Welcome to one of the best hikes in Zakopane, and definitely one of the most picturesque we have ever done.. the Five Polish Ponds Valley. Located nearby the popular Morskie Oko, the 5 Lakes Hike is one of the best options to do inside the Tatra National Park (Poland). As you will see from photos in the guide.. the hike offers spectacular views, however you will have to ‘pay for those views’ with good, hard effort. The five lakes valley hike is situated just out of popular Polish mountain town Zakopane. This guide will look to provide you with some inspiration to complete the hike, a guide on what to expect, and a few tips on what trail to follow.
A few things to know about the Zakopane Five Lakes Valley Hike
- Start the 5 lakes valley hike at the Morskie Oko trail head. Here you pay your park entry (around 10-15PLN), there are toilets, food options, parking and more.
- The five lakes hike in Zakopane is 22kms and will take around 6-9 hours (pending hiking fitness). It is considered a hard hike, due to the distance and the 1km of elevation. Ky went with a group who were all had decent hiking fitness and it took them all around 7 hours to complete.
- What gear do you need for the five lakes valley hike? Generally, hiking shoes and supplies (water/food etc) would be enough, however in challenging weather conditions other things may be required.
- Are the facilities on the hike? Yes! Along the five lakes valley hike you will find a little mountain hut roughly half way along the trail. This is located by one of the lakes in the valley, and offers, bathroom facilities, food and more.
- You will see waterfalls (including the beautiful Siklawa Waterfall), five gorgeous mountain lakes including the popular Morskie Oko. You will also get incredible views, forest trails, valleys, wildflowers (pending the time of year) and you may even see wild brown bears (read up/ask you accommodation for a few tips on bear safety).
- Do you need to be fit to hike the five lakes in Zakopane? In short.. yes. The trail is challenging, with lots of stairs and incline. The trail itself is well maintained, however there is no option of “exiting early” if you are half way along, as the trail is essentially a loop. If you aren’t confident in your ability to complete the 22kms, doing the ‘easy’ trail to Morskie Oko is recommended.
The hiking trail to the Zakopane Five Lakes Valley:
- Start: Morskie Oko trail head. Walk along the main trail for around 30-40 minutes. This is a bitumen road, and an easy walk. It will likely be relatively crowded with people heading the Morskie Oko.
- Walk to the first waterfall (Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza waterfall) and then take the first trail up to the right. This will be the GREEN TRAIL (green and white sign). This trail is a narrow uphill path following the sign to Dolina Pięciu Stawów (Valley of Five Lakes).
- Follow this trail for a good distance, uphill, through the valley, past rivers, through the woods and you will reach Siklawa Waterfall. If you have seen a possible turn off on the way, keep following the green trail (don’t take the black trail.. its an uphill shortcut that skips the waterfall and some of the lakes).
- Hike past the waterfall towards the Five Polish Ponds Valley. Here you will see some of the best mountain lakes around. If you continue past the first few lakes you will reach the PTTK Mountain Hut. A good place for a rest, something to eat.
- Take the BLUE TRAIL from here towards Morskie Oko. This offers incredible views, but its also quite a lot of elevation and downhill. We think it’s definitely worth it.
- You will the finish the blue trail and arrive near Morskie Oko. You can choose to walk the circumference of Morskie Oko, or even add on a hike to another lake and mountain called Rysy.
- You finish the hike by taking the trail from Morskie Oko back to the carpark. This is a paved road and an easy finish.
- See more on the AllTrails website.
How to get to the Five Lakes Valley hike?
- Shuttle Bus: Take one of the shuttles labelled ‘Morskie Oko’. You need cash and it will cost around 15-20 PLN. They start at the train station and stop along the way. If you are unsure, ask you accommodation host where they start. Make sure you finish the hike in time to get the last shuttle back. We recommend you start early. The trip will take around 20-30 minutes from Zakopane to Morskie Oko.
- Driving: This is probably the easiest way, however make sure you arrive early to guarantee a car park. The fee is reportedly around 25PLN (but may have gone up).
- Taxi: There are taxi options around, however expect to pay at least 50PLN, if not a lot more, as the taxi driver will likely charge a decent fee for the trip.
So should you do the Zakopane Five Lakes Valley Hike? Definitely! It offers spectacular views, and is one of the best hikes Ky has ever done!
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