Rysy is the highest point in the Polish Tatras and in Poland and also the highest point in the High Tatras that you can reach without a mountain guide. You can reach Rysy from either the Polish side, hiking past Morskie Oko or from the Slovak side starting at Štrbské Pleso. We recommend going up from the Slovakian side and down on the Polish side. This is a very hard full day hike which can be completed in around 10 hrs with breaks.
How to get there
You can start your hike from the electric rail station at Popradske Pleso (following the asphalt trail) or you can start from the car park at Strebske Pleso (follow the sign for Popradske Pleso and then a red trail leading into the forest from the road). Both paths takes about 4km/1,5 hrs to reach the Popradske Pleso (Lake), we recommend that you go down the trail to the lake as it is one of the most beautiful lakes in the area. From the lake you need to back track to the split and follow the blue marked path for about 1,5km over the footbridge of Zabi potok untill the road will split again with the well marked red route that leads to Rysy. This path will start your mostly uphill walk and take you past the Valley of Frog Ponds (Kotlina Kabich Plies) and to areas where you will be using some chains to help you with assending the ridge. After about 3,5 hrs walk you will reach the mountain lodge Chata pod Rysami where you can visit the toilet and have something to eat or drink. From this point it is another hour to reach the top of Rysy, the views from here are truely amazing and well worth the climb.
Going back down, you can choose to go back the way you came or down the Polish side instead. The Polish side is slightly more technical and involves also some steep slopes with chains. It takes just over 3hrs to get down to Morkise Oko and the mountain hut there. Some people choose to stay over here as the setting is lovely and walking still another 1,5hrs might seem like a crazy idea to some. The road from Morskie Oko to the entrance of the National Park on the Polish side is wide and paved, quite uneventful but welcoming after a big day of hiking. From the entrance there are many mini buses to take you back to Zakopane.
Useful Information
- Contact us for transport here or in the summer to get a bus to Poprad
- We also do guided hikes to Rysy, you can contact us for more info
- You will need good hiking shoes and hiking layers for this trip.
- Take dry socks, headlight and snacks.