Galician Carpathians Walking Tour
Journey Highlights:
- The mystical and unspoiled Carpathian Mountains
- Hidden villages with orthodox wooden churches
- A ride along a former forest railway
- Excellent art photography possibilities
- Krakow – the seat of Polish kings
- Lvov – the former capital of Austrian Galicia*
- *Ukrainian extension only*
INTRODUCTION
Galicia (Ukrainian: Галичина, Polish: Galicja) is an historical region of Eastern Europe currently divided between Poland and Ukraine. Formerly an independent kingdom, it was annexed around 1360 by Poland, and in 1772 Galicia became the northernmost province of Austria, which it remained until the dissolution of Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I.
Galicia was (and remains today) one of the least populated areas of Europe. In addition to the Slavs, a large Jewish population also inhabited the region. Beginning in the 1880s, a mass trans-Atlantic emigration of the Galician peasantry took place.
BIESZCZADY National Park is without the doubt the pearl of the Galician Carpathians. The colloquial Polish term for Bieszczady is Biesy, a folk etymology connecting the origin of the mountains to demonic (bies) activities.
The Bieszczady are well known for their mountainous pastureland known as poloniny. Here treeless summits surrounded by green forests create a completely unique aura. This area is practically untouched by civilization, and the park itself is one of the last strongholds of virgin nature in Europe.
Local wildlife includes the European Bison, brown bear, lynx, wildcat, wolf, Ural owl, and golden eagle. Reptiles may be encountered on the trails, including vipers.
We will walk through extremely sparsely populated regions where the majority of inhabitants were resettled during the first years of communism in Poland. We will see abandoned villages, now overgrown and wild. The majority of the remaining population are farmers who employ primarily traditional methods, like their ancestors 100 years ago.
Details
- Poland – Ukraine (extension only)
- 8 days (11 with extension)
- Walk Rating: moderate, 4-8 miles per day
- Meeting Point: Krakow (Poland)
- Departure Point: Krakow (Poland) or Kiev (Ukraine)
Outline Itinerary:
- Day 1 Arrival in Krakow, transfer to Beskyd Niski
- Day 2 Beskid Niski – walk
- Day 3 Beskid Niski – walk
- Day 4 Transfer to Bieszczady
- Day 5 Bieczczady National Park – walk
- Day 6 Bieszczady National Park – walk
- Day 7 Krakow city tour
- Day 8 Departure
Extension:
- Day 7-8 Ukrainian Carpathians
- Day 9 Town of Lvov
- Day 10 Kiev – capital of Ukraine
- Day 11 Departure
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