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High Tatras Ski Tour, Slovakia
Course overview
The Tatras mountains form the border between Slovakia and Poland, with many peaks around 2500m. The area generally sees better snow conditions at lower altitudes than in the Alps, due to the effect of the Eastern European anti-cyclonic system that dominates in winter, creating a cold airmass over the Tatra.
Among the most popular ski touring peaks are Goat Peak 2116m, and the Zeruchova Tower 2080m. Both these summits are reached in the final sections using crampons and ice axes, before the long ski all the way back down to the valley floor.
This ski tour is guided by a local Slovakian IFMGA mountain and ski guide, who works for Icicle in the Alps during the summer. The guide is a real expert in the region. During the week you ski tour from hut to hut, staying in mountain huts along the way.
Previous touring experience is required, but this is of a similar level to the Silvretta ski tour, and a good level of fitness is essential.
Any mountaineering skills or knowledge of ropes are an advantage, but not essential as all necessary techniques are taught. As with all arctic travel, it is important for the guide to keep the itinerary very flexible to take account of the weather and avalanche conditions.
The accommodation in the mountains is in huts. These are looked after by a guardian and their team, and all bedding is provided, as is a good evening meal and breakfast. Packed lunches can be obtained in the huts, though many prefer to ski light, snacking on cereal bars to keep a steady rhythm going.
Dates: these are listed in the column on the right, and they show the live availability from our secure online booking system. When you book online, you receive immediate confirmation, your Alpine Information Booklet, course specific kit list and invoice.

Brief Course Itinerary
The itineraries are for guidance, but should give an idea of what you can achieve during the week. Each week this course runs slightly differently to cater for your preferences, the conditions, and where the best weather and snow is to be found. This flexibility allows you to have the course tailored to your needs. This trip is lead by Ervin (see photo below), who is an IFMGA mountain and ski guide. He has worked with Icicle for over a decade, and spends most summers in the Alps. Ervin is a keen ski tourer and has a huge experience of high altitude climbing.


Sunday - Travel to the Bratislava, and meet the rest of the group. Transfer to the Tatras, where you spend the night on a half board basis in a local hotel.
Monday - In the morning, the guide will make final kit checks, and brief you on the plan for the day. The first day is relatively easy, to allow you to get your ski legs back, and to practice with avalanche transceivers. The aim for the day is to skin up to the first hut, and to practice ski touring skills. Night in hut.
Tuesday - An early start to take advantage of the best snow conditions. The objective of the day will be to skin up a fairly easy touring peak, to help you acclimatise, and to build up your skills more, before skiing down and across to the next hut on the tour. Night in hut.
Wednesday - Today is normally the first of the major ski tour summits on the tour, so expect a longer day with a large height gain. The day starts with an early breakfast, and normally starting out skiing upwards in the light of your head torch, which is a magical and sensory experience. After reaching the summit, you traverse to reach the next hut, where you stay.
Thursday - Another early start for another summit, possibly involving the use of ice axe and crampons to reach the summit. This will be one of the greatest challenges of the week, but the reward is obviously the longest ski descent to reach the final hut on the tour, where you spend the night.
Friday - It's the final day, where you have a great day of ski touring to finish the traverse of the Tatra mountains, and then return to the valley where you started your tour. If your legs are still up for it, you could take in a final summit, or you could skin over the last high pass to enjoy the long ski down to the valley floor.
Saturday - Breakfast in the hotel, then transfer to Bratislava, for your return flights home.

ITINERARY NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries. Mountain adventures are weather and conditions dependant, so occasionaly we are forced to alter the plans. If this is the case, suitable alternatives are offered. Please use this outline itinerary as a guide to the types of route / activity that you will attempt.

Course Prices
Standard course
6 full days IFMGA guiding, 1:6 max ratio
8 days holiday in total, Saturday-Saturday
£1199
Live availability
Click on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
Latest Availability
Secure online booking system
Standard Course Inclusions: 1) IFMGA Mountain Guide(s) for five days, 2) Pre course information booklet, 3) Equipment discount voucher for UK shops, 4) Two nights half board accommodation in Tatra valley, Slovakia (inc. bedding & towels), 5) Five nights half board accommodation in mountain huts including three course cooked evening meals. 6) Free 36 page technical Course Instruction Booklet, 7) Transfers from Bratislava to Tatras.
Exclusions: 1) Travel to and from Bratislava, Slovakia, 2) Cable Cars and valley transfers within the Tatras after the airport transfer (budget on £60), 3) Ski hire, 4) Personal laundry, telephone calls, lunches, & any purchases in mountain huts / hotels / restaurants, 5) Activities insurance, & excess baggage charges, 6) Saturday pre-dinner drinks & Friday celebratory meal & drinks.
Group sizes: 3 - 6 people per IFMGA mountain guide. For group sizes of over 6 people, there are multiple guides, and the teams travel independently of each other.
Current course availability

Course Dates
High Tatras ski tour
  • No Dates Available
NOTE: This trip has scheduled
dates, but if there are four who
are booking together, it can be
operated on any date you wish
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Price: £1199 Book online

Alternative courses
Chamonix Off Piste
Haute Route (Cham-Zermatt)
Silvretta Ski Tour

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Location data for this trip

The trips all start in Bratislava in Slovakia, and the group meets at the airport, before the shared transfer to the Tatras.

Time Difference
GMT +1hr
Local Currency
Euro €
Travel from UK
1hr flight
Latest news from Icicle
Skis & equipment advice
Because we know it is so important to you to have the most suitable equipment and clothing for off piste skiing and touring, we have devoted a page especially to it, which you can access by clicking on the image, or by clicking here. This page outlines the key equipment you should bring, and gives examples of skis that are suitable for the course. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Suggested reading and kit
View full course equipment list, with examples of kit, click here
So why choose us?
We are true specialists in ski touring. See our blog, by clicking on the logo (on the right).
Icicle Blog
Itinerary flexibility to allow you to take full advantage of the weather and conditions each day, so that you maximise the amount of time spent skiiing each day.
Our prices are fixed in £ pounds sterling, to protect you from euro currency fluctuations, so that you can budget accurately.
We have a team of over 30 IFMGA guides, and a resort support team, who all want you to have the best skiing possible! For more details on the guiding team and qualifications, please click here.
Any further questions?
A key part of choosing a company is being able to come and talk about your plans with an experienced course advisor face to face. In an increasingly virtual world, we know our clients value speaking to real people, getting open and honest advice. The vast majority of our clients are British, and our office and outdoor store is based in Windermere in the English Lake District.



Get in contact to arrange a meeting, and come in for a coffee to discuss your course in person with a trip advisor.


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