Tomanowa Valley is one of the wildest and most atmospheric side valleys of Kościeliska Valley — tucked away between the ridges of the Western Tatras, far from the crowds, and brimming with both natural wonders and centuries of history. If you are looking for genuine Tatra wilderness, this is the place to head.

The valley descends from Tomanowa Pass in a north-westerly direction, flanked to the south and east by the peaks of the main Western Tatra ridge — Ciemniak, Tomanowe Stoły and Smreczyński Wierch. Its asymmetric shape means the southern slopes are more deeply carved, with several side gullies, while the northern side remains compact and forested. Spring brings lingering snowfields and the tracks of brown bears, summer fills the clearings with lush green, and autumn lights up the beeches in gold and copper. The limestone rocks host a rich community of calciphilous plants, and in Czerwony Żleb you can find the field milk-vetch, a species found in Poland only here in the Tatras.

• From Ornak Mountain Hut (Kościeliska Valley) — green trail, approx. 1 h 30 min to the Tomanowa Junction, easy/moderate
• From the Tomanowa Junction to Chuda Przełączka and Ciemniak peak — via Czerwony Żleb and Tomanowy Ridge, approx. 1 h 30 min, moderate/demanding

• The valley is part of a strict nature reserve within Tatra National Park — keep to marked trails at all times.
• The red trail through Kamienisty Żleb to Tomanowa Pass has been closed by the park authority since 22 May 2009.
• The valley lies on a main wildlife corridor — take extra care in spring when bears are most active.

Here is a fact that stops most visitors in their tracks: in 2004, three dinosaur footprints dating from the Upper Triassic were discovered in Czerwony Żleb — they are now on display at the Natural History Museum of Tatra National Park. And long before the dinosaurs were found, the valley was already making history — in 1615 King Sigismund III Vasa granted local highlanders permission to clear and graze it.