Zakopane » The Tatras and The Tatra National Park

The Tatras are the only mountains of alpine type in Central Europe. They have 51 km in length and from a few to dozen or so kilometres in width. There are numerous side ridges that spread out from the main ridge and separate valleys situated along meridians. The Tatras' ridge is the international border. Most of the Tatras are on the Slovakian side, The Polish Tatras are just 1/5 of the whole.

The highest mountain is Gerlach (2655 m); the highest Polish mountain is Rysy (2499 m).The Tatras are formed of both hard granite, which makes frayed soaring crags, and limestone, which makes more gentle shapes with numerous caves inside. This diversion in structure together with heights is responsible for the storeyed layout of plants - from thick forests through alpine meadows up to crags seemingly devoid of life. This unique, varied nature has been protected for a long time since the time when about 50 years ago Tatrzański Park Narodowy (The Tatra National Park - TPN) was established in Poland and Tatranski Narodny Park (TANAP) in Slovakia. Both Parks has been recognised as very valuable and registered on the list of MAB World System of Biosphere Reserves.
In The Tatra National Park there are specific regulations of behaviour. You can only walk along marked routes (there are 250 km of them), you cannot bivouac or light a fire. You cannot make noise, frighten or feed animals, pick plants or mushrooms. Dogs can be taken there only with a muzzle and on lead, but it is better to leave them at home. You can do sports (skiing, paragliding, bike-riding, climbing) in specially marked places and sites.
Not very far from The Tatra National Park there are three other parks: Babiogórski, Gorczański and Pieniński.

It hosts different international competitions almost every year.