To get to Špindlerův Mlýn, leave Road I/14 at the town of Vrchlabí and drive north up Road 295 for about ten miles. From Špindlerův Mlýn it is possible to take a bus to Slezské sedlo/Karkonoska Przełęcz on the Czech-Polish border (private cars have been banned from the road).
To get to Pec pod Sněžkou, leave Road I/14 at the town of Mladé Buky and drive north up Road 296 for about ten miles.
To get to Malá Úpa, leave Road I/14 at the town of Mladé Buky and drive north up Road 296 for nearly ten kilometres, then turn right onto Road 252.
The resort of Karpacz lies just 15km south of the centre of Jelenia Góra, a large town just north of the Giant Mountains.
The town of Kowary lies about 17km southeast of the centre of Jelenia Góra, with which it is connected by Road 367. Buses/minibuses from Jelenia Góra to Karpacz run through Kowary.
Jelenia Góra has good train and bus links with Wrocław, the capital of Lower Silesia. There is also a direct bus service between Wrocław and Kowary.
The area is part of a national park (or rather two parks: Karkonoski Park Narodowy in Poland and Krkonošský národní park in the Czech Republic. You are not allowed to camp/bivouac or stray from the waymarked trails. In Poland there is an entrance fee - an equivalent of approx. €2.00 for a day pass in 2023. In spring the trail between ...
When To Climb & Mountain Conditions
If possible, do not go in high season or at a weekend unless you like being part of a crowd. On a sunny day in July or August the summit can be visited by more than ten thousand people!
Under winter conditions crampons can be a must. (For example, in January 2024 two hikers died after slipping at the very top of the mountain and falling down its north side.)
You must keep to the waymarked trails. Bivouacking is not permitted. You are not supposed to hike during the night. The trails above huts are closed for hikers from 1 November to 15 June.
Climbing
You must be a member of a rock climbing club. Just before your climb, you should write it into the register kept in a nearby mountain hut/your hotel. (Make sure you sign it on return too!) During the approach you must stick to the traditionally used routes described in rock climbing guidebooks. Bivouacking on the wall is only allowed in an emergency. Except for winter, you must not do a route that is easier than UIAA grade III (approx. YDS grade 5.3) unless on the descent.The funny thing is that the last rule does not apply to those hiking/scrambling with a licensed guide whom they have paid €200-300 for looking after them.