Point to point mountain walking with elements of education about environment, nature, our region history and geography. Hike through the national park and the educational paths. Visit to Environmental Education Center of Karkonoski National Park,
Forest Gene Bank and organic farm.
A hiking tour through the most interesting regions of the Sudetenland, a mountain bike tour and a trip to a fifteenth-century fortress, one of the largest in Europe. These basic elements will provide a variety of experiences in both recreation and education. Our intention is to expand participants’ knowledge of topics related to environmental protection, organic farming and the history of this part of Europe, and our focus is to do so in an interesting and not tedious way. During this one trip, participants will have the chance to see three countries: Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. The program also includes visits to two unique and very interesting places: Environmental Education Center and The forest Gene Bank.This is one of our standard programs. If you are looking for an event with specific character and theme, please write us or fill in the form in the Build your own trip tab, and we will prepare an individual offer for you.
Trip info
Destination: Sudetes Mountains, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany
Best time: June, July, August, September, October
Duration: 8 days
Profile: point to point mountain walking and cycling with elements of education about environment, nature, our region history and geography. Hike through the national park and the educational paths. Visit to Environmental Education Center, Forest Gene Bank and organic farm.
Activity level: moderate, routes vary – sometime narrow and exposed; located at 600-1400 meters above sea level (1,740 – 4,590 feet). Generally good paths but some rocky, stony terrain or wetland. We can adjust the activity level according to the wishes/skills of the participants.
Accommodation: Twin/DBL rooms in 2/3 star hotel or guesthouse
Board: FB (other board type on request)
Group size: 6 – 20 people
Clothing: in addition to the usual holiday clothing you must take: sports footwear with thick soles or trekking boots, comfortable clothing, wind and rain resistant jacket, warm jumper or sweater and, just in case, hat and gloves, sun glasses, wind and waterproof jacket and trousers, cyclist kit: helmet, cycling shoes, cycling- or sunglasses.
Price includes: programme included in itinerary. Transfers from and to the airport, assistance of our representatives from arrival to departure, luggage transport during treks, accommodation in Twin/DBL rooms in 2/3 star hotels or guesthouses , full board, mineral water during treks, entry fees, medical expenses and accident insurance.
Price excludes: flights, local tips, optional excursions/activities/meals/beverages.
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival day
Arrival at Prague or Wroclaw, where our representative will greet you; transfer to a guesthouse in Swieradow Zdroj, a mountain town located in the west end of the Sudety Mountains; check-in; briefing and welcome meeting, free time. Transfer time around
2 hrs. 30 min.
Day 2
Trek from Świeradów Zdrój to Jakuszyce, a small Polish village located on Poland’s border with the Czech Republic
Total time: 6 hrs. including meal breaks and rest.
Altitude: starting point – 650 m, highest point – 1020 m, final point – 890 m.
Total ascent: 600 m.
Overall route length: 17 km.
After breakfast, we take a blue trail and go to Polana Jizerska. We turn to an old Path called Droga Graniczna, and after 3 to 4 km we reach the trail Droga Borowinowa, which runs along some bogs. After about 5 km, we get to the Hala Izerska and the Hatka Górzystów mountain lodge, where we will have lunch. After a break, we switch to the red trail that leads across a plateau, and along the Jizera River. On our way, we will pass by Orle, an old mountain settlement, and, all the time following the red trial, go through dense forests until we reach Jakuszyce – the end of today’s stage. We check in, have dinner, a briefing, and free time.
Day 3
Bike rides on the routes in the higher parts of the mountains, and a downhill ride to the mountain town of Szklarska Poreba
Total time: 3 – 4 hrs. including meal breaks and rest.
Total ascent: 750 m.
Overall route length: 21 km.
Routes: mixed land and tarmac roads with a majority of off-road sections.
Today, we will also ride along the routes of the Jizera Mountains and around the Jizera River. We start the trip with a gentle climb to the intersection of trails at the Cicha Równia and then, we head towards the junction with the Owczy Potok. All the time, we go along gravel roads, which lead through a dense young forest. Next, we get the Biała Droga path, which leads through an old forest and reaches bogs and wetlands. Leaving the bogs and wetlands behind, we join the international bike trail ER-2. We get to the open space in the valley of the Jizera River and stop at the Hatka Górzystów mountain lodge, surrounded by wild meadows of the plateau. After a rest, we continue the trip through Jizera Valley enjoying the picturesque views and surroundings. In this beautiful place, we will have an opportunity to rest on the bank of the river. After about 2 kilometers, we will go past the Orle settlement and enter a high spruce forest. The route is quite easy, very pleasant and very scenic. At the request of advanced cyclists and volunteers, we can add a loop that leads through a closed, old quartzite mine located at the height of 1085 m. You have to overcome quite difficult climbs and descents but the reward is a breathtaking view of the mountains and Jelenia Góra Valley. Then, we take ER-2 international cycling route, and follow it till the end of today’s stage. After about a two-kilometer ride at a height of 900 m, we descend to the mountain town of Szklarska Poreba. After checking in, we visit the Environmental Education Center. Karkonoskie Environmental Education Center is a facility of the Karkonosze National Park. The center coordinates the tasks of the park in the field of environmental education. It also provides an attractive presentation of the unique nature of the Sudetes.
During the visit, we will get to know the world of animate and inanimate nature of both Polish and Czech sides of the mountains. We will see the exhibition, “Virtual Mountains”, which is an interactive presentation of: cirque glacial bogs, flora and fauna, forests, natural phenomena and the multilevel human impact on the mountains. The attractiveness of the exhibition is enhanced thanks to large-format panoramas, and the tactile model of the Karkonosze Mountains, which is the western range of the Sudetes.
Day 4
Trek from Szklarska Poręba to Spindlerovy Młyn, a charming mountain town located on the Czech side of the mountains.
Total time: 6 hrs. 30 min. including meal breaks and rest.
Altitude: starting point – 650 m, highest point – 1422 m, final point – 650 m.
Total ascent: 150 m.
Overall route length: 11 km.
After breakfast, we go to the chairlift station and go up to the top of Szrenica. Then we cross the border through Twarożnik, a granite rock, and trek towards the Vosecka Bouda, a mountain hostel in the Czech Republic. From there, we go to the source of the Elba River, one of the major rivers in Europe. We wander down through Labsky Dul to Spindlerovy Mlyn, a well-known and charming mountain town. On our way, we will pass by beautiful waterfalls, and amazing rock formations so there will be plenty opportunities to admire breathtaking views. We get to the hotel, check in, have dinner and a briefing.
Day 5
Trek from Spindlerovy Mlyn to Karpacz
Total time: 7 hrs. including meal breaks and rest.
Altitude: starting point – 650 m, highest point – 1422 m, final point – 830 m.
Total ascent: 1100 m.
Overall route length: 14 km
After breakfast, we take a blue trail and ascend Bila Laba Dul (White Elbe Valley). Next, we go along the Old Bucharova path, and reach Lucni Bouda, a mountain hostel, where we take a rest and have lunch. In the meantime, you can enjoy fantastic panoramic views and open spaces. After the break, we will walk to Rownia pod Sniezką and trek above Maly and Wielki Staw (mountain ponds). From there we descend smoothly to the boundaries of Karpacz, a beautiful Polish mountain town, and stop at Wang, a twelfth-century Lutheran temple. After a rest and an optional visit to the temple, we walk down to the hotel. We check in, have dinner, a briefing, and some free time.
Day 6
Environmental day
Coach trips to a Forest Gene Bank and an organic farm
Today, we visit a Forest Gene Bank and an organic farm. We’ll find out why plant genes are stored and how to do it. On the organic farm, we will see different ways of producing healthy food. We will learn about the process of making cheese, honey, and processed fruit and vegetables – without harmful additives and chemicals. At the end of the visit, we’ll have a delicious dinner prepared by very hospitable and friendly hosts. Next, we will go to the Forest Gene Bank, which is a unit of the State Forests. Since 1996, the institution has been gathering and storing gene resources of forest trees and shrubs as well as monitoring the quality of reproductive material of State Forests, national parks, nature reserves, and nature monuments.
After a trip back to Karpacz, there will be some free time to explore the town and local attractions, such as the rope park and alpine coaster. In the evening, we have dinner by the campfire.
Day 7
History day
Coach trip to Koenigstein Fortress in Germany.
We take a coach trip to Germany to visit the Koenigstein mountain fortress, which is an excellent example of military European architecture. We will also go on a boat cruise on the river Elba, which flows at the foot of the fortress hill. The fortress is situated on a cliff top at the height of 247 meters above the river. The first records of the building appeared as early as the thirteenth century. At that time the object was a fortified castle built by the Czechs. The castle was located exactly on the border between the Czech territory and Westmarch Meissen. At the beginning of the fifteenth century (1408), the fortification was taken over by the ruling Saxon Wettin dynasty. Over the following centuries, the castle was converted into a fortress. The works on the fortress lasted from 1559 until 1731. An interesting highlight of the day is that from Poland to Germany and back, we will go through the Czech Republic – so in one day we will be in three countries.
Day 8
Departure day
After breakfast, we check out and transfer to the airport. Transfer time: approximately 2 hrs. 30 min., depending on the traffic.
