The spectacular Tatra Mountains are an extremely popular hiking destination in Central Europe. The alpine character of this mountain range makes hiking in the Tatra Mountains very challenging and even the most popular routes should never be underestimated. As a regular explorer of my beloved Polish Tatra Mountains, I’ve accomplished most of the trails, even in the hardest winter conditions.
The Tatra Mountains are accessible from both Poland and Slovakia, with two main towns serving as gateways: Zakopane in Poland and Tatranská Lomnica in Slovakia
Hiking in the Tatra Mountains.
Tatra Mountains will fill you with incredible mountain scenery, which attracts tourists from many countries. The last time I was there during wintertime I met two guys from Vietnam and the Netherlands going down from a long mountain hike. Pretty unusual haa? ;))) Check detailed information on hiking trails along with the best technical advice I gathered throughout my experiences and mountaineering courses.
How to get to Zakopane?
Zakopane is a gateway to most of the trails in Tatra Mountains. To reach the mountains, you can fly into nearby airports, such as Cracow (Poland) and then use public transportation (bus or train) via Trip.com. Or simply rent a car, which I did myself few times via Rentalcars.com.
Hiking in the Tatra Mountains is not as easy as it may seem. Although mountain rescue is free in the Tatra Mountains, it’s important to have medical coverage. After trying different options, I can highly recommend SafetyWing, it’s a great medical insurance you can get for your travels.
There is an entry fee to Tatra National Park, which is around 3 Euro per person. It can be purchased online or at the ticket office located at most of the trails.
Kasprowy Wierch is one of the most visited peaks in the region. It’s a long and challenging hiking trail leading to the top and probably the longest ski slope in Poland. But you can take the easy way and get there by cable car!
1. Hiking Kasprowy Wierch 1987m.
STARTING POINT: Kuznice, lower cable car station.
HIKING TRAIL: 6km one way.
HIKING ROUTE: The Green way from Kuznice through Myślenickie Turnie is the easiest and most popular. But there are other routes to the top of Kasprowy.
HIKING TIME: 3h one way (depending on weather conditions).
DIFFICULTY: Moderate, no technical climbing.
There are many trails leading to the top of Kasprowy Wierch, two of them start in Kuznice – near the lower cable car station. There are a few restaurants and shops, in case you need some nutrition before the hike. You can treat yourself with a really nice breakfast in the wooded restaurant. There is a checkpoint at the beginning of the trail, where you need to buy a ticket to enter Tatra National Park. Fee is 2 Euro. Entry pass for the National Park is available online with multiday options.
How to get to Kuznice?
- BY CAR – yes, but the last 3 km is a private road and no cars are allowed, so the closest parking is 2km from Kuznice.
- LOCAL BUS/MINI VAN – the best and hassle-free option is to take a bus from Zakopane Main Bus Station to Kuznice, the bus will drop you near the parking place, 50 meters from the lower cable car station. There are plenty of shuttle buses running to Kuznice – check for ‘KUZNICE’ sign displayed at the front window of the bus/mini van.
Tips before hiking trails in Tatra!
* From the Tourist Information Center, get a free map with trails before going hiking in the Tatra Mountains. Obtain information on the mountain conditions and weather forecast. Check the avalanche warnings (if hiking in winter or spring!!) * Obtain a PASS to Tatra National Park (it's mandatory) – if you want to avoid queues at the entrance, buy it online – I recommend 7 7-day pass for 7 Euros if you are planning to hike more than one day.
Hiking trail to Kasprowy Wierch.
A comprehensive guide on Hiking Kasprowy Wierch 1987m. Consider doing a Winter Mountaineering Course level I and II. This was a changing point for me, I learned so much about climbing techniques in the hardest winter, brutal icy conditions.
Please note this route is quite challenging (especially in winter and spring), it does not require any technical skills, but a good fitness level is a must. It will be more challenging to hike in snow, so good preparation is required. However, there are many much more difficult high Tatra hiking trails than Kasprowy.
Kasprowy Wierch hiking trails.
You can say the fun starts from the top of Kasprowy Wierch. From Kasprowy Peak you can continue hiking toward many other spectacular summits. Once you reach the top of Kasprowy Wierch you will see directions for a number of hiking routes. (all trails are marked with colors).
The best hikes in Tatra Mountains from Kasprowy Wierch: Czerwone Wierchy, Swinica Peak (2301m), and Orla Perc (Eagles’ Path) – the last one is a killer – the hardest ridge in Tatra Mountains, considered extremely dangerous.
What to do in Zakopane!
Zakopane is one of the most famous and visited mountain towns in Polish Tatras. The city is busy all year round, offering exciting attractions for visitors who want to find themselves surrounded by mountain beauty. The most famous lively Krupowki Street gathers crowds! Local restaurants will treat you with traditional Polish (highland) cuisine in the atmosphere of cozy fireplaces. Zakopane is a huge hub for mountain lovers and winter sports enthusiasts.
These are really three amazing tour options I would highly recommend (Tripadvisor):
2. Morskie Oko - one of the most stunning natural wonders of Europe.
A road leading to Morskie Oko is not really a hike – it’s a trek. Cars are not allowed on this road, so if you want to see a magnificent Morskie Oko crystal clear lake surrounded by Tatra mountains you need to trek 8 km one way (2.5hours) to discover the lake. The way leads through an asphalt road, so it’s suitable for families.
There is a famous shelter at the lake where you’ll be able to have lunch in one of the most spectacular mountain scenery.
Please DO NOT use horse-drawn carriages, the horses are overworked and it’s an ongoing battle with city authorities to ban this business in this area after terrible stories are revealed every single year.
3. Climbing Giewont Mountain 1894m.
Giewont peak, along with its characteristic giant cross at the top, is a very popular destination when hiking in the Tatra Mountains. There are several routes leading to the top, from easy hikes to very challenging climbing routes – especially in winter conditions. The photos are from Giewont from my mountaineering course in January in minus -25 C and a snowstorm.
THE ROUTE: The most popular route (and the easiest one) starts in Kuznice and leads through Hala Kondratowa, toward Giewont Peak. This is the BLUE trail, taking approx. 3 hours to one way.
ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: Another route leads through Dolina Malej Laki (Malej Laki Valley), Wielka Turnia to Kondracka Pass – this is a YELLOW route, slightly longer approx. 3.5h.
Best trails in Tatra Mountains are accessible all year round – however, in winter and spring months, the majority of trails become extremely challenging. You should always check the weather forecast and avalanche warning. Every year there are many fatal accidents in the Tatra Mountains, the weather changes rapidly and the rocky alpine character of the Polish Tatra Mountains can be brutal.
The best time to hike Tatra is September to October, the weather is mostly sunny with little rain.
4. Hiking Rysy Peak.
Standing at 2,499 meters, Rysy is the highest peak in Poland.
The ascent is steep and requires some scrambling, especially near the summit. On a clear day, the panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and valleys make the effort worthwhile. The popular starting points are either from the Polish side (Morskie Oko) or the Slovak side (Štrbské Pleso).
5. Hiking Zawrat Peak 2159m.
Zawrat Peak is one of the most challenging routes, especially in wintertime when hiking in the Tatra Mountains, but the views on the way are just breathtaking! My hike toward Zawrat Peak took 9 hours; it’s mostly hiking but on the way down, there are tough climbing sections.
Zawrat is one of the best hikes in Tatra Mountains but it should be only approached by experienced hikers. The most difficult section leads through a vertical rocky mountain with chains, which are helping descending.
Zawrat trail crosses Orla Perc (Eagle’s Path – the most difficult passing in Tatra Mountains with an Alpine level of difficulty).
Hiking Zawrat leads through:
- Start of the trail: Palenica Bialczanska
- Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza
- Dolina Pieciu Stawow/5 Ponds Valley
- Zawrat 2159m
- Czarny Staw Gasienicowy
- Dolina Gasienicowa/Gasienicowa Valley
- Przelecz Miedzy Kopami
- Murowaniec.
If you are planning to reach Swinica Peak – another challenging route, check the trail before hiking – in 2024 Zawrat Saddle leading to Swinica was closed!
6. Hiking Koscielec Peak 2155m.
Koscielec Peak (2155m) should be on your list when hiking in the Tatra Mountains, but it’s another challenging route starting in KUZNICE.
Route: 18 km (11 miles)
Total Ascent: 1310 meters
Difficulty: Moderate
Hike duration: 8 to 10 hours.
From Kuznice there are two trails: Yellow and Blue leading to Hala Gasienicowa – both take 1.55h. The route I took leads through:
- KUZNICE – PRZELECZ MIEDZY KOPAMI – HALA GASIENICOWA/PTTK MUROWANIEC (THE SHELTER) – CZARNY STAW GASIENICOWY (BLACK POND) – KARB (ridge) – KOSCIELEC – KARB – ZIELONY STAW GASIENICOWY (green pond) – MUROWANIEC – PSIA TRAWKA (The dog’s grass!) – BRZEZINY.
In Hala Gasienocwa there’s PTTK Murowaniec shelter with a hostel. This is one of the most crowded places where hikers and walkers take lunch and enjoy the surrounding mountain scenery. The food is delicious and there are vege options 😉 The trails takes you along the Black Pond – a magnificent emerald lake. From the lake, the trail gets more challenging with a steep rocky section.
From Karb Ridge (Maly Koscielec – Small Koscielec) to Koscielec Peak you should be equipped with a headgear. This is a quite challenging climb. There are a lot of exposed sections with some rocky formations where climbing is required. This part will take 50 minutes to get you to the windy top!
Here is a Full guide on hiking Koscielec in Tatra Mountains from Zakopane.
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