Real people, real adventures.
Explore hiking trails through forested valleys, waterfalls and alpine lakes in the remote High Tatras mountains
Trek the little-known yet insanely beautiful Tatranská Magistrala trail as it weaves among 2500m+ peaks
Ascend gorges in the aptly-named Slovak Paradise National Park using a network of ladders, catwalks and hanging bridges
This week-long adventure links together two of our favourite epic weekenders: Adventure Hiking in Slovakia and Hike the High Tatras Mountains
Day 1
Meet your host and take a scenic drive over the border into Slovakia to your friendly family-run hotel in the lovely village of Stará Lesná. Check in, unwind and then meet the rest of your group for dinner and a chance to discuss the plan for the days ahead.
Day 2
Hike to the beautiful Velicka Valley, located at the foot of the highest mountain in Slovakia – the 2655m Gerlachovsky Peak. Enjoy the incredible scenery and then trek to a pretty mountain lake for lunch with a waterfall view. Explore the famous Tatranska Magistrala trail as it winds its way through a labyrinth of dwarf pines and spruces, then follow a pristine mountain stream back to your hotel for the evening.
Day 3
Hop in a cable car to Skalnate Pleso at 1700m and hit the trail to the peak of Velka Svistovka. Take in the views from here before descending through a rugged valley to the serene Green Lake. Enjoy lunch at a lakeside hut, then walk through a dwarf pine forest to reach White Lake. Continue down through more forested slopes to reach Kovalčíkova pol'ana, where you'll hop back in a cable car to descend the valley and head back to your accommodation. Spend the evening unwinding in a jacuzzi or sauna at the hotel, and then grab some dinner before a well-deserved night’s sleep.
Day 4
Pack up and head to Strbske Lake, one of the most scenic and photographed in Slovakia. Enjoy a hike through some stunning scenery on the way to Popradske Lake, then grab some lunch and soak up the quaint village beneath the peaks. Bid farewell to the High Tatras mountains as you journey to the quaint village of Levoča. Settle into your next base, soak up the town square and grab an early dinner before heading to the nearby thermal pools for a soak.
Day 5
Head into the Slovak Paradise National Park and see for yourself why it lives up to its name. Hike along the bottom of Sucha Bela Gorge, one of the longest and most popular canyons in the park, where you will trek through water, climb over fallen trees and ascend ladders – you'll even pass a window-like hole in the rock. Emerge from the canyon and have lunch at a mountain hut before continuing through Prielom Hornadu Gorge, famous for the series of ledges and catwalks that rise above the Hornad River. Return to Levoča in time for dinner and a good night's sleep.
Day 6
Head back into the park today and explore Piecky (Fireplace) Gorge, which gets its name from the amazing rock formations that span the canyon. More ladders await as you climb beside multi-story waterfalls, including some horizontal ones that take you over green and blue pools of water. After completing the hikes you'll head over to a reservoir hidden in the forest to take in the serenity of the spot and maybe grab a wild swim here. Head back to Levoča for dinner in the hotel's restaurant.
Day 7
Check out of the hotel and venture into the National Park one last time, hiking to a stunning 200m-high rock shelf with excellent views over the entire area you’ve been exploring. Hike back down and return to Krakow in time for your flight home, with new stories and photos to share with your friends.
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
Tips are not included in the trip cost; these are entirely at your discretion. If you would like to tip, the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality.
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures, and you'll need to provide your policy details before departure. Your insurance should offer adequate cover for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment, and the specific activities involved in your adventure. We also recommend ensuring your policy includes cancellation and curtailment cover, in case you're unable to join your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness.
Standard travel insurance may not cover all the activities included in your adventure, so it's essential to check the details carefully. There are adventure-specific providers that many travellers have used in the past, such as True Traveller (opens in new tab) (for those based in the UK or Europe), or Rise + Shield (opens in new tab), both of which offer cover for a wide range of adventurous activities.
Please make sure your chosen policy meets your individual needs and covers all aspects of your trip.
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
Each morning you'll tuck in to a sizeable breakfast buffet with more options than you'll possibly need: cereals, muesli and yoghurt, meats, cheeses, salads, breads and eggs, plus cakes, juices and teas and coffees. Your dinners will vary but will foc…
For active people who want to explore more wild and adventurous places
In the Tatras Mountains, you’ll cover around 18km of uneven terrain each day with as much as 1,000m of ascent, so a moderate level of fitness is needed to enjoy it to the full...
Your next adventure is out there
Leanne S. October 2025
Jennifer C. September 2025
Michelle A. September 2025
Lorna M. August 2025
Louise R. July 2025
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Millicent H. July 2025
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For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
You'll need to bring all your luggage with you, however on each day of hiking your main luggage can be left in the hotels in Stará Lesná and Levoča. You will only need to have a daypack for each day of hiking.
The local tap water is safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottles (at least 1.5L) to fill up to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles.
At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.
Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.
BACKGROUND
Slovak cuisine is shaped by a landlocked, mountainous landscape and a Slavic–Central European heritage influenced by the Austro-Hungarian era, so meals tend to be fresh, hearty and seasonal, with soups, pork, chicken, potatoes, rice, sauerkraut, dumplings and cheese.
SPECIAL DIETS
Vegetarian Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. In Slovakia, there is plenty of delicious vegetarian-friendly options including vegetable soups (often with potatoes or legumes), fried cheese or mushrooms with potatoes, potato pancakes, dumplings with cabbage, and simple salads, alongside sides like sauerkraut and pickled vegetables.
Vegan Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance, but you should expect fewer options and variety that you may be used to, especially in rural areas and mountain huts where meals are traditionally built around meat and dairy. Vegan-friendly choices are becoming more commonplace in hotels and restaurants and may include vegetable or bean soups made without stock, stewed cabbage or sauerkraut dishes, roast or boiled potatoes, buckwheat or rice, sautéed mushrooms, and salads.
Kosher Fully certified kosher options are limited in Slovakia and are mainly found in larger cities such as Bratislava. On this trip in more rural areas, kosher-supervised kitchens and ingredients are not possible to guarantee, so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.
Halal Slovakia is not a predominantly Muslim country so fully certified halal options are limited and are mainly found in larger cities such as Bratislava. As this trip takes place in more rural areas, halal-certified kitchens, meat and supply chains are not possible to guarantee so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.
INTOLERANCES
Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. However, options may be more limited compared to those without dietary requirements. While your local hosts will do their best, it’s worth knowing that gluten-free provision may vary in rural areas where it is harder to source specialist products. Therefore, meals will be based on naturally gluten-free dishes more often than specialist substitutes. That said, many standard meals already include several options without gluten, even without special preparation, including grilled meats, potato dishes, buckwheat/rice, eggs and salads. Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.
Lactose Free Lactose-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy, such as vegetable dishes, cabbage/sauerkraut, buckwheat/rice and potato dishes, legumes, and salads.
ALLERGIES
Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy (including Coeliac disease), please get in touch with our CX team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority.
*Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
The High Tatras in summer are beautiful and relatively warm. From June to August the average daytime temperature on a sunny day can be 20 - 30 °C but it cools down considerably at night time. It rains approximately 12 days each month, totalling 80mm monthly. Spring and autumn temperatures are a little cooler, ranging from 4 – 13 °C, but it is also drier (just 60mm monthly). The Slovak Paradise National Park in summer is at lower elevation so will be a little warmer.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 153kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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