Tucked away at around 2,019 metres in the rocky folds of the High Tatras, the Dragon's Eyes are two tiny alpine pools that feel like a secret the mountains are keeping all to themselves. Wild, remote and untouched by tourist crowds, this is the kind of place that makes you feel like a true explorer.

The pools sit in Dračia dolinka (Dragon's Little Valley), just south of the larger Dračie pleso lake, connected to it by a slender trickle of a stream. The surrounding scenery is dramatic: to the west rises the Poprad Ridge with Malá Kôpka (2,339 m) and Veľká Kôpka (2,354 m), to the north loom Ťažký štít (2,500 m) and Vysoká (2,547 m), while to the east you'll find Dračie sedlo and Veľká Dračia hlava (2,254 m). In summer, the calm water mirrors the sky and the jagged peaks; in early autumn, russet grasses and the first dustings of snow on the ridges make the scene almost surreal.

No marked trail leads here — and that is precisely the point. This is a reward for those who go beyond the waymarked paths.

• There is no official marked hiking trail leading directly to the Dragon's Eyes. Access off-trail requires solid mountain experience and knowledge of the terrain. Demanding.

• The area falls within the High Tatras National Park — off-trail movement is subject to strict regulations.
• Respect the protected natural environment: no picking plants, no disturbing wildlife.
• Best season: July to September, when the area is free of snow.

The name 'Dragon's Eyes' is borrowed from the nearby Dračie pleso lake — whose mysterious greenish waters have inspired local legends for centuries.