Krakow: Zakopane with Thermal Baths, Cable Car & Hotel Pickup
Description
On this 11-12-hour program, you'll enjoy one of the best views in Zakopane with a funicular railway ride up to Gubałówka. You will taste traditional smoked cheese (oscypek) and visit the fabulous wooden village Chochołów. Marvel at the spectacular views of the High Tatras that are covered with snow up until May. Visit Krupówki, the most popular street in the heart of Zakopane, where you can experience the ambience of the mountain region and enjoy the aromas of local foods coming from the traditional restaurants. After your tour of Zakopane, take a break for some rest and relaxation in the thermal pools. Enjoy outdoor and indoor swimming pools, water slides, whirlpool baths and many other attractions in the heart of the mountains.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Begin your day with a hassle-free morning pick-up from your hotel or a designated central meeting point in Krakow. Board a comfortable, air-conditioned minivan or bus, meet your professional English-speaking driver/host, and relax as you leave the city behind and head south toward the scenic Polish highlands.
Your first major stop is the famous wooden village of Chocholow. This unique place is a living museum, renowned for its beautifully preserved 19th-century traditional wooden houses built by local highlanders. Take a short stroll to admire the uniform architecture and learn about the local tradition where residents scrub the wooden logs with soap and water twice a year to keep them looking pristine and bright.
Just a short drive away, arrive in the picturesque area of Witów for an authentic cultural taste test. Visit a traditional mountain shepherd's hut (bacówka) to see how local highlanders live. Sample the famous Oscypek - a regional smoked sheep's cheese served warm from the grill with cranberry sauce and complement the tasting with a shot of traditional regional alcohol.
Arrive at the base of the mountains and board the modern funicular railway. Your round-trip (up and down) tickets are fully included. Take a scenic ride to the top of Gubalowka Mountain to witness iconic, postcard-perfect panoramic views of the entire Tatra Mountain range and the town below. Enjoy free time for photos and a short walk along the ridge.
During the driving portions of the tour, pass by the majestic Tatras Mountains. Keep your camera ready to take in the beautiful alpine landscapes, lush green valleys, and dramatic peaks that make this border region between Poland and Slovakia so famous.
Head down into the vibrant center of Zakopane. Take a leisurely walk down Krupowki Street, the town's famous pedestrian boulevard. Enjoy 2 hours of free time for sightseeing, shopping for unique handmade wooden handicrafts and local souvenirs, or enjoying a traditional highlander lunch at a local tavern.
Treat yourself to premium relaxation at the Chocholow Thermal Pools, one of the largest and most modern wellness facilities of this kind in Europe. Your 2,5 hour admission ticket grants you full access to a vast array of indoor and outdoor thermal pools, hydromassage jets, geysers, and exciting waterslides -all filled with mineral rich waters with a beautiful mountain backdrop.
Transportation Zakopane -> Kraków After an action-packed day of sightseeing, mountain views, and ultimate thermal relaxation, sit back and unwind in your comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle. Enjoy a smooth and safe 1,5 hour return transfer from the Zakopane region back to Krakow, dropping you off directly at your starting point or hotel.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pickups in Krakow between 8:00-9:00am. Pickup directly from your selected hotel or apartment in Krakow (or the nearest location if vehicle access is prohibited or difficult). The day before the tour (by 7pm), after collecting all addresses from the other tour participants, you will receive the exact pickup time from your accommodation.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not recommended for people with mobility impairments
Reviews(573)
Casper was our guide. We were picked up a few minutes early, shared a van with 8 other guests. Casper was well spoken, easy to understand. Stopped about an hour into the ride for restroom break and snack. Continued to the village of Chocholow to see the unique wooden houses. After 20 mins, we boarded again, next stop we tasted the smoked cheese (oscypek) and 2 different vodkas (at 11am!). As he drove Zakopane, he answered all our questions about the area. We had 2.5h in Zakopane, plenty of time to ride the funicular to the top, enjoy the beautiful views and shop/eat. The thermal baths (pools) were very crowded. Thank goodness for an adult only pool, but it was still crowded. The water temperature (36C) nearly matched the air temperature as Poland has been in a heat wave (33-35C). The ride home was quiet as it is a long day. Pickup 0810a, drop off 730p. Great way to spend a full day and see more of beautiful Poland.
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
Julia was amazing from start to finish. She made the experience so welcoming and was really friendly. She had great knowledge of both Krakow and Zakopane and gave us a huge list of recommendations for both which really helped. The trip itself was great, we only wish we could have stayed longer. 2.5/3 hours at both of the main stops seems quite a while but we got to the end of both and wish we had longer! Another thing to note is we could leave our bigger bags with our stuff for the thermal baths in, in the van at all of the stops so didn’t have to carry it around everywhere which really helped. Really good value for money and would absolutely do it again if visiting Krakow again in future. We went as a group of friends, but would recommend it for couples, friends or even solo.
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
Great trip from start to finish Everything ran perfectly Julia such a lovely and knowledgeable guide , highly recommend this trip, I’d maybe try the spa on a quieter day such as weekday
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
Great experience! Julia, our guide, was so helpful and knowledgable. Highly recommend!
Thank you for your wonderful review! 😊 We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane tour from Krakow and the beautiful Tatra Mountains!
Fantastic trip, everything run smoothly and on time. Outstanding driver Peter very friendly and very knowledgeable! What a great guy. Would 100% recommend this trip to anyone visiting krakow.
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
Well worth the money! Our guide Julia was great…so knowledgable and she went out of her way to let us know what do on our visit to Krakow. Highly recommend!
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
Amazing views and the thermal baths have everything for everyone.
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
Lovely day out. Julia our guide was full of information, and very friendly throughout the whole day- very informative, and gave us clear instructions for each place! Was 8 guests in the van, so was lovely to not be on a big coach too- so that was a fab bonus! Would recommend to friends and family visiting Poland!
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
Excellent trip to Zakopane & thermal pools, cable car & views were really good, our tour guide Julia was amazing, extremely organised & informative, made our experience fantastic, thank you so much x
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
Awesome tour, carefully planned to make the most out of the day and visit everything without stressing or being bored. Our tour guide Julia was incredibly kind and attentive and gave us plenty of insider tips, thank you so much!
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your Zakopane and Thermal Baths experience. Hope to see you again in Krakow!
