Tatra Mountains in Poland

[hammock monkey]

Hi,
I'm going to stay in the Tatra Mountains in Poland this summer, I'll be around Zacopane.
There are brown bear and lynx, marmot and more to be seen in the Tatras, but I'm not expecting there to be too many near to Zacopane's edge of the landscape.

Has anyone ever been there and enjoyed the wildlife?

If so, any advice wrt where (approximately) I should head for would be very gratefully recieved, not just about the animals mentioned, but anything of interest, however humble.

If its a bit sensitive a PM would be great,

many thanks

[ron1863]

Hope you enjoy your stay and have a good time, the following site has some useful information:

Police has the follwoing advice Zakopane Poland a hotel or a holiday - house

[tcvarlh]

The Tatras are beautiful, full of wildlife and astoundingly magnificent. Have a look at this Wiki site

Tatra Mountains - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


I hope you enjoy your trip you lucky bggr!

H
Jealous

[hammock monkey]

Thanks Guys,
I've been researching it for a little while now and it looks fantastic - I'm hoping to find some specific spots to head for.
Its relatively close to the UK, cheap enough - so I'm surprised I don't know anyone who has been there on a wildlife trip.

There are good few wildlife holiday companies that offer trips to the Tatras, I'm not sure if its even the Polish side they go to though.

Its going to be fun exploring either way!

cheers

[ChrisJB]

Howdy Monkey. I went to Zakopane about nine years ago after visiting a pal who was teaching in Warsaw. I went on a day trip from Krakow (an astonishingly beautiful city and I don't like cities). We went on a cable car trip from Zakopane, up a mountain and on the descent saw a brown bear. I was utterly flabbergasted and rubbed my eyes like they do on cartoons to make sure it was real.
Apart from that, I didn't see a great deal save from alpine accentors on the mountain-top that the cable-car went up. Alas, I can't remember the proper name of the mountain, something like Kasprowsky Wiertz I think??? From the summit you can step into Slovakia.

Regards, Chris

[hammock monkey]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

Howdy Monkey. I went to Zakopane about nine years ago after visiting a pal who was teaching in Warsaw. I went on a day trip from Krakow (an astonishingly beautiful city and I don't like cities). We went on a cable car trip from Zakopane, up a mountain and on the descent saw a brown bear. I was utterly flabbergasted and rubbed my eyes like they do on cartoons to make sure it was real.
Apart from that, I didn't see a great deal save from alpine accentors on the mountain-top that the cable-car went up. Alas, I can't remember the proper name of the mountain, something like Kasprowsky Wiertz I think??? From the summit you can step into Slovakia.

Regards, Chris

hi Chris,
thats amazing - how fantatstic to have seen a wild bear like that. My wife has vertigo so maybe I'll try the cable car early one morning - to see a bear would make my year!
I'm going to look for some Lynx sign, as well as bear, but I'll have my work cut out for that. Hope springs eternal though eh!?

I've seen the cable car several times on t'internet researching the place, I'll definately check that out..'very excited about it now.

fantastic!

cheers

[DuncanE]

Bieszczady might be a better bet. its more wilder than the Tatras, but that said you might see something.

My Wife, who's Polish rekons Bieszczady is a better bet for animals and birds. there is a place near Krakow that does have wild bison, and towards Auchwitz there is a group of fish ponds in Zator (I think its called that) full of herons and things you don't get here.

I know more about the gdansk area, but the plan next year is to head to the Tatry for a week and maybe then off to the Bieszczady National park or lakes next time we do a spring/summer trip.

Please let me know what its like... And if there are loads of Nutcrackers let me know where to find them as I have a taske from a colleague to photo them.

[hammock monkey]

hi Duncan,
thanks for the advice - just a few weeks left before i go now, so i need to get my act together wrt where I'm going to look. If I can get there I'd love to explore Bieszczady. Poland is an amazing place, and the people are fantastic.

Its a family holiday, so I cant just do as i please, but maybe if i get out there early enough in the morning I can take in a good amount of the mountains. My usual technique is just to follow my nose with a bit of general knowledge and a map whilst thinking 'where would I go if i were a ____ (enter animal name here)'.
We'll see. I'll let you know if i see Nutcrackers, although I'm not too up on birds, its mostly mammals with me.

I still havent taken the plunge with a decent camera but I'll take plenty of snaps with my compact & you know how it is there. ChrisJB's experience on the cable car has got me pretty gee'd up to get stuck into the place!

cheers

[hammock monkey]

Well, we got back yesterday from a fantastic trip. Highly recommend it.

Managed a good few hikes up into the mountains while staying in Zakopane. I was hoping to get up into the mountains alone early in the day and search for bear and lynx sign but unfortunately it didnt happen...I'll blame the vodka, but I also managed to catch (and generously share) a strange virus, and wasnt on form to set off too early.

My advice to anyone going to spot wildlife would be to go on a few properly structured walks firstly and familiarise yourself with the place, then perhaps wander off the beaten paths and hope to get tuned in well away from the tourist paths. There are plenty of bear warning posters aound, but it felt that you'd have to get further into the mountains to have a decent chance of seeing bear or lynx.
I didnt get to see as much as I wanted, but it was enough to just be in the mountains almost everyday. The lazy river rafting was excellent, a wonderful way to spend a few sunny hours.
I really wanted to go on the cable car that ChrisJB mentioned, but the que was just too long (perhaps 4hrs) so we spent that time exploring the mountain trails.

Also i'd recommend getting to grips with the basics of the language - there arent too many English speakers there.

Zakopane is very touristy in places, but thats because its a beautiful village nestled at the base of a huge wildlife park, and there are some great bargains to be had in the form of leather goods.

All in all I couldnt say a bad word about Poland or its people, and if you want a mountain walking holiday you could do a lot worse than Zakopane.

(and if you do go, try the Piano bar halfway up the main drag)

cheers

[Picidae]

Hi Monkey

So glad you enjoyed Zacopane. I missed your earlier request for info so apologies for that.

I've used Zacopane as a base for several birding trips now and can't fault it at all in terms of it's beauty and rural Polish appeal. I must admit, I avoid it like the plague during the summer months because of coach loads of hill/mountain walkers - even when I go in the autumn months it's pretty hard to find more than a few hours on the mountains before bumping into people. I've only seen bear once in the Tatras and it was late September just before they knuckle down for the winter - unfortunately tourism in the Tatras is pushing them further over the border and away from their traditional grounds there.

Birding is always good when I go with Crested Tits, Hawfinch, Nuthatch, Black Woodpeckers, european owl species etc all being very easy. The fish ponds are probably the best at Zator but it's a bit hit and miss and you have to get there just after they've been drained - connections to Krackov are good via train and coach too.

As for the human 'wildlife', the first time I went some 20years ago, not long after the Wall came down, we found a small back street den selling 40% proof neat Vodka in beer sized bottles and just sat there evening after evening knocking back neat Vodka - Geez, no way I could cope with that now.

Last time I went, brought back lots of those little cheeses they sell in the high street and stayed in a fantastic lodge called the Stara Polana which I'd recommend to anyone (that's if you don't mind being woken up by Black Redstarts on the balcony every morning outside your room!)

Dobry dzień