Rain in Zakopane? Valleys you can still walk, caves, thermal baths, the TPN Nature Education Centre and the Tatra Museum. 5 ways to save a rainy day.
Author: Konrad Leśniak3 min read
Let’s not kid ourselves - the weather in the Tatras can be nasty. You can plan your holiday for August and still get four straight days of water falling from the sky at 10 degrees Celsius. Heading into the higher parts of the mountains (for example to Giewont or Szpiglasowy Wierch) during a downpour is not “hardcore” - it is stupidity and an invitation to slip on wet rock.
But sitting in a guesthouse in front of the TV is also a poor option. Here is Plan B for a “Tatra monsoon”.
💡 In a nutshell – What to do in the rain:
- Walk the valleys – trees protect you from the rain, and waterfalls are powerful.
- Caves – it doesn’t rain underground anyway (e.g. Mylna Cave).
- Thermal baths – perfect for cold days, but go early in the morning!
- TPN Nature Education Centre – free and excellent museum.
- The Tatra Museum – a bit of culture on Krupówki. Always check the TOPR webcams too – sometimes it’s pouring in Zakopane, but sunny above the clouds!
If there is no storm (no lightning and no strong wind), and it is “only” raining, the mountains are still open! You just need to switch your plans from vertical to horizontal. Put on a good rain poncho (the cheap “condoms” for 10 zł from a kiosk actually work best), and head to the bottoms of the valleys.
If you are going to get dirty anyway, then go underground! In Mylna Cave, the weather outside does not matter at all. The temperature is constant there anyway, at around 5 degrees Celsius. Just be careful with Raptawicka Cave - getting in via a wet ladder and chains can be slippery.
It is the obvious choice, and that is exactly why it is so popular. When it is 12 degrees outside and pouring, sitting in an outdoor pool with 36-degree water is pure bliss. In the Podhale region, you can choose between:
This is a free attraction that hardly anyone knows about! It is located by the roundabout in Kuznice. It is a modern, interactive museum. You will learn about how the Tatras were formed, enter an artificial cave and watch excellent nature films. Children love it, and adults walk out with their mouths open after finding out, for example, how clever marmots are.
If you are interested in the Zakopane style and in where the city’s whole phenomenon came from in the first place (and why the houses have these roofs and not others), the Main Building of the Tatra Museum on Krupowki is a must-see. A little culture never hurt anyone.
Rain is not the end of your holiday. It is just a sign to swap your shoes for rubber boots!
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Gubałówka on foot: the black trail along the funicular, about 1.5 km and 50 minutes up. Where to start, microspikes in winter, Butorowy Wierch and the ride down.
Białego Valley in winter: about 2 h of walking straight from Zakopane, Biały Stream under snow, icy footbridges, microspikes and how to handle the short day.
Sarnia Skała in winter: the Strążyska – Sarnia – Białego loop in about 3 h, where it gets icy, whether to take microspikes and how to beat the dark. December photos.
Start: Kiry · via Mroźna and Mylna Caves and Kraków Gorge
Start: Zakopane (Strążyska street) · via Siklawica Waterfall and View of Giewont
Start: Kuźnice · via The cross on Giewont and The mountain hut at Hala Kondratowa
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