Mały Staw and Samotnia from Świątynia Wang

From the car park by Świątynia Wang in Karpacz Górny, a Norwegian wooden stave church, walk up through the forest to the Polana clearing. The blue path continues past Domek Myśliwski and up into Kocioł Małego Stawu, a glacial cirque, to Samotnia, a hostel on the shore of the small lake of Mały Staw under the cirque's cliffs. Climb on to the Strzecha Akademicka hostel for the view down over the lake, then come back down by the path below it to Polana and Wang.

It is 9.9 km with 411 m of ascent; allow about 3½ hours. The grade is Moderate: a steady climb, much of it on forest roads and stone paths.

The blue path past Domek Myśliwski to Samotnia is closed every year from 15 March to 31 May to protect wildlife, and in winter for avalanche danger; then a signed diversion follows the service road. Walking after dark is not allowed. Entry to the Karkonosze National Park costs 11 zł (2026).

The car park by Wang charges; the town's car parks cost 8 zł an hour or 40 zł a day.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.