Open the left Tatra menu. Tatra Mountains Mountains of Europe including the Tatra Mountains
Easy trekking along the ridges and through the passes of the Tatras, during which you will smell the flower mosaic growing on the gentle slopes of the Western Tatras peaks, and also find inner peace among the steep slopes of the High Tatras.
During the expedition we will visit unusual places in Tatra National Park. In which the beauty of the Alpine mountains, flora and fauna have been preserved unchanged for many centuries. Well-marked trails through varied landscapes lead to charming and original tourist bases.
We will visit the former capital of Poland - Krakow, as well as unique Salt Mine in the city of Wieliczka (on the UNESCO World Heritage List). The trip includes five days of trekking in the Polish Tatras.
We'll stay cozy tourist centers, to which hiking trails of varying difficulty lead.
You need your own sleeping bag.
The program includes climbing to highest peak in Poland– Rysy (2499 m) and legendary Peak of Mount Svinitsa (2301 m). In addition to walking, we will visit the exceptionally beautiful old town of Krakow and the royal Wawel Castle. We will go underground to a depth of more than 130 meters to walk through the corridors and chambers of the very old and unique Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Program by day
Day 1
Gathering of participants in Warsaw in an Aeroport. Transfer by train to Krakow (3 hours travel).
Accommodation in a hostel (in 2-4-bed rooms - for an additional fee). Dinner. An evening of pleasant communication and a walk around the city of Krakow.
Day 2
After breakfast we will drive to Zakopane in a rented vehicle - mountain capital of Poland(2.5 hours on the way). We will stop there to visit one of the oldest regional museums in Poland – Tatra Museum. You will learn the history, ethnography and nature of the region.
Then we'll go to Sivoy Polanu, which is located near the village of Roztoky. From there we will begin trekking (the entire route passes through the territory of the Tatra National Park). We will make the trek to the camp site on the Khokholovskaya meadow 1148 m (2 hours).
Khokholovskaya Valley– the longest valley of the Polish Tatras, is a very picturesque place. We will see numerous gorges, streams, clearings, primeval forest, granite cliffs and limestone cliffs. The valley is located on the western edge of the Polish Western Tatras.
We have dinner and watch the first sunset in the mountains.
Day 3
We will dedicate this day to an exciting journey through the main ridge of the Western Tatras, along which passes border between Poland and Slovakia.
First let's get to the top Volovets 2064 m(3 hours). Trekking along a wide ridge with smooth relief lines. From there you will see a beautiful panorama of the Slovak Western Tatras. The route then goes through Yazhombchy town (2137 m) and Starobochanskaya town (2176 m)(approximately 4 hours). Here you can find mountain goats and marmots.
This will be followed by a descent into mountain shelter Ornak, located on the Ornac meadow 1108 m. (3 hours). This is an ideal place to relax and connect with nature.
Day 4
Early in the morning we will have a tasty and good breakfast. Today The route is magnificent in terms of scenery. Along the way we will stop for rest, snacks and photo sessions. Ahead is the ascent to Ciemniak 2096 m (3.5 hours), which together with Krzesanic 2122 m creates picturesque grassy slopes (from the south) and cliffs of more than 500 meters (from the north).
Then we will walk along the main ridge to Kasprowy Wierch 1987 m(3.5 hours). This plot is impressive with its greenery and space. From here there are views for tens of kilometers around. Then we will go down the slope of Kasprowy Wierch to mountain shelter "Murovanets", located on the Gusenitsov Pasture 1500 m. (1.5 hours).
After lunch an easy walk Black Pond Caterpillar. Dinner with tea and the famous apple pie.
Day 5
We move further along the route. Today we will climb to the highest point surrounded by the Gusenitsov Pasture - Svinitsaya 2301 m. Here begins the High Tatras ridge, along which there are many reservoirs, steep paths, sharp ledges and abysses. The route to the Svinitsaya peak and the Zavrat pass 2158 m (4 hours) is insured with chains.
Then we go down to Valley of Five Lakes, and then we climb the Shpiglasovy pass 2110 m , where a magnificent panorama opens.
Then we descend to the shelter at 1410 m, located near Lake Morskoe Oko (5 hours). This place is amazing in its beauty. The lake has long attracted many people. From here the view of the highest peak in Poland - Rysy 2499 m.
Overnight at the shelter.
Day 6
After breakfast, we head out light. We will overcome more than 1000 meters of ascent (4.5 hours) to Mount Rysy (2499 m). The climb is steep with lots of chains. See you by beautiful lake Czarny Staw pod Rysami (1583 m), which in good sunny weather takes on a green-blue tint.
Directly above the lake Miegushovetsky massif with the highest point Megusovský štít (2438m), through which one of the most difficult climbing trails in the Polish part of the Tatras leads.
We will spend our last evening in the Tatras in Morskie Oko shelter.
Day 7
Today we descend to the Palenica clearing (2 hours), there we say goodbye to the Tatra National Park. We will go by local transport to Zakopane, where we will visit very the famous pedestrian street Krupówki.
This street always fascinates tourists. Krupówki Street is considered the shopping center of the city. Here you can buy traditional Polish cheese - oscypok. We will have lunch at one of the restaurants that serves local cuisine (not included in the cost of the trip).
Then we will drive to Wieliczka (2 hours) in a rented vehicle to see the extraordinary salt mine, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. There is a lot to be said about this place, however, it is better to see it with your own eyes. We will spend about three hours in the mine.
When we leave the dungeons - let's go to Krakow. Overnight in a hostel.
Day 8
Breakfast at the hostel. Visit Krakow - a city that was the capital of Poland for six centuries.
Let's start from the very heart of the city, which is Wawel Hill with a Renaissance royal castle, a thousand-year-old cathedral and a system of castle fortifications. Wawel Castle played the role of a center of political, cultural and spiritual life. We will allocate 3-4 hours for his visit. We will have lunch in the city.
Then we'll see St. Mary's Church, located on the market square near the Cloth Hall. This is one of the most beautiful churches in Poland. From the highest tower a trumpeter blows his trumpet every day to all directions of the world. First the melody is played towards the south, where the Wawel Royal Castle is located. The trumpeter then blows his trumpet to the West, towards the town hall for the city authorities. Then towards the city gates so that the guards can hear. The fourth signal is sent towards the fire department.
Next, a walk along the Market Square in Krakow, it is believed that this one of the largest shopping areas in Europe. Surrounded by the old city there are many interesting objects, museums, and fortifications. The group will decide what they want to see.
In the evening there is a farewell dinner at the market. Overnight in a hostel.
Day 9
After breakfast we go to the railway station, from there we go by train to Warsaw. The journey takes 3 hours.
See you again!
Tell your friends!
The Tatras are a mountain range in the Carpathians. The origin of this name is lost in ancient times. Probably from the Proto-Slavic tartr - rock, stone or Thracian tertre - hill, hillock, knoll.The Tatras are the highest of the Carpathian ridges; they stretch along the border of Poland and Slovakia for tens of kilometers. The highest peak of the Tatras is the Slovak mountain Gerlachovsky Štit, rising to a height of more than 2.5 km.
Within the Tatras, three regions are distinguished: the High Tatras (with a conditional border along the Tikha gorges in Slovakia and Dry Water in Poland), Western Tatras and Velskie Tatras.
The High Tatras represent the northernmost and highest part of the mountain arc of the Carpathian Mountains. History and kings decided that most of the mountains ended up within Slovakia. They stand alone, have no foothills and rise like a wall above the plain cut by the rivers Orava, Dunajec and Poprad. The High Tatras are the center of everything. The peaks of the High Tatras do not reach the line of glaciers, but in some of the most shaded places the snow remains for a whole year.
The Low Tatras are an extended mountain range, with rounded peaks, strongly dissected into separate spurs by limestone slopes. Located in the central part of Slovakia. Here, despite the relatively low altitude of the Low Tatras, there is always a lot of snow on the mountain slopes.
The Tatras were formed as a result of crustal movements in the Paleogene, about 50 million years ago. The modern appearance of the mountains was given by the activity of glaciers in the Quaternary period, when rocky peaks (Gerlachovský Štit, Lomnický Štit) and deep glacial valleys (Mengusovska dolina, Velka and Mala Studena dolina) appeared.
The Tatras are composed mainly of granite, gneiss and limestone.
These mountains are characterized by alpine terrain with traces of ancient glaciation (karas, cirques, mountain lakes), deep gorges, steep slopes, cornices and edges. Large karst caves have formed in the limestone strata, pierced by water flows and subject to wind erosion. The Wielka Snezna cave system in Poland is the longest (about 18 km) and deepest (up to 814 m).
In the Tatras there are many turbulent mountain rivers with high waterfalls adjacent to quiet mountain lakes like Morské Oko (Eyes of the Sea) - small but deep lakes located on the tops of mountains and rocks.
The vegetation is typical for mid-altitude Eastern European mountains: up to an altitude of 1250 m, forests of European fir, beech, larch and birch predominate, up to 1500 m there is a zone of coniferous forests, represented by cedar and mountain pine, up to 1900 m - crooked forests, above - alpine meadows.
Typical inhabitants of forests on the slopes of the Tatras are the protected alpine marmot, endemic Tatra chamois, golden eagle, eagle owl, red-winged wall climber, brown bear, lynx, badger.
The Tatras are surrounded by large industrial areas, and in the mountains themselves there are many resorts and tourist routes. To preserve the nature of the mountains, the Tatra National Park was created in Poland, and the Tatra National Park was created in Slovakia. They are adjacent to each other and form a single protected natural area, which in 1993 received the status of a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
The territory of the Tatra National Park contains the highest mountain peak in Poland - Rysy, about 650 karst caves, 30 mountain lakes and the 70-meter Velka Siklava waterfall.
The Tatras remain a natural border between Polynia and Slovakia, but the two countries share nature reserves and national parks, as does the entire natural complex of mountains.
“Giving health” is what the Tatras are called in both countries where they are located: large ski resorts of world importance are located here.
The first inhabitants of the Tatras were shepherds. Even today, mountain meadows are used in the Tatras as pastures for cattle and sheep.
In the XVIII-XIX centuries. forests in the Tatras were widely cut down to make way for pastures and housing construction. Restoration of forest cover is proceeding with great difficulty.
There is practically no industry, almost no mining is being developed, and many deposits of copper and gold have been depleted over many centuries of mining.
The economy in the High and Low Tatras region depends entirely on the occupancy of mountain climatic resorts.
Therefore, local residents monitor the snow level and its structure, as they say here, “like their own pulse.”
Here there is an alpine climate, the weather is extremely changeable, there are significant fluctuations in air temperature and heavy cloudiness. Snow cover (up to 3 m high in March) persists until May-June, and in some places it remains all year long. It is not safe in the mountains: avalanches often occur.
Another misfortune is a strong wind. In 2004, in the southern part of the High Tatras, strong storm winds destroyed 3 million m3 of forest, and subsequent fires worsened the situation.
Winter in the High Tatras is ski season. In the south of the ridge there are several Slovak ski resorts - Strbske Pleso, Stary Smokovec and Tatranska Lomnica, united by the Tatranska Railway, as well as the large Polish resort of Zakopane. All with cable cars, ski lifts, ski and toboggan runs.
Strbske Pleso stands on the shores of the mountain lake of the same name at an altitude of 1355 m, and is home to the highest mountain resort in Slovakia. Stary Smokovec is the oldest in Slovakia, with its Grand Hotel opened in 1904 at an altitude of 1017 m.
Tatranska Lomnica is located at an altitude of 847 m. Zakopane is the highest city in Poland, it is located at an altitude of 830 m and is nicknamed the Winter Capital of Poland.
Significant income is brought to Slovakia and Poland by a network of prepared mountain tourist trails designed for climbing two-kilometer peaks and visiting gorges and waterfalls.
Sanatoriums have been built on the slopes of the mountains, using the healing properties of the high-mountain Tatra climate - cold and dry - which helps in the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
In the Low Tatras there is the Slovak Jasna - the ski center of all Eastern Europe under the northern slopes of the two-kilometer Chopok mountain.
Unlike the High and Low Tatras, the Belianske Tatras, where rare edelweiss grows and the rarest variety of chamois - the Tatra chamois (there are only about 850 of them here), are closed to tourists. Only the passage to the karst Belyanskaya cave was left for them.
The High Tatras are home to historical towns known since the early Middle Ages.
The Slovak city of Kezmarok appeared in the 13th century. as a result of the merger of settlements of Slavic fishermen, German miners and royal border guards. In the Middle Ages, Kezmarok was a rich trade and craft town. In 1950 it was declared an architectural reserve.
The first written mention of the Slovak cities of Spisska Sobota and Poprad dates back to 1256. The city-reserve Spisska Sobota received city privileges back in 1271. Since 1412, the entire city was given as a “collateral” to Poland for as long as 360 years.
The largest city in the Tatras is Slovak Poprad with a population of over 50 thousand people.
general information
Location: Eastern Europe.Geographical areas: Western Tatras (the highest peak is Mount Bistra), High Tatras (Mount Gerlachovsky Štit) and Velskie Tatras (Mount Havran).
Administrative affiliation: And .
Cities: Poprad (Slovakia) - 52,316 people. (2014), Zakopane (Poland) - 27,556 people. (2014), Kezmarok (Slovakia) - 16,636 people. (2014), Spisska Sobota (Slovakia) - 2807 people. (2015).
Languages: Polish, Slovak.
Ethnic composition: Poles, Slovaks, Romanians, Czechs, Hungarians, Germans, Rusyns, Ukrainians.
Religions: Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodoxy.
Currency: Polish zloty, euro (Slovakia).
Rivers: Vjala Voda, Rybi Potok, Czarny Dunajec, Roztoka, Orava, Poprad.
Lakes: Morskie Oko, Velky Stav.
Airport: Poprad-Tatry International Airport (Slovakia).
Numbers
Area: 785 km 2 (Slovakia - 610 km 2, or 77.7%; Poland - 75 km 2, or 22.3%).Length: about 65 km.
Geological age: about 50 million years.
Highest point: Mount Gerlachovsky Štit (Slovakia, 2655 m).
Other peaks: Mount Rysy (Poland, 2499 m), Bistra (Slovakia, 2248 m), Havran (Slovakia, 2152 m), Kasprowy Wierch (Polish-Slovak border, 1987 m).
Climate and weather
Alpine - in the mountains, humid continental - in the valleys.Average January temperature (in valleys): -5°C.
Average July temperature (in valleys): +16°C.
Average annual precipitation: about 570 mm.
Relative humidity: 70%.
Economy
Minerals: copper, gold, mineral springs.Mountain climatic resorts: Zakopane (Poland), Strbske Pleso, Tatranska Lomnica, Stary Smokovec, Gorny Smokovec, New Smokovec, Dolny Smokovec, Jasna, Thale and Donovaly (Slovakia).
Forestry.
Agriculture: livestock farming (mountain pasture, cattle).
Traditional crafts: products made of wood and stone.
Service sector: tourism, transport, trade.
Attractions
■ Natural: traces of ancient glaciation (karsts, cirques, mountain lakes), karst caves of Velka Snezna, Demanovska, Belianska and Alabastrova, Tatra National Park (Poland, 1954), Tatra National Park (Slovakia, 1949), mountain lakes Morske -Oko, Belki Stav and Skalnoe, Velka Siklava and Mickiewicz waterfalls, the Dry Water Valley, Bialki, Koscieliska and Chocholowska gorges, the Mengusovska, Belka and Mala Studena valleys, Lomnicke sedlo, Lomnicka shield, Tatra Basin.■ Kezmarok (Slovakia): Kezmar Castle (first half of the 15th century), redoubts, Basilica of the Holy Cross, Town Hall (1491), Church of St. Mary (1717).
■ Spisska Sobota (Slovakia): Church of St. Juraj (mid-13th century), Market Square, Renaissance bell tower (1598), town hall, residential buildings (XVI-XVII centuries).
■ Zakopane (Poland): Tatra Museum named after Titus Chalubinski (1889).
■ Others: ethnographic village Ždiar (Slovakia), meteorological observatory (Lomnický Štit, 2632 m).
Curious facts
■ Mount Rysy is located on the Polish-Slovak border, it has three peaks, the highest - the middle one - is located in Slovakia (2503 m), and the northern one is the highest point in Poland (2499 m).■ During hibernation, the alpine marmot wakes up every two weeks for about 24 hours. In one day, he manages to warm up to 37°C, get himself in order, clear the floor of the mink of droppings and go to bed again. Somehow, all the marmots in the burrow wake up at the same time, which allows the animals to minimize energy expenditure.
■ The largest individual karst cave in the Tatras - Belianska - is located in Slovakia: length - 3641 m, height difference - 160 m (overcome by 866 steps). This is the only cave open to the public in the High Tatras. People have lived in it since prehistoric times.
■ The highest meteorological observatory in the Carpathians is Lomnicky Štit, located in the Slovak part of the Tatras on the peak of the same name with a height of 2632 m. The observatory was founded in 1940. In 1964, a high-mountain coronagraph was first installed here, which made it possible to conduct constant observations of the solar corona . Besides the Lomnický-Štit Observatory, only four observatories in the world systematically observe the spectral lines of the solar corona.
■ In 1412, when the Tatra part of present-day Slovakia belonged to Hungary, Hungary transferred 13 local cities, including the historical Spisska Sobota, to Poland as collateral for a large monetary loan. The loan was not repaid, and these lands became part of Poland for more than three centuries. They returned back only as a result of the first partition of Poland.
■ Not far from the Slovak city of Poprad there is the Poprad-Tatry Airport - the highest in Europe: 718 m above sea level.
■ Zakopane is not only a mountain climatic resort, but also a “city of museums”: here are the Tatra Museum, the Stanisław Witkiewicz Museum of Zakopane Style, the Cornelius Makuszynski Museum, the Jan Kasprowicz Museum, and the Museum of Nature of the Tatra National Park.
■ The name of the highest peak of the Tatras - Gerlachovsky Štit - comes from the town of Gerlachov at its foot, “štit” translated from Slovak - “shield”, “peak”, “peak”. From 1949 to 1959, the mountain was called Stalinsky Štit (Stalin's Peak) in gratitude for the liberation of Czechoslovakia from the German Nazis.
■ The absolute minimum temperature in the Tatras was recorded at the top of the Kasprowy Wierch mountain (Polish-Slovak border, 1987 m) in 1929 (-39.5°C).
Polish Tatras are mountains of extraordinary beauty! Here the traveler can find many picturesque valleys, lakes with crystal clear water and sharp rocky peaks, the height of which reaches up to 2499 m in the Polish part of the Tatras (Lynx) and up to 2654 m in Slovakia (Gerlachovský Štit).
Day 1. Zakopane - Kuznice - Schronisko na Hali Kondratowej
2. Well, then there will be stories along the way. At first we hitchhiked from Krakow to Zakopane, it turned out quite quickly and fun, just two cars and you’re there. 
3. The guys dropped us off right on the road to the first Schronisko na Hali Kondratowej, the weather was mountainous, rain and fog were our faithful companions today. 
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The nature reserve regime, together with the developed tourist infrastructure, introduces very specific features into visiting the Polish Tatras: the fact is that setting up tents, lighting fires and even leaving the marked tourist trails is strictly prohibited here. Instead, mountain shelters were built on tourist routes, called hroniskas in Poland, and huts in Slovakia. Tourists traveling along multi-day routes come here in the evening to spend the night, and those who are content with only short radial excursions do it even simpler - they live in hotels in Zakopane and climb only the nearby mountains or use the cable car cars going to the city. Kasprowy Wierch. By the way, entrance to the National Park is paid, you can buy a one-time day ticket for 4 zlotys or a 7-day “pass”, which cost us 10 zlotys with a student discount, without a discount it costs 20 zlotys.
5. Here are some tourists who are already going home to warm up and drink mulled wine at a hotel in Zakopane. 
6. To be honest, this was the most unvisited archive in the Tatras, and it was also very small, and therefore with a small number of people, and I even thought that everything seemed so nice and good, well, more will happen. 
7. By the way, on this first day we spent the night in beds, there were even two free ones, so we didn’t have time to feel the whole spirit of Polish homelessness in the mountains, but there was still more to come. 
Day 2. Schronisko na Hali Kondratowej - Mount Giewont - Czerwone Wierchy - Kasprowy Wierch - Schronisko Murowaniec Na Hali Gąsienicowej - Alps Shelter
8. Getting up early in the morning, while the others were eating mivinka, we, having had porridge for breakfast, ran ahead of everyone else further along the path. 
What also surprised me during my stay in the Tatras were the paths, which were more reminiscent of paved alleys in city parks than mountain paths. I can imagine what titanic work the park staff did, laying hefty, weighty stones in even rows so that tourists could comfortably walk on them with their delicate feet! No, this is truly amazing! But at the same time, you shouldn’t completely relax here, because, despite the paved paths and shelters with hot showers, there are real high mountains here with all their inherent steep slopes, scree and changeable vagaries of weather.
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I will not describe the route in detail. The trails are marked and clearly visible, it is basically impossible to get lost here, in addition, at each intersection of the routes there are signs indicating the approximate time of passing each section, so planning transitions here is also quite simple. A good guide describing the routes and specifics of this mountainous area can be read at the link: http://turizm.lib.ru/b/burda_a_g/2.shtml
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12. You can already see their super-visited Mount Giewont, with a large Cross at the top. 
13. And this is the best shot from the trip so far. 
14. And here is the top, even though we left early, there are already 5 people sitting here, and when descending you will see another 50 people getting up :) 
15. Here the descent was for the first time with chains, but they were here more for beauty, but then tourism gradually developed into mountaineering on chains. 
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And a lot of surprises await the unlucky tourist along the route. All descriptions and maps indicate areas of increased difficulty, where the evenly laid path suddenly ends and in front of you rises, well, not yet a rock wall, but a rather steep section where you have to climb rather than walk. In especially difficult places there are chains or railings that you can hold on to. But some tourists turn out to be completely morally unprepared for such areas, some begin to panic, some become hysterical, some with trembling knees crawl along this area at a speed of 20 centimeters per minute, blocking the path for everyone else. But in the end, everyone passes these sections safely. The secret is very simple - no one walks around with a large backpack. Those who go from Zakopane often make a very reckless mistake, not even taking warm clothes with them, while the rest do this: they take large backpacks to the hronisko along the simplest route, and from there they go to the radials to the nearby mountains with small backpacks.
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18. Right on the ridge, border posts, here is Slovakia, and there is Poland. 
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Attendance in the Polish Tatras during the season in July and August is very high. I saw such a full house in the mountains only on the Montenegrin ridge on the Independence Day of Ukraine, when there were simply streams of tourists along the trails. You can avoid crowds only by setting out on the route early enough, at least before 8 a.m., when the main stream of those ascending lightly from Zakopane has not yet reached the height of the chronisk.
It’s quite difficult for me to say what motives motivate the people we met in the Tatras to go to the mountains, but I can say with confidence that 90 percent of them were in the mountains for the first time, and in general they had little understanding of where they were and what was worth doing here. ...
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21. Even the nuns walk in all their glory in the Tatra Mountains. 
But in Schronisko Murowaniec Na Hali Gąsienicowej there are no overnight stays on the floor, although there is plenty of space, but they motivate this with some kind of safety criteria and send everyone down to Kuznitsa, which is still 2 hours away, and there is no reason to go there at all , if tomorrow we go up here again. Therefore, having received a refusal, we went to look for accommodation for the night in houses, which, fortunately, were not far from the cache. The climbers gave us shelter, although at first the boss doubted whether their option would suit us, because they put us in the attic, but since when, tell me, can the attic scare us? Four more guys lived there, who immediately began a cultural exchange with us and gave us “Soplitsa” - cherry 36% vodka. Afterwards we slept like angels.
Day 3. Alps Shelter - Staw Gąsienicowy - Zawrat - Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich Schronisko
22. In the morning we got up and walked around, there was fog again. 
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26. Turn to Orla Perts, but today we are not going there. 
At first, out of old habit, we planned a route without radials, so that we could only walk from khronisk to khronisk, but we quickly realized that this did not make sense and in the middle of the hike we stationed ourselves at 3 for the Valley of Five Polish Staws (Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich) - the most picturesque and an advantageous location from the point of view of mountain logistics. We didn’t really like hanging on chains with 15-kilogram backpacks, but we went through all the sections lightly without any problems, so the choice was obvious.
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September 16th, 2014 , 03:05 pm
01. The morning was so soft, cozy, light rain drummed on the glass, breakfast was going on in my academy of freaks hotel and sleepy people reluctantly chewed breakfast, although it was very tasty, even Camber cheese and jam with strawberry sauce was present. Rain? No, it was a real hail. Somewhere in the subconscious, I thought how good it is, I don’t have to go anywhere, everything ached after visiting the Sea Eye. 
02. Today I had planned Kasprowy Wierch, but it was out of the question to climb to the top in such weather. 
03. To be sure, I looked out the window from the room and it seemed like I was planning a quiet day, going to Rastabar. The rain has passed, a fantastic view, gray nature and the edge of two thousand, illuminated by the sun. She grumbled, collected her equipment, and set off under the warm May rays to conquer the highest point of the Polish Tatras. 
04. It must be said that the infrastructure in the city works clumsily, for example, you can easily come across a sign for “Kasprovy Wierch” leading in a completely different direction (this is how the locals invite you to other slopes, the climb to which is not at all cheap). The best landmark, the name of the area where one of the largest SPA hotels is located (you can visit it) is Kuznice. Here you need to be more careful, the Tatra National Park begins in Kuznica and travel by private transport is prohibited. Parking of the car is carried out by a valet, a dubious-looking valet, according to the rule - leave it on the side of the road wherever you want. This pleasure cost 8 zlotys for the whole day, but this is not a minus, but the fact that you need to walk uphill for about an hour to get to the cable car. It's not fatal, but it will have an impact later. 
05. There are alternatives.
First: ignore the restrictions and drive to the ski lift by car, the fine is from 200 to 500 zlotys per car, the police are there every 10-15 minutes, so you can be sure that the fine will be imposed.
Second option: horse taxi, price from 100 to 140 zlotys per person in both directions. They take it for exoticism, local flavor, crap in short. If there are 4 people in the car, it is more profitable to pay the fine. 
06. The third option - you move on your own two feet, you can on the asphalt, or you can also along the mountain route, it sounds a little scary, but in reality, a perfectly trampled dirt road, along a stormy stream, the views are not exactly beautiful, but quite pleasant, you walk like along the river, in the country. 
07. On the way you take pictures and smell the tulips 
08. Watching the melt water 
09. The Polish-Slovak border is visible ahead, which runs along the peaks of the Tatras. 
10. Although the most beautiful view of Kasprowy Wierch was from Mount Gubalovka and... from the window of my hotel 
11. It’s impossible to get lost; you walk along the “embankment” all the time and end up at the foot of the mountains, where there are shelters for tourists, you can have a snack, buy souvenirs, even spend the night. 
12. Cross bridges with mountain streams 
13. And you stand at the back of a large queue where they sell lift tickets. At the ticket office there is the first carriage that ran on the cable car at the beginning of the last century. The round trip price is about 500 rubles, there is a time limit, you must do it within 2 hours(. This is done to avoid crowding. 
14. Kasprowy Wierch is one of the peaks in the Western Tatras. The height of the mountain is 1970 m above sea level. It is located on the Polish-Slovak border. The name comes from the Kasprowy Valley, which in turn was named after its legendary ruler Kaspr. In 1935-36, a cable car was built to the top, which has been improved several times since then, most recently in 2008. In winter, the slopes of the mountain are used for skiing. 
15. Modern booths 
16. View from the cabin of a mountain river. Fallen trees, traces of mudflows and avalanches. I left a piece of the cabin in the frame so that you could estimate the scale. 
17. The power of avalanches can be determined by how the whole forest is broken, leaving a bizarre road. 
18. Halfway to the top there is a shelter for skiers or those who climb on foot 
19. The cable car floats over very picturesque places 
20. Ropeway supports 
21. The closer to the top, the fewer trees, stones and snow 
22. and now 20 minutes of travel and you find yourself at the top. 
23. An ordinary photograph, but pay attention to the sky, you can see...the peaks behind the clouds. Can you imagine how tall and powerful it is? 
24. The funicular brings you to a height of 2000, the view that opens from the observation deck is simply amazing. No wind or cold can bring down the delight. 
25. Ridges are visible under your feet 
26. In the distance you can see mountain lakes, still frozen, some tourists go down to them 
27. A sharp change in temperature, from +25 to minus 10, it’s really cold. 
28. The wind is incredibly strong, it even blows away tourists, many in sneakers, they slide on the icy crust. You need to be careful not to fall. 
29. Several mountain lakes almost indistinguishable in the landscape 
30. The snow has already melted on some peaks 
31. Altruists can do panorama stitching 
32. Lazy people use wide-angle lenses 
33. At the highest point, there is the first weather station in Poland. I don’t know why I don’t have it in the photo, apparently my brain is blown, in the photo, the upper station of the funicular. 
34. You can climb to the weather station, although risking your neck. It’s terribly slippery, the ropes that act as railings are frozen, and under your feet there’s a mess of crust, an ice crust under which water accumulates. Enjoyment is below average.
View of the mountains from the weather station. 
35. The temperature dropped further, I couldn’t touch a tooth, my fingers were frozen, clouds began to creep in, covering the landscapes. 
36. Caretakers began to come out and herd tourists under the roof of the cable car station, but it was difficult for me to get down, except on my butt - quickly 
37. The video camera began to glitch due to a sharp temperature change, but the camera held firm. I was cursing under my breath about the fucking branded short belt. I need to buy a normal one, I just can’t get around to it. 
38. I looked down and it seemed to me that the weather was simply scary. View of Zakopane, the city is of course barely visible 
39. I wasn’t mistaken while I was looking at souvenirs, visiting the local toilet, warming my hands on a cup of tea in a cafe 
40. The clouds fled to Slovakia as quickly as they covered Polish territory. I won’t say that the sun shone, but visibility became normal. From the observation balcony in the cafe, the chairlift for skiers was clearly visible; I’m not an expert, but it seems to me that the route is quite difficult.
general information
The Tatra Mountains stretch 60 km long and 15 km wide and run along the Polish-Slovak border. A quarter of the mountains belong to Poland and most of this area is occupied by the Tatra National Park (about 212 sq. km). In the Polish Tatras there are more than 20 peaks above 2000 m, the highest point is Mount Rysy (2499 m).
Situated at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, nature has given the resort of Zakopane one of the most beautiful landscapes in Poland. Even if you don't plan to ski, be sure to take the cable car up to Kasprowy Wierch Mountain, which offers magnificent views of the mountains, hiking trails and ski slopes above the city.
The cable car, which takes about 25 minutes with a stop and change at an intermediate station, takes you to the top of the Kasprowy Wierch mountain at an altitude of 1985 m (round trip ticket for adults/discounted 42/32zt; 07.00-21.00 July and August, 07.30-17.00 April - June, September and October. 08.00-16.00 November).
Here you can stand with one foot in Poland and the other in Slovakia. Having purchased round-trip tickets, you will be forced to spend 100 minutes at the top, so if you don't feel like skiing, you can take a book with you. In summer, many tourists prefer to climb to the top by cable car and descend on foot; the journey down one of the marked trails will take about 2 hours.
The one-way trip, during which the carriage rises 936 m, takes about 20 minutes. The funicular is usually closed for two weeks in May and is also shut down during periods of heavy snow and wind. Needless to say, the view from the top is simply stunning. (unless it's too cloudy, of course)! Two lifts transport skiers to the slopes from December to April.
The restaurant caters to both skiers and tourists. In summer, many descend to Zakopane on foot along the Gonsenica Valley, and the most courageous travelers make their way along the mountain ridge to Lake Morskie Oko through Pencza Stawow (Pieciu Stawow)- a route that will take the whole day, and only if the weather is favorable.
If you bought a round trip ticket, you have no more than two hours from the moment of arrival, so if you want to stay at the top longer, you should buy a separate ticket to the top (32zl) and separate - down (26zl). Kasprowy Wierch is a very popular tourist destination, so be prepared for queues.
Get to the cable car station in Kuznica (south of Zakopane) You can take a taxi, bus No. 7 departing from the bus station building, or a minibus that stops on the opposite side of the street.
If you're interested in hiking trails, from easy valley walks to challenging routes in the Tatra Mountains, check out the unassuming-looking tourist office next to the bus station (ul. Kosciuszki 17, open: daily 8.00-16.00). Hiking in the Tatras is intended only for experienced tourists and requires special equipment and a guide. Less difficult routes include different valleys: Bialego, Strozyska, Chochołówska and Kościeliska.
Tourists are not allowed to enter the park with their own vehicles. You can only travel on foot, by cable car or in a vehicle belonging to the park, hotel or hostel.
It is also prohibited to pitch tents in the park, but you can stay in one of the eight RTTK mountain shelters/hostels (Polish Tourist and Local Lore Society). Many of them are small and fill up fairly quickly; in the middle of winter and summer they are literally packed, and beyond their rated capacity. No one will be turned away here, even if all the beds are occupied. Just be prepared to settle down on the floor. Don't arrive too late and don't forget to bring a camping mat and sleeping bag. Here you will be served a hot dinner, but keep in mind that kitchens and dining rooms close early (sometimes as early as 19.00).
Hiking trips
If you are planning to go hiking, purchase a Tatrzaflski Park Narodowy card. (1:25 000) , all surrounding walking routes are marked on it. Another option is to go to the Ksiegarnia Gorska bookstore in Zakopane and buy one or more of the 14 sections of Tatry Polskie. These areas can get crowded with tourists in July and August, so it's best to visit in late spring or early fall. Autumn is also good because there is less rainfall at this time.
As in all high mountain areas, the Tatras can be dangerous, especially during the winter season (from November to May). Please remember that the weather can be unpredictable. You should wear appropriate footwear, warm clothing, something to protect you from the rain and waterproof equipment. In some difficult areas there are auxiliary ropes or chains that will make the descent or ascent easier. Accompaniment by a guide is not necessary, as many routes are marked with signs, but if necessary, you can order a guide in Zakopane, this will cost approximately 350 zl per day.
There are several picturesque valleys south of Zakopane, including Stronzyska (Dolina Strazyska). From this valley you can take the red route to Mount Giewont (1909 m), a three and a half hour walk from Zakopane, and then take the blue route down to Kuznice, which will take about two more hours.
Two long beautiful wooded valleys - Chochlowska (Dolina Chocholowska) and Kosteliska (Dolina Koscieliska)- located in the western part of the park, which is also called Tatry Zachodnie (Western Tatras). These valleys are simply made for cycling. You can get here from Zakopane by regular bus or minibus.
The High Tatras, located to the east, present a completely different picture: bare granite peaks and mirror lakes. The first way to get there is by cable car to Mount Kaprovy and Wierch, then walk east along the red route to Mount Svinitsa (Swinica) (2301 m) and further to the Zavrat pass (Zawrat) (2159 m)- a difficult three-four hour journey from the starting point, Kasparov Wierch. After crossing Zavrat, descend in a northerly direction into the Gonsenitsova valley (Dolina Gasienikowa) along the blue route and then back to Zakopane.
You can head south along the blue route to the wonderful Penciu Valley Stawow (Valley of Five Lakes), where there is a mountain hotel about an hour's walk from Zavrat. An hour and a half walk from the hotel along the blue route to the west will take you to Morskie Oko Lake.