zakopane – On The Road Abroad

First I think I have to mention that we were very, very lucky with the weather, we hiked right after a few days of snow in the mountains, and the sun accompanied on this hike for a while.
We had a long night on the road, and we didn't have the chance to sleep so well! We arrived in Zakopane from Krakow at 7:30 in the morning, then walked to the center. Nothing was yet open for breakfast, except, (Opa!!) Mcdonalds, right in front of us. It was a good place to stop for a drink and to change clothes! Later on a restaurant opposite McDonalds opened and we went it, happy for a real breakfast. We had more coffee and after did a bit of shopping for the 2 day hike ahead of us.

Early morning in Zakopane!

On the way to Zazadnia

Then it was time to reach the starting point of the trail. We had a bit of a problem communicating with the minibus and taxi drivers and explaining to them where we wanted to go exactly. I still don't get it. Anyway, one taxi driver said he knew the way and we got in.. After he dropped us off, I realized.. he made a mistake.. It wasn’t the right place! We saw a jeep of the park rangers, and finally got some useful advice to help us reach our starting point. We needed to walk more down the main street in the hope that a minibus would drive by and we would just hop off.. After 5 mins our angel came!
The minibus was full and I didn't have a seat, but, anyway, it was fun and I made a kind of show for them. The driver was trying to chat with me in a few languages to figure out why the hell we wanted to reach Zazadnia. Even other passengers were in shock that we wanted to hike in the mountains and reach Roztoka, I said we were heros and we would make it.

Still on the way

Here we go.. Starts to hike

Zazadnia bus stop! Finally! – Blue trail –
We were so happy to start our hike on the snow! We saw some amazing views and the first half an hour was easy and a good warm up to start to get used to hiking. Some of us put crampons on. It make us feel more stable and less challenged, and our first destination was the beautiful panoramic view of Rusinowa Polana, here you can see as well the Slovakian Tatras.

To Roztoka Stara – Blue, Black, Red, Green –
From this point there is few trails, you can look on the map and choose what you would like to do.
It's lovely trail with a mix of uphills and downhills. It wasn’t too hard, we walked in the forest and had a nice time enjoying nature. Keep on this forest trail until you reach the asphalt road (Red trail), this road leads to the famous Morskie Oko lake. When you reach the road take a right, and in about ten minutes you will see a waterfall. Close to it, on the left side will be the Green trail which takes you all the way down to the valley, after 15 minutes you will be in Stara Roztoka.

They working on the trail.. Soon you will pass a new wooden bridge 😊

the church on the way to Rusinowa polana

On the way to a nice view point 🥁🍾

In Rosinowa polana

More pics below on the way down to Roztoka

Finally resting after a four and half an hour hike in the refuge hostel Stara Roztoka, we showered, had dinner and drinks, most of my friends fell asleep early, just me and Joe could stay up longer, and we played some chess! One of the nice and cool things here is that they have board games!

The second day!
On the second day, the hike was longer, but it’s going to be for you easier after you get used to hiking on the snow. In total, the hike should take maximum six hours with breaks on the way. Are you ready?
Before you leave, i really recommend you follow our example. After a light breakfast, I told my friends it was time for a bit of a workout, some pushups, jumping, working on your balance and breathing. Choose whatever, and do it for 15 minutes, then dress well and start your hike.

For the first hour go back on the same trail, up on the green trail to the road, take a left, and walk down the road and again take the red one uphill! Did you see the forest? Our destination today is “Toprowa Cyrhla” most of the time stay on the red trail.
After a little more than one hour from the hostel you will reach the intersection with the Black trail, here you continue on the red trail to “Rowien Waksmundska”, then to “Psia Trawka” hiking in “Dolina Suchej Wody”. Here it's beautiful and kind of flat, and finally continue on the red trail to the main road “Toprowa Cyrhla”. There you can catch a bus and return to the center of Zakopane or walk for around an hour.

Below you can see some pics, heading back to Zakopane

Here are the details in short:
Zakopane – from here to take the minibus to the starting point
Zazadnia – the starting point
Parking niestrzeżony płatny, Droga Oswalda Balzera, 34-530 Bukowina Tatrzańska
https://goo.gl/maps/sqceenvHfY32
Palenica Białczańska \ Morskie oko – parking area, it’s just the minibus destination
Rusinowa Polana – here’s the best panoramic view
https://goo.gl/maps/nwp5mTqtx3D2
Stara Roztoka the name of Hostel where we slept
https://goo.gl/maps/PjwnJj6DkXv
Toprowa Cyrhla – the end point of the second day
Punkt sprzedaży biletów do TPN
https://goo.gl/maps/fAD48ccLiB12

any thanks to few of my Friends that explored together with me this short Hike:)

Day by day it's getting harder for me to write about my experience in Zakopane and the Polish Tatars mountains. But at this moment 13-6-2016 11:28 Am, I'm sitting at nice Cafe, at the third floor enjoying each moment of the view of the mountains, well some i can't see…it's a foggy day.

Almost one month I’m away from home, Haifa, Israel. A quick brief what i had done so far and then in other posts will write more details about it.
15-5-2016 quick and short trip Slovakia focusing at the Slovak Tatras mountains.
18-5-2016 i head off to Zakopane in south Poland to volunteer at a hostel.
3-6-2016 until 7-6-2016 quick trip to Berlin from Zakopane visiting friends.

23-6-2016 i will pick up a group from back home to guide them in Slovakia (off-road) with travel agency Jeep and Travel.

some pics….

OK now lets back to talk a bit about this lovely village. Zakopane, in south Poland have a unique mixture that i was looking for, Nightlife and Nature. Quite often when i travel i like to find spot and to have these 2 things Nightlife and Nature.
Nightlife here very mixed and interesting, many places to hangout to grab a beer and to dance, all week! Many different styles, hard to pick the most one i liked, but i will go to say “Europejska”. Keep calm and wait to my post later about nightlife in Zakopane.

Nature, I'm not used to that much to surrounded by mountains, green and high trees. Just 2 minutes walk from the hostel i volunteer i can start a nice hike in the polish Tatras mountains, so far i reached 4 peaks and I'm looking forward to more, i want to reach the highest one but doesn't look i could do it now! I'm kind started to know what i want, to be in the nature, to hike and to reach mountain peaks in the world, I'm happy that I'm here because for beginner its perfect and good start. Again, keep calm and wait to other post in the future about the Hiking in the polish Tatras mountains.

I end up to be in Zakopane, because after the first group i had until i will have the second group to guide in Slovakia, plenty of free time, a bit more than one month, i made some search how to spend my time until i found volunteering at a hostel in Zakopane, and I'm happy to end up in Zakopane, i could say i feel home.

My local experience is great here, one of my things i like, its to watch people while I'm at a bar, at cafe or also while walking, i got to know how they dance, how they hangout, what they like to eat and so on, and it's because most of the tourist here are local tourists from the Poland, so in that way you will you will
feel the local vibe to experience it.

to be traveler, travel blogger and travel guide looks it's not easy, but i will try my best to share with you my experience in writing. Oh also forgot to tell you, to add what i mention i also write handwriting diary, and i like to travel and live the moment without writing or taking pics.

More details and information will come later in different posts here in my blog, anyway i would like to follow me on Facebook where I'm more active, also you can find me on instagram and twitter.
My hashtag for this journey #ExperienceZakopane #ExperienceTatra

A bit more than one week leaving but i will be back for sure 🙂

Cheers from STRH cafe