Chochołowska Valley

Chochołowska Valley is the longest and the largest valley in Tatra Mountains. Really recommended to visit during your stay in Podhale region. In the 18th century, iron ore was mined there. In the first half of the 20th century, Chocholowska Valley was the area of huge pasturage.

Dolina Chochołowska looks amazing at any time of the year. However, it deserves special attention in spring, when it is decorated with crocuses and in the summer, when the aura is perfect for hiking. Trail is really easy so you can go there even with small children. You can reach Polana Chochołowska with a highlander horse carriage or in the summer season – by a “tourist train Rakoń”. We also recommend to ride a bike.

From „Siwa Polana” (where your trip starts) to the Mountain Shelter in Chochołowska Valley there is approximately 7.4 km. We start from the car park at „Siwa Polana”. We follow the asphalt road from there and we enter the Tatra National Park. You can visit „Bacówka” to see how Higlanders make delicious oscypek cheese. Passing them on the left side we have the entrance to the green trail to the Droga pod Reglami, which leads to the Lejowa and Kościeliska Valley. We follow the asphalt road and after 3.5 km we reach „Polana Huciska”. This is where the “tourist train Rakoń” stop. From Polana Huciska we can go to Polana Jaworki to see the pond „Wywierzysko Chochołowskie”. It is worth to see it and rest for a moment.

After returning to the trail to the Chochołowska Valley, we walk along the Polana Pod Jaworki, and after passing it, we reach the place where the black trail leading to the Kościeliska Valley goes to the left. We follow our route, after approx. 5 km, after the stream, on the right we pass the so-called The Blaszynski Shelter. Currently, the building belongs to TPN and there is a forester’s lodge there.

When we Reach to the „Polana Chochołowska” we can enjoy fantastic landscapes. We pass Bacówki and reach the intersection of trails – to the left a red trail leads to the Jarząbcza Valley, choosing a short climb to the right we will come to the Chapel of John the Baptist. It’s worth going there because the chapel built in highlander style makes a big impression. Karol Wojtyla prayed there, which is why this place is very popular. From the Jarząbcza Valley you can see the biggest shelter in polish Tatras PTTK Polana Chochołowska. You can try there apple pie with cream and blueberries, which is called “Chochołowski Dessert”.

The place is magical, it guarantees the opportunity to see views that are long remembered.