Słowiński National Park

Słowiński National Park (say "swo-VEEN-skee") on Poland's Baltic coast is famous for something you would not expect this far north: a field of moving sand dunes that drifts across the forest between the sea and two huge coastal lakes. It lies between the resort town of Łeba ("WEH-bah") and the village of Rowy, about 110 km (roughly two hours by car) west of Gdańsk. A UNESCO biosphere reserve and a magnet for birdlife, it is one of the most rewarding day trips on the Polish coast.

Why it is special

The park was created on January 1, 1967 and today covers 32,744 ha, including more than 11,000 ha of Baltic waters. Since 1977 it has been part of UNESCO's "Man and the Biosphere" network, and since 1995 a Ramsar wetland of international importance. According to the park, almost 80% of its area is water – sea, lakes, peat bogs and marshes. The name honors the Slovincians, a small Slavic community whose villages once lined the lakes.

What draws most visitors is the dune belt of the Łeba Spit: a strip about 5 km long and 1 km wide where bare white sand moves 2–10 meters a year eastward, pushed by prevailing westerly winds. The dunes swallow pine forest as they go, leaving dead trunks poking out of the sand. The best known, the Łącka Dune ("WONTS-kah"), rises 30–42 m above sea level depending on the season.

Things to do in Słowiński National Park

• Climb the Łącka Dune for a view of the open sea on one side and Lake Łebsko on the other.
• Visit Czołpino ("chow-PEE-no"): a red-brick lighthouse from 1875 on a forested dune, plus the park museum in the old lighthouse keepers' settlement.
• Lake Łebsko, Poland's third-largest lake (about 71 km²), and the smaller Lake Gardno – both important for waterbirds.
• Rowokół, a 115 m moraine hill near Smołdzino with an observation tower.
• Kluki, a lakeside village with an open-air museum of Slovincian farmsteads.
• The rocket launch site at Rąbka, remains of a German WWII test range, now a private museum on the trail to the dunes.

How to plan your visit

Allow 3–5 hours for the classic walk to the Łącka Dune from Łeba. The park's loop trail from Old Łeba along the beach to the dune and back through the forest takes about three hours of walking without stops. In season, private electric carts run from the Rąbka parking lot toward the dune. A second day is well spent in the western part: Czołpino, Kluki and Rowokół. Note that passenger boats on Lake Łebsko are currently not operating, according to the park.

Tickets and rules (as of October 2026)

• Entry fees apply May 1 to September 30 on selected trails: 10 PLN standard, 5 PLN reduced; multi-day passes exist. Buy online or at trailside ticket booths.
• Children under 7 enter free, and walking to the beach on designated trails is free.
• Dogs are banned from strictly and actively protected areas; only some trails, marked on the park map, are open to dogs.
• Trails inside the park may be used from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.
• Signage and the official website are mainly in Polish; the website has an English section.

Visiting in fall and winter

Outside the main season there are no entry fees, but facilities shrink. The park announced on October 9, 2026 that the Rąbka observation tower will be closed October 12–23, 2026, that the stairs to Rowokół are closed (use the alternative path from Smołdzino), and that bird flu was found in a dead buzzard near Rowy – avoid touching wild birds. The Czołpino museum is open Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. until December 31, plus selected Saturdays; lighthouses and towers admit only pre-booked groups from October to April. Expect strong wind and blowing sand on the dunes.

How to get there

Fly into Gdańsk (GDN). By car, Łeba is about 110 km from Gdańsk. By public transport, take a train to Lębork, then a bus or, in summer, a train to Łeba; year-round buses also run from Słupsk to Łeba, Kluki and Smołdzino. Prices are in Polish złoty (PLN).

Is it worth visiting?

Yes – especially in May, June or September, when the light is soft and the trails are quieter. It is a natural complement to Gdańsk and the Kashubian coast.