Tatra Mountains

If your time is short and you want to see the beautiful panorama of the Tatra mountains, leave the centre of Zakopane by a funicular cable car to the top of Mount Gubałówka at 1,120 m (3,674 ft) above sea level. This is the easiest way to see the entire mountain range with the Giewont massif in the foreground—the three peaks are associated with a legend of sleeping knights, who will awaken when Poland is in danger. At the top, you can also ride an alpine slide, buy local souvenirs, see a concert, or enjoy a meal and drinks at the inn. If you want to go even higher, to the top of Kasprowy Wierch in the heart of the Tatra Mountains, you can take a modern cable car, which will take you from the station in Kuźnice, open throughout the year, to the peak located at 1,960 meters (6,430 ft) above sea level. In winter, this is the holy mountain of skiers—the ski trails in two valleys have a total length of 14 km (8.7 miles), and the slope is almost 1 km (3,280 ft) high. Kasprowy Wierch is also a starting point for many hiking trails which will take you to the west—to the lower Western Tatras, and to the east—to the High Tatras.

For an easy walk in the mountains, choose the Kościeliska or Chochołowska Valley, with its comfortable, wide roads along murmuring streams, spires, and rock gates to reach relaxed mountain hostels. In the Kościeliska Valley you can visit the 'underground Tatras'—Mroźna, Mylna, and Dragon's Caves in the Kraków Glen. You will also see traces of mining here—iron, copper, and silver ores, as well as minerals, and even uranium which was mined in the Tatras in the past. The flagship destination of easy trips is Morskie Oko in High Tatras—a beautiful lake surrounded by a wall of granite peaks. You can reach it by an asphalt road, or go in a horse carriage. Although you 're likely to be accompanied by crowds of tourists, the view is unforgettable.

For a serious mountain trek, go to the ridge of the Western Tatras, Giewont, or the Roztoka Valley to the Valley of Five Polish Ponds, and you will see these five mountain lakes, and on the way, the highest waterfall in Poland, Siklawa (70 meters (230 ft) high). Experienced climbers can attempt to conquer the highest Polish peak: Rysy, at 2,499 m (8,199 ft) above sea level, or if the weather is fair, take a shot at Orla Perć, with its very challenging trails, on which you'll encounter chains, ladders, chasms, and breath-taking views. Everywhere in the Tatra Mountains, you'll be captivated by the beauty of nature, and you're likely to see high-mountain animals inluding chamois, deer, roe-deer, foxes, wolves, owls, eagles, squirrels, and hedgehogs—and perhaps even a bear if you're lucky.

The Tatra Mountains are a sports mecca, with cross-country, cycling, and off-road routes, rope parks and paintball grounds, horse-riding tracks, tennis courts, shooting ranges, and athletics stadiums. You can try zorbing, downhill mountain biking, bungee-jumping, and if that is not enough adventure, you can fly over the mountains with an instructor on a hang glider. In winter, try skiing, snowboarding, ski-touring, snow quad and scooter safaris, ice skating on one of many ice rinks, or a romantic horse-drawn sleigh ride.

After an active day, you can relax and renew your strength in numerous thermal baths. In the summer, there is an open geothermal bathing resort of Polana Szymoszkowa in Zakopane, with a beautiful panorama of the Tatra Mountains, and an indoor Aquapark. The area also has all-year-round centres: new Baths in Chochołów, Bania Thermal Baths in Białka Tatrzańska, Bukovina Baths in Bukowina Tatrzańska, or Gorący Potok in Szaflary. In all of these places, you'll find swimming pools, fountains, artificial rivers, fanciful slides, geysers, saunas, and spa zones, where you can enjoy a water massage.

For more information

Polish Cableways Resorts
The Tatras Portal (Polish only)
Zakopane
The Tatra Region