High Tatras trails

Bystrá lávka (Bystra Ławka)

Bystrá lávka (2300 m) from Štrbské Pleso via the Mlynická Valley and Skok waterfall, down the Furkotská Valley: 16 km, 7 h 51 min, chains. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: difficult (chains)

Czarny Staw pod Rysami

Czarny Staw pod Rysami, the lake above Morskie Oko: 19.1 km, 5 h 54 min from Palenica Białczańska, no chains. Tarmac road, then stone steps above Morskie Oko.

Difficulty: medium

Priečne sedlo (Czerwona Ławka)

Priečne sedlo (2352 m) from Hrebienok via Téryho chata to Zbojnícka chata: 17.9 km, 8 h 11 min, chains, rungs and exposure. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: very difficult (chains, exposure)

Dolina Białej Wody (Bielovodská dolina)

Bielovodská Valley (Dolina Białej Wody) from Łysa Polana to Litworowy Staw: 24.7 km, 7 h 38 min, no chains. Times to each meadow, closures 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: moderate (long)

Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich (The Valley of the Five Polish Lakes)

Dolina Pięciu Stawów (Five Polish Lakes Valley) from Palenica via Wielka Siklawa, Poland's highest waterfall: 16.5 km, 5 h 45 min, no chains. Parking, ways back.

Difficulty: average

Gerlach (Gerlachovský štít)

Gerlachovský štít (2655 m), the highest peak of the Tatras and Carpathians, only with a licensed guide: chains and rungs, 13 km, 8–10 h, no marked trail.

Difficulty: climbing (UIAA I/II)

Gęsia Szyja

Gęsia Szyja (1489 m) from Wierch Poroniec via Rusinowa Polana: 9 km, 2 h 55 min, easy but hundreds of steps. One of the best High Tatras panoramas near Zakopane.

Difficulty: easy

Granaty

Granaty from Kuźnice: Skrajny, Pośredni and Zadni Granat, down Żleb Kulczyńskiego. 17.5 km, 8 h 30 min, chains and exposure. A section of Orla Perć, not a stroll.

Difficulty: very difficult

Hala Gąsienicowa and Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy

Hala Gąsienicowa and Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy from Kuźnice in Zakopane: 12.6 km, 5 h 13 min, no chains. Murowaniec hut and views of Kościelec and Orla Perć.

Difficulty: medium

Jagnięcy Szczyt (Jahňací štít)

Jahňací štít (Jagnięcy Szczyt, 2230 m) from Biela Voda via Zelené pleso: 20.6 km, 10 h 25 min, chains below the summit. A long day. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: difficult (chains + long)

Kasprowy Wierch via Gąsienicowa

Kasprowy Wierch from Kuźnice via Hala Gąsienicowa and Sucha Pass: 7.6 km, 4 h 01 min up, no chains. Prettier than the green trail. Down on foot or by cable car.

Difficulty: medium

Koprowy Wierch (Kôprovský štít)

Kôprovský štít (Koprowy Wierch, 2363 m) from Štrbské Pleso via Popradské pleso: 20.9 km, 8 h 37 min, no chains, hands on the ridge. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: difficult (physically)

Kościelec (The Polish Matterhorn)

Kościelec (2155 m), the 'Polish Matterhorn', from Kuźnice via Hala Gąsienicowa and Karb: 16 km, 7 h 29 min. No chains, but steep slabs and exposure.

Difficulty: very difficult (no chains!)

Kozi Wierch

Kozi Wierch (2291 m), the highest peak fully in Poland, from Palenica via the Five Lakes Valley: 19.8 km, 8 h 55 min, a steep gully without chains, helmet advised.

Difficulty: difficult (fitness-wise)

Kozia Przełęcz

Kozia Przełęcz (2137 m) from Kuźnice via Czarny Staw and Kozia Dolinka: 14.2 km, 7 h 20 min, chains and rungs. A link to Orla Perć, not Kozi Wierch.

Difficulty: very difficult (chains, rungs)

Krywań (Kriváň)

Kriváň (Krywań, 2495 m) from Štrbské Pleso via Jamské pleso: 19.8 km, 8 h 55 min, no chains but hands on granite blocks. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: difficult (physically)

Przełęcz Krzyżne

Krzyżne Pass from Palenica via the Five Lakes Valley, down the Pańszczyca Valley to Kuźnice: 20.9 km, 9 h 25 min, no chains. A famous High Tatras panorama.

Difficulty: difficult (physically)

Lomnica (Lomnický štít)

Lomnický štít (2634 m) by cable car from Tatranská Lomnica via Skalnaté pleso: how long the ride takes, booking tickets ahead and your time at the top.

Difficulty: very easy (cable car)

Mała Wysoka (Východná Vysoká)

Východná Vysoká (Mała Wysoka, 2429 m) from Sliezsky dom via Polish Ridge pass: 7.4 km, 4 h 45 min, chains at the pass and summit. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: difficult (chains)

Mięguszowiecka Pass below Chłopek

Mięguszowiecka Przełęcz pod Chłopkiem from Palenica via Morskie Oko and Czarny Staw: 23.2 km, 10 h 49 min, no chains but exposure and scrambling on rock.

Difficulty: very difficult

Morskie Oko

Morskie Oko from Palenica Białczańska on the tarmac road: 15.5 km, 4 h 14 min, easy, pushchair-friendly. Parking reservation, buses from Zakopane, horse carts.

Difficulty: easy

Orla Perć (Zawrat - Krzyżne)

Orla Perć from Zawrat to Krzyżne: 4.3 km of ridge in 6 h 25 min, chains, rungs, a ladder and one-way traffic to Kozi Wierch. How to split it into stages.

Difficulty: very difficult (for advanced hikers only)

Popradské pleso and the Symbolic Cemetery

Popradské pleso from the Tatra electric railway stop and the Symbolic Cemetery under Ostrva: 9.6 km, 3 h, +280 m, easy. A simple walk in the Slovak High Tatras.

Difficulty: easy

Rusinowa Polana and Wiktorówki

Rusinowa Polana and Wiktorówki from Wierch Poroniec: 7.5 km, 2 h 19 min, very easy, pushchair-friendly. A High Tatras panorama for little effort. Parking.

Difficulty: very easy

Rysy (from the Polish side)

Rysy (2499 m), Poland's highest peak, from Palenica via Morskie Oko and Czarny Staw: 25.5 km, 11 h 44 min, chains, snow even in July. When to start and turn back.

Difficulty: very difficult

Rysy (from the Slovak side)

Rysy (2503 m) from the Slovak side via Popradské pleso and Chata pod Rysmi: 21.9 km, 9 h 12 min. Easier than from Poland, chains below the summit.

Difficulty: difficult (fitness-wise)

Skrajne Solisko (Predné Solisko)

Predné Solisko (2117 m) on foot from Štrbské Pleso: 10 km, 4 h 27 min, +855 m, no chains. The chairlift option is in the table. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: moderate (steep red)

Sławkowski Szczyt (Slavkovský štít)

Slavkovský štít (2452 m) from Hrebienok: 12.5 km, 7 h 27 min, +1256 m, no chains, but long and steep over loose stones. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: difficult (physically)

Świnica

Świnica (2301 m) from Kuźnice via Kasprowy Wierch: 18.6 km, 9 h 32 min, chains and exposure. The cable car shortens the climb, not the difficulty. Zawrat variants.

Difficulty: difficult

Świstówka Roztocka

Loop from Palenica via the Roztoka Valley, the Five Polish Lakes and Świstówka to Morskie Oko: 20.3 km, 7 h 15 min, no chains. Closed 1 Dec – 15 May.

Difficulty: moderate (long, exposed descent)

Szpiglasowy Wierch from Five Lakes

Szpiglasowy Wierch from Palenica via the Five Polish Lakes Valley, chains on the way up, down the Ceprostrada to Morskie Oko: 24.2 km, 9 h 22 min.

Difficulty: medium / difficult

Szpiglasowy Wierch (via Ceprostrada)

Szpiglasowy Wierch (2172 m) from Palenica via Morskie Oko and the Ceprostrada: 24.9 km, 9 h 03 min there and back, no chains. The Five Lakes loop is separate.

Difficulty: medium

Wielka Siklawa

Wielka Siklawa, Poland's highest waterfall, from Palenica via Mickiewicz Waterfalls and the Roztoka Valley: 15.4 km, 5 h 25 min. Green trail closed in winter.

Difficulty: medium (slippery rock)

Wielka Świstówka (Veľká Svišťovka)

Veľká Svišťovka from Biela Voda via Zelené pleso and Skalnaté pleso: 21.5 km, 8 h 41 min, chains. Cable car option down. Closed 1 Nov – 31 May.

Difficulty: difficult (chains)

Wrota Chałubińskiego

Wrota Chałubińskiego (2022 m) from Palenica via Morskie Oko and the valley behind Mnich: 22.9 km, 8 h 39 min, no chains. A dead-end pass, return the same way.

Difficulty: difficult (physically)

Zawrat Pass (from Hala Gąsienicowa)

Zawrat Pass (2158 m) from Kuźnice via Hala Gąsienicowa: 19.9 km, 8 h 34 min, chains in the gully and snow into summer. The easier Five Lakes side is separate.

Difficulty: difficult

Zawrat from Five Lakes

Zawrat Pass (2158 m) from Palenica via the Five Polish Lakes Valley: 11.3 km, 4 h 45 min up, no chains. The easier side of the pass. When not to go on to Orla Perć.

Difficulty: medium

Zelené pleso (Chata pri Zelenom plese)

Zelené pleso (Zielony Staw Kieżmarski) from Biela Voda to the lakeside hut: 15.4 km, 6 h 14 min, no chains. Hut open all year, peaks above closed in winter.

Difficulty: moderate

Żleb Kulczyńskiego

Żleb Kulczyńskiego from Kuźnice via Hala Gąsienicowa and Zmarzły Staw: 18.6 km, 9 h 24 min, chains in the gully, loose rock, helmet advised. Approach to Orla Perć.

Difficulty: very difficult

How to plan a trip up Rysy without stupid mistakes

How to plan a trip up Rysy: the route, the weather, the kit, the fitness and the decisions that let you enjoy the summit without needless risk in the Polish Tatras.

Want the High Tatras but scared of chains? The easiest rocky summits

Do you dream of “real”, sharp, rocky mountains, but the thought of exposure and chains makes your legs shake? Here’s a list of summits you’ll reach like climbing stairs — without climbing gear.