Hiking with kids: prepare your family to explore the Tatra Mountains in Poland so everyone can enjoy it

The Tatra Mountains in Poland are rich in trails suitable for families with children. Check out our eight tips to make your adventure in the Tatras fun for the whole family!

1. Select a trail ending with a hut (schronisko in Polish). You will have a chance to recharge your batteries there and offer your kids an incentive, eg, a famous apple pie (szarlotka) available in every Tatra hut.

2. With bigger children, it’s good to set an interesting goal for the trip – for example, a trail with caves (the Kościeliska Valley), ending with a waterfall (the Strążyska Valley) or a mountain lake (the Morskie Oko trail). Also, it’s a nice option to estimate your expeditions (time, mileage, elevation) with a smartphone application – kids will love to compare the trips and want to break the record!

3. Pack plenty of light snacks (sandwiches, fruits) and lots of water (during summer, you will probably need more water than you think;) With smaller hikers and long ambitious trails – try to forget for a moment about healthy food for your kids and spoil them on the trail with some snacks they usually don’t get (it may be the only incentive working on a long monotonous trail…:). Small treats can do their magic and bring you to your destination. Our little tip – keep it to yourself that you have them, otherwise your kids will ask for them the minute you start the hike. Use the magic goodies once the whining gets serious, and give away rewards after passing a certain distance.

4. At the ticket offices, the huts, and some of the souvenir stands in Zakopane, you will be able to buy a stamp book/passport. Children can stamp it at the ticket offices at the entrance to the trails and in the huts (different stamps at different trails and huts).

5. Take pictures and watch them together in the evening. It will motivate the young hikers for the next day’s trip.

6. Start your hike early in the morning. We know that waking up kids early on vacation (especially teenagers!) is hard, but it’s worth it. It will allow you to take advantage of the energy kids have in the morning and avoid the crowds and the heat of the day during the summer.

7. Pay attention to what your kids want to wear and say no to shorts or skirts – long trousers are a must; otherwise, your kids will probably end up with a scraped knee. Another thing – dress in layers, like an onion (in Polish – ubrać się na cebulkę). In the Polish mountains, we can experience weather from all seasons in one day – be prepared for any weather in the Polish Tatras, especially in the spring and autumn. It’s good to equip your children with small backpacks – let them carry some of their stuff.

8. With small children, having a carrier in the mountains is worth it. You do not need to buy a backpack carrier – you can rent one in Zakopane for a day or a week (in Polish: nosidełko turystyczne). Some of the hotels in Zakopane will rent it for you, or you can Google the nearest rental in Zakopane (in Polish: Zakopane wypożyczalnia nosidełek). A backpack carrier will allow you to select more challenging, longer trails. Make sure that there is a rain cover in the pocket of your carrier (it can come in handy with the unpredictable mountain weather).

Our guide to hiking in the Tatra Mountains in Poland:

Click here 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?).
Before you head to the Polish Tatra Mountains, read our post about visiting Zakopane: The town of Zakopane – the heart of the Polish Tatra Mountains (ideas for things to do in Zakopane, the souvenirs from Zakopane, skiing in Zakopane, how to get to Zakopane).
Here are our tips for hiking to The Strążyska Valley – the best trail in the Polish Tatras for a trip with children, for seniors or for beginner hikers.
Here are our tips for hiking to The Morskie Oko – the largest lake in the Tatra Mountains.
Our tips on hiking in The Kościeliska Valley – one of the most picturesque valleys in the Polish Tatra Mountains.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletters in English to explore Poland and learn about it! Once a month, you will receive a Newsletter: ‘Explore Poland with Kids‘. You will find there family-friendly destinations in Poland – beautiful places in Poland worth visiting with children – from city break destinations to hiking in the mountains (lots of practical tips!); things you can’t miss in Poland in a given month; dates to remember, holidays, observances in Poland in a given month so you can mark your calendars accordingly.