EASTERN EUROPE: FROM BUDAPEST TO KRAKOW, VIA SLOVAKIA
TRIP OVERALL
Push aside the Iron Curtain and step into the beauty of Eastern Europe. Our adventurous journey starts in the “Paris of the East”, Budapest. This UNESCO city, the capital of Hungary known as the “City of Baths”, is over one thousand years old, with amazing architecture ranging from Roman ruins to Art Nouveau palaces. Our journey continues to Eger, a historic town in Northern Hungary flanked by the Matra and Bukk National Parks. We will soak in the atmosphere of this picturesque town over a bottle of local “Bull’s Blood”, the best red wine in Hungary. Heading north, we will enter Slovakia, a superb hiking destination of astonishing natural beauty, from the ridgetop trails in the High and Low Tatras with beautiful mountain-ringed lakes to the outrageous nature in the Slovak Paradise National Park, with its gorgeous waterfalls along riverside trails through dramatic canyons. We will also visit Slovakia’s villages and historical towns and tour stunning medieval UNESCO castles and churches. We will float along the border with Poland on a traditional logging raft on the Dunajec River through the Pieniny National Park. We will end up our trip in the cultural metropolis Krakow, one of the oldest and best preserved cities in Poland, with a tour to nearby Auschwitz and Birkenau to learn about its sad WWII history.
TRIP DETAILS
Date: July 29 - August 9, 2025
Price: *$6590 USD
Length: 12 days
Arrive: Budapest, Hungary
Depart: Krakow, Poland
Lodgings: 11 nights in 4 and 5 star hotels
Meals: all meals included except 3 dinners
Activity: walking, hiking, culture, history
Trip Level: moderate country walks and hikes, 2-4 hours a day, van support
1 2+ or 3 4 5 6
* Price per double occupancy. Single supplement: $880 USD
Day 1. Our adventure begins with an afternoon guided tour in Budapest city and welcome dinner on a boat on the Danube River with a magnificent view over the famous Chain Bridge and Buda Castle.
Day 2-3. Transfer from the capital to Mantra and Bukk National parks for hiking and wine tasting in a charming medieval city of Eger.
Day 4-5. We cross the border to Slovakia and spend two days in a UNESCO city Levoča with a beautiful renaissance church and the highest wooden altar in the world - a city where the former pope John Paul II served a mass. We visit one of the biggest European castles from the 12th century – the Spiš Castle (UNESCO) and then hike down to Žehra, a small town with a picturesque church (another UNESCO sight) from the same epoch, valued especially for its remarkable frescos. The next day brings us literally to the “Paradise” – national park Slovak Paradise with splendid hiking trails along rivers, mountain cliffs and through ravines.
Day 6 We relax from hiking on this day, taking a guided tour of one of the most stunning castles in Europe, the Orava Castle. This fairytale-like castle was build above the Orava River as an “eagles nest”. In the afternoon we transfer to another enchanting national park - the Low Tatra Mountains.
Day 7. This day we hike in Low Tatra Mountain Range with its highest peaks – Dumbier and Chopok. Our scenic hike, following the mountain ridge trail, will provide us with one of the best views over High Tatras NP and a historical area of Liptov.
Day 8-9 We take a path through woods between the two most beautiful tarns in Slovakia – Popradske Pleso and Strbske Pleso. The surrounding of Strbske Pleso offers amazing nature walks with experience of beautiful views and lush forests. The other day in High Tatras NP we take a cable car to the second highest summit in Slovakia - Lomnicky Stit, offering an astonishing panoramic view over almost one fifth of Slovakia and of the Polish lowlands on the other side.
Day 10-11 We will follow the border between Slovakia and Poland on a raft on the Dunajec River, flowing through a breathtaking Pieniny national park with fascinating rocks, arising from the river steep to the sky. In the afternoon transfer to the beguiling city Krakow and a guided tour through its centre. On day 11 we drive to nearby Auschwitz and Birkenau for a guided tour in the WW II concentration camp to learn about its tragic history. In the evening we will end up our adventure with a farewell supper in the historical part of Krakow.
Day 12 Departure.
