Zakopane Day Tripper - The Best Guide to Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains

Peaks detailed below involved plodding up marked trails to mountains which are big grassy lumps (unless otherwise stated). Although I have graded them as easy, in winter conditions they would be very challenging and therefore should not be attempted in the snow unless you have a map, compass, can navigate, are equipped with ice axe and crampons, and are experienced in handling mountains at this time of year. However, in the summer, they present little difficulty apart from needing reasonable levels of fitness. Be warned though, in summer thunderstorms commonly bubble up and bring obvious hazards. I have centred the map below on Kuznice. You can zoom out and in, scroll around the various trails and plan routes using it. Kasprowy Wierch This mountain is very well known across Poland and beyond because it offers the only area of alpine skiing in the country. As a result it boasts a cable car and two chairlifts. However, it is also an easy mountain to trek up in summer condition

Many people visiting Kraków may fancy a trip to the mountains for a complete contrast to urban vibes. There are agencies offering day tours and although very convenient, they can tend to be quite pricey. The good news is that public transport between Kraków and Zakopane is efficient and excellent although there are a few important things to note. If travelling during Polish school holidays, especially summer, the roads are extremely busy, and there can be big tailbacks when nearing Zakopane. Also, at this time it is best to have purchased your ticket for the bus or train prior to your journey. Outwith holiday time, it is very easy to jump on a bus and pay the driver (cash is needed for this) or buy your ticket for the train prior to boarding. The train and bus stations in Kraków are pretty much integrated and are easily walked to from the main market square.  Getting to Zakopane by bus There are a variety of bus companies operating services to Zakopane. The best way to find out times a

Visitors to Zakopane for skiing should probably be warned, this is NOT a ski resort in the same sense as those one might venture to in the Alps. It is a town that has some areas for skiing. These areas are located separately and your choice of location must very much be governed by your ability and experience. It is probably not somewhere to select for a week of skiing. Rather, it is somewhere you can go and include skiing in other outdoor pursuits. The skiing recommendations listed here starts with the biggest, most alpine area but then goes on to review some of the other complexes the town has to offer for all abilities. KASPROWY WIERCH Kasprowy Wierch Ski Website This is the absolute BEST place to ski in Zakopane. It is alpine, located in two valleys fanning out from Kasprowy Wierch mountain which reaches an elevation of 1,987 metres. Since it is national park area, no snow cannons are allowed as they would disturb wildlife, so skiers must accept the snow conditions na

Zakopane in the months of July and August is uncomfortably busy. The roads are gridlocked, restaurants are packed and Krupowki street has a tsunami of bodies ebbing and flowing along it. Visitors seeking the peace and tranquility mountain trails should afford, will be appalled at the relentless lines of trekkers on the Tatra trails, and valleys seem so mobbed visitors must question why they bothered to make the effort to come to Zakopane in the first place. It is a fact for example, that during these months around 10,000 people per day make their way to the beautiful Morskie Oko lake. Why would anyone want to walk for 2 hours to stand in a line to purchase a drink at a mountain hut and sit on a lake shore with thousands of other people?  Giewont mountain and Kasprowy Wierch are no better. Cable car queues stretch long distances even by 9am. Trekkers literally have stand in line to wait their turn to hang onto the chains needed make the final assent onto Giewont. Even more challe