SNOWSHOEING IN POLAND

Day 1
Krynica is an elegant little town situated about 2hrs 30mins south east of Krakow in the Lesser Poland province. Depending on your arrival time there may be time to wonder the streets of this famed health resort, taking time to admire the traditional architecture, or experience a massage or Jacuzzi (optional - payable locally). (D) CH

Day 2
Our day starts with a short minibus transfer to Lomnica Zdroj (approx 36km). En route we'll visit a local wooden church, although not a major tourist attraction the church provides one of the most exceptional examples of traditional local architecture.

Before commencing our trek there will be time to get used to our snowshoes - the walking although not difficult does take a little getting used to! The trek starts with a gentle ascent to the Bukowina Pass (at 993m above sea level), on a clear day the view from the top is outstanding. We continue dropping through forest and across mountain pastures to the refuge of Cyrla; after a short rest we continue along a good path to Rytro. (B,L,D) BH

Distance: 13km | Altitude gain 600m, loss 700m | Time 6 hrs.

Day 3
We set off for one of our longest days. We are likely to encounter many shepherds' chalets and refuges along the way as we walk along the ridge before climbing slowly to the summit of Wielki Rogacz (1182 m), here (depending on the weather) we'll have a magnificent panorama of the Pieniny and Tatra Mountains. The descent to the village of Jaworki is gentle allowing plenty of time to enjoy the fabulous surroundings; we'll stay here in our comfortable pension for 2 nights. (B,L,D) SH

Distance: 16km | Altitude gain 800m, loss 600m | Time 7 hrs.

Day 4
Circular walk in the Pieniny Mountains From our pension we steadily climb onto the mountain ridge running along the Polish Slovakia boarder. This track offers the most beautiful views of the trip: marvellous 360-degree panorama of Poland and Slovakia with the high peaks of the Tatra Mountains in the background.

Our route meanders through mountain pastures, used in summer by the shepherds as they graze their cows and sheep. We return to Jaworki in the late afternoon for a ‘picture postcard’ sleigh ride through the ‘gorges of the valley of the white waters’. (B,L,D) SH

Distance: 15km | Altitude gain 600m, loss 600m | Time 6 hrs.

Day 5
Gorces N.P. and Turbacz ascent Our day starts with a short minibus transfer to the village of Rzeki (35 km), here we again take to our feet as we start our climb of the highest mountain in the region, Mt Turbacz (1310 m). Passing the massif of Kudlon, where we'll see beautiful mountain pastures and charming traditional wooden cabins, we are now in the heart of the national park of Gorces. The climb is steady, crossing Borek Pass before reaching the plateau of Turbacz - another spot with splendid views of the rugged Tatra Mountains. Today we must carry our overnight toiletries and a change of clothes as our refuge is not accessible by support vehicle. (B,L,D) BH

Distance: 12km | Altitude gain 800m, loss 300m | Time 6 hrs.

Day 6
Churches, Nidzica Castle and Zakopane Descending steadlily from the plateau of Turbacz, by the ridge of Lubania, reaching our minibus and clean clothes at Knurowska Pass (850 m) around lunchtime. Sadly it’s now time to pack up the snowshoes; we transfer by road to Spisz, a small region with well-preserved folklore and strong Slovakian and Hungarian influences. We’ll also stop in the small villages of Debno and Trybsz with beautiful wooden churches from the 16th Century. Later on we’ll visit the castle of Nidzica, built by the Hungarians in the 14th Century.

In the late afternoon we visit Zakopane (a journey of approximately 70km); Zakopane is considered the Polish Chamonix - a mountain resort that is as busy in winter as it is a summer. With its charming architecture and busy main street we can relax and enjoy the local hospitality as we spend the evening in a local restaurant with good food, drinks and hospitality. (B,L,D) SH

Distance: 8km | Altitude gain 100m, loss 600m | Time 4 hrs.

Day 7
We grab the local bus for our journey of 140km back to Krakow - one of the most beautiful cities of Central Europe. Its Old Town, added to UNESCO's list of World Cultural Heritage Sites in 1978, is of exceptional architectural value. On arrival the rest of the day is free for shopping, wandering in the small streets or simply people watching in one of the numerous tea shops. (B,L,) CH

Day 8
For those on group flights, these depart in the morning and will arrive in the UK the same day.