The Tatra Mountains without the crowds in the middle of the summer holidays? 5 tried-and-tested tips (and trails)

August. A long weekend. You drive into Zakopane and see a line of cars stretching all the way from Poronin. You think: ‘This is going to be a nightmare’. And indeed, if you go where everyone else is (i.e. to Morskie Oko at 10:00 am), you’ll be walking through a dense crowd, breathing in the smell of horse droppings and listening to the ringtones of other people’s phones.

The Tatras aren’t just the three most popular valleys. You can find peace and quiet there even at the height of the season. You just need to outsmart the system a little.

Tip 1: Change your time zone (The 6:00 Rule)

It’s obvious, but 90% of tourists don’t do it. People on holiday like to sleep in. They’ll have breakfast at the guesthouse at 8.30 and hit the trail at 10.00. Be at the car park by 6.00 in the morning. I guarantee you’ll have the mountains almost to yourself until 9.00. When you start descending from the summit (e.g. from Sarnia Skała or Nosal), you’ll pass hundreds of panting people walking uphill in the blazing sun. You’ll already be thinking about lunch.

Tip 2: Avoid the ‘big three’

Morskie Oko, Kościeliska Valley, Giewont. These are wonderful places, but during the summer holidays they’re like amusement parks. Choose the trails nearby.

• Instead of Kościeliska Valley -> Head to Małej Łąki Valley. It’s just as beautiful, but there’s no mountain hut (so it doesn’t attract “Sunday strollers”).
• Instead of Giewont -> Climb Kopa Kondracka (view of Giewont from above) or Trzydniowiański Wierch.

Tip 3: Slovakia (The magic word)

Cross the border to Łysa Polana or Jurgów. The Slovakian Tatras (Vysoké Tatry) are several times larger than ours, and tourist traffic ‘spreads out’ there over dozens of kilometres. Even popular trails, such as the one to Koprowy Wierch or Baraniec, are incomparably less crowded than their Polish counterparts of similar difficulty.

Tip 4: ‘Dead-end’ valleys

Most people head where the trail leads to a pass or a summit. Valleys that end in a ‘dead-end’ in the form of a vertical wall are avoided. A perfect example is the Dolina ku Dziurze (next to Strążyska) or the approach to Wrota Chałubińskiego (a branch off from Morskie Oko). You walk and walk, and suddenly you find yourself alone in a vast, rocky basin.

Tip 5: Late afternoon (For night owls)

If you don’t like getting up at 5:00, do the opposite. Set off on a short trail (e.g. Rusinowa Polana or Strążyska Valley) at 4:00 pm. The crowds are already heading down. The sun is slowly setting, casting the most beautiful light for photos. Just remember to bring a head torch for the return journey!

Don’t complain about the crowds. Crowds gather where it’s comfortable and popular. Take that one step to the side, and you’ll see the Tatras in a way that will make you fall in love with them all over again.