Kasprowy Wierch, High Tatras, Poland. Poland Tatras Polish Tatras
The High Tatras are the highest and at the same time the most beautiful mountains in Slovakia. Their beauty, every now and then, attracts many tourists. The High Tatras are also the highest part of the entire chain of the Carpathian Mountains. The length of the High Tatras (the main ridge) is relatively small and is only 26 km. But, despite this, the mountain range has the features of the Alpine mountains. That is why the High Tatras in Slovakia are called the smallest of the highest mountains in the world.
The Tatras arose under the influence of glaciers, which is why their peaks and peaks acquired incredible and even fabulous shapes and outlines. The height of 25 Tatra peaks exceeds 2500 m. Among them, the highest is Gerlachovský Štit. Its height is 2655 m. On the territory of the Tatras, they once found a cozy place for themselves, and still lie there, more than 85 high-mountain lakes and a huge number of waterfalls. Forests consist mainly of spruce and cover 67 percent of the territory.
In 1949, due to the unique natural conditions, this massif was declared the Tatra National Park, which also includes the neighboring limestone Belianske Tatras.
All hiking trails are carefully marked. Here is a photo:
Marking of tourist routes in the Tatras.
The total length of the routes is about 350 km. They lead to lakes, waterfalls, mountain peaks, valleys, passes and are available to tourists from June 1 to October 30. Some peaks can only be climbed with a mountain guide, and some are intended exclusively for climbers.
Panorama of winter mountains.
There are several ski areas with a sufficient number of ski schools, lifts, cable cars and sports equipment rentals.
These are the ski resorts in the High Tatras.
And these are also the Tatras.
High Tatras on the map:
Sorry, the card is temporarily unavailable Sorry, the card is temporarily unavailable
The Tatras, covering an area of approximately 750 square kilometers, are the highest part of the Carpathians. They are located between the Alpine and Caucasus mountains. Snowy mountain peaks and sharp peaks, lakes and waterfalls - this is all about the Tatras. The Tatras are considered the most amazing and beautiful place in Poland.Residents of the plains consider the Tatras to be the only “real” mountains in Poland. In the summer, participants in group hikes and single tourists travel on foot to almost every corner of the Tatras, and in the winter, skiers come, attracted by the great fame of Zakopane, the winter capital of Poland.
The Tatras are a paradise for skiers; their ski slopes have a total length of more than 250 kilometers. There are slopes for beginners and for professionals. Good ski equipment, excellent technical equipment, excellent slopes - all this will please even the most fastidious tourists. At the very foot of the mountain lies the town of Zakopane. In addition to the mountains and the beauty of nature, here you can see and admire folk culture and folk art.
The Tatras truly provide an unforgettable experience. These are the only Polish mountains similar to the Alps. There are picturesque trails along them with wonderful mountain views. To truly appreciate the charm of the Tatras, you don’t need to conquer their peaks. Enough to walk through one of the beautiful valleys - Chochołowska, Kościeliska, Strążyska, or the Fish Stream Valley. In winter, many slopes turn into ski slopes.
In the entire chain of the Carpathians, stretching in a wide arc from the bed of the Danube, crossing the mountain range at Zelazna Bram to the Moravian Gate, the Tatras represent the highest subalpine mountain range. Only one fifth of them belongs to Poland (150 square kilometers). The rest is in Slovakia, where the highest peak is Gerlach (2654 m). Of the whole range of the Tatras, only part of the Western and High Tatras are located in Poland. As for the Polish Tatras, Mount Rysy is the highest (2499 m). The highest mountain peak located entirely within Poland is Kozy Wierch (2291 m above sea level). However, the most distinctive and popular among newcomers to Zakopane is Mount Giewont, reminiscent of the "Sleeping Knight", for which the local mountaineers feel considerable respect.
The Polish Tatras are divided into the High Tatras and the Western Tatras. There are many reservoirs in the High Tatras (the result of a melting glacier), and in the Western Tatras there are the most beautiful caves. The High Tatras are for daredevils: steep routes, sharp ledges, sharp rocks and abysses can be very treacherous. But the reward for brave travelers will be stunning mountain landscapes that will remain in the memory for a long time. Hiking in the Western Tatras will be less risky. Wide ridges with smooth relief lines are safe for travelers, and there is more greenery and space in these mountains than in the High Tatras.
Numerous streams and waterfalls create the indescribable beauty of the surrounding landscape. The relief diversity of the Tatras has become one of the reasons for the abundance of waterfalls. The most famous and spectacular waterfalls in the Polish part of the Tatras include the Mickiewicz and Wielka Siklawa Falls, the beauty of which can be fully appreciated on spring days, at sunrise. The water falls from a height of seventy meters; on a bright sunny day, thousands of rainbows shine over this waterfall. This is one of the favorite places for tourists from different countries.
The Polish Tatras are not only famous for their picturesque slopes, peaks and valleys, most of which are accessible thanks to marked paths. The lakes, mainly located in the upper valley areas in the High Tatras, make the mountains unique and attract thousands of tourists every year.
43 lakes of glacial origin (according to custom, they are called “stavy” - ponds in the Tatras), with an emerald blue surface, have a total surface of almost 160 hectares. The largest and most beautiful, and at the same time the most accessible for tourists, is Morskie Oko, lying at an altitude of 1393 m above sea level, while the deepest is the Great Pond of Poland (more than 79 m deep).
The wealth of vegetation puts the Tatras in a special place in the entire Carpathian chain. In the Polish part of the massif alone, the presence of more than a thousand species of vascular plants has been confirmed, of which 250 are mountain or alpine plants. The Tatras are characterized by a multi-tiered arrangement of vegetation cover. Above the hill tier there are two forest tiers. At the bottom of the wooded hills there are mainly beech and fir, and at the top - spruce, but also cedar and Carpathian birch. The forests end at an altitude of about 1500 m above sea level. Above them is a strip of dwarf pines, the low thickets of which protect the mountain slopes from erosion. Above 1800 m above sea level, subalpine meadows and mountain pastures begin, where sheep grazed just a few decades ago. At an altitude of more than 2300 m above sea level, the mountains are practically devoid of vegetation cover. Only rare plants adapted to the harsh conditions of the highlands grow on the rocks.
There are several plants inextricably linked with the nature of the Tatras: small edelweiss and stemless elecampane (a popular decoration pattern in Podhale), purple crocuses, “fields” of which appear when the snow melts. Cedars are also worth noting. These beautiful trees are most often found above Morskie Oko and in the vicinity of the Roztoky Valley.
The Tatras are home to animals that every naturalist dreams of meeting. The fauna of the Tatras is distinguished by its characteristics, due to the division into habitat zones. The forest layers are occupied mainly by common species: deer (about 300 specimens), chamois, wild boars, wolves and foxes. Lynxes and wild cats have also survived.
The most representative of all animal species living on forested hills is considered to be the brown bear, which even reaches high mountain passes on its “walks.” Currently, there are about 12 brown bears on the Polish side of the Tatras, while in the entire massif their population numbers about 60 specimens. Unfortunately, the mountain eagle has become a rare bird species; In all the Tatras there are only a few pairs of them. The raven population is also declining.
The fauna of the reserve is also very diverse. The main attractions of which are wild mountain goats (according to records from 2000, there are about 80 specimens on the Polish side) and marmots. It is mountain goats that are most often found, so the image of this animal has become the emblem of the Tatra National Park. But to see a groundhog, you need to have a lot of patience and luck. More often it can be heard than seen, since this timid animal, barely sensing danger, warns its fellows with a piercing whistle that carries far across the mountain meadows.
The nature of the Tatras is protected within the boundaries of the Tatra National Park, created in 1955, with a total area of 21,400 hectares.
This is the highest mountain range in the entire Carpathians, considered by the inhabitants of the plains to be the only “real” mountains in Poland. In the summer, participants in group hikes and single tourists travel on foot to almost every corner of the Tatras, and in the winter, skiers come, attracted by the great fame of Zakopane, the winter capital of Poland. The Tatras truly provide an unforgettable experience. These are the only Polish mountains similar to the Alps. There are picturesque trails along them with wonderful mountain views. To appreciate the charm of the Tatras, you don’t need to conquer their peaks. Enough to walk through one of the beautiful valleys - Chochołowska, Kościeliska, Strążyska, or the Fish Stream Valley. In winter, many slopes turn into ski slopes. Lying at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, the resort of Zakopane cannot be called an ordinary city. The folklore of the Polish highlanders gives it a special character: customs, dances and songs, outfits, dialect and original architecture. In the entire chain of the Carpathians, stretching in a wide arc from the bed of the Danube, crossing the mountain range at Zelazna Bram to the Moravian Gate, the Tatras represent the highest subalpine mountain range. Their surface covers 785 km2, of which the Polish part accounts for almost 25%, that is, about 175 km2. The highest mountain peak of the Tatras - Gerlach (2655 m above sea level) is located on the Slovak side. And in Poland, altitude records are broken by climbing Rysy (2499 m above sea level), a mountain peak located on the border with Slovakia. The highest mountain peak located entirely within Poland is Kozy Wierch (2291 m above sea level).The Polish Tatras are divided into the High Tatras and the Western Tatras. There are many reservoirs in the High Tatras (the result of a melting glacier), and in the Western Tatras there are the most beautiful caves. The High Tatras are for daredevils: steep routes, sharp ledges, sharp rocks and abysses can be very treacherous. But the reward for brave travelers will be stunning mountain landscapes that will remain in the memory for a long time. Hiking in the Western Tatras will be less risky. Wide ridges with smooth relief lines are safe for travelers, and there is more greenery and space in these mountains than in the High Tatras.
The relief diversity of the Tatras has become one of the reasons for the abundance of waterfalls. The most famous and spectacular waterfalls in the Polish part of the Tatras include the Mickiewicz and Wielka Siklawa Falls, the beauty of which can be fully appreciated on spring days, at sunrise. No less popular are the 43 lakes of glacial origin (according to custom, they are called “stavy” - ponds in the Tatras), with an emerald-blue surface, with a total surface of almost 160 hectares. Morskie Oko, located at an altitude of 1393 m above sea level, is considered the largest and most beautiful, and at the same time the most accessible for tourists. The wealth of vegetation puts the Tatras in a special place in the entire Carpathian chain. In the Polish part of the massif alone, the presence of more than a thousand species of vascular plants has been confirmed, of which 250 are mountain or alpine plants. The Tatras are characterized by a multi-tiered arrangement of vegetation cover. Above the hill tier there are two forest tiers. At the bottom of the wooded hills there are mainly beech and fir, and at the top there is spruce, but also cedar and Carpathian birch. The forests end at an altitude of about 1500 m above sea level. Above them is a strip of dwarf pines, the low thickets of which protect the mountain slopes from erosion. Above 1800 m above sea level, subalpine meadows and mountain pastures begin, where sheep grazed just a few decades ago. At an altitude of more than 2300 m above sea level, the mountains are practically devoid of vegetation cover. Only rare plants adapted to the harsh conditions of the highlands grow on the rocks.
There are several plants inextricably linked with the nature of the Tatras: small edelweiss and stemless elecampane (a popular decoration pattern in Podhale), purple crocuses, “fields” of which appear when the snow melts. Cedars are also worth noting. These beautiful trees are most often found above Morskie Oko and in the vicinity of the Roztoky Valley.
The Tatras are home to animals that every naturalist dreams of meeting. The fauna of the Tatras is distinguished by its characteristics, determined by the division into habitat zones. The forest layers are occupied mainly by common species: deer (about 300 specimens), chamois, wild boars, wolves and foxes. Lynxes and wild cats have also survived. The most representative of all animal species living on forested hills is the brown bear, which even reaches high mountain passes on its “walks.” Currently, there are about 12 brown bears on the Polish side of the Tatras, while in the entire massif their population numbers about 60 specimens. Unfortunately, the mountain eagle has become a rare bird species; In all the Tatras there are only a few pairs of them. The raven population is also declining. The main attraction of the local fauna is wild mountain goats (according to a census from 2000, there are about 80 specimens on the Polish side) and marmots. It is mountain goats that are most often found, so the image of this animal has become the emblem of the Tatra National Park. But to see a groundhog, you need to have a lot of patience and luck. More often it can be heard than seen, since this timid animal, barely sensing danger, warns its fellows with a piercing whistle that carries far across the mountain meadows. The nature of the Tatras is protected within the boundaries of the Tatra National Park, created in 1955, with a total area of 21,400 hectares.
53% of the area of the Lesser Poland region in southern Poland is under state protection: there are 6 national parks, 11 nature reserves, 10 game reserves and 84 reserves.
We will visit many of these natural resources on the tour " Visiting the mountaineers in the Polish-Slovak Tatras ».
The highest mountains in Poland are the Tatras. This is the only alpine-type mountain range in the country. The border between Poland and Slovakia runs along the Tatra Mountains. Moreover, Poland got 22% of the mountains, and Slovakia owns 78%.
The Tatras captivate you with their rocky peaks rising into the sky, mountain valleys, lakes and ponds of glacial origin, as well as unique vegetation. The nature of the Tatras has long fascinated people, which is why these mountains are under the protection of the Tatra National Park. It is recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The Tatras occupy an area of 785 square meters, they are 22 times smaller than the Alps. Locals call the Tatras the “pocket Alps.”
On the Polish side you can distinguish between the High Tatras and the Western Tatras. The first, formed from crystalline rocks, are characterized by a wealth of post-ice age forms: basins and alpine lakes. In turn, in the chalk part of the Western Tatras, karst phenomena predominate - caves, single or included in a whole system of caves, as well as karst springs.
To the most interesting places of the Tatra National Park relate:
The highest peak in Poland is Mount Rysy (2499 meters above sea level)
The most popular route is Lake Morskie Oko (1350 meters above sea level). It is intended for a wide range of tourists, including people with disabilities and small children. Here you can make part of the journey in a cart with a horse and a driver in the national Gural costume
Valley of the Five Lakes, but this is a difficult route, you need to be in good physical shape and mountain boots
Mount Giewont is the symbol of the capital of the Tatras, the city of Zakopane. At its top there is a 15-meter cross, which was installed at the beginning of the 20th century. Now the Giewont cross adorns the Zakopane coat of arms
The peak of Kasprowy Wierch (1987 meters above sea level), where the cable car is located
The Koscieliska Valley is suitable for walking even in rainy weather and is suitable for people with different physical abilities.
And to see the entire panorama of the Tatras, it is best to climb to the top of Mount Gubałówka, 1122 meters above sea level. You can come here on a modern mountain tram from a Swiss company. But the most interesting and beautiful way is to take a mountain tram to Gubalowka, enjoy the panorama of the Tatras, walk along the Gubalowka ridge and go down the Butorowy Wierch cable car with chairlifts. Happiness and delight, if the weather is good, are guaranteed!
All routes in the Tatra National Park are marked by categories of difficulty, the distances in hours of walking along the route are indicated, there are bio toilets, garbage cans, special places for rest, food points, and Tatra huts - “khroniska”, where tourists going for several days to mountains, they can spend the night in their sleeping bags, having previously reserved a place for themselves, wash themselves, eat a hot meal and move on on the road.
Traveling around Tara is easy, the main thing is to remember that here a person is a guest. You cannot litter, make fires, feed animals or leave leftover food on the route, you cannot collect mushrooms and berries, fish, or swim in mountain lakes. Everything here should remain the way nature itself created it! Before entering any route, you need to pay a symbolic amount for a ticket; it is valid all day on all Tatra routes.
In many valleys and meadows you can meet herds of sheep, their shepherds - “bachi” (local Chukchi, about whom jokes are told) and their assistants - “yukhashchi” (young people who help herd sheep in the summer). They cut their wool right in the meadow, milk them, and immediately make fresh smoked cheese. The houses where the bachi make cheese look like huts; there is a delicious smell of fire and smoked cheese. This cheese is a national pride, it is called “oscypek”, it is a regional product and can only be tasted in the Tatras!!! (in other places it should be called sheep's cheese). Previously, this fishery brought in a lot of money, but now, unfortunately, it is already exotic. As the Gurals used to say: “Whoever has ma sheep, ten ma so htse” (“He who has sheep has everything he wants”). And now they say: “Who is the sheep, who is the ram?” no translation is required... This is indeed very hard work.
Come to the Tatras: clean mountain air, a special atmosphere, unforgettable views, the color of the local people, delicious food and much more will not leave you indifferent. The Tatras are love at first sight; you will want to come back here again and again.
Mount Rysy is one of the highest peaks of the High Tatras, located between Slovakia and Poland as part of a ridge. The mountain consists of three peaks, one of which (2503 m, the highest) is located on the territory of Slovakia, and the northern peak (2499 m) overlooks Polish territory (2499 m) and is the highest point in Poland. The border of the two states runs along a ridge; there used to be even a border checkpoint at an altitude of about 2300 m. With entry into the European Union, the borders of the countries virtually evaporated. And we are aiming for the highest point in Poland (2499 m), but we will climb along the path from Slovakia.
General layout of the area:
The ascent to Mount Rysy actually starts from Lake Poprad (Popradsko pleso), but all tourists who wish to do so are not allowed to approach the lake; vehicle access to the lake is limited, because it is located in a national park. Alternatively, you can leave the car at Lake Strebské (Strebsko pleso) and then walk to Lake Poprad. Or you can come to the parking lot, the GPS coordinates of which are N49,12648°, E020,07457°, and from there, take another road to Lake Poprad. The second path is a little shorter on foot, and we chose it.
In general, at 8:30 we parked the car in this very parking lot (cost about 3 euros/day) and performed: 
An asphalt road leads to Lake Poprad: 
We have to climb this ridge:
* The following image and some others are marked in the upper right corner. This means that under such a photo there is another one hidden - similar or from a different angle. To display the second image, click on the first image, to return the first, click on the second.
Streams cross the road, forming small waterfalls:
The sign reminds us that we are on the territory of the Tatra People's National Park: 
Another sign warns us that brown bears are found in the national park: 
“shame, bear” :) (“shame” is attention). We know that bears are smart and careful animals, and they are well-fed in the summer, so we are not afraid of them :)))
To prevent tourists from losing their way, there are marks on the trees: 
The road to Lake Poprad is marked with blue markers.
In about 30-40 minutes we reached Lake Poprad.
A lake of unearthly beauty, we lingered near it for a short time: 
The water in Lake Poprad, of course, as befits a mountain lake, is cold and clean, and the lake is deep.
And we are already at an altitude of 1500 m above sea level :)). 
Having tried to swim in the lake (it didn’t work - the water was icy), we returned to the road. Here, at Lake Poprad, the route to climb Rysy actually begins.
Signs and route map: 
Food and various household items are prepared for transportation to the Hut under Rysmi shelter:
Anyone can put a canister, cylinder, bag or trunk with food or household utensils weighing over 5 kg on their shoulders and carry the luggage to the Hut near Rysmi at an altitude of 2250 m. Such volunteers will receive a free cup of tea and well-deserved respect in the hut. 
This is difficult for ordinary modern city dwellers (especially post-Soviet ones) to understand; they are too cold and cynical. And among the tribe of tourists from different countries, such noble deeds are by no means uncommon. The point here is not about free tea, but about the fact that it’s nice to do a good deed.
There are, of course, professional porters who don’t carry for tea.
Start of the trail to Rysy: 
The trail is marked with the same blue markers: 
We look into the distance and a little upward - we are somewhere there: 
The further we go, the fewer tall trees there are along the trail. Gradually, the tall mixed forest faded away, giving way to low pines: 
The trail at this point is the bed of a partially dry stream. There is water seeping along the path in some places, we jump from stone to stone: 
We cross the bridge over the Toad Stream: 
We reached a fork. Straight ahead (to the left) - to the Koprovskoe saddle, to the right - to Zhabye Lake (Zhabye Pleso), to the Hut under Rysmi shelter and to Rysy. We, accordingly, go to the right. It took us a little over an hour from Lake Poprad to the fork. 
Now our labels are correct, Belarusians will understand what I mean: 
The landscape around us: 
And we all go: 
While filled with delight at the surrounding views, there are no signs of fatigue. 
The Toad Stream presses against the path again: 
Shrubs give way to alpine meadows, and they soon disappear into the stones: 
Can you sit on a rock for a minute? 
look down 
think about eternity...
Go ahead. Not reaching about three hundred meters from Zhabye Lake, we unexpectedly came out onto an unmelted snowfield.
Well, we thought that this was the same small snowfield as we encountered on Mount Olympus in Greece, and joyfully rushed to play in the snow :) . The air temperature was about +18...20 degrees Celsius. 
Nothing, as they say, foreshadowed such an instant change of seasons...
Five minutes later, Savely, who was walking a little ahead of us, returned to us with the news: “Farther ahead, everything is covered with snow, and people are climbing up the mountain in the snow.” (!)
We had no time for snowballs, the carefree-joyful mood gave way to surprise, and we looked ahead: 
Below on the left is Toad Lake, which can only be recognized by its outline and ice!
The fact that there would be decent snow cover in the High Tatras in the second half of June, to put it mildly, was a surprise for us. From the experience of previous trips to the mountains, we knew that at altitudes up to 2500 meters in the second half of June there is usually no snow anymore. Only rare snowfields can be found. And here is such an oil painting!
Toad Lake under ice, from which the Toad Stream flows: 
The lake is amazingly beautiful, and we have never seen it covered in ice in photographs online.
In the center of the lake there is a pile of huge stones, its shape reminiscent of a toad, which has put one paw slightly back. Hence the name of the lake – Zhabye. 
Here is the toad in the center: 
And we have to go further, along the snowy path. 
The path is well-trodden and you can walk along it, although summer sneakers naturally slide on the snow. Now it’s clear why experienced hikers carry bulky mountain boots. The snow to the left and right of the trail is quite deep, we tried to measure the depth with a trekking stick - the stick was completely sunk.
View back, from here you can clearly see the steepness of the slope along which we just walked: 
And we come to the next “level” - here there is a full-fledged “climbing up the mountain”. They say that in snowless times this level can be overcome without much effort. But climbing up the snow in summer sneakers, falling into it knee-deep and sometimes almost waist-deep at every second step, is, to put it mildly, not too easy: 
Kind people made the task a little easier - they tied a rope on top, and the second half of the climb is done holding onto the rope, much easier. Actually, this is where the ascent directly to Mount Rysy begins, and everything that happened before is just a walk through the valley, meadows and mountainous terrain.
Somehow we overcame this “slide”, walked the rope, and climbed up.
But here is a new rise, the most dangerous, in our opinion. A snowless area, but you have to climb (climb, not walk) over the abyss, holding onto brackets and chains.
We tried and crawled like this for about 30 meters, but the adrenaline was already released beyond measure.
Here a cliff suitable for a break turned up, near which we stopped.
We sit on the cliff, come to our senses, restore our breathing and pulse. 
We look down and see tourists climbing up the rope section behind us: 
On this cliff we convened an emergency family council, at which we unanimously decided that further extreme activities were already beyond our limits. If we had no children, perhaps we would have taken a risk and climbed further. But our youngest tourist is only 10 years old. We made a note for ourselves in the future: we don’t go to mountains where climbing on chains is mentioned. After all, they knew about the chains, but had no idea what they were. So, after sitting on the cliff and admiring Toad Lake once again: 
we started going down.
By the way, going down is no easier than going up. This cliff became for us the highest point of the High Tatras.
Having descended along the chain, rope sections and snowfields, we returned from the harsh winter to the gentle June summer: 
Yes, the Rysses turned out to be more insidious than we expected.
It is best to conquer them at the end of summer - then there will probably be no snow on the route.
And yet, this mountain is not at all for family walks; it is better not to take children with you - the ascent is quite dangerous due to the “chain” section.
These were the High Tatras, the unconquered Rysy Mountain. 