic center of Bardejov are the region's top attractions. Slovakia’s tourism industry has grown remarkably since independence. By the late 1990s the country was receiving more than 500,000 visitors each year.