How do you squeeze the most out of a holiday when you have to drive across the whole of Poland? Here is our plan: 4 days of hard hiking in the Tatras and 1 day of cycling chill by Lake Czorsztyn to loosen up the knees.
Author: Konrad Leśniak5 min read
Anyone who has ever driven from Szczecin to the Tatras does not laugh at the circus. Crossing the whole of Poland is an expedition in itself. Once you finally arrive, you want to squeeze every last drop out of these mountains. No excuses about sore legs.
💡 In a nutshell – An intense trip:
- Day 1 (Warm-up): Biała Woda Valley. Long, flat, and then steep stairs. Perfect to get moving.
- Day 2 (The grind): Czerwone Wierchy. Wind, views, and burning thighs.
- Day 3 (Crisis): Rusinowa Polana and Gęsia Szyja. A lighter route for the day when lactic acid kicks in.
- Day 4 (Farewell): Grześ and Rakoń from Chochołowska Valley.
- Day 5 (Recovery): Instead of sitting in traffic on the Zakopianka, rent a bike on Velo Czorsztyn. The best way to loosen your legs before a long drive!
Last week we did exactly that kind of 5-day marathon. Four days of Tatra grind and one day of “reset”, so we could even press the clutch on the way home.
If you are looking for a ready-made plan for an intense long weekend – here is our rundown.
After a long drive, there is no point throwing yourself at the longest trails. You need to walk off the “car knees” and get your lungs used to a different altitude. The first trail we hit was Biała Woda Valley.
How was it? We started from Palenica Białczańska. The trail was surprisingly empty, even though it runs along the road to Morskie Oko. The first stage through the forest, along the Białka river, was fairly dull and long before we came out of the trees. The second stage was a steep climb up stone steps. Physically demanding. We walked back to the car separately and in silence.
See our photo report from this day: Day 1 Gallery
On day two the body usually says: “Okay, I get what we’re doing.” We shifted up a gear. We attacked Czerwone Wierchy. This was no joke.
Day three in the mountains is usually “crisis day”. Lactic acid reminds you of itself on every single step. Even so, we did not back off. We chose Rusinowa Polana and Gęsia Szyja.
The last day in the high mountains. We had to close it with a bang. We climbed Grześ and Rakoń from Siwa Polana.
And this is the life hack I have to share with you! On the last day we had the drive back to Szczecin waiting for us. Getting into the car at 8 a.m. with legs like concrete from DOMS is torture. On top of that, sitting in traffic leaving Zakopane drains all the joy from the holiday.
We did it differently. We packed up in the morning, escaped Podhale and drove to Czorsztyn.
Instead of walking, we rented bikes and set off on the famous Velo Czorsztyn route.
After completing the loop (we did not take the ferry), we got in the car and… headed north. Legs loosened up, heads full of impressions, and we avoided the worst hours on the Zakopianka.
If you are planning a long drive home after intense hiking in the Tatras – Velo Czorsztyn is the best mountain “detox” you can treat yourself to. Highly recommended!
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