You’ve probably heard of the Alps, but I’m guessing you’ve never heard of the Tatra Mountains. We thought it was a hidden secret in Europe, but as it turned out – not so much. This relatively small mountain range is nestled between Poland and Slovakia. It is massively loved and visited by both countries. So, if you are looking for quiet, crowd-less day hikes, this isn’t it. But if you love stunning, jagged peaks, mountains lakes and a mix of easy to difficult hikes, then head to the Tatras.
Hiking in the Tatras
We visited the Tatra mountains in September for a weekend when we thought the crowds would calm down with all the kids heading back to school. But that didn’t seem to make much of a dent in the visitor numbers. The weather was still pleasant and days were dry, so the trails were busy with day and weekend visitors.
Unfortunately, and fortunately, there are few parking lots within the national park itself, so all hiking points start at the foothills and the periphery of the mountains. That means, pretty much any hike that brings you to a decent view requires committing to a 15km+ walk. If you are willing to, you could take a cable car to get a bit deeper into the mountains to start a hike from there, but beware that the queues for the cable car can be long.
Since we only had the weekend, we chose to do two hikes. One via Morskie Oko and the other to the Black Gasienic Pond. Originally, we wanted to hike to the peak of Rysy, the highest mountain in Poland. But we read about the crowds on the way up and so decided against it. I was also a bit concerned we wouldn’t make it down before dark, even with starting the hike at 6am.
Morskie Oko and the Five Polish Ponds Valley
While long, this hike doesn’t have any major challenging points minus a tiny section with chains which even then is easy to do.
The hike starts at the parking lot up to Morskie Oko. Plan to be there by 6am – the parking lot fills up fast. You can pre-book parking tickets but don’t bother – booking doesn’t reserve you a spot. If you show up to late, you’ll have to park 1.5 km down the road (and still pay that fee).
From there, the walk to Morskie Oko follows a paved road for about 7km to the lake. There are porta-potties on the way. There are a few points you can short cut through the woods. Plan to make the lake your first stop – it gets busy fast so plan to beat the crowds. There’s a hut there where people can stay overnight, if prebooked well in advance. You can also purchase meals or use the restroom there (for a fee).
From the lake, you can either follow the trail up to Rysy or head to the right to hike up to the Five Polish Ponds following the yellow trail. We headed up the yellow trail which meanders uphill to a peak where you basically are on the border of Poland and Slovakia. There are great 360 degree views of the mountain range. From there we headed down into the valley with the lakes.
We walked along two of the lakes until we came to another mountain house and stopped for some apple pie and a cold drink. If we hadn’t detoured here, we wouldn’t have missed the waterfall. Try to seek that out – it’s the highest in Poland. The trail back down is quite straightforward – a bit gravelly at points, but nothing too difficult. Though if it had been raining it would have been unpleasant. The trail eventually links up again with the original asphalt road the route started on.
Black Gasienic Pond and Kasprowy Wierch
- Distance: 21.9 km
- Elevation gain: 1500 m
- Elevation loss: 1480 m
- Map Link
We cobbled this hike together last minute the night before, but it ended up being insanely beautiful. So pretty, for once I didn’t even mind all the people.
The hike begins at one of the many parking lots at the south of Zakopane near Kuznice where the cable car is located. You can park in one of the many private lots leading up to the start. We found a place for 30 PLN for the day (most charged around 50 PLN). We only arrived at 9:30am, but still had an easy time getting parking.
From there, you can head up the trail to Nosal (a small peak) and then link up to the blue trail. If you want to save a bit of energy, skip this bit and find the blue trail start from the cable car station.
We followed the blue trail through the woods until it opened up at a meadow with cute wooden huts dotted about (Gawra). There’s a mountain hut nearby with a restaurant in case you need refreshments here.
From here we followed the yellow path up to Kasprowy Wierch. There’s a cable car that can take you there from Gawra, if you prefer.
From there, we turned left to follow the red trail along the ridge. The stretch is absolutely gorgeous with mountains as far as the eye can see. Up there, looking over at the Slovakian side, you can see just how empty the trails are if you venture further into the mountains. (Very tempting to do a multi-day hike here to get the full beauty without the crowds.)
Just before you get to Swinica peak (2291m), you’ll head to the left down the black trail towards the lakes below. You could climb the peak if you want, but when we were there, there was quite a queue so we passed.
The hike down is a bit rocky and steep but it’s manageable. Down by the lakes is a very nice lunch spot if you need one.
From the lakes, if you want, you can head back towards the restaurant to cut the hike short. Alternatively, continue on the black trail up to the saddle to visit the Black Gasienic Pond. You’ll need to walk along the ridge a bit before you head down towards the lake on your right. Again, the path is rocky, but doable. The views on the way down are stunning – if you’re lucky, you might catch a mountain reflection. From the lake, head back down towards Gawra (the meadow with the cute houses). To head back, I’d recommend shaking it up a bit and taking the yellow trail back.
Other Tips
Where to Stay
It’s best to stay in Zakopane to access the mountain trails. We stayed in Poprad (on the edge) which was nice too, but it did mean needing to drive into Zakopane for hiking snacks and dinner. We stayed at Willa by the River which was very nice for the weekend – the host is very sweet and the breakfast is fantastic.
Where to Eat
We ended up eating out at a Polish place – Bakowo Zohylina Niznio. The portions are massive, so order sparingly. We went to Thai Spot to change it up the next night – that was nice as well, and we appreciated the 2000s music the chef was blasting.
Getting There
We opted to rent a car to give ourselves a bit more flexibility. But I think in the end it created more problems with the parking shortage everywhere and the parking fees. The car rental was cheap (44 Euro for 3 days from Hertz at the airport in Krakow), but you can just as easily take the train from Krakow to Zakopane. It’s a bit slower, but it runs fairly frequently and gets you right into the town. Once in Zakopane, there are many buses running around the city with stops at the trail starts.
What Else to Do
In Zakopane itself, it’s worth walking down Krupowki – the pedestrianised street is lined with pretty wooden buildings and an assortment of shops with stuff you don’t really need. But, it’s nice for a stroll after dinner.
The area has many thermal baths. We ended up visiting one on our last day – Chocholowskie Termy. It was pretty pricey for Poland (25 Euro), but the facilities are quite nice and there are many outdoor seating areas. With all the pools you didn’t notice all the people. There are waterslides, kiddie pools, hot pools, cooler pools, lap pools, and so on.
Further afield, many say that the Slovakian side is very nice and less crowded – we didn’t end up visiting it. But we considered it and decided against it when we saw the cost of parking (15 Euro, small lots). But we’d be open to giving it a shot in the future.
Overall verdict of the Tatra Mountains? Crowded, but worth it.
