Hiking and biking trails Vikartovce

Prielom Hornádu is one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Národný park Slovenský raj. It is located in the Košický kraj region in the Spišská Nová Ves district. The route is interwoven with numerous ladders, bridges, footbridges, and chains, so do not forget to wear sturdy footwear. If you are at least a slightly fit hiker, the adventure can begin.

Starting points for you can be the villages of Smižany, Čingov, Spišské Tomášovce, Hrabušice, Letanovce, or Podlesok. In 1964, Prielom Hornádu was declared a National Nature Reserve, and rightly so. The trail is 16 km long and here you will find exceptional fauna and flora, natural scenery, and geomorphological phenomena. Information boards are available to you. Kaňon Hornádu is in some places only a few meters wide. However, the elevation gain you tackle here is over 300 meters. Truly an adrenaline-pumping attraction.

Definitely do not bring very young children here and do not come if you are afraid of heights. On the contrary, if you have courage and good physical condition, Prielom Hornádu is the right choice for a trip for you. If you set off from the village of Podlesok, you will come across several benches for resting or a spring with drinking water. The hiking trail will lead you through diverse sections with beautiful waterfalls. Perhaps the most beautiful is Obrovský vodopád, which reaches a height of up to 60 meters.

Prielom Hornádu is accessible all year round. In winter, however, the water freezes in some places. The ladders and footbridges are slippery, so you need to be careful during the ascent. In the summer months, boating on the Hornád river is popular. However, you can only navigate in small watercraft. Rafting is not permitted. Do not forget to register on the website of Národný park Slovenský raj.

If you are planning to visit Slovenský raj, it is not only the Hornád gorge that will be a great attraction for you. We also recommend visiting Kláštorská roklina, which is rich in breathtaking waterfalls, or Tomášovský výhľad, from whose heights you can see far and wide.

The nature of Národný park Slovenský raj is unforgettable, and it is certainly worth coming here for a holiday. You will find ideal accommodation near Prielom Hornádu with us. You can also choose from a wide range of accommodation in Slovenský raj. You will remember the hiking you experience here for a long time to come.

Do you love the Vysoké Tatry mountains and enjoy spending your free time walking in the fresh air? Then put on your walking shoes and set off with us on the Náučný chodník Štrbské pleso educational trail. Bring your little ones along and discover together the history, fauna, and flora of this moraine lake. Did you know that the region in which Štrbské pleso lies was once called Štrbský chotár?

This highest-situated Tatras settlement (1,346 m a.s.l.) is located in the Národný park Vysoké Tatry (High Tatras National Park) and is a local part of the village of Štrba. 5 km long educational trail with 40 wooden information panels is open to tourists throughout the whole year. Even your youngest in a stroller or mobility-impaired persons in a wheelchair can handle the excursion along the paved stony path. Prepare for a 2.5-hour walk during which you will learn something about historical sights, spa history, as well as sports events at Štrbské Pleso.

Our hike begins in front of the railway station, which is the final stop of the Tatras electric railway and cog railway. Going up the stairs past Hotel Toliar, we find ourselves at Hotel Kempinski. We turn left and follow the asphalt road to a viewpoint from which we can already see our most visited Tatras lake from a distance. Water does not flow out of it anywhere, nor does any flow into it. It fills through underground springs from a depth of more than 12 meters. Thanks to its location, the surface of the lake is frozen for an average of 155 days a year. Other points of interest certainly include the ski jumping hill that has stood here since 1966. However, this massive structure has not been used for active sports for many years. In 1925, the European Ice Hockey Championships were held on the frozen surface of the lake.

The dark blue crystal-clear water in the lake is home to many small aquatic animals and fish. The most numerous fish species found here include chub, northern pike, European perch, and roach. A notable feature is the presence of the vendace fish (Coregonus maraena / sih maréna). This is most likely the last place in the world where this fish still occurs. Fishermen from the Třeboňsko region (Czech Republic) brought the vendace here in 1929. Their current number can be counted on the fingers of two hands. Despite the efforts of locals for artificial breeding, this fish is doomed to extinction.

Our trip continues to another viewpoint, offering an unprecedented view of the Podtatranská kotlina basin and the Nízke Tatry mountains. We proceed along a slightly steep slope from which we can see Cesta slobody. From Hotel Solisko, we continue around the lake, and after a few meters, we turn onto a narrow peninsula where we find the monument to the Slovenské národné povstanie (Slovak National Uprising). Right before it, we can stop at the memorial dedicated to our poet Maša Haľamová. On the northeastern shore, we turn onto the path that leads to Hotel Patria. If we turn left, we reach Hotel Fis, from where we can see all the way to Vodopád Skok waterfall, located in Mlynická dolina. At the main intersection, we turn left onto a small path leading to Nové Štrbské pleso (1,315 m a.s.l.). We will return to our destination, Štrbské pleso, along the path leading along the northern shore of the lake. If you have worked up an appetite after this easy hike, visit one of the hotel restaurants and treat yourself to a great gastronomic experience.

Plan your active holiday in Vysoké Tatry. But do not spend unnecessarily big money on expensive hotels. Comfortable yet affordable accommodation near Náučný chodník Štrbské Pleso can be found on our page cheap accommodation Štrbské Pleso. Whether you choose stylish apartments or cottages in the magical forest environment is entirely up to you. Spend the money saved to visit other attractions, of which there are plenty in the Tatras. Enjoy your stay in the fresh air and head to Botanická záhrada (Botanical Garden), where you have a great opportunity to discover up to 300 species of Tatras plants and trees. If you feel like something special, you will experience a proper dose of adrenaline on the Tatrabob bobsleigh track. We wish you a successful holiday full of unforgettable experiences.