Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy by Lexe-I

The Alpine ibex was a popular animal to hunt throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. As a result of this hunting, only 60 of them were said to have been left. People hunted the ibex for sport as well as for their various body parts. There is a cross-shaped bone that can be found in the ibex which has been used as a means of protecting people from dying a violent kind of death.

It was Victor Emmanuel who would first make steps to prevent the further decline of the ibex population. Set to become the king of Italy, Victor designated the area as the Royal Hunting Reserve of the Gran Paradiso back in 1856. Then in 1920, King Victor Emmanuel III set out to make the area the first nation’s park. Today there are more than 4,000 ibex living in the Gran Paradiso National Park.

Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy by SNappa2006

There are 57 glaciers in the Gran Paradiso National Park as the area includes more than 703 square kilometers of land. Some of the park is used today for agricultural purposes and much of it is for leisure. The Gran Paradiso Mountain stands 4,000 meters above sea level which makes it one of the tallest mountains in Italy. From its peak, you can see both the Matterhorn as well as Mont Blanc. When combined with the Vanoise National Park just across the border in France, you have the European Union’s largest protection area. The French park is also dedicated to the Alpine ibex.

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The Low Tatras National Park can be found in the innermost part of Slovakia. It is here where you will find the valley of the Váh, the Hron River as well as the Poprad River. And although not as tall as its larger sibling, the tallest peak that can be found within the Low Tatras, Ďumbier, still stands at more than 2042 meters above sea level. This is followed in close by the summit of Chopok which is 2024 meters above sea level.

Blue trail of Chopok, Low Tatras National Park, Slovakia by Pudelek (Marcin Szala)

Unlike its larger brother, there are a number of excellent caves that can be found within the Low Tatras which are open to the public. Some of the most popular of these caves is that of the Bystrianska Cave, Cave of Dead Bats as well as the ice Cave. As of currently, there are only seven caves in the mountain range which are not open to the public.

For those who prefer canyoning, the largest canyon in the entire mountain range is that of Hučiaky under Salatín which is situated within the Ludrová Valley just outside of Ružomberok. Not too far away is where you will also find the largest waterfall within the mountain range. The 55 meter tall Brankov waterfall can be found at the western part of Low Tatras and is easily reachable thanks to a well marked footpath that runs from the village of Podsuchá.

Dumbier, Low Tatras, Slovakia by milan.kvetko

For the most part, the Low Tatras are protected by the Low Tatras National Park which is a biological reserve that was established back in 1978. Unfortunately, there are sections of the mountain range which are not within the preserve. However, the portions that are within the reserve are home to some of the rarest of alpine animal species, including the extremely rare chamois.

The Low Tatras are known as a popular skiing destination within Slovakia. There are a number of excellent resorts that can be found throughout the mountain range including Mýto pod Ďumbierom, Jasná as well as Tále. Jasná is also one of the largest ski destinations in all of central Europe and is accessed via the town of Liptovsky Mikulas. Of course there is a lot more to do than just skiing in the Low Tatras as there is also kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, golf as well as numerous Hot Springs that can be found situated throughout the mountain range. There are two popular thermal parks that you can visit nearby – Tatralandia and Bešeňová.

Vrbické pleso, Low Tatras, Slovakia by Jiri Brozovsky

All in all, the Low Tatras offer lots of attractions, entertainment as well as recreational options to choose from; which is why it is considered to be one of the most popular parks not just in Slovakia, but in all of central Europe.

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When the High Tatras National Park was first established, it was the first national park of its kind in all of Slovakia. Shortly after its establishment, Poland followed suit and established a similar protective area on their side of the border. Today, both the Polish and the Slovakian portions of the High Tatras National Park are considered a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Štrbské Pleso, High Tatras National Park, Slovakia by Petr Vilgus

So the most interesting species that can be found within the High Tatras National Park include many different plants which can only be found along the highest summits of the mountains in the region. There are also a number of rare animal species which call the national park their home including the eagle, bear as well as the marmot. But perhaps the most precious of all species that lives within the High Tatras National Park is that of the chamois which lives in complete isolation among the glaciers of the park; there are more than 1000 chamois currently alive there.

The High Tatras National Park is also a home to some of the tallest mountains in all of Europe. One of the highest peaks that can be found within the mountain range is that of the Gerlachovský štít which stands at an amazing 2655 meters above sea level. There are also more than 100 different lakes and waterfalls that can be found throughout the High Tatras National Park. The largest, as well as the deepest lake that can be found within the mountain range is that of Veľké Hincovo pleso covering an area of 20 hectares, 53 metres deep. The highest situated lake is that of Modré pleso which is situated 2192 meters above the sea. Then of course there are also Popradské pleso and Štrbské pleso lakes which are located at lower altitudes, and as a result are some of the most visited lakes in the mountains. Zelené pleso lake is considered to be the most beautiful place in High Tatras mountains as well as in all of Slovakia.

Zelené pleso, High Tatras National Park, Slovakia by Michal Kabát

It is interesting to note that while there are a number of excellent caves that can be found throughout the High Tatras National Park, there is only one which is open to the public today. Anyone choosing to visit the mountain range can stop by and also check out this cave known as Belianska jaskyňa. It can be found in the resort of Tatranská Kotlina.

Due to the altitude of many of the summits and peaks of the High Tatras National Park, many of the hiking paths throughout the uppermost regions of the Park are closed between November and June. This is done so for safety reasons on account of the extreme winters that can be experienced in the mountain range, but also to protect the nature and animals in the park. For the remainder of the year, one can visit just about any part of the mountain peaks with the help of mountain guides and officially marked routes.

There are many towns and resorts to stay at when you choose to visit the High Tatras National Park which includes that of Štrbské pleso, Starý Smokovec, Tatranská Lomnica as well as Ždiar. Tatranská Lomnica is also home to the only museum dedicated to the park; which first opened up back in 1957. You can also visit cities of Poprad and Kežmarok that are found nearby.

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