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Poland holidays

country:Poland
location:Carpathian Mountains
trip type: A small group adventure
departures:2008: 13 Jul, 27 Jul, 3 Aug, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 7 Sep, 21 Sep
2009: 3 May, 17 May, 31 May, 14 Jun
price:From £804 - £834 (15 days) including flights from the UK, plus local payment £150. This trip can also be booked without flights
 
the amazing things you'll be doing
This two week adventure travels well beyond the known tourist destinations of Warsaw and Krakow and deep into rural Poland.

Birthplace of Copernicus, Chopin, Marie Curie and Joseph Conrad, Poland has played a vital role in European history - stretching from the glittering medieval period to the modern day.

We see both the old and the new, energetic, face of Poland in Warsaw and Krakow - and have time to savour the rural backroads: a patchwork of apple orchards and corn fields, hamlets with wooden churches, and the great tracts of wild beech and oak forest that are still home to bison and wolf.

Canoeing & Bird Watching
After time in the old centre of Warsaw, we drive north to the Lake Wigry National Park in the heart of Poland's lake district. We explore this beautiful waterine region by pedalo-canoe, paddling easily through the reedy canals and rivers. Taking back roads through tiny villages to our farm guesthouse, we reach the remote Narew Marshlands. Considered one of Europe's top bird watching spots, we'll punt past daisy meadows and marsh flowers that frame the labyrinth of channels. The birdsong intensifies as dusk falls - the best time to see beaver at the water's edge.

Europe's Last Bison Further south lies the immense Bialowieza National Park. The dark, sprawling primeval forest of towering oak and hornbeam is the would-be setting for many a creature of European folklore - and certainly home to wild boar and bison! Choose between hiking, biking or exploring by horse and cart. Heading next for the charming town of Kazimierz Dolny on the banks of the Vistula, we relax in the open air cafes, and hike up to the medieval castle for commanding views.

Carpathian Mountains & Krakow
We stop at the Italian Renaissance town of Zamosc and explore the old streets of Przemysl near the Ukraine border, en route to Bieszczady in the east Carpathian mountains. We plan two day hikes along mountain ridges to really appreciate the splendid scenery and wilderness isolation. Finally, we drive to Krakow, Poland's most celebrated city, where we stay near the famous market square. There's time to visit Krakow fortress, the excellent museum, or make an excursion by train to Auschwitz.
day-by-day itinerary
Day 1:Fly London/Warsaw.
Day 2-3:Drive to Wigry National Park; explore lakes and rivers by canoe or walking.
Day 4:Drive Biebrza; wildlife and birdwatching; drive Narew NP including boat trip; overnight in farmhouse.
Day 5:Drive Bialowieza NP; optional horse and cart ride in forest.
Day 6:Walks/ optional biking in Bialowieza; drive Kazimierz Dolny.
Day 7:In Kazimierz Dolny.
Day 8:Drive via Zamosc and Przemysl to Bieszczady Mountains.
Day 9-10:Walking in Bieszczady Mountains.
Day 11:Drive via Smolnik church to Krakow.
Day 12-13:In Krakow; optional visit to Auschwitz.
Day 14:Morning train to Warsaw; tour Old Town.
Day 15:Fly London.
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
how this holiday makes a difference
This two week adventure travels well beyond the known tourist destinations of Warsaw and Krakow and deep into rural Poland for the chance to learn about the everyday lives of the folk of a nearby yet relatively undiscovered nation. At the mostly family run guesthouses we stay in, we eat traditional, locally produced and often organic food and you will be welcomed by hosts keen to appraise in the local traditions such as downing a glass of Vodka or two!

The rural communities of far Eastern Poland are some of the countries poorest. Our visit to these areas where we support locally owned and operated small businesses brings in much needed income and the warm welcome we receive is sure to lead to recommendations to potential new visitors, stimulating even longer term benefits.

The virgin forests of the Bialowieza National Park are the last remaining primeval forests in Europe, home to herds of European bison and other rare species such as the lynx. The Biebzra marshlands are the largest in Europe and home to myriad bird species and the Bieszczady mountains, part of the Carpathian ranges, are home to wolf and brown bear. By visiting these pristine environments in the company of expert naturalist guides, travellers are educated in an awareness of the importance of conservation in our increasingly urbanised world.

You can limit the impact of your flights to Poland on global warming by calculating the cost of offsetting them and contributing this sum to Climate Care, an organisation which funds projects, which reduce emissions by the same amount as your flight creates. The company who operate this tour offset all of the emissions from its staff flights, office and operations through Climate Care.

As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.

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