Get to know the most famous mountains in Zakopane with this guide to eight of the most iconic summits, from Kasprowy to Kozi Wierch.
Zakopane is a peak bagger’s paradise.
The town, which is known as the home of Polish skiing and ski jumping is also a hiking mecca in the warmer months. It’s right there on the edge of the Tatra National Park, a protected stretch of the Carpathian Mountains that includes Poland’s highest peak and plenty of others besides.
It’s really accessible. You can even walk into the park from many hotels in the center in 20 minutes. Other mountains in Zakopane will require you to jump in a bus for a bit to reach the trailhead, although we’d always recommend you rent a car if you’re serious about walking – it just adds freedom and means you can escape the crowds.
We have detailed guides to many of the mountains in the Tatras. Click through to those to learn more about them and how to hike them.
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This is just one part of our complete guide to Zakopane
What’s in this guide to mountains in Zakoane
Kasprowy Wierch
Height: 1,987 meters
Kasprowy Wierch is one of the most popular mountains in the Tatra range, known for its accessibility and cable car, which has been standing here since before the Titanic set sail (don’t worry, it’s been refurbished since then!).
The trail to the top begins at Kuznice, a small village right at the base of Kasprowy. The path winds through picturesque alpine forests before offering breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks and valleys.
How to hike: For a full hiking experience, start from Kuznice, following trail up the Gąsienicowa valley. It takes approximately 3-4 hours to reach the summit on foot going that way and there’s a potential extension to lake at Czarny Staw. The route back down is more direct, going straight down the north face of the mountain in zigzags before entering the forests just south of Kuznice. Oh yea, or you can cable car up/down and walk half.
Rysy
Height: 2,503 meters
Rysy is the highest peak in Poland, straddling the border between Poland and Slovakia.
It’s a must-hike for serious trekkers due to its challenging terrain and rewarding views.
From the summit, you’ll see both sides of the border, as well as the scenic Morskie Oko lake below, which we rank as one of the most amazing natural wonders in the whole of Poland. (Incidentally, there are day trips that can take you there straight from Krakow if you don’t have time to do a full trip to Zakopane!).
How to hike: The trail to Rysy begins at Morskie Oko, and hikers must follow the red-marked trail. The ascent takes about 4-5 hours from the lake and is only for experienced hikers due to the steep and rocky path. There’s some scrambling and chain-assisted sections here. It gets much harder in the winter.
Giewont
Height: 1,895 meters
Giewont is one of the most iconic mountains in the Zakopane region, easily recognized by its silhouette, which resembles a sleeping knight – or so they say. We think it resembles just about anyone sleeping but hey ho.
The peak offers some of the best views of Zakopane and the valleys below because it’s one of the first in the line of Tatras that rise up to the south of town. The north face of Giewont is spectacularly rugged and unclimbable. You need to skirt around to the south side to get access to the top, which is famous because it’s capped by a big metal cross.
How to hike: Like Kasprowy, the trail starts in Kuznice village, and hikers can follow the blue trail via Kalatówki and Kondratowa Valley. The hike to Giewont takes about 3-4 hours and involves a rocky climb with chains to assist during the final section. Not recommended in winter.
Zakopane: Essential travel planning
Book your flights – Krakow Airport is the nearest to Zakopane. Skyscanner is by far the best flights searcher. It can even show the cheapest flights to Krakow from multiple airports in any given month.
Book your hotel – We have a complete guide to the top hotels in Zakopane that we update each year. Booking.com is the best site out there reservations in our humble opinion, offering room upgrades for Genius travellers and generous cancellation policies.
Rent your car – You don’t HAVE to rent a car for a trip to Zakopane but it will give you the freedom to explore the Tatras to the full. Rates also aren’t that high in Poland. Use RentalCars.com to book yours, because they offer generous cancellation periods.
Sort your money – Get a Wise card. We can’t recommend them enough. Zero fees for card transactions, free ATM withdrawals up to 200 quid, and the best app we’ve ever used. We don’t travel without this anymore.
Get insurance – Travel insurance is a must, even for a quick weekend hop to Poland, and ESPECIALLY since Brexit (grr). We’ve got SafetyWing insurance (medical insurance for frequent travellers).
Gubałówka
Height: 1,126 meters
Gubałówka is the easiest of the mountains in Zakopane to climb. In fact, it’s barely a mountain at all. It’s more of a hill.
Known for its gentle ski slopes and a funicular railway that takes visitors straight to the top, it lines the northern side of the town.
You can actually stroll up it in less than an hour, accessing the trail from the end of Krupowki Street, the main drag.
The views are the main draw: From the summit, you’ll get a sweeping view of Zakopane below, with the dramatic Tatra peaks in the background. There’s also a restaurant up there with a big deck, cold beers, and plates of pierogi.
How to hike: For a leisurely hike, you can take the path from the center of Zakopane, which takes about 1-2 hours to ascend. Alternatively, ride the funicular railway, which departs regularly from Zakopane.
Świnica
Height: 2,301 meters
Świnica is one of the harder climbs in the Zakopane Tatras. Popular with experienced hikers, the path up includes steep climbs and rocky parts that are highly exposed. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the Tatra range and great views south over the Slovak Tatras.
It’s actually one of the most dramatic hikes in the region, especially if you opt for the most direct route up. That goes past the inky mountain lake of Dlugi Staw and zigzags to the top on rocky terrain. An alternative route follows a knife-edge ridge along the Slovakian border from Kasprowy.
How to hike: The most popular hike to Świnica begins at Kasprowy Wierch. If you take the cable car, the climb from there takes about 2-3 hours. Hikers must navigate some technical sections involving chains for safety, so experience is required and there are steep drops here and there, so vertigo sufferers beware.
Czerwone Wierchy
Height: 2,097 meters
Czerwone Wierchy is a series of four peaks known for their reddish hue in autumn, hence the name – it means ‘Red Peaks’ in English.
The ridgeline hike offers panoramic views of both Poland and Slovakia and is perfect for those looking for a moderately challenging hike that involves long sections through thick forests and then softer ascents on the ridgelines of wider mountains that don’t have challenging rocky parts like some of the other mountains in Zakopane.
The summits of the Czerwone Wierchy stand over the western side of the Tatras. That’s the less-visited portion of the national park and, we think, a lot quieter than peaks to the east (Kasprowy, Rysy). A car is helpful for getting here, but then you can look forward to some of the emptier trails in the region.
How to hike: Multiple options here. Our favorite is the long, slow ascent through the valley to the east of Mała Świstowka and west of Giewont. It’s thick woods and meadows and there’s hardly ever anyone there. It’s long, though – the summit can take 4 hours or more to reach and it does steepen considerably towards the end.
Kościelec
Height: 2,155 meters
Kościelec is known for its dramatic, church-like shape, making it a distinct feature of the Tatra landscape and one that you’ll often find on postcards and whatnot.
Though not the highest peak, it is one of the most scenic, with steep, rocky trails leading to the summit.
It’s mainly for the dedicated climbers and offers a more technical challenge with specialized equipment.
The summit is a bit of a postage stamp, with steep, almost vertical drops on both sides. The 360-degree views take in the last row of the Polish Tatras to the south but also the wonderful Czarny Staw lake and all the smaller lakes around it.
How to hike: The climb – and this one really is much more of a climb than a hike – begins at the Murowaniec Hut on the route to Zawrat. The trail takes about 3-4 hours to reach the top.
Kozi Wierch
Height: 2,291 meters
Kozi Wierch is the highest peak entirely within Poland and is part of the famous Orla Perc ridge – honestly it’s more of a via ferrata than a standard hiking path.
One of the most challenging ascents in the range, it’s only for experienced climbers, has multiple chain sections, and is highly exposed to weather changes the whole way along. Yikes.
The mountain itself is sort of split into two with a V-shaped gorge separating a smaller sub-peak from the main peak some 2,291 meters up. The name means ‘goat mountain,’ which it got because the five lakes valley below was used by sheep herders way back when.
How to hike: The trail starts at Dolina Pięciu Stawów (Valley of Five Lakes) and follows the red trail. It takes about 4-5 hours to summit, and hikers should be prepared for exposed ridges and technical sections. There are some one-way sections on the trail towards the top so plan ahead accordingly.
