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Shelters in the Tatras and the trails leading to them

Mountain shelters are fantastic spots on hiking trails. They help you reach further parts of the mountains or simply provide a place to rest, eat a warm meal, and recharge before heading back down. We especially appreciate them when hiking with children. They help young hikers pace themselves, so you don't have to complete the trail in one day. And staying overnight in a shelter is quite an adventure!

Discover the most beautifully located shelters in the Tatra Mountains and the trails that lead to them. Due to their popularity, especially on weekends, you need to book your stay well in advance - but it's really worth it!

Shelter by Morskie Oko

How to be the first at Morskie Oko? Stay overnight in the shelter! It's truly amazing to wake up and have the majestic mountains almost all to yourself, without the midday crowds!

Route to Morskie Oko

Shelter in the Roztoka Valley

This is the least popular and most hidden shelter in the Tatra Mountains, even though it's near the busiest trail in the Polish Tatras! The Roztoka Valley Shelter is slightly off the main trail to Morskie Oko, turning off near the Mickiewicz Waterfalls. This shelter has won the mountain tourism magazine "n.p.m." ranking three times in a row - quite an achievement!

Shelter in the Valley of Five Ponds

This is the highest shelter in Poland! Reaching it is quite physically demanding. There's no road access - supplies are transported by special cable cars.

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Valley of Five Lakes - Hiking through Roztoka Valley

Shelter on Kondratowa Hall

This shelter is located at the foot of Giewont. It's the smallest shelter in the Polish Tatras. The hike to the shelter is not difficult and is a great option for a family trip. In 1936, due to a lack of snow at Wielka Krokiew, the Polish Championships were held here on a newly built ski jump! In front of the shelter, you can see several-ton boulders - remnants of a rock avalanche from the Giewont massif that nearly destroyed the shelter!

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Hala Kondratowa - trail from Kuźnice

Shelter on Ornak Hall

The Kościeliska Valley, where the Ornak Hall Shelter is located, has so many scenic spots and attractions that it's impossible to see everything in one day! It's definitely worth staying longer to enjoy the morning view of the mountains and start your hike right away!

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Kościeliska Valley - Mountain Refuge at Hala Ornak

Mountain Hotel Kalatówki

This is essentially a mountain hotel. The building is quite large, so it's easier to find available rooms. From the Kalatówki clearing, you have a view towards Kasprowy Wierch, and you can see the cable cars heading to its peak. The trail to the hotel is not long - it's easy for children and older people to reach.

Kalatówki Meadow

Murowaniec Shelter on Gąsienicowa Hall

From this shelter, you get a wonderful panorama of the Tatras with views of Kościelec and Świnica. An interesting fact about the shelter is the inclusion of swastika symbols in the stair railing, called "unexpected crosses" by the locals. Although it's hard to imagine this symbol in Polish culture due to tragic historical events, it was known in Poland since Slavic times - often placed on tools, equipment, or beams in houses to ward off evil and ensure good fortune.