Everyone loves it when they get a lot of days off at work or school. And you need to take advantage of this opportunity to the fullest, to spend time not only with benefit, but also with pleasure. That's why we offer you this cool route of the trip for May holidays, which combines both well-known trails and completely wild, untouched areas of the Ukrainian Carpathians. Nine days in the mountains, full of magnificent scenery and atmosphere of freedom, surrounded by people who love the mountains as much as you do, will give you unforgettable experience and good mood till the next vacation!
We do not cancel or reschedule groups. If the manager has given permission to buy a ticket, you can buy it with confidence. There will be no cancellation through our fault.
Experienced Kuluar teamleaders will accompany the group on the whole route, will make your journey as memorable and safe as possible!
You will hike through the wildest and most remote from civilization part of the Ukrainian Carpathians, climb the amazing hermit mountain Chyvchyn, look at the Rodnian Alps in Romania, admire the crocus glades and much more :)
The manager, who will advise you before the trip, herself has been in the Carpathians many times and will tell you the details from personal experience!
More than 12,000 participants have already gone to the mountains with the Kuluar and 97,8% were satisfied. We're sure you will, too!
The teamleader will meet you at the train station of Ivano-Frankovsk, and with him you will travel to the mountains in a previously ordered comfortable transport.
This hike is a great way to spend your weekend to forget and disconnect from everyday life while enjoying the solitude of nature.
During the day we'll hike 5 km; altitude: 190 m.
Meet the group with the instructor at the railway station in Ivano-Frankivsk. We share the food and leave by bus to the border of Romania, in the village of Shepot, Chernivtsi region. The road is long. But we will not be bored, because Carpathian mountain landscapes, colorful local villages are constantly changing behind the window. Closer to the evening we will reach the village of Shepot, the starting point of our hiking route. From the village we will walk along the river Kobelora to a comfortable place for overnight stay, we will make a big fire, cook a delicious dinner and get acquainted, telling interesting stories.
During the day we will hike 17 km; elevation gain: 630 m, height drop: 710 m.
After gathering the camp, along the forest road, literally on the border with Romania, we climb to the pass Semenchuk. Admiring the panoramic views of the wild Carpathians, we gradually approach the mountain Tomnatyk, on top of which there was previously a secret facility - radar station "Pamir". Huge white domes were radio-transparent shelter for antennas, which constantly scanned the sky, working in different bands.
The largest of the domes still contained the P-14 "Lena" radar antenna. A huge, rotating around its axis parabolic structure. We take the opportunity to walk inside the domes - because of the unusual shape they have amazing acoustics.
In addition to historical sites, from the top of Mount Tomnatic you can enjoy the magnificent panorama of the surrounding mountains. After resting and lunch at the top, we go on to Percalaba. We stay overnight in a comfortable place on the bank of the Sarata river.
In one day we will hike 17 km; elevation gain: 920 m, elevation drop: 660 m.
Passing the village of Perkalaba, we approach a large, artificially created mountain lake - the clove Perkalab. The dam and the lake were previously used for rafting timber down the river. Impressive structure, there are almost none of these left in the Carpathians. We rest on the lake and, bypassing the spring with mineral water, we go further - on the Preluchny ridge.
On the ridge we are met by carpets of spring flowers - crocuses. You can also admire the views of still snow-covered forested mountains. We'll walk to the sources of Black Cheremosh on such living flower carpet, descend from Pnivie ridge to the river for spending the night. We'll put our tents in the tract Chemirny, not far from the abandoned military unit, which functioned during the Soviet times.
During the day we will hike 18.5 km; elevation gain: 960 m, elevation drop: 680 m.
This day, and several subsequent days, our route will pass through the neutral territory between the borders of Ukraine and Romania. From the checkpoint, along which we will move, the Romanian Carpathians are perfectly visible - they are higher, rocky, with steep snow-covered slopes. And nearby, along the road, all the slopes will be dotted with purple and fairly rare white crocuses.
There's still a lot of snow, and we'll have to break a trail in the snow. Today is a pretty long day's hike - we need to get to a comfortable overnight spot under Chivchin Mountain, the calling card of these places.
During the day we will hike 7 km; elevation gain: 270 m, elevation drop: 370 m.
In the morning from the place of overnight stay we climb without backpacks on the mountain Chivchin, which is slightly away from the main ridge. From the top there is a wonderful panorama of the Chernogorsky and Marmaros mountain ranges, as well as the Romanian Rodnjanski Alps. There is no village nearby, or any sign of civilization, so you can breathe the fresh mountain air on the chest, relax and enjoy the freedom and solitude with nature. After hiking to the summit, we pack our tents and move on. Today we have a relatively short hike - we need to rest. From Chivchin we will walk 7 kilometers on the ridge and go down for the night at Starostaya hollow.
During the day we will hike lk 16 km; elevation gain: 560 m, elevation drop: 530 m.
Then our route goes along the ridge through the fabulous glades of crocuses among the picturesque Chivchinsky mountains. Here and there are wooden shepherd's huts. Enjoying the Carpathian landscapes we reach the slopes of Mount Stog. Previously, on top of Mount Stog the borders of three countries - Romania, Czechoslovakia and Poland converged. Under the mountain rises the White Tisza River.
From Stog the present border with Romania turns to Marmarosy, we head in the direction of the Chernogorsky Range. We will go to Radul polony, where we will stay for the night. If we are lucky with the weather, we will see an incredibly beautiful sunset.
During the day we will hike 14 km; elevation gain: 920 m, elevation drop: 715 m.
From the Radul Mountain we move to the next goal of our hike - Mount Pop Ivan Chernogorski. On its top there is an old building of the Polish Astronomical Observatory. On the tower of the observatory was a telescope. Unfortunately, it operated for only a couple of years, from 1937 to 1939.
This is the highest point of our route. With a good weather forecast we will spend the night on the top, or go down from the ridge in the direction of the mountain Smotrich to the tourist parking lot.
During the day we will hike 10.5 km; elevation gain: 190 m, elevation drop: 1140 m.
In case of good weather and on time, today is the last day of our route. From the lodging place we will go up along the trail to the mountain Vuhaty Kamin with fanciful rocks on its top. After having taken a lot of pictures we'll start descending the spur. On the way down we will take a closer look at some more big and picturesque rocks. We will wash ourselves in the crystal clear water of the Dzembronj waterfalls and walk through a fairy-tale spruce forest.
We walk to the shepherds' cradle on the Smotrich Hill. In summer, they make delicious cheese here. We will go down to the village Dzembronya, where after a week in the wild mountains, we are waiting for the benefits of civilization :) We will put our tents by the river, two kilometers below the village, in a specially equipped area.
For the last time in the trip we pack our tents, drink delicious Carpathian tea and get to Ivano-Frankivsk by chartered bus. After a walk through the blooming spring city, we say goodbye to the group. The May holidays are over, and our hike is over.
For a long time after the trip, looking through the pictures, we will grimly remember how good it was in the Carpathians!
Depending on the weather conditions, condition and general wishes of the group, the teamleader has the right to make changes to the route.
Carpathians in general is very rainy region, so we must be prepared for anything - take a raincoat for sure! It is better to be safe than to get soaked! Depending on the weather during the day can be both very hot and cool. Most of the camps are high-rise, and even summer evenings and nights can be cool, so don't forget to take a hat and gloves!
WARNING: The hike takes place in the border area, it is necessary to arrange border passes. Therefore, all participants must send us their passport data - scans of the filled passport pages. It must be done no later than a week before the start of the hike.
To participate in the hike you must be free of diseases that are not compatible with active tourism: the list here.
As always, we recommend that you buy tickets in advance, although there are often vacant seats on trains a week before the start of the hike. You should buy your ticket so that you'll be at the train station in Ivano-Frankovsk by 10 a.m. on the day of the start of the hike. A slight delay is acceptable. Back you buy a ticket for the evening, best of all for 20-22 hours, then you'll have time to walk around Frankovsk and have a drink in one of its pubs. Buy tickets is worth it only after our confirmation of your participation in the hike. You can do this at the ticket offices at the railway station or online on the website "Ukrzaliznytsia"
The meeting place of the group is the waiting room of the Ivano-Frankovsk railway station. The time is determined by the last arriving participant, usually it's 10 am. About 5-7 days before the hike we will send you by e-mail the exact time of the meeting and the contacts of the team leader. Don't forget to check your mail!
The weather in the Carpathians is very changeable, so you should prepare for its surprises in advance. The first thing you should remember is that it rains a lot here, so you should bring a raincoat and a rain cover for your backpack. Second - in the evenings, especially at high-altitude parking lots, it may be cool. Take with you a hat, gloves and jacket.
Surely you are wondering what we will eat on a hike? Let's just say that you don't have to worry. Many participants say they eat better on the hike than they do at home. The basis of the menu is a simple meal of cereals and soups. You should not count on gourmet delicacies (although they can be).
If you do not eat any products, be sure to inform the manager so that the guide can slightly adjust the menu for you. We also recommend taking some yummies with you - nuts or sweets. Appetite on a hike is much better than at home.
Please note that the menu shown is indicative only. Guides usually have their signature dishes that they love to pamper participants with. And if you have dishes that you would like to receive on a hike, be sure to tell the manager about it, as the guide may have completely different preferences.
Features of nutrition for vegetarians - if you do not eat meat, be sure to read. We tell here how we will feed you and at the same time we give you a 5% discount to the hiking.
The hike takes place in the border area, it is necessary to issue border passes. Therefore, all participants must send us their passport data - scans of the filled passport pages. It must be done not later than a week before the start of the hike.
To participate in the hike you must have no diseases that are not compatible with active tourism: the list here.
When you arrive in Ivano-Frankivsk, go to 10. The food here is extremely tasty, the portions are huge, and the prices are small. If the 10 is busy, you can eat at another pub, too. Sitting down together for a delicious meal and a glass of beer is a great ending to a great outing. With that in mind, it's best to buy your tickets back for the evening - 20-22 hours.
The program has mandatory additional costs for transfers. Their amount you can check with the manager, as it depends on the cost of fuel and is constantly changing.
There are also optional expenses. Participants buy dried porcini mushrooms, souvenirs, and like to have dinner in a restaurant (for example, in the legendary "Ten"). Minimum recommend to take from 300 hryvnias. And the maximum is up to you.
We limit the number of participants in a group. To reserve a seat for you, we need to make an advance payment of 1500 UAH. The rest amount we surrender to the team leader at the meeting. Refund policy and payment methods =>>
