See the beauty of suburban valleys and the misteries of fanthastic caves…
1. Bedkowska Valley + Wierzchowska Cave + Pradnik Valley [7-8h] (Ojcow National Park)
Departure from Cracow, the trip consists:
– Visit the Wierzchowska Upper Cave with an English-speaking local guide (about 1h).
Wierzchowska Cave is the most beautiful Jurrasic cave of the complex of 11 caves and tunnels, which total length is 1000 m and 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.
– Bedkowska Valley:
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)
– Pradnik Valley:
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.
– Bus ride from Ojcow village to Pieskowa Skala, where we can see St. Joseph Chapel “On water”, traditional in Pozdamcze 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 Cracow.
– Duration of the trip: 7-8 hours.
– During all the trip you will be accompanied by a local Jurrasic English-speaking licensed guide.
Additional info and a price list:
– Guide service in Polish or English (licensed Jurrasic guide): from 650 PLN (depending on the size of the group)
– Other languages on request (different price). To book a tour in other languages contact me.
– Visiting Wierzchowska Cave with the internal English-speaking guide: 10 PLN/person (entrance tickets)
– Ojcow Castle (entrance tickets): 2,50 PLN/person.
– Transportation service paid extra.
2. Pradnik Valley (Ojcow National Park) The trip includes only the routes of The Ojcow National Park – it is more comprehensive visit than one presented above.
– A walk from Krakowska Gate to Ojcow village, then bus ride to Pieskowa Skala:
In Ojcow, you can visit one of the Jurrasic caves:
– Lokietek Cave – the longest cave of The Ojcow National Park. According to the legend, it was a hiding place of king Wladyslaw Lokietek during the fights for a throne.
– Ciemna Cave (Dark Cave) – a place of many archeological discoveries. Both caves are interesting examples of karst formations, where you can see stalactites, stalagmites and other drippings formed in many different shapes.
You can also visit former health resort hotel “Pod Lokietkiem” with its bio-geological exhibition about the geology and wildlife of the valley and the influence of man’s activity on this area. Besides that, we will also pass between Ojcow and Krakowska Gate, visit the ruins of Casimir Castle in Ojcow, see the St. Joseph Chapel “On water” and the castle in Pieskowa Skala.
– Duration of the trip: 6-7 hours.
– During all the trip you will be accompanied by a local Jurrasic English-speaking licensed guide.
Additional info and a price list:
– Guide service in Polish or English (licensed Jurrasic guide): from 650 PLN (depending on the size of the group)
– Other languages on request (different price). To book a tour in other languages, contact me.
– Visiting Lokietek Cave: 7,5 PLN/person (entrance tickets)
– Visiting Ciemna Cave: 6,5 PLN/person (entrance tickets)
– Ojcow Castle (entrance tickets): 2,50 PLN/person
– bio-geological exhibition: 10 PLN/person (booking in anticipation)
– Transportation service extra paid.