Where can you look at the world from the clouds? Only in the mountains of course. And you only need a backpack, a sleeping bag and good boots to go hiking along mountain trails. You don’t need a tent or food supplies –mountain chalets along the route will provide you with both. And you’ll improve your physical condition on the way.
The network of mountain hostels in Poland is very substantial, and you can reach hostels within a few hours on your hiking tour. The conditions might be rather simple, so you need to be ready to sleep in a dormitory or wash in cold water. But the atmosphere of a Highland hut at the top of a mountain is so special you will remember it for a long time!
There are hundreds of kilometers of well prepared mountain trails. You can reach all the peaks from all the faces of a mountain. For example the Main Beskidy Trail leads through the Polish part of the Karpaty Mountains and allows you to discover almost every other mountain range in Beskidy. Hiking the whole distance – from Ustrzyki Gorne to Wisla – takes 3 weeks. So be prepared.
Even though it is surprisingly easy to reach the highest peak in the Bieszczady Mountains – Tarnica, the local slopes are steep and climbing them can be long and strenuous. But the views of the meadows on Polonina Wietlinska, Carynska or Smereka make up for the effort.
The gentler slopes of the Beskid Niski offer views of the picturesque gorges of the Wisłoka River and villages with the domes of Russian Orthodox churches and oil rig structures. In Beskid Sadecki you can broaden your hike by rafting on the Poprad River, going on a tour of the confederate trenches or the mineral springs in Krynica Gorska.
The star-shaped Gorce Mountains are perhaps not impressive in size (they can be walked through in one day) but the pastures and meadows there are wonderful. An unforgettable experience in the Beskid Zywiecki (the highest mountain range after Tatry) in the Polish Carpathian Mountains is climbing two, almost alpine peaks: Babia Gora and Pilsko. You don’t have to worry about the cold, strong winds; you’re too close to the sky to be blown away!
It is also well worth visiting the Karkonosze range in the Sudety mountains, especially the Sniezne Kotly with the highest peak – Sniezka and the cliffs, crags and precipices carved out by glaciers. The Stołowe Mountains make a fantastic impression, full of mushroom shaped formation, bludgeon like rocks, spires and gateways made of sandstone.
Everyone who visits Poland should go to see our mountains – stroll through the valleys marveling at the enchanting, majestic and dignified Tatra Mountains, venture onto the Beskids trail and hike through the fragrant forests, then watch the sunset over distant mountain meadows in the Bieszczady, or visit the meteorological observatory on Śnieżka, a mountain peak in the Karkonosze. There is a lot to do and see.
Polish mountains are the ideal destination for everyone. A well-developed network of trails encourages hiking trips. The season practically lasts all year-round; however, it should be kept in mind that during winter some of the trails are inaccessible. Many routes start in the centers of towns or larger villages. If you are planning one-day excursions to the mountains you should book ahead for accommodation for the night especially in Zakopane (Tatra Mountains), Cisna or Wetlina (Bieszczady Mountains), Szklarska Poręba and Karpacz (Karkonosze). Szczyrk, Wisła, Rabka, Szczawnica and Krynica in the Beskids Mountains are especially recommended with Bodzentyn and Nowa Słupia in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains worth exploring. The offer of mountain agro-tourist farms is also very extensive.
Enthusiasts of long backpacking trips or mountain rallies should try three trails which have been marked out especially for them: Główny Szlak Sudecki (The Main Sudeten Route, 350 km), Główny Szlak Beskidzki (The Main Beskids Route, 500 km) and Główny Szlak Świętokrzyski (The Main Świętokrzyskie Mountain Route, 100 km). Taking these routes is a guarantee that you will visit all the main mountain ranges. Mountain hiking is possible thanks to the well established chain of mountain hostels, bacówkas (traditional shepherd’s cottages), and student lodges (some open only during summer). The most popular hostels in the Tatra Mountains are those in Murowaniec, Morskie Oko and Dolinia Pięciu Stawów.
Many mountain areas are unique in terms of their natural characteristics and most of them have been turned into national parks, for example, the Tatra Mountains National Park, the Pieniny Mountains National Park, the Bieszczady Mountains National Park and the Babiogórski National Park. Please remember that hiking in these parks is allowed only on the marked trails.
Hiking in Poland
