High Tatras skiing: why come here
High Tatras skiing (Vysoké Tatry, Slovakia) has been drawing visitors for generations. Slovakia's highest mountain range offers pistes with views you will not find anywhere else in the country, resorts that suit both families and demanding skiers, and facilities that improve every season. In this guide you will learn which resort to choose for your level, when it pays off to come, how ski passes work and why a private lesson can decide whether you enjoy your ski holiday from day one.
This guide was written by Premiere Ski School & Rent, a school that has been operating directly in Tatranská Lomnica and Starý Smokovec for more than 20 years. What follows comes not from brochures but from everyday experience on the slopes – and our instructors speak English.
Skiing in the High Tatras: three resorts, three different experiences
Tatranská Lomnica is the main resort of the High Tatras. The pistes run from gentle slopes by the village up to high-alpine terrain below Lomnický štít, so there is something for complete beginners as well as experienced skiers looking for long runs with serious vertical. Right in the centre of the village, at Tatranská Lomnica 62, you will also find our school and rental shop. If you plan to spend your whole stay in Lomnica, read our detailed article about skiing in Tatranská Lomnica.
Starý Smokovec is the best choice for families with children and complete beginners. The Jakubkova lúka slope next to Hotel Atrium is gentle, open and safe – exactly what you need for your first turns without stress. Our second branch operates here, so your instructor waits for you right at the bottom of the slope and you do not have to travel anywhere. We wrote more in our article about Jakubkova lúka in Starý Smokovec.
Štrbské Pleso completes the famous Tatra trio. This high-altitude settlement attracts visitors with a calmer atmosphere and the scenery around its frozen mountain lake. We operate in Lomnica and Smokovec, but as a one-day trip during your ski holiday it is definitely worth a visit.
When to come: season and snow
The ski season in the High Tatras usually lasts from December to March, and on the higher slopes people often ski well into April. The busiest times are the Christmas holidays, spring school breaks and February weekends – if you can choose, come on January weekdays, when the slopes are quieter and instructor slots easier to get. Mountain weather changes fast, so it pays to watch the forecast and have a backup plan for a day off skis. In peak season we recommend booking both lessons and equipment in advance. And if you are not sure about current conditions, just give us a call – we are on the slopes every day, so we can tell you exactly what it looks like right now.
Who is Tatra skiing for
- Families with children – we teach children to ski from the age of 3, and the helmet is free with us. The ideal place for first steps is Jakubkova lúka in Starý Smokovec. We described what lessons with the youngest look like in our article on ski lessons for kids.
- Beginners – the gentle slopes in Smokovec and the lower part of Lomnica are made for first turns. What to expect in your first lesson and what to wear is summed up in our guide on how to learn to ski.
- Advanced skiers and experts – the upper sections of Tatranská Lomnica offer long descents and a panorama of the whole region; even an experienced skier has plenty to work on here, ideally with an instructor fine-tuning their technique.
- Snowboarders – we also teach snowboarding, again exclusively as private lessons for all age groups.
Why a private ski school pays off
At Premiere we do not offer group courses – private lessons only. The instructor focuses solely on you or your family, adapts the pace and content of the lesson precisely to your level, and your progress is therefore much faster than in a group of strangers. All our instructors are APUL certified and speak English, Slovak, Czech and Polish. Our team counts more than 30 instructors, so we can find a free slot even in peak season.
The private format also pays off for families and groups of friends: siblings can take turns within one lesson, or you can ski together as a couple, while each additional person pays only a small surcharge instead of a whole second lesson. On top of that, you schedule the lesson for a time that suits you – not a course timetable.
Our prices are transparent: in Tatranská Lomnica a 60-minute lesson costs €44, the most popular 90 minutes €63 and 120 minutes €77. Each additional person pays only €17 extra, with a 5 % discount for 3 days and 10 % for 6 or more days. In Starý Smokovec 60 minutes costs €44 and 120 minutes €77, with preferential rates for Hotel Atrium guests. You will find the complete overview in our price list. Our quality is also reflected in a 4.8★ Google rating from 216 reviews.
Ski and snowboard rental right by the slope
You do not need to bring your own equipment. Our rental shop in Tatranská Lomnica is an official Rossignol Test Centre, so you ride current models. The complete SKI BASIC set with Rossignol REACT skis costs €24 per day, and with multi-day rental the price per day drops. Advanced skiers can go for the SKI EXPERIENCE set with Rossignol FORZA skis, and we also rent snowboards and complete ski touring equipment from Ski Trab and Scott – for ski touring we recommend booking in advance. All prices and models are on our rental page.
Practical tips for skiing in the High Tatras
- Ski passes – we do not sell them; buy them online via gopass.travel or directly at the resort. Buying ahead saves you queueing at the ticket office.
- Book lessons in advance – over the holidays and school breaks, slots fill up fast.
- Pick up your equipment the day before or first thing in the morning – we are open daily from 8:00 to 21:00.
- Dress in layers – Tatra weather can change within an hour and the ridges get windy.
- With kids, have a backup plan – sledging at Hrebienok above Starý Smokovec is a popular option.
Do you have questions or want to book a lesson right away? Call us at +421 911 561 561 (daily 8:00–21:00) or check our locations in Tatranská Lomnica and Starý Smokovec. High Tatras skiing is an experience that starts with a good plan – and after reading this guide, you already have one.
