Your Krakow Pub Crawl Guides Guide To Hiking in Zakopane's Western Tatras
A Rude Awakening
This is a personal account first published in September 2024, about a hike I had just done then. Not about Krakow pub crawls, parties, drinking alcohol or dancing the night away. Nope, sometimes I'm healthy! Throughout this blog as my friends didn't want to be names I will refer to them all as my friend, my friends girlfriend, my friends girlfriends dad, mum sister etc.
When I agreed to go hiking in Zakopane, I didn't know that I was agreeing to be awake at 3:30 a.m. But hey, I was nudged awake by my mate in the wee dark hours, and I realized my error.
"Get up! Get up, we're going hiking. You said you would come." "What's the time?" I said, half asleep. He replied, "3:30. We leave at 4. Hurry up and get ready."
The Journey Begins
For those who don't know, Zakopane is often called the "winter capital of Poland". It's a popular resort town at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, known for its unique wooden architecture, vibrant folklore, and excellent skiing in winter. In summer, it's a gateway to some of Poland's best hiking trails.
So we're up early, driving to Zakopane. Everything's dark, no cars on the road. Apparently, we're leaving so early because the trail gets super busy. If you get there early, when nobody's around, you'll have it all to yourself.
A Chilly Realisation
I packed a jersey, some pants, and running shoes, thinking I'd be okay. But as soon as we got out of the car into the Western Tatras (Tatry Zachodnie), I realised my error. Mountains are cold… even when it's not winter haha.
The Western Tatras extend across Poland and Slovakia. The Polish Tatra National Park was created by a 1954 regulation. UNESCO’s Tatra Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1992, covers the mountain region across both countries, including the Polish and Slovak national parks and habitats for chamois and marmots.
Sunrise and Sweet Treats
As soon as the sun started coming up, I discovered for the first time how beautiful this side of the mountain was. The Western Tatras are known for their stunning landscapes, with jagged peaks, lush valleys, and crystal-clear mountain lakes.
Even better than that, I found out we had treats! My friend's girlfriend's dad is a baker, which is amazing! He made us all kinds of Polish treats like homemade pastries he called kokardki. Some of the best treats I had ever had!
The False Summit
We wanted to reach the top of the mountain before sunrise, but we didn't quite make it. The hike was reasonably hard but I've been running a lot so I felt pretty good. Me and my friend's girlfriend's dad got very competitive. The last or what I thought was the last climb I decided to run.
I sprinted to the top and looked back over the ledge waiting for everyone that I had just beaten. The top was stunning, clouds everywhere. It felt like standing on Olympus. Very, very cool.
The Long Journey Ahead
I thought, "That was awesome! Can't wait to head back down and go home." But looking around I noticed that even though we were pretty high there were slightly higher peaks off in the distance. "Nooooo wayyy". So I tentatively asked if we would be heading down now? Everyone laughed at me saying I used all my energy up and we aren't even half way. This was when I found out the hike would be around 42km.
For context, the Western Tatras have peaks over 2,000 metres. The highest in the whole range is Bystrá in Slovakia, at 2,248 metres, according to Slovakia’s official tourism guide. My roughly 42 km estimate is a memory of that day, not a mapped itinerary to copy.
Lessons Learned
So by the time we got down the mountain, I realised a few things:
-
Pace yourself. Don't show off like an idiot.
-
Bring lots of treats. They make the hike so much more enjoyable.
-
Getting up early is worth it. The trail was empty on the way up, but super busy on the way down.
A Delicious Finish
Oh, and we capped off the day with a Polish-style pizza topped with bacon, oscypek cheese, and cranberry. Delicious.
Speaking of oscypek, I've spoken about it on previous blogs. It's delicious! Genuine oscypek is a protected smoked cheese from a defined mountain region. The Polish food inspectorate explains its PDO protection since 2008 and permitted milk blend: at least 60% sheep’s milk, with specified cow’s milk allowed. Other smoked cheeses are sold too; ask what you are buying.
Final Thoughts
This was one of my favorite day trips I've had here in Poland. Made even better by the beautiful Polish family I had the privilege of accompanying.
For your own trip, use the Tatra National Park’s current tourist bulletin, walking rules and mountain safety advice. Check trail closures, seasonal access restrictions, weather and daylight, and choose equipment and a route suited to the conditions and your experience. My running shoes and pre-dawn story are not preparation advice; winter conditions can turn a summer walking route into a demanding mountain trip. Stay on marked routes and respect wildlife.
And after your Zakopane trip, if you're still in the mood to PARTY, compare the Krakow Animals Crawl. Bring valid physical ID, check the meeting point, and decide whether a hosted route fits your energy. Till next time!
