Trail in the mountains with sun above the head - Karkonosze; Shutterstock ID 592805762; Your name (First / Last): Gemma Graham; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: BiT Destination Page Images

Shutterstock / JohnKruger

Karkonosze National Park


Karkonosze National Park is a 55.75-sq-km belt that runs along the Polish–Czech border for some 25km. The two main settlements here are the resort towns of Szklarska Poręba and Karpacz.

The range is divided by the Karkonosze Pass (Przełęcz Karkonoska; 1198m). The highest summit of the eastern section is Mt Śnieżka (1602m), while the western portion is topped by Mt Wielki Szyszak (1509m). The park is predominantly spruce forest up to an altitude of about 1250m.

The characteristic features of the Karkonosze landscape are kotły (cirques), huge hollows carved by glaciers during the Ice Age and bordered with steep cliffs. There are six cirques on the Polish side of the range, the most spectacular being Kocioł Małego Stawu and Kocioł Wielkiego Stawu near Mt Śnieżka, and Śnieżne Kotły at the foot of Mt Wielki Szyszak.

The Karkonosze range is known for its harsh climate, with heavy rainfall (snow in winter) and highly variable weather, including strong winds and mists at any time of year. Statistically, the best chances of good weather are in January, February, May and September.

The national park is the most popular hiking territory in the Sudetes and boasts 33 trails covering 100km. The two main gateways are Szklarska Poręba and Karpacz, from where most tourists ascend Mt Szrenica and Mt Śnieżka respectively. For longer walks, the red trail runs right along the ridge between the two peaks, with excellent views on both sides. The trail also passes along the upper edges of the kotły. You can walk the whole stretch in six to seven hours. If you start early enough, it’s possible to do the Karpacz–Szklarska Poręba (or vice versa) trip within a day, preferably by using the chairlift to Mt Szrenica or Mt Kopa to speed up the initial ascent.

You can break the walk by taking any of the trails that branch off from the main route, or by stopping at one of the half-dozen mountain hostels.

The national park also has 19 mountain bike trails totalling some 450km; the tourist offices in Szklarska Poręba and Karpacz can supply you with an excellent free map of them.

Whatever you’re into, take warm, waterproof clothes to deal with the unpredictable weather and do get a detailed map of the area. The best one is the 1:25,000 Karkonosze i Góry Izerskie (7zł), which also includes the Izera Mountains of the Western Sudetes, to the northeast of Szklarska Poręba.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Wang Church

2.93 MILES

Karpacz has a curious architectural gem – Wang Church, the only Nordic Romanesque building in Poland. Pronounced 'Vang', this remarkable wooden structure…

2. Spa Park

8.99 MILES

This lovely wooded park makes up much of Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój's core. It houses lovely fin-de-siècle pavilions and buildings, including the domed Spa…

4. Natural History Museum

9.23 MILES

This diverting museum, established in 1876, features a display of birds and butterflies from all over the world.

5. Karkonosze Museum

11.25 MILES

Karkonosze Museum, 650m south of the Rynek, is renowned for its extensive collection of glass dating from medieval times to the present – the art nouveau…

6. Rynek

11.64 MILES

The elongated market square, also called Plac Ratuszowy, is lined with a harmonious group of 17th- and 18th-century houses. Much of their charm is due to…

7. Town Hall

11.65 MILES

This 18th-century civic headquarters sits on the remains of several predecessors, most of which were victims of disastrous fires. Look for the stone…

8. Basilica of SS Erasmus and Pancras

11.66 MILES

This basilica was erected in two stages in the late 14th and early 15th centuries; note the Gothic doorway in the southern entrance portraying Mary and St…