Żabi Żleb is a wild, rocky gully dropping from the Żabia Grań ridge straight down to the eastern shore of Morskie Oko - one of the most famous tarns in the Tatras. This is a place for those seeking something beyond marked trails: raw terrain, silence, and breathtaking views.

The lower section of the gully is shallow and thickly overgrown with dwarf mountain pine, but higher up the landscape changes dramatically - a narrow canyon appears, with vertical walls and steep rock steps stretching for about 150 meters. The middle section holds even more rocky steps, though all can be bypassed. In winter and early spring the gully bed fills with snow, and impressive ice waterfalls form on the steps - a sight that draws climbers seeking winter challenges. In its upper part, the gully splits into several branches climbing between Żabia Czuba and Żabi Szczyt Niżni.

How to get there

• Morskie Oko - the gully drops to the eastern shore of the tarn, access requires climbing experience, difficulty grade III-IV on the Tatra scale

Practical information

• Since 1979, the northern part of Żabia Grań has lain within a strict protection zone of the Tatra National Park (TPN and TANAP), closed to tourists and climbers
• This terrain is intended solely for experienced climbers, not a tourist trail

The first ascent of the gully was recorded in 1936, and the first winter ascent - with the steps completely snowed in - in 1948. In 1997 daring skiers descended its upper and middle sections, a testament to how demanding and spectacular this terrain is.