The Eastern half of Slovakia is predominantly made up of national parks.  A host of protected areas act as refuge to the kind of mega fauna existing only as legend in the UK.  Wolves, lynx, bison, wild boar, beavers, wild cats, rare endemic chamois and marmots all live in the hills and valleys of the East.  They share it with bears; visible bears, living in the alpine zone of the Carparthian Mountains, called the High Tatras.  Bears exist in other parts of Slovakia, as they do, in small numbers, across many remote areas in Europe, but always in sub-alpine forests.  They follow trails through the trees and rarely break cover.  To see them you have to spend the night in a hide with bait outside to attract the great beasts to a clearing outside the window.

In the Tatras, the team who have studied the local bears since 2008 can take you walking where other visitors are not allowed to go.  We move above the treeline in stunning alpine scenery, or through the forests to explore avalanche slopes, filled with bear food – fresh grass in spring and berries in autumn.

Our wild walks of Slovakia are unique, using expert rangers and guides, with the knowledge to find not only bears, but bison, beavers and even wolves.