The best walks and hikes in Slovakia

With the awe-inspiring Carpathians arcing across the north, the beautiful Danube delineating the south west and no less than nine national parks in between, it’s fair to say walks in Slovakia are on the spectacular side. Throw in magnificent wildlife amongst its endlessly varied landscapes and you’ve soon got a heady mixture: one that is loved by those who know this majestic land.

Hikes in Slovakia’s High Tatras are the stuff of an adventurer’s wildest dreams. Striking peaks, glistening glacial lakes and high mountain tarns share your rapt attention alongside marmots, chamois and brown bears. Enjoy pleasant ambles below snow-capped peaks or set forth on astonishing multi-day hut expeditions.

To the south, verdant scenery abounds. The gentle upland meadows and deep valleys of the Vel’ka Fatra and the primeval beech forests of the Poloniny National Park reward with yet more magical trails. Or discover the stark contrast of the karst chasms, caves and gorges of the Slovak Karst National Park