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Hiking trails between small villages and towns are gaining popularity in Ukraine. One of them is the Camino Podoliсo pilgrimage route. Those of you who follow the news have probably seen it, and some of you have already walked with us in Europe along the route to Santiago de Compostela, the Way of St. James. The time has come to open similar trails in our own country.
Camino Podolico now has the status of St. James' Way as part of the European cultural route Camino de Santiago, and every year more and more people are discovering it for themselves. The route introduces travellers to the history and culture of the Vinnytsia and Khmelnytskyi regions and leads through the most interesting locations of eastern Podillia: in the first part, travellers walk along the banks of the Southern Bug and Riv rivers, and in the second part, they gradually approach the Podillia Tovtry.
Some choose to walk the path alone as a step towards self-discovery. For others, the company of fellow pilgrims and trusted guides whom you already know from previous trips is important.
Spring 2026 marks the start of Kuluar's trips along this route. We are joining the idea of promoting local tourism and inviting people to join the first test groups. Our route differs from the marked route and has significant changes in terms of locations and accommodation. Interested? Please refer to the "Questions" section and the route description.
The photos shown are illustrative. They may differ from what you can expect. Perhaps your photos, taken with us, will become the main ones in our gallery. Let's start the journey together 💚
From the starting point to the finish line, the group is accompanied by a minivan, which transports the participants' belongings and other items that make the journey more comfortable. For example, at lunchtime, the group meets up with the van, which has chairs and a table, and the participants can sit down, have a snack and relax. Tea and coffee can be prepared without having to go to a café.
When choosing a hike, you get fulfilling daytime walks and evenings spent around the campfire: conversations, the crackling of the fire, warmth, and delicious smoky dishes. This is the atmosphere that hiking in the Carpathians offers, but now you can experience it in Podillia as well.
Guidance is provided by team leaders whom you know from previous programmes or whose trips you have often seen on Instagram. When you join a trip, you not only get to follow the route, but also receive the care of an experienced traveller.
We do not cancel or reschedule groups. If the consultant has approved the purchase of a ticket, you can go ahead and buy it. The programme will not be cancelled due to our fault.
We have already had over 25,000 participants, and 98.7% of them were satisfied. We are sure you will be too!
We recommend arriving in Vinnytsia early in the morning. The meeting with the team leader will be at 8:00 a.m. There will be an opportunity to have coffee and a snack at a café.
Your belongings that you will not need during the day trip, as well as items that you want to keep, for example, for the train journey back, will be sorted and left in the support vehicle.
The journey begins with a visit to the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, where you will receive your pilgrim passport and your first stamp, after which we will begin our walk along the Southern Bug River.
In some places, the trail runs along different banks of the river, we cross a bridge, and depending on the section, the trail runs along the banks or plunges into the forest.
At a convenient moment, when the support vehicle can arrive, there is a meeting with the driver and a rest after the first part of the crossing. The team leader prepares a snack, and there is an opportunity to make tea, coffee and relax. In case of precipitation, an awning can be stretched over the car to provide more comfortable conditions.
Depending on the season and how the day goes, the group reaches the day's destination, gets a stamp in their pilgrim passport, and arrives at the place where they will spend the night, where a temporary camp is set up, and the support vehicle has everything necessary to make the camping experience comfortable.
For more details, please refer to the "Questions" section.
We'll go: ≈ 22-25 km
On the morning of the second day, the group will visit the Shrine of St. Joseph, and then set off on foot to the next destination.
During the day, we will walk along fields and paths that lead westward and sometimes come out to a river called Riv. We will pass through a small village, where we will have a snack, and then we will arrive in the town of Brailiv.
We will visit the sanctuary of Jesus of Nazareth and the estate of the von Meck family. After that, we will have the last stretch to our overnight accommodation.
We'll go ≈ 25-27 km
Today we will pass through small villages such as Riv, Mezhyriv, Severynivka, and Tokarivka. Along the way, we will cross rivers and fields. We will see the everyday life of people in small villages, who may still be surprised to see tourists visiting their area.
The logic of the day will be the same as in previous days: lunch meeting with the support vehicle, visiting places where pilgrim stamps are placed, as well as cultural monuments in this area.
Towards evening, we approach Mankivtsi, where we set up camp, and enjoy the last night of this trip around the campfire with delicious food.
We'll go: ≈ 24-26 km
On this day, the group will have the shortest walk. There will be an opportunity to sleep in a little longer, enjoy being in nature, and set off on the final stretch of the Camino Podolico.
During the day, there will be an opportunity to visit cultural sites and see interesting sights. At approximately five o'clock, we will get the final stamp and receive a closed passport for the section from Vinnytsia to Bar.
On your next trips, you may encounter the following section, from the city of Bar to Kamianets-Podilskyi. But we will discuss that later.
The most convenient way to get to Vinnytsia is from the city of Bar. Here you can either use public transport, buses that run quite regularly, and the ticket price is not high. The journey takes approximately one and a half hours. Or the consultant can order a private minibus for the whole group, which will take the participants to Vinnytsia (significantly more expensive).
From Vinnytsia, you can plan your own route to your city.
Let's go: ≈ 18-21 km
How to go on a Camino Podolico hike:
To participate in the hike, you must not have any illnesses that are incompatible with active tourism: list here.
Depending on weather conditions, the condition of the group and general preferences, the team leader has the right to make changes to the route. Compliance with instructions is mandatory.
In the text, you may have come across the phrase "test route". We will be honest: hiking in Podillia is a new experience for us. However, the club takes many details into account when planning, and our team leaders have independently completed the Camino Podolico and provided expert advice during preparation.
Over time and with the development of infrastructure, the route taken by Kuluar will change and expand. Being the first does not mean getting into trouble. It means being explorers and forming first impressions of the path. And the team leaders will give you a sense of security and confidence: they have been accompanying groups on more difficult routes for years and, in addition to their knowledge of the cultural aspects, can impress you with stories from the Carpathian trails.
In the route announcement, we invite you to travel with a tent. You don't have to carry it yourself, and you shouldn't be afraid of the conditions that this supposedly entails. We explain why this makes sense below.
We would be delighted if the infrastructure along the route grew over time, but everything new takes time. Currently, staying at guesthouses and hotels carries risks that have previously held us back: we are used to booking accommodation in advance and knowing exactly what conditions the pilgrims will be sleeping in. It is easier for independent pilgrims to find a place in a farmstead, but for groups there are nuances: cottages often accommodate a maximum of 7-8 people, sometimes there are double mattresses, and whether you like it or not, you have to share a bed with a stranger. An additional factor is pilgrims who may arrive without a reservation but expect to find a place to stay because they read about it on the website. We have heard that in such situations, comfort sometimes has to be sacrificed. These are isolated cases, but our position is different: to offer a solution where a peaceful rest is guaranteed "by default".
The official Camino Podolico website publishes houses and estates (listed below), and they have a strong point: live meetings with pilgrims, conversations with locals, and dinners "as if for yourself." This is a truly important part of the experience. But in our format, you already travel in a group, get to know each other and become closer during the day's walks, so you get the "social" part in a different way. There will be some trade-offs: less of some things, but more of others, and predictably so.
Have you read it? Then move on to the next question about the conditions we plan to provide.
photo added from the website https://caminopodolico.net/route/severynivka
In Vinnytsia, the group will meet with the team leader and assistant who will accompany us by car. The car will carry the camping equipment and your personal belongings. Therefore, we will start the walking part of the trip with a small backpack, carrying only what we need for the 3-4 hour walk to lunch.
At lunchtime, the group arrives at a location where a car and an improvised café await: our tables, chairs and food. There will be a delicious snack, tea or coffee. In case of bad weather, we will put up an awning. After lunch, the car drives to the overnight accommodation, and the group continues on its way.
We set up camp in interesting places. We make sure there is enough drinking water, a supply of firewood for evening gatherings, and a changing room that doubles as a shower cubicle: the water may be cool, but it's still better than nothing 🤭
The food is prepared by the team leader. He has experience hiking in the Carpathians and his own tricks for preparing meals. Involving participants in daily life is important to us: we are not only walking a path, but also a path within ourselves, which gradually transforms you into a pilgrim. Together as a team on the trail, together as a team in camp.
If you have been on Kuluar rafting trips, the camping model will be similar. Have you already rafted with us? Then you can expect the same level of service 🙂
Have you carefully read the previous points? Then let's move on to the last one, about complexity.
We understand that four days is a fast pace for the section between Vinnytsia and Bar. Depending on the locations chosen, it can be 88-95-100 km. The most exhausting sections are asphalt and motorways, where the marked route sometimes passes. We do not promise that we will strictly follow the markings: this allows us to shorten the distance. But we will not pretend that it will be easy.
In the mountains, we would never claim to cover ~25 km every day. Here, it is possible thanks to the conditions: light backpacks with car support. At the same time, the cultural part remains unchanged for us: churches, museums, places worth exploring, and points where you can get a stamp in your pilgrim's passport.
When choosing a test hike, focus on early starts, around 8:00 a.m., and be prepared to adapt to circumstances. We do not plan to transport the group by car or take local buses and taxis as a primary scenario, but this is a backup plan that can reduce fatigue and risks if necessary.
After reading all this, you now have a better understanding of the journey we are inviting you on. Are you ready to go? Submit your application.
The programme includes mandatory additional expenses for transfers. For example, from the city of Bar to the railway station in Vinnytsia. You can check the amount with a consultant.
There are also optional expenses. Participants buy souvenirs and treats. We recommend having at least 1,000 UAH with you. The maximum amount is up to you.
We limit the number of participants in the group. In order to reserve your place, you must make a prepayment of 2,000 hryvnia. The remaining amount is to be paid to the team leader upon arrival. Prepayment refund policy and payment methods =>>