The Morskie Oko Hike, Tatra Mountain

To help plan your own hike to morskie oko lake, This post is divided into two parts:
First, we'll share the story of our hike to Morskie Oko.
And second, we'll provide useful information to help you plan your own adventure.

huge mountains all around, their tops reaching for the sky, and waterfalls feeding the lake down the cliffs.

We found some rocks in the lake and sat down to relax and enjoy the view, It was a moment of pure bliss that we'll never forget!

On summer 2023, we explored the stunning Tatra Mountains in southern Poland with my wife Karolina . With perfect weather, we tackled the iconic Morskie Oko lake hike, the true highlight of the trip.

Renting a car in Warsaw, we drove for four hours to Zakopane, the gateway to the Tatras. After booking a cozy room online, we set off early the next day for the hike's starting point.

We parked the car and began hiking towards the famous Morskie Oko lake.
Having purchased tickets online, we skipped the queues and embarked on the main path.

The main hiking path is a road for walkers and horse carriages, but there are other routes that take you through the beautiful forests of the mountain.

We chose the scenic path, which was longer, but we wanted to make the most out of our hike.

What we loved about this path was that even though we were already on the mountain, we could still see taller peaks surrounding us, which was incredible.

As we hiked, we crossed small streams and a few bridges, after a couple of hours, we decided to take a break by a river flowing down from the mountain.

The water was ice-cold but refreshing as we soaked our feet, and once we felt energized, we continued on.

And just as we had that thought, we were greeted by a stunning surprise—a beautiful lake located between the mountains!
We were overjoyed, hugged each other, and took a moment to fully take in the breathtaking scene.

this beautiful lake comes by a cozy hut restaurant next to it, so we took a break, had a warm meal, and enjoyed some refreshing drinks.

The place was full of hikers resting, and out of nowhere, a wild baby fox appeared, probably looking for food too.

People started feeding it, but we weren't sure if that was the right thing to do!
After all the excitement, we grabbed our backpacks and continued on our way to Morskie Oko.

We were feeling pretty good physically as we felt like we’d already covered half the distance, so we picked up the pace. The trail was rocky, with lots of fallen rocks from the mountain cliffs.

The views were amazing as the path started to slope downhill.
It meant we were getting closer to the lake!

After about two hours, we reached a spot where we could see the lake in the distance, and another famous lake on top of it called "czarny staw".

we decided to take a break on the grass there and eat a quick snack.

It felt like we were in a movie theater watching the most beautiful film ever!

It was time to keep going and we decided to push through to the lake without any breaks.

As we hiked the last bit, my wife was singing old Polish songs. I didn't understand the words, but I could tell she was really happy.

In the beginning of the hike, we had taken the scenic path, but it was time to join the main trail.

After what felt like forever, we got to Morskie Oko, it was absolutely worth every step of the journey!

Have you ever seen those super cool nature photos people use on their computers? Morskie Oko is one of those!

We started walking along a forest path that was quieter than the main trail.
By the way, the hike to Morskie Oko can get really crowded during peak season!

The trail became narrower and steeper, and it got tougher to keep going, especially with the sun beating down on us, but together, we pushed through one of the hardest sections.

The Morskie Oko Hike!

Located at an elevation of 1,395 meters (4,577 feet) in the Tatra Mountains, Morskie Oko (literally "Eye of the Sea") is the largest and fourth-deepest lake in the Tatra Mountains, in southern Poland. This stunning glacial lake, surrounded by towering peaks, captivates visitors with its breathtaking beauty and the sense of awe inspired by its pristine alpine setting.

Essential Gear:
Here's what we took with us:
-hiking boots.
-Comfortable clothing.
-waterproof jacket in case of rain.
-Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen).
-Backpack with water bottles. (3 litres per person).
-Snacks and fruits.
-Small first-aid kit.

How to Get There:

you need to get to (Palenica Białczańska), the starting point for the hike to Morskie Oko.

From there you can choose to hike to the lake or rent a horse-drawn carriage.

Important:

We highly recommend purchasing tickets online in advance, especially during peak season, to avoid potentially long queues.

Start early: To avoid crowds, especially during peak season, it's best to start your hike early in the morning.
Starting early helps you secure closer parking, avoiding a long walk to the trailhead.

Check the weather: Mountain weather can change rapidly, so check the forecast before you go and be prepared for varying conditions.

Time Frame:
-Normal asphalt road from the starting point to Morskie oko lake is 8 Km's, which requires 2 to 2.5 hours.
-We chose to take the trail that goes across the forests and Przedni staw lake to get to morskie oko, this trail was 12 km's, and took us 10 hours including long breaks.
(check our morskie oko trail)

-On the way back to the car parking, it takes 1.45 to 2 hours.

Useful Info!

Entrance fee:
There is an entrance fee for the Tatra National Park, which you can purchase at the entrance or online through the TPN website.
the one day entry fee is 10 pln.

Car parking fees
per day:
-Normal Car: 36 pln.
-Car for disable person: FREE!
-Bus/Camper van: 65 pln.
-Motorcycle: 19 pln.
-Electric car: Free.

Are Dogs allowed in the Tatra mountain national park ?

NO! dogs are not allowed to be taken in Tatra national park and if you do, there is a high risk you get caught by mountain rangers and face huge fine.