It is very comfortable and pleasant to travel with Kuluar, which is why we chose this organizer again.
On October 4, we went on our fifth trip with Kulur. We chose the program “Hutsulshchyna - ethno-travel and hiking in the mountains” because it is a trip with hotel accommodation and it suited our dates.
My husband and I wanted to celebrate our 13th anniversary on October 6
Initially, the route description stated that Ivan would be our guide. We had already been to the Skolivski Beskydy Mountains with him.
However, when we created a group on Telegram, we saw that Lesya would be our guide. We were delighted because we had been on our first two hikes with her and had become friends.
In the Telegram chat, Lesya told us about the weather and warned us about snow and rain. She emphasized the importance of appropriate clothing and footwear. I ordered walking sticks for myself from Kuluar. My husband decided to do without them on this easy hike
Having had unpleasant experiences with blisters, I took the right kind of bandages without fabric with me. I took a shoe dryer and another pair of shoes just in case. My husband also took two pairs of shoes. We took clothes to wear in layers. And raincoats.
We arrived in Ivano-Frankivsk at 5:39 a.m. The Urban café opens at 7:00 a.m. We went to the opening, managed to order and eat breakfast. We grabbed some coffee and rushed to the train station for our meeting. We made it on time, but we were in a hurry.
We couldn't do otherwise, because it is very important for my husband to eat in the morning. We didn't take anything with us in the evening, and we had to wait a long time for breakfast or a snack with the group.
After breakfast, full and satisfied, we went to the Kosiv market. It was raining lightly, so we walked around in raincoats. We didn't plan to buy anything, but we ended up getting a couple of rolls, some cheese, and apples. The market is interesting, but a lot of things are covered when it rains.
Then we went straight to the waterfall. I had planned to go hiking in different pants, but I stayed in the ones I had on the train and didn't change in the car. You have to put on the clothes you're going to wear for hiking right away in the morning on the train.
On the first day of the route, there was a lot of mud and swamps. But our shoes held up, and we were able to walk around on the grass and not get stuck. But not everyone was so lucky.
The path ran along a stream. It murmured beautifully, showing us the way. There were also many crossings along the way. We passed yards with houses, cows, and fed apples to horses.
We ate delicious sweet juicy plums that grew along our route. We saw a salamander and autumn crocuses. In October, nature in the mountains does not yet have many bright colors, it is more green.
But the weather was very humid, the mountains were steaming, the clouds were floating low, it was very beautiful!
We reached the Protyatykh Stones and climbed through the gorges as we wished. We saw the Falcon's Eye. The bright soft moss and the fanciful shapes of the stones were mesmerizing.
We took a different route back, through an interesting village, the Nimchich Pass. Then we went to our minibus.
We checked into the Verkhovel Hotel. It was very nice. It was our first time staying at a hotel of this level with Kuluar. We were used to dinners being included in the tour price, so we didn't read the terms and conditions carefully.
Dinner was at our own expense. This hotel has a chic restaurant with panoramic views of the city and mountains, delicious food, high prices, and pleasant service.
After checking in, the whole group met at the restaurant for dinner and to get to know each other. Then those who wanted to went to the hotel spa. The first day ended wonderfully.
Breakfast is a buffet. There is a variety of delicious food and coffee. Breakfast starts at 9:00 a.m. You can sleep in, but the trip to the mountains and return will also be delayed. The program for the second day includes climbing Mount Kostrycha.
The route started with beautiful views. The road was more or less dry. We took pictures of an old beech tree, passed through a village, and climbed into the forest. In the forest, streams flowed, birds sang, and mushrooms grew. Two members of the group walked very slowly.
Therefore, we had time to enjoy nature, the misty forest, and the walk. There was snow lying somewhere.
We left the forest and came out onto the Vesnarka mountain pasture. There we were met by strong winds and a view of snow-capped mountain peaks, illuminated by the sun and covered with clouds.
We went down to the shepherds' hut, had lunch, and decided to return because we were walking slowly. We did not climb the mountain, but returned by the same route.
At the end of the route, we climbed up to the swing. There was fog all around us, and we swung as if we were in a cloud. Then the fog cleared a little and a rainbow appeared! It was a magical end to our second hike. Everyone loved it.
In the evening, the group went to dinner at Arkan. Everyone liked it there) My husband and I stayed for dinner at our hotel restaurant. We managed to see the sun setting from the panoramic windows, how it rose up the mountain to the very top and disappeared.
We had a romantic, relaxing, and pleasant time over dinner. Then we sat in the sauna at the spa for a while and went to rest. You can also order a massage at the spa.
On the third day, the driver was a little late. We checked out of the hotel, left our things in the car, and went to the museum. The Museum of Hutsul Customs and Traditions is cozy and small.
It provided a lot of information about Hutsul life quickly. They played musical instruments, tied scarves, and prayed for a successful and speedy marriage. It was an interesting and emotional tour.
Then we returned to the car and went to the Museum of Hutsul Magic. There we listened to interesting stories about molfars. We tried to make the horn and trembita sound. We bought tea and headed to Ivano-Frankivsk.
As is tradition after the end of the trip and before the train arrived, we sat in the 10ka cafe. We played a gift game, shared our impressions, received nice gifts and a certificate, and exchanged contacts.
As always after trips with Kulur, you get impressions, new acquaintances, friends, gifts, and plans for future trips.
To sum up, we were lucky with the weather. Although there was a little rain sometimes, it didn't bother us. There was fog, but even when everything around you is “milky,” it's a natural phenomenon that you don't see every day. It's also beautiful.
Lesya thought it would be a winter fairy tale, but the snow melted. We saw an autumn fairy tale. It wasn't cold in the forest. There was no wind and no sun either
As for tips or mistakes, here are mine:
Thank you for your work.