Caves outside national parks
Outside national parks, caves in Poland can be visited practically by anyone with the landowner’s consent. Mostly, caves are located within public property. In case of technically demanding caves, cave visitors are advised to complete relevant training. In case of Polish residents it is assumed that the basic PZA training is sufficient. Nationals of other countries are recommended to make sure they have undergone similar training in their country of residence. This is important especially should an accident occur.
Access to caves in national parks
The most spectacular caves of Poland are located within the boundaries of national parks. Every park has its individual regulations concering cave access.
Non-commercial trips to the most commonly visited caves in the Tatra National Park can be legally organized through one of the clubs associated in PZA, without bothering the park authorities. Permits for foreigners are valid for a year and cover all caves available for leisure caving. Outside holiday seasons, the procedure to acquire the permit usually takes around two weeks.
Any other mode of access to Tatra caves, as well as access to caves in other national parks requires an individual permit from the Park authorities. There is no unified procedure for obtaining such a permit. Even for a Polish national, it can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Therefore, if your activity is non commercial in its nature, please do not hesitate to ask the caving committee of PZA for help (caves pza.org.pl).
Please note that since the Tatra National Park (TPN) is a popular tourist destination, it is well guarded, both by park rangers and electronic surveillance. Illegal access to caves will most probably result in a fine.
Cave rescue in Poland
Unlike in some other countries, cave rescue in Poland is carried by the mountain rescue and not by the national caving federation. The Tatra mountain rescue service (TOPR) has a particularly good record of recovering hurt cavers. Nevertheless, usual safety rules apply. Plan your trip in advance. Always let someone know what is your expected time of return. Never go caving alone.
Although cave rescue in Poland is free of charge, medical care is not. In case of EU residents, usual rules apply, ie. you can expect that rules similar to those in your country of residence will be applied to you. Non-EU nationals are advised to obtain a good medical insurance before going caving in Poland.
PZA’s camp at Polana Rogozniczanska
Every summer (start of July – end of August) PZA opens a camping ground on the Polana Rogozniczanska clearing, which is very close to Tatra National Park (GPS WGS84: N49.28293, E19.86127, Google Maps).
The fees are very affordable, although the amenities are very basic. Only a simple camp shower with hot water is provided. In fact, you do not need to bring your own tent, since a few 3 – 5 person tents are permanently set during the summer. The camp can be reached via car (only the last 300 m is a dirt road) and has GSM coverage (no UMTS though).
