Poland

In search of crocuses – Kalatówki

17 kwietnia 2018
Kalatówki – an alternative to the Chochołowska Valley

Poles love crocuses! When the media announce the number of tourists attracted by crocuses last year, everyone was shocked. Nevertheless, purple carpets don’t deter people and are becoming more and more popular. It has its positive and negative aspects, but not every day we can admire such a wonderful face of nature. Although we were among 60,000 people last year who visited the Chochołowska Valley and this year we also wanted to be part of this massive crowd. However, this time instead of Dolina Chochołowska, we choosed Kalatówki. Dolina Chochołowska is not the only place where crocuses grow. However, Chochołowska Valley is definitely more popular than Kalatówki. If you want to know why and where was it better, stay with us till the end! 🙂

How to get to Kalatówki?

We started from Kraków and we went by bla bla car (like in the case of a trip to the Chochołowska Valley). The cost of the ride was only 28 PLN. We left Krakow after 6 o’clock and around 8 AM we were already there. If you are going to Kalatówki, Kasprowy Wierch or Hala Gąsienicowa, it is best to leave the car at Bronisław Czech street. The cost of parking is 20 PLN for the whole day. However, we paid only 15 PLN, because our driver said that we would stay till 1;30 PM.

Kuźnice station + route to Kalatówki

As soon as we got out of the car, I opened Google Maps, to see more or less how long is the way to the Kalatówki. As it turned out, from the car parking it is about 3 km away (50 minutes).

At the beginning you will have to take a short walk along the road from which you can enter various routes or take the cable car to Kasprowy Wierch. You can check the prices of the cable car here. The cost of entrance to the Tatra National Park is 5 PLN. 🙂

The route to Kalatówki is not demanding, but certainly less pleasant than to the Chochołowska Valley. There is a little more slope, and the path is mainly rocky, which can be tiring and not very comfortable for less athletic people. In any case, mountain footwear is not needed. Interestingly, we also saw a family with a pram, but I don’t think it’s a good idea… Although the route is really short (shorter than at Chochołowska, because it is only 20 minutes). Like I mentioned, it goes on stones, and in shadow places ice lasts long.

The path to Kalatówki

Cable Car

No crowds, but where are these crocuses ?!

We were lucky, because it wasn’t that crowded as we could expected! Although the weather was really beautiful and it was Saturday! Fortunately, most people choosed the Chochołowska Valley as their main goal. However, when we arrived at the destination, we understood why the Chochołowska Valley is more popular.

First of all, the Chochołowska Valley is the longest and largest valley in the Polish Tatras and is about 10 km long. This information is enough to make you aware of the great potential for crocuses in the Chochołowska Valley. In addition, the route itself is much longer and there are huge clusters of flowers on the route. Kalatówki are smaller and crocuses have smaller area, and on the route we didn’t see them at all. It was also hard to see purple carpets, which we admired last year in the Chochołowska Valley. I’m not saying that in Kalatówki we didn’t see crocuses, but there much less them than at Chochołowska Valley. We were disappointed, but also I can’t say that there was nothing to look at! 🙂 To sum up: Kalatówki didn’t make on us such an impression as the Chochołowska Valley. 😛

Admiring Crocuses

Crocuses

Crocuses

Crocuses

Crocuses

🙂

🙂

Kalatówki – interesting facts

Do you also have the impression that I already told you more of Chochołowska Valley than Kalatówki? 😀 Well, let’s focus now on our main goal! First of all, Kalatówki is a glade, which is located between 1160 and 1250 m above sea level. The name of the valley comes from the name of the former owners, Kalatów, who were in the 14th century village administrators in Szaflary. It was regularly mowed and used to graze sheep. After the abolition of pastoralism, the area underwent partial forestation. However, today there are several shacks that resemble the old days of the glade. In Kalatówki is also located a hotel, which is the only mountain hotel in Poland! 🙂

Hotel

Perfect View

🙂

Relax

Have you already been in both places? Where did you like it better? 🙂 What do you value more: more crocuses and more people, or fewer crocuses and less people? 😀 Let us know!

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