Wielka Siklawa

Wielka Siklawa is Poland’s largest waterfall. Water from the Valley of Five Lakes falls here from a massive rock step (the lake wall) from a height of about 70 metres. The roar of the falling water can be heard long before you see the waterfall itself. On sunny days, beautiful rainbows often form in the water spray.

💡 In a nutshell – Wielka Siklawa in a nutshell:

1. For whom: For people who want to escape the crowds walking the tarmac to Morskie Oko. The route is long but gentle.
2. Difficulties: No chains. The only challenge is the smoothed rock slabs right by the waterfall, which are as slippery as ice after rain.
3. With a pushchair: No. You can only get as far as Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza on the tarmac, after that a stony path begins.
4. Winter: In winter, the green trail below the waterfall is closed (massive avalanche danger). You must take the black trail instead.

It is a wonderful hiking destination in its own right, even if you do not plan to go higher to the mountain hut.

Trail description: Through Roztoka Valley to the waterfall

The figures at the top of the page show the route from Palenica Białczańska to the waterfall itself and back. They do not include the climb to the hut in the Five Lakes.

Stage 1: Tarmac to Wodogrzmoty

We start from the car park at Palenica Białczańska. The first 40 minutes is a walk along a tarmac road in a crowd of tourists heading for Morskie Oko.

• Just past Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza (loud waterfalls on the right) we escape the tarmac, turning right onto the green trail.

Stage 2: Along the floor of the Roztoka Valley

The green trail leads along the floor of the Roztoka Valley, alongside the stream.

• It is much quieter here than on the tarmac. The path gently climbs uphill through the forest, which eventually gives way to dwarf pine.
• It is a long but very pleasant hike that slowly brings us closer to the massive rock step closing the valley.

Stage 3: Under the wall of water

At the trail junction (green and black) we stick to the green trail, which leads straight to the waterfall.

• The path climbs over rock slabs smoothed by the glacier.
• We come face to face with Wielka Siklawa. Up close, the waterfall makes a colossal impression.
• From here we return exactly the same way to Palenica Białczańska. If you have the strength, you can continue the climb along the green trail to the Valley of Five Polish Lakes (approx. 15-20 minutes higher).