National Parks & Wooden Architecture

♣Visit the Wierzchowska Upper Cave with an English-speaking local guide (about 1h):

Wierzchowska Cave is the most beautiful Jurassic cave of the complex of 11 caves and tunnels, which total length is 1000 m, with magnificence and richness of solutional forms. The cave was inhabited by the glacial animals (cave bears, hyenas and other) and man – especially during the Neolithic Era. Nowadays, this is a living place of bats (mainly lesser horseshoe bats) and cave spiders meta menardi. These two animals can be seen while visiting the cave. Nearby the Wierzchowska Cave (about 300 m) there is the Mammoth Cave, which is worth visiting as well.

The  bus  stops  nearby the Wierzchowska Cave, then you go few hundred meters by foot.

Bus ride from Wierzchowska Cave to Bedkowice village. Then, a foot trip to Bedkowska Valley and a walk through the  most interesting part of the valley (monadnocks, The Szum Waterfall) to the Bedkowska Gate, located on the North part of the valley. Trail length: 3 km. Bus ride to the Pradnik Valley (Ojcow National Park)

Bus stop in Czajowice village and foot trip down the Chelmowa Hill slope, then a pass through the valley to Ojcow village. I recommend to climb the Jonaszowka Hill – there is an excellent view on the valley and interesting monadnocks on the slopes of the hill.  In  Ojcow  village,  you can  see  original  summer resorts  and a  park  from  a  second  part  of  19th  century,  when  there  had  been  a health resort (Park Zdrojowy and the hotels), and the ruins of the Casimir Castle, a gothic fortress of the  Eagle  Nests  Trail (Polish: Szlak Orlich Gniazd). Length of the pass through Pradnik Valley: 3 km.

♣Pieskowa  Skala,  where  we  can  see  St. Joseph  Chapel  “On water”, traditional in Podzamcze village, and a limestone monadnock called Maczuga Herkulesa (“The cudgel of Hercules”). In Pieskowa Skala – visiting the courtyard and the bulwark of the castle. End of the trip and return to Krakow. Duration of the trip: 7-8 hours.  During  all  the  trip you  will  be  accompanied  by  a  local  Jurrasic  English-speaking  licensed  guide.

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Wooden Architecture Route

The tour we especially recommend after visiting Krakow, Salt Mine, and Auschwitz. When you have visited the popular places of Lesser Poland and a time for relax comes, we especially recommend you this tour. You would detach yourself from the bustle and noise of the city. You can go and see the curiosities of the Pieniny mountains within one day which needn’t to be hasty at all. Recently, we went into Pieniny in person to check the route, attractions and Lesser Polish cuisine thoroughly. We have prepared a plan we publish here. We have checked all places in person with regard to services, quality, interests and practicality.

An all-day trip itinerary:
►8.00 am: departure from Krakow [on a minibus of varied size, air-conditioned and comfortable.
►about 10:00 am: sightseeing of the St. Michael the Archangel’s church in Debno [30 minutes]: a 14th-century church built without using nails which were a scarce and expensive commodity… but we will tell you the whole story when we get there… let’s go further.
►11:00 am: Ship cruise [40/50 PLN / person] from a harbour in Czorsztyn village [Pieniny National Park] across the Czorsztyńskie Lake, to the Niedzica castle
►11:30 am: Niedzica Castle – we will see the chambers of the castle that guarded the Dunajec border for many years [entry ticket to the Castle: 25/19 PLN] and a dam across the Dunajec river.
►1:30 – 3:30 pm: rafting on the Dunajec River [Pieniny National Park][ticket: 150 PLN/adult, 120 PLN/child]
Caution! Dress appropriately, put on some suntan lotion, take proper shoes, a sun hat and a raincoat in case.
►3:30 pm: Szczawnica village – dinner at a reliable restaurant [recommended meal: trout, potatoes, salads] or at a regional inn not far away from Szczawnica, where you would find peace and good food.
►6:00/7:00 pm: return to Krakow.

We propose 2 tour types:
⇒With a tour guide who is a walking repository of knowledge and would tell interesting stories… [more expensive version]
⇒You would be cared for by the driver/leader of the group. [cheaper version]

►Rafting season lasts from 1 April till 31 October every day except for two church holidays: Corpus Christi and the first day of Easter.
Szczawnica – total route’s length: app. 18 km, the time of the rafting route: app. 2 hours 15 min.

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Tatra National Park – multiple routes in scenic area.

Tatra National Park was established on October 30, 1954. Located at the southern end of Malopolska (eng. Lesser Poland) region, it is one of the largest national parks in Poland. About 70% of the Park is covered by forests and mountain pine scrub, and the remaining 30% are alpine grasslands. The natural uniqueness of Tatras is especially emphasized by presence of endemic and sub endemic species of plants and animals. Among the mountain plants, 200 can be seen only in Tatra National Park.

Why the Tatra National Park is worth visiting:

• breathtaking, wonderful scenic areas
• 275 kilometers of marked hiking trails
• multiple picturesque skiing trails
• variety of trails available for many kinds of biking activities
• excellent places to watch animals (eg. birdwatching)

The best trails to start with, after we visit Zakopane, which I offer you to visit with me (the easiest and the most beautiful):

• Strążyńska Valley with its surroundings,
• Chochołowska Valley with its surroundings,
• Kościeliska Valley with its surroundings.

 

Strążyńska Valley – a trip with a private guide.
Route: Dolina Białego (White Stream Valley) + Sarnia Skała (Deer’s Rock) + Dolina Strążyńska (Strążyńska Valley)

Distance: around 7 kilometers
Time duration: 3h
The highest peak: Sarnia Skała (Deer’s Rock) 1376 m. above sea level.

We start from the White Stream Valley – one of the most picturesque valleys in Tatra Mountains. It impresses with the variety of rock formations (dolomites and limestones) which – combined with lush vegetation and the White Stream flowing around the rocks – create an amazing, breathtaking landscape. The first part of the trail leads along the stream rich in numerous fanciful cascades and erosion forms. Crossing the Red Pass, we head to the Deer’s Rock that offers us a really stunning view on Giewont Mt., Czerwone Wierchy, and the western part of the Tatra Mountains. Descending from the Deer’s Rock, we enter Strążyńska Valley, no less marvellous than the other parts of the route.