Dolina Białej Wody (Bielovodská dolina)

Picture the scene: you are standing at Łysa Polana. On the Polish side (towards Palenica Białczańska), there is a traffic jam, frayed nerves, and a crowd of people with pushchairs heading for Morskie Oko. You turn around, cross the little bridge into Slovakia, join the blue trail and… silence. All you can hear is the river.

Dolina Białej Wody (Bielovodská dolina) is the Tatras’ answer to the Canadian wilderness. It demands plenty of time and stamina, but rewards you with views so powerful they can leave your legs trembling.

Stage 1: Easy walking and Polana pod Wysoką

The hike begins at the car park in Łysa Polana, ideally on the Slovak side, where it is usually quieter and cheaper. For the first few kilometres, the blue trail follows a broad gravel-and-forest road along the Białka River, which forms the natural border between Poland and Slovakia.

• Polana pod Wysoką (Bielovodská poľana): After about 1 hour 15 minutes of flat walking, you leave the forest and step onto a huge meadow. This is the first jaw-dropping moment. Towering above it are the massive rocky bulk of Młynarz and the summit of Ciężka Turnia. From below, they look like sheer unclimbable walls.
• Tip: If you are short on time or hiking with a younger child, this is an ideal place for a picnic and an easy turnaround. Up to this point, the route is basically just a walk.

Stage 2: Climbing towards the lake basin

If you continue, the trail leaves the main valley and starts climbing steeply through the forest along glacial steps. This is where the real mountain effort begins.

• Kacza Siklawa: Along the way, on your left, you will hear and see a powerful waterfall (Kacza Siklawa, 15 metres high) hurling water straight off a rocky ledge.
• The path twists between boulders and dense dwarf pine, gradually leading you above the tree line.

Stage 3: Litworowy Staw and a lunar landscape

After the tiring climb, you enter the Litworowa Valley. What opens up before you is the raw alpine world of the High Tatras, but from a perspective most Polish hikers never get to see.

• You reach Litworowy Staw (Litvorové pleso) at 1,860 m above sea level.
• The water here is icy and crystal clear. The lake is surrounded by monumental peaks, including the striking outline of Ganek. It is the perfect place for a well-earned rest and a packed lunch.

Where next?

From Litworowy Staw, you can simply return the same way, making the whole trip about 7.5 hours long. If your fitness is exceptional, however, the blue trail continues towards Zmarzły Staw and then on to Rohatka Pass or Polski Grzebień. From there, it is possible to descend into other valleys (for example the Staroleśna Valley and Zbójnicka Chata), but that becomes a brutal all-day expedition for very experienced hikers.

Practical information

• No infrastructure: There is no mountain hut in Dolina Białej Wody. The last trace of civilisation is the car park at Łysa Polana. You need to carry all your water (at least 2 litres) and food yourself.
• Winter closure: The blue trail above Polana pod Wysoką is subject to the Slovak winter closure from 1 November to 15 June (TANAP).
• Wildlife: This is a valley full of wild life. Spotting a bear or rare birds of prey in the side branches of the valley is far more likely here than on the Polish side. Make some noise in the forest so you do not surprise the true locals.