A really great day hike in the High Tatras!
After spending a few days in Prague and Krakow, we were drawn to nature. To be more precise, to the Tatra Mountains, the smallest high mountains in the world.
Some facts about the Tatra Mountains
Shortly some geography. 😉 A high mountain range means that a group of mountains or mountain ranges exceeds a height of 1,500 m and has steep and rugged forms. It`s called the smallest high mountain range in the world because the main ridge is only 27 kilometres long.
Tatra (Polish and Slovak Tatry) is the name of a mountain complex in the Carpathians, which includes the High and Low Tatras. Two thirds of the Tatras are located in Slovakia and one third in Poland. The north-western peak of Rysy is the peak with the best view in the High Tatras and also the highest in Poland. Its height is 2,499 meters above sea level. Above its peak runs the state border between Slovakia and Poland. The highest peak of Slovakia and the whole Carpathians is Gerlachovský štít (Gerlachov Peak) with 2654.4 meters above sea level. No comparison with the peaks in Switzerland. 😉 Therefore the Tatra can be called mini Alps.
I hope I didn`t bore you with my little geo lesson. I found the facts worth mentioning, especially since many (like me before) know nothing or only little about the Tatra Mountains.
Where we stayed overnight
Since we wanted to do a hike where we could go down with a cable car, we decided to stay overnight in Zakopane (90 km south of Krakow) for this purpose.
We stayed overnight at the small private camping area of Willa Skoczek. More about this in the separate article about Zakopane.
The difficult online search for a (rather easy) day hike in the High Tatras
It was relatively difficult to find a hike in the High Tatras on the Internet that doesn`t take more than one day and doesn`t require any knowledge of high alpine mountains, but is still an exciting hike that guarantees a beautiful view. Especially as the whole Tatra mountains area isn`t as small as one might think at first. 😉
Of course we would have liked to hike to a really high peak to enjoy a view like on the photos I discovered online years ago. But as I said, my mountain hiking experience is more than just too modest for that and with climbing experience I can’t serve at all anyway.
Besides the very steep paths and the rocks, the sudden change of weather (like everywhere in a mountainous region) can be dangerous.
Since I know where my strengths are (excessive sports activities like hiking in an extreme situation are definitely not among them) and where not, I don’t feel obliged to push anything. I definitely don’t have to prove anything to myself. I`m aware that my limited level of fitness is only enough for a maximum of 4 hours of intensive hiking up the mountain. Also that it only works if I don’t have to walk downhill for more than an hour at the most.
Therefore, this compromise solution of a hiking tour in the Tatra Mountains was exactly the right thing.
Our hike to the summit of Kasprowy Wierch
A hike to the top of Kasprowy Wierch was perfect for us, as the cable car is located right there. The cable car was even the first in Poland and when it was finished in 1936 it was something very special for that time.
Well, we were there just before the beginning of the main season. So we were not welcomed by a huge queue at the ticket office. In summer, however, it can often take several hours of waiting time. In this time I would buy the tickets online (I didn`t find a website for this, best to ask on site). On our hike we saw about 10 – 15 other people. Top! But I have seen pictures of how it can look there in the main season. Geez …
That`s how the hiking trail was
The hiking trail was always clearly visible. Mostly it was a stony path and was no problem if you are sure-footed. Only in the upper third came the snowfields I feared. To cross them (2 of them to be exact) was quite easy, because it wasn`t too steep or slippery at these spots. A little bit of alpine experience is absolutely sufficient to master the whole route well. High alpine knowledge was, as expected, not necessary at all.
My conclusion about this hike in the High Tatras
Of course there are countless other hiking tours in the Tatra Mountains. However, many of them require high alpine knowledge, sometimes climbing equipment or they are even hikes of several days. Therefore I found Zakopane a good starting point for us. The hike to the top of Kasprowy Wierch was, despite bad weather, a great experience.
Info and tips:
- Willa Skoczek, Mrowce 17 A, Zakopane, is perfect if you`re looking for a small, quiet campsite just outside the centre of Zakopane but close to the cable car of Kasprowy Wierch.
- From the campsite it`s 2.5 km by car to car park no. 3, Przewodników Tatrzańskich 3A, in Kuznice, so to speak the centre of the Zakopane area (about 8 minutes).
- From there it`s about 20 minutes on foot to the valley station of the cable car (walk towards the centre). You`re not allowed to park directly at the bottom station.
- The camping site of Willa Skoczek can also be found on the Internet under Villa Jumper, but it`s the same.
- We also visited the campsite Pod Krokwia very close to the cable car. For us it was out of question, because it was very crowded and too big for us. But maybe it`s something for you.
- Here are other campsites, in case the Willa Skoczek is already fully booked. On this page you can also find all kinds of other practical information about Zakopane and the surrounding area.
- Most of the center of Zakopane is car-free. Only the public bus is allowed on certain streets. However, there are several parking places where you can leave your car all day.
- We didn’t stay in a hotel. There are plenty of hotels in Zakopane. Online I was attracted by the Aries Hote& Spa in the center and Villa Nosal, a small hotel just outside the center, based on the pictures and reviews.
- The walk from the bottom station of the cable car in Kuznice to the top of Kasprowy Wierch (where the top station of the cable car is located) takes about 3.5 hours and is not suitable for a wheelchair or pram.
- With a minimum of alpine experience you can easily get through. You don’t have to climb anywhere.