During peak season, the buses to Morskie Oko leave as early as 7 AM and run until late at night (~9 PM). But generally, the buses run until a little after dusk. The route takes about 30 minutes as we mentioned, but it can take much longer when you are visiting during peak season due to traffic congestion. There isno shortage of mountain lakes around Zakopane. Similar to the mountain peaks, there are some great hikes out to see the areas pristine lakes. The most famous being Lake Morskie Oko, “Eye of the Sea,” which requires a bus ride to the base of the trail. It’s about a two-hour walk from the drop-off point, each way. Kasprowy Wierch is a great mountain for hiking. If you don’t like to get tired, you can use a cable car to reach the top. In the winter, this is definitely the best place for snowboarding and skiing in Zakopane! We may have missed a bear ourselves, but crossed paths with a couple of locals on a trail warning us of a bear up ahead. We walked on tentatively. Here you can experience the wild and find truly remote places to relax and cut away from the crowdedcities of Europe.

This is the most popular valley in the Tatra Mountains. It’s about 4 miles long. The beginning of the hiking trail is in Kuźnice. Take a bus from Zakopane to get there. Dolina Kościeliska We hiked Morskie Oko at the end of September, so our experience might differ compared to yours! Taking The Morskie Oko Bus From Zakopane to Palenica Białczańska This is the most beautiful valley in the Tatra Mountains. It’s 6 miles long. Take a bus from Zakopane to Kira to find the beginning of the hiking trail. In our opinion, taking the extra hike toCzarny Staw pod Rysami is a MUST when you visit Morskie Oko. How Long Is The Morskie Oko Hike? The Morskie Oko hiking trail is fairly easy. Most of the trail is on a paved asphalt road and shade is abundant. There are several pit stops and shops along the way where you can replenish yourself with some food or drinks.That’s the one with a buffalo on it. Don’t miss trying it in this Polish town. It’s one of the best things to do in Zakopane. One of our favorite bars in Zakopane is Cafe Piano Zakopane. Tatra Chalet:This small chalet is a wonderful choice to have a chalet experience while getting the distinct Zakopane feel. After you go hiking in Zakopane, you deserve an amazing meal! Zakopane restaurants don’t disappoint. Have an amazing meal in this city and ponder over all the things that make Poles so unique! Asides from the wildlife you can find throughout the rest of Poland, Zakopane, and the Tatrasare home to several rare species. Animals such as brown bears, lynx, mountain chamois, marmots, and eagles are all some wildlife you may see while hiking through the mountains.

On average, it takes about 5 to 6 hours to finish the Morskie Oko hike. Though the hiking trail ( one way) to Morskie Oko takes about 2 hours, we recommend factoring in the time you would spend walking around the beautiful lake. Car: As it is located on a main road in the Tatras, Zakopane is easily accessible by car. If driving from Kraków, follow the E77 and E67 roads to get to Zakopane.

16. Nosal

On the Morskie Oko hike, you gain approximately 411 meters in elevation. This assumes that you start your hike at the parking lot, which the majority of hikers do. If you hike up to Czarny Staw pod Rysami, you’ll find around 600 meters instead. Even though it’s not located in Zakopane, it’s a place definitely worth visiting, especially for families traveling to Zakopane with kids. Tatralandia is just 1,5h drive from the town. You can’t visit Zakopane and not go hiking at least once. Hiking is definitely one of the best things to do in Zakopane and the small town makes an excellent base. So if you’re an adventurer, hiking is probably the best thing to do in Zakopane for you! Soaking in a thermal spa is always enjoyable, but it is one of the best things to do in Zakopane in the wintertime. The hot pools at Terma Bukowina are one of the most popular places to head. You’ll probably even get in a chat with a few locals. Though there is a schedule for the Morskie Oko buses, they generally just depart when they are full. During peak season, these buses come every few minutes.

There are so many great places to eat in Zakopane. If you are traveling on a budget, go to Bistro Grota. You can have a meal there for as cheap as 5-15 zloty. To try the best local food (with live music in the evening) go to Siuchajsko on Krzeptowki. This restaurant is really awesome!

The weather in Zakopane can be freezing, so after a day of hiking or skiing, sometimes it’s just nice to curl up in bed! You will find plenty of hotels, hostels, and villas in Zakopane. All of these peaks in the mountain range are located above Morskie Oko. Rysy is the highest peak in Poland. Don’t go there if you are not fit enough! The ascent is really difficult and dangerous. Giewont is located above Kasprowy Wierch. It’s not easy to hike there, but the views are really great! From Kasprowy Wierch to Giewont, you’ll reach the summit in 2 hours.