Mt Rysy - A Travelers Guide to Climbing the Highest Peak in Poland

The Tatra Mountains are one of the most compact mountain ranges in the world. Covering an area of only 800 square kilometres, they still comprise 29 peaks that are over 2,500m in altitude, and more than 85 stunning glacial lakes. The Tatra Mountains span an area of approximately 60km and define the natural border between Poland and Slovakia.

Mount Rysy is the highest peak in Poland (2,503m) and the most visited peak in the Tatra Mountain Range. Regardless of its height, Mt Rysy is accessible to anyone via a trail known for its technical ascent, spectacular lakes and panoramic mountain views. The difficulty of the trail is often underestimated by hikers - a good level of fitness and outdoor experience is recommended before taking on the severely steep, over-crowed, slippery-when-wet slopes of Mt Rysy.

Tatra National Park was not a place I had planned to visit during my solo travels - I conveniently stumbled upon it while passing through Slovakia. I based myself in the Polish alpine village of Zakopane and explored the area by foot over five days. Due to the steep, rugged terrain of the Tatra Mountains, most alpine hiking trails require a guide. Mt Rysy is the exception – so this is where I began.

This blog is a quick guide to hiking the Mt Rysy trail, and includes transport options, what to pack and other tips to help you enjoy the Tatra Mountains as much as I did.

Getting to Tatra National Park

Most people begin their journey from Zakopane, a touristic alpine village in the heart of the Polish Tatra Mountains. The village offers many accommodation options, restaurants, and outdoor equipment stores, as well as variety of must-try polish street food. It is also known for its picturesque, 20th-century wooden chalets and horse and carts. A great home base!

The Mt Rysy trail head is located in Polana Palencia at the entrance to Tatra National Park. The best way to reach Polana Palencia is by public transport as parking lots fill up fast and roads become congested during the busy seasons.

Mini buses between Zakopane and Polana Palencia are frequent during summer, winter and weekends, departing every 10 minutes from the central bus station (35 Chramcówki Street, Zakopane). The cost return is 10zł (about €2.40), which is paid directly to the bus driver, so there is no need to book in advance. Once you arrive in Polana Palencia, entry into Tatra National Park is 5zł (about €1.20) and can be paid at the ticket booths at the start of the trail.

More details can be found in the planning section of this blog.

Hiking to Mt Rysy

Distance: 20km

Ascent: 1,300m

Time: 7-8 hours return

Polana Palencia to Morskie Oko

The trail from Polana Palenica (970m) to Morskie Oko (1,395m) is universally hated by Polish hikers. It consists of 10km of asphalt road with the occasional cobbled-shortcuts through the forest. The earlier you start the hike the better, as by mid-morning this section of the trail will be packed with tourists in high heels and jandels, travelling to Morskie Oko by horse and cart. The intermittent glimpses of towering mountain peaks in the distance, however, makes this section of the trail a little less tedious.

GEO FACT

Mt Rysy and the surrounding peaks are made up of the oldest rocks in the Tatra Mountain Range. Granite is a crystalline, igneous rock which formed when magma solidified on the Earth surface up to 300 million years ago!

After about 1.5 hours of pavement, you reach Morskie Oko (1,395m) and understand what all the fuss is about. The lake is crystal clear and perfectly reflects the surrounding mountain peaks. It is truly breathtaking. Once you have taken some time to enjoy the scenery, continue east along the edge of the lake and follow the red markers toward Czarny Staw (1,583m).

GEO FACT

How did these peaks get so high? The landscape you see here is the result of mountain-building caused by the collision of the African and Euro-Asian tectonic plates. This process pushed rock masses high into the air, creating the Europeans Alps, and further east, the Tatra Mountain Range.

Morskie Oko to Czarny Staw

From the Morskie Oko Information Centre, a narrow dirt trail takes you around the lake edge and away from the tourists. On the opposite side of the lake, there is a brief ascent up a gravel slope to reach Czarny Staw (1,583m). This lake, in my opinion, is even more spectacular than the first, with a viewpoint that overlooks the entire valley, including Morskie Oko and lower parts of the Tatra Mountain Range. Again, the bright turquoise waters of this lake act as a mirror and you're surrounded by rugged, steep mountains peaks. It takes about 30 minutes to reach Czarny Staw from Morskie Oko.

GEO FACT

The most dominant process that has shaped this landscape following mountain building is glaciation. During the Ice Age, many glaciers would have advanced through the region, carving out the mountains as they moved. Evidence of this is shown by large V-shaped valleys such as this one, and the beautiful glacial lakes that lie within them.

Czarny Staw to Mt Rysy Summit

The climb from Czarny Staw (1,583m) to Mt Rysy (2,503m) takes about 3 hours and is no doubt the most technical part of the trail. It is likely to encounter snow and ice here, even in the summer months. Initially, the route is gradual and comprises a gravelly path that winds up the valley. There are a few great places to stop with spectacular views back down toward the lakes. After about 1.5 hours, the trail veers to the left and you start to climb up the rocky slopes of Mt Rysy.

GEO FACT

Czarny Staw and Morskie Oko, and many other lakes in the area, are glacial lakes that formed as a result of past glacial processes. As glaciers recede, they leave behind holes and spaces in the landscape that fill with melt water over time.

From here, the trail steepens severely and chains are required in some places. It is also very narrow and exposed, so can be treacherous in windy or stormy conditions. There are cases of hikers falling from this section of the trail – so it is important to be prepared. Check the weather forecast, wear appropriate footwear, and feel confident with your level of fitness before continuing to the summit.

GEO FACT

Why are these lakes so blue? As glaciers recede, they pulverize minerals in the rock that eventually become sediment at the bottom of the lake. These suspended minerals support a large population of algae that produce these breath-taking bright blue and green colours.

The hardest part for me was not the climb itself but having to manoeuvre around hundreds of other hikers. The final hour or so was spent in an informal queue as we all made our way to the summit. This is definitely one of the consequences of visiting Zakopane in the middle of July. But regardless of the slow climb, reaching the summit made it all worth it and provided an empowering feeling like no other.

The trail ends on top of the second highest of Mt Rysy's peaks at 2,499m. Continue around it and climb to the next peak to reach the true summit at 2,503m. The panoramic views from here are spectacular and span the entire Tatra Mountain Range, across both Slovakia and Poland. On an exceptionally clear day you can even see the Polish city of Krakow in the distance.

GEO FACT

These landscapes are continuing to change before your eyes! Current day processes that are shaping this landscape include erosion induced by snow, rain and wind; mass movements such as rockfall and landslides; and changes induced by humans, in particular the crowds of hikers that climb to this summit every day. Remember to leave nothing behind but footprints.

Getting Back to Zakopane

Once you have rested, snacked, and taken in the views at the summit, you follow the same trail back down to Polana Palenica (970m). The steep section can be quite difficult in the opposite direction, and it can be slow as you encounter on-coming hikers. The rest of the descent is straight forward as you wind around those beautiful lakes one more time. It takes about 2 hours to reach the carpark from Mt Rysy summit.

From the carpark, the mini buses leave approximately every 20 minutes, returning the Zakopane central bus station.

Planning

Terrain

The terrain changes with elevation along the Mt Rysy trail. Initially, a paved road takes you to Morskie Oko; followed by a narrow, gravelly trail as you wind up the valley; and finally, a steep, rocky climb up the flanks of Mt Rysy to the summit. It is likely to encounter snow and ice on the upper sections of the hiking trail, even during the summer months.

The Route

There are two routes that will take you to the Mt Rysy summit, one from Slovakia and one from Poland. I chose to take the Polish route as it does not require a guide and it can be accessed easily from Zakopane.

The route is well marked out by red and white stripes throughout its length. It is a there-and-back style hike which returns along the same trail to the summit. I would usually recommend carrying a map, however, it is not a requirement on this trail as it is relatively straightforward. It might be handy to download maps on to your device (using an app such as MapsMe) if you would like to track your progress.

A more detailed explanation of the route is provided on this website.

Timing

The hike takes around 7 to 8 hours return from Polana Palenica. This time can vary depending on the season and the business of the trail. I recommend you plan for a full 8-hour day in the mountains.

Season

The best time to hike to Mt Rysy is in the off-season months of June and September. During these months the trail is less crowded and the weather is still mild. During winter months, the trail is unpassable.

I was in Zakopane in mid-July during the peak season. This meant that the weather was beautiful and warm, but the hiking trails were crowded, and accommodation was difficult to find. If you are visiting during this time, start your hikes early and try to book accommodation in advance.

Cost

As this hike does not require overnight stays it is cheap as chips!

Public transport to Polana Palencia (Mt Rysy trail head) will cost 10zł (about €2.40) return. Entry into Tatra National Park is 5zł (about €1.20) for the full day. There are food options at Morskie Oko information centre but I recommend packing a lunch for the day as tourist prices will apply here.

Accommodation

If you are travelling on a budget, I recommend staying at the Hostel Stara Polana. It is an affordable, well-equipped hostel with many bunk rooms, friendly staff, great cooking facilities, and free breakfast. And all of this is within walking distance from the village centre and bus stop.

Transport

The complete bus timetable can be found here .

Packing

I carried the following items during my hike to Mt Rysy:

Day backpack (15L)
Hiking boots
Hiking socks
Shorts
Singlet
Rain jacket
Thermal
Hat
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
First aid kit
Phone
GPS
Camera
Cash for the bus and park entry
Water bladder (3L)
Lunch and snacks

Note: This list may vary depending on season, weather conditions and personal preference.

Useful Blogs/Websites

Some website and traveller blogs that I found useful when preparing for the Mt Rysy hike are included below:

https://www.adventurous-travels.com/posts/trail-to-rysy-the-highest-peak-in-poland

https://www.routeyou.com/en-pl/route/view/4412658/hiking-route/climbing-the-highest-mountain-of-poland-rysy

http://www.hereihike.com/2015/07/slovakia-rysy-peak-hike.html