Zakopane Tour from Krakow

Welcome to the most exciting day tour offer from Krakow to Zakopane and Tatra Mountains!

We offer transfers from Krakow to Zakopane for individual clients in vehicle for 7 persons.

Enjoy one-day excursion from Krakow to Zakopane and Tatra mountains, to the Thermal Baths in Białka, Bukowina or Chochołów, rafting tour on Dunajec river – a must to see for everyone who stays in Krakow !

Zakopane:

Frequently called the winter capital of Poland is a town of 27 000 inhabitants – paradise for skiers and snowboarders.    

Zakopane is located close to the Tatra Mountain Range and border with Slovakia, over 100 km south from Kraków.  Yearly Zakopane is a host to approximately 3 millions tourists from all around the world.

You will find here gorgeous mountain views and the unique atmosphere of Zakopane itself, the town offers many examples of an old timber architecture built in a local style – called “ Zakopane Style ”. The oldest Zakopane mountaineer cottages and churches are almost 200 years old. This is very good place to meet local highlanders traditions and folklore as well as to taste local cuisine delights.

The most popular local attractions:

Krupówki: the main pedestrian zone in Zakopane, full of shops, restaurants and clubs. This is where the post office, banks as well as exchange offices are located. Very often this place gets extremely crowded and we find it hard to believe that at the beginning of the 19 th century, this street was a narrow path joining central parts of the village with Kuźnice ( the cable car station is there today).            

Gubałówka Hill (1100 m asl) : you can hike Gubałówka or there is the funicular available, which starts in the very center of the town. This place offers spectacular views over the town and the surrounding Tatras Mountains. On the top there are: restaurants, bars, ski slopes, snow park, stalls with regional cheese. On the way back to the town from Gubałówka, we come across the local market nestled in between the hill and Krupówki street. There are many stalls with furs, sllipers in local style, souvenirs and “oscypek” – local ship cheese in different shapes and sizes there.

Mount Kasprowy: (1987 m asl): While in Zakopane, it is the must to take a cable car to Kasprowy Wierch, both in summer and winter this is one of the most popular local attractions for both adults and kids. In winter time, there are two chair lifts operating on Mt Kasprowy and slopes for advanced skiers and snowboarders. The cable car trip to Mount Kasprowy (1987 m, asl) takes approximately 10 – 15 minutes and takes place in two stages with a change in Myślenickie Turnie (1325 m asl). In the high season (Christmas, New Year, school holidays and weekends), cable car can be very busy. The cable car station is located in Kuznice. If you want to get to this place you have to reach John Paul II Rondo (the roundabout). Road from here to Kuznice is closed for most traffic, except for those with permits. A walk from Rondo Jana Pawła II takes approximately 45 minutes, also taxis or public transportation are available.

It is also possible to hike to Mt Kasprowy by Myślenickie Turnie, the route takes about 2,5 hours each way and is one of the easiest in the Polish Tatras. The route starts at the lower cable car station and we have to take a green trail.

 Chochołowska Valley: Chochołowska Valley is the longest and the largest valley in Tatra Mountains. Really recommended to visit during your stay in Podhale region. In the 18th century, iron ore was mined there. In the first half of the 20th century, Chocholowska Valley was the area of huge pasturage.

Dolina Chochołowska looks amazing at any time of the year. However, it deserves special attention in spring, when it is decorated with crocuses. Trail is really easy so you can go there even with small children. You can reach Polana Chochołowska with a highlander horse carriage or in the summer season – by a tourist train „Rakoń”. We also recommend riding a bike.

From „Siwa Polana” (where your trip starts and there are ticket booths, stalls, car park, cab stop and mountain bikes rental here) to the Mountain Shelter in Chochołowska Valley there is approximately 7.4 km. We start from the car park at „Siwa Polana”. We follow the asphalt road from there and we enter the Tatra National Park. You can visit „Bacówka” to see how Higlanders make delicious „oscypek” cheese. Passing them on the left side we have the entrance to the green trail to the Droga pod Reglami, which leads to the Lejowa and Kościeliska Valley. We follow the asphalt road and after 3.5 km we reach „Polana Huciska”. This is where the “tourist train Rakoń” stop. From Polana Huciska we can go to Polana Jaworki to see the pond „Wywierzysko Chochołowskie”. It is worth to see it and rest for a moment. After returning to the trail to the Chochołowska Valley, we walk along the Polana Pod Jaworki, and after passing it, we reach the place where the black trail leading to the Kościeliska Valley goes to the left. We follow our route, after approx. 5 km, after the stream, on the right we pass the so-called The Blaszynski Shelter. Currently, the building belongs to TPN and there is a forester’s lodge there. When we reach the „Polana Chochołowska” we can enjoy fantastic landscapes. We pass Bacówki and reach the intersection of trails – to the left a red trail leads to the Jarząbcza Valley, choosing a short climb to the right we will come to the Chapel of John the Baptist. It’s worth going there because the chapel built in highlander style makes a big impression. Karol Wojtyla prayed there, which is why this place is very popular. From the Jarząbcza Valley you can see the biggest shelter in polish Tatras PTTK Polana Chochołowska. Her you can try there apple pie with cream and blueberries, which is called “Chochołowski Dessert”.

The place is magical, it guarantees the opportunity to see views that are long remembered.

The Morskie Oko Lake: In Polish means: eye of the sea. It is the largest lake in The Tatra Mountains, located at an altitude of 1395 m, 4577 ft asl. You can reach Lake in two ways: walking or travelling a majority of the route with a horse drawn carriage. The trial on foot from car parking situated in Polanica Białczańska is about 8 km long, hiking takes about 2,5 hours each way. The ride by carriage uphill takes about 45 minutes, the carriages reach  Polana Włosienica Glade and the rest of the route you have to go on foot (20 -30 minutes walk). The route runs along an asphalt road which is usually walked by many tourists. There is only one way to avoid the crowds and enjoy the exceptional nature of the Morskie Oko – start the trip early in the morning (about 7 a.m). On the route, after 1 hour walk – there are picturesque Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza Waterfalls and at the end, by the lake there is a big mountain hut and wooden benches.

An interesting option when you are at the Morskie Oko Lake is to hike to Czarny Staw Lake under Mt Rysy (up about 30 minutes walk, down 20 minutes – it’s a quite steep trail). It is the second deepest lake in Tatras (and the fourth in Poland) and its water has a dark blue color thanks for the shade for most of the day. 

Kościeliska Valley: is one of the most popular valleys in the Tatra Mountains. Even if you are not insensitive to natural wonders you will be impressed. Especially that during the trip you can also see the caves, the Kraków Gorge, or go to the Smreczyński Pond. The valley is often visited by parents traveling with children because this trail is very easy. We start the trip in “Kiry”. There is an entrance to the valley. You can get there in a few minutes by bus from Zakopane or by your own car – there are a lot of parking lots. 

The valley has shape of a deep rock gorge, and at its bottom flows Kościeliski Potok. In several points of the valley, in places where the walls are located very close to each other, there are narrowings, called gates. About half a kilometer from the entrance, we reach the first one. This is the Niżnia Kościeliska Gate.

In Kościeliska Valley in „Bacówka” you can buy highlander’s specialty, oscypek cheese. When we visit this valley in the springtime, we can admire a beautiful carpet of crocuses.

We stay on the green trail and go further. After about 1.5 km, we reach “Cudakowa” clearing. Then, behind it, on the “Stare Kościeliska” clearing, the „Zbójnicka” Chapel is located. Trails are crossing above it. Going to the left, across the bridge, you will get to the “Mroźna” Cave. It is definitely worth visiting, it is easily accessible for tourists and artificially illuminated, so you can even take your children. A few meters higher the trail to “Stoły” clearing begins. Those who don’t want to visit the cave, should go several dozen meters along the path leading to it, because there is an “Ice Source”. The water flowing out of it has a constant temperature – 4-4,5 ° C and is crystal clear. It is worth stopping for a moment, resting and observing the surroundings.

We’re back on the green trail. Above “Stare Kościeliska” clearing the Intermediate Kościeliska Gate is located.  About 4 km from the entrance to the valley is “Pisana” clearing. It offers beautiful views. About 150 m above the route where we are goes the trail to the Kraków Gorge and the Dragon’s Cave. Only the front part of the ravine is available for tourists. It is worth seeing it. High walls make it a bit scary and mysterious, but how interesting! From the ladder leading to the cave, the path is one-way. The trail that leads from the cave leads to the “Hala Pisana”. If we did not visit the ravine and we stayed on the road, we go across the bridge and reach the narrowing of the Higher Kościeliska Gate. On the left is the Pisana Rock, and right behind it starts the black trail leading to the “Raptawicka” Cave, as well as the red one that reaches the “Obłazkowa” and “Mylna” caves. At this point, highlander carriages finish the course.

After leaving the gate we go several hundred meters and we can see the Kościeliska Valley expands. On the left we see the “Smytnia” clearing. Crossing “Tomanowy” brook we will be at the trails crossing – the green will lead us to “Tomanowa” Pass and Ciemniak Mountain, and black to “Smreczyński” Pond. If we want to reach only the Mountain shelter on Hala Ornak, we stay on the road. A great idea is to relax on the bench in front of the shelter and enjoy the landscapes. The Kościeliska Valley is one of those places in the Tatras, which should be kept in mind when planning a holiday. The walk will give you lots of fun. You can spend time close to nature. Relaxation guaranteed!

Strążyska Valley: The Strążyska Valley is the best trail in the Polish Tatras for a trip with children, for seniors or for beginner hikers. It is not very long, it stretches along the swift creek, on the way you will encounter a lot of bridges, boulders, small waterfalls where you can soak your hands – a lot is going on for a little (or bigger) weary tourist. It’s not as crowded as other big valleys in the Tatra Mountains. You can come across the school trips but – compared to the Chochołowska Valley or the Kościeliska Valley – there are definitely fewer tourists. And another advantage of the Strążyska Valley – the trail starts just on the outskirts of Zakopane town so you don’t need to drive far to get to the valley. At the end of the valley, there is the Strążyska Glade with a really small hut where you can have lunch (pierogi, soup, sausage, oscypek cheese etc.) or something sweet (eg. the flagship dessert of Tatra huts – apple pie/szarlotka and t.) Inside the hut, there is little space – when the weather is rainy or when a school trip arrives, it gets very busy there. When the weather is nice, you can sit outside at one of the many wooden benches with a view of Giewont Mountain.

If you still have enough strength in your legs, it is worth taking another short trail from the Strążyska Glade to the Siklawica Waterfall (Wodospad Siklawica). A wooden sign/arrow will direct you to the trail. The sign says walking time is 15 minutes, however, getting to a waterfall, eg. with a three-year-old, can take 20 minutes or more (one way). This trip is recommended also in winter time, it is then worth renting sleighs for the kids, as on the way back to the town, they will have a great fun – slipping down the valley.

THERMAL BATHS : Relax, fun and chilling out in the thermal baths in Białka Tatrzańska, Bukowina Tatrzańska or in Chochołów and Zakopane.