Hiking in the Polish Tatra Mountains: the Kościeliska Valley (Dolina Kościeliska)

The Kościeliska Valley is one of the most picturesque valleys in the Polish Tatra Mountains (and one of the most visited Tatra destinations), ending with a big hut with an impressive view of the Tatras. The trail leads along a comfortable wide path, very gently climbing up. It’s rather a long walk than a hike in the mountains, children won’t get tired so quickly. The beautiful stream (Potok Kościeliski) runs smoothly along the bottom of the ravine. What distinguishes the valley from other Tatra trails is that there are 5 out of 6 caves available to tourists in the Polish Tatras.

Attractions along the Kościeliska Valley:

The Mroźna Cave (Jaskinia Mroźna) is open from April 26 until October 30. The Mroźna Cave is illuminated and an additional entrance fee is charged there. The fee is 4 PLN (children under six – free entrance). To get to the Mroźna Cave you need additional 30 minutes up, 30 minutes trail in the cave, and 10 minutes down, back to the main trail
The Pisana Glade (Polana Pisana) is a usual stop on the Kościeliska trail (horse carriage stop, wooden benches, access to a creek, mobile toilets)
The Kraków Gorge (Wąwóz Kraków) ending with the Smocza Jama Cave (additional 20 minutes up and 35 minutes down, back to the main trail). Wąwóz Kraków and the cave are such an original and unique place that they can be the highlight of the whole trip. High mossy walls create a fairytale atmosphere. In the Karków Gorge, you can feel like on a serious mountain expedition – there are some chains and a ladder. Kids (and adults) will love it! To visit the Smocza Jama cave, you should have a flashlight (you don’t need to go into the cave, you can skip it and select an alternative trail on the surface)
The Mylna Cave (Jaskinia Mylna) and the Raptawicka Cave (Jaskinia Raptawicka) – to visit them you will need an additional 40 minutes. You must have a flashlight
The Smreczyński Lake (Staw Smreczyński) is a picturesque small mountain lake. You will need an additional 30 minutes up and 25 minutes down, back to the hut in the Hala Ornak Glade. The trail to the lake is quite steep – it’s not accessible to strollers
The mountain hut (schronisko) in the Ornak Glade (Hala Ornak), located at an altitude of 1,100 m above sea level. You can have lunch there or just take a rest inside the hut or outside on wooden benches in front of the hut with a beautiful view of the Tatra Mountains

The Kościeliska Valley hike time

Hike time up: 90 minutes
Hike time down: 90 minutes

Kościeliska Valley GREEN trail. Source: Tatrzański Park Narodowy (www.tpn.pl)

How to get to the Kościeliska Valley?

The trail starts next to the parking lot in the village of Kiry. You can get to Kiry from Zakopane by car, by bus or by taxi (about 10 minutes, 7 km).

Our tips on hiking the Kościeliska Valley

Difficulty level: Dolina Kościeliska is an easy trail in terms of very little elevation gain. It’s suitable for everyone in fair hiking condition, including children and seniors. However, you need to take into account it’s a relatively long walk – it takes about 90 minutes one way (for comparison, the whole trip back and forth in the Strążyska Valley trail takes a little over an hour)
The Kościeliska Valley is a stroller-accessible trail (preferably with bigger wheels or air-filler tires). Please note that the surface of the trail is relatively bumpy so not every child will like it. The caves in the Kościeliska Valley, as well as the Kraków Gorge and the Smreczyński Lake, are not accessible to strollers
The trail, for the most part, is not shaded
Mobile toilets are located at the entrance to the valley and in the middle of the valley; regular toiles are available in the hut at the end of the trail (Hala Ornak Glade)
There is a possibility to take a highlander horse carriage (dorożka, bryczka) from Kiry village to Polana Pisana / Pisana Glade (about two-thirds of the total route). One carriage takes 4-5 people. There is no fixed price, you can negotiate it

Click here or on the photo to read our tips on hiking in the Polish Tatra Mountains (When is the best time of the year to visit the Tatra Mountains and Zakopane? Do I need to buy a ticket to enter the Tatra National Park? What time is best to go on the trail in the Tatras? How to dress for a trip to the Tatra Mountains? Tips for hiking with children in the Polish mountains).

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Hiking trails in Poland: the Kościeliska Valley in Polish Tatra Mountains

Hiking trails in Poland: the Kościeliska Valley in Polish Tatra Mountains

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