Rafting Tours Rafting & Cycling
Rafting Photo
| Rafting & Cycling |
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Tour DescriptionThe spectacular Cycling tour is combined with the famous Rafting on the Dnister River where you will travel through an exotic Canyon. This tour is popular for all the family and adds value and excitement to your holiday in Ukraine. We have selected the nicest landscapes and sights in West Ukraine to make this holiday a really special experience. Taking this wonderful tour, you will explore the delightful hystorycal regions of Galicia and Bukovina, breathtaking panoramas of the Dnister Canyon.
Routes and SightsWe have spent a lot of time to find the most beautiful and quiet routes of the regions. We combine cycling visits to lovely historic towns, castles, churches, with peddling through unspoilt woods and nature reserves with picturesque landscapes. We ride along quiet country roads and forest paths, sometimes with very low or no car traffic. For every day we have selected a basic route, but there are always more scenic options to allow for different fitness levels or weather conditions. All our tours start in Lviv. Camping
GuidingAll of our tours are led personally by the two of us. We have detailed local knowledge of not only the most famous sights of the regions, but also of hidden places which would be very hard for visitors to find alone. We will guide you during the sightseeing, making you thoroughly acquainted with our history, life, flora and fauna. One of us will always cycle with the group, showing the way and the sights, and helping you if you have any kind of trouble. The other will follow in the support minibus, providing full technical background and catering service en route. At list one of the instructors speaks fluent English. Back-Up VanOur minibus, available for the whole group (up to 8 guests) at any time. It provides the opportunity to cycle only along the nicest and most quiet areas of the routes, avoiding unpleasant conditions such as car traffic, rain, steep hills. The minibus also ensures that you can be flexible with your cycling distances every day. Of course we transport your luggage from hotel to hotel. During the cycling part of the trip our bus is always somewhere nearby, giving full support as needed, and it usually meets the group for the drinking and lunch breaks. Group SizeOur groups range up to 8 people. These small groups can use secret places where the crowd can't get in. This small size also makes it possible for everybody to get on the bus whenever it is necessary. The atmosphere is more friendly and we can give you more personal attention. EquipmentHelmets are not obligatory for cyclists in Ukraine, but for your safety it is advisable to use one. We would like to recommend that you bring your own comfortable one, as unfortunately we can't rent any for hygiene reasons. If you prefer to bring your own bike, a reduction of €2 per cycling day is given. But in this case please don't forget to bring adequate spare parts and tools. Level of DifficultyUkraine is rather flat country with some hilly areas. We selected mainly flat and sometimes slightly undulating routes where longer downhills outnumber short uphills. When we rarely have some hard uphills, we take our bus. Our tours are designed for everybody who can cycle 10-40 miles/16-65 km a day at a leisure pace. With a suitable fitness level you will not have difficulties, but if you never do any sport activities at home, some regular training in advance is recommended in order to make your tour more enjoyable. However, if you get exhausted at any time, our support bus is always available, so you can cycle as much of the daily distances as you wish. If you are uncertain, please feel free to ask us for any further advice. Non cyclists are also welcome on our holidays! Weather and TimeIn Ukraine we have continental weather. Our summers are usually nice and warm with quite a lot of sunshine. About 25-30 В°C daytime temperature can be expected from June to August, and around 20-25 В°C in May or in September. These days sometimes weather may be unpredictable, so it is better to be prepared for cooler or rainy circumstances too. Local time is CET here, GMT+2 hour. Passport or VisaUkraine sets visa free regime for citizens of the United States of America, Canada, Japan, citizens of the European Union countries (except Republic of Bulgaria and Romania), Swiss Confederation, Liechtenstein, citizens of the Principality of Andorra, Vatican (The Holly See), the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Republic of San Marino passport holders who may stay in Ukraine up to 90 days. National passport/travel document (C.I.D.) should be valid for at six months at intended date of departure from Ukraine. At the Ukrainian border you may be asked to provide: return or onward ticket and you will be asked to fill in Immigration card that you will be asked to present on your way out of the country. Health and InsuranceCycling tours require people to be in good health. When you book you must inform us of any medical condition that may effect your ability on the tour (allergy, asthma, heart problems, etc.). In such cases, it is highly recommended that you obtain your doctor's advice before booking. We recommend that you obtain comprehensive and adequate travel and medical insurance in your home country, to cover unexpected costs due to illness, accident, lost luggage, tour interruption or cancellation, etc., and ensure that your policy covers you for the sport activities you will do. ChildrenWe always welcome families with children on our tours. We think that you as a parent know best your children's capabilities, so you can decide what is suitable for them. In principle we believe that only children with a minimum age of 10 are capable of tackling the tour. MoneyThe local currency here is Ukrainian Hryvna (UHR). You can change cash in Exchange offices or in Banks at the Airport, at the Stations and around the shopping or tourist areas of Lviv and in the bigger Towns. Travelers cheques are not accepted! Credit cards are accepted in some shops and restaurants only. There are many ATM-s in Lviv but it is difficult to find them in small villages neither at petrol stations. It is recommended that you have some cash for the local restaurants, pubs or shops of the hidden villages and areas where we mainly cycle and peddle. Daily ProgramDAY 1: Lviv ArrivalLviv is located on the edge of the Roztochia Upland, approximately 70 km from the Polish border and 160 km (100 miles) from the eastern Carpathian Mountains. The average altitude of Lviv is 296 m above sea level. Its highest point is the Vysokyi Zamok (High Castle), 409 m above sea level. This castle has a commanding view of the historic city centre with its distinctive green-domed churches and intricate architecture. The old walled city was at the foothills of the High Castle on the banks of the river Poltva. In the 13th century, the river was used to transport goods. In the early 20th century, the Poltva was covered over in areas where it flows through the city. The river flows directly beneath the central street of Lviv, Freedom Avenue (Prospect Svobody) and the renowned Lviv Opera House. Lviv's historic centre has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1998. After discovering the brilliance of Lviv's Old Town, you catch up with your tour guide at the hotel in Lviv. DAY 2: (Cycling) Lviv - Bibrka (approx. 35 km/22 miles)Bibrka is a town, located about 29 km southeast of Lviv. The town has been ruled at various points by the Kingdom of Poland, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Austrian empire, the Austro-Hungarian empire, the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and is now part of the Lviv Oblast in Ukraine; as a result Bibrka has several official and native names, including: Bobrka (Polish/Russian), Prachnik (German), and Boiberke/Boyberke (Yiddish). To stay at the hotel here, is a real experience. Situated in rural area between the hills covered with forest it has an individual character. With its gorgeous lake and real Russian sauna situated on island, it is an ideal place of relaxation. DAY 3: (Cycling) Bibrka - Svirzh Csstle - Rohatyn (approx. 50 km/ 30 miles)After breakfast we cycle along a nearly traffic free hill road. The region is very lovely like Carpathian mountains in miniature. The destination of this morning ride is the Svirz Castle - a fortified aristocratic residence in Svirzh. It was originally built by the Swirzski noble family in the 15th century. Inside the castle is a small church dating from 1546. Gradually we enter geographic zone of Opillia. Landscapes in Opillia can compete with Swiss ones. Hills covered with still dense forests, small wavy rivers in the valleys. Breathtaking views from the hills over the spiral of villages in the valleys. Rohatyn was first mentioned in historical documents in the 12th century. In 1520 Roxolana, a native of Rohatyn, was captured there by the Tatars and sold to the Turkish sultan. In the 16th century a renowned school of icon painting arose in Rohatyn, and in the 1580s an Orthodox brotherhood was founded obtaining the stauropegion (a monastery exempt from the control of the local bishop) status. This night we stay at the hotel. DAY 4: (Cycling) Rohatyn - Halych (approx. 42 km/26 miles)Halych is a historic city on the Dniester River. The town gave its name to the historic province and kingdom of Kingdom of Galicia - Volhynia, of which it was the capital until the early 14th century, when the seat of the local princes was moved to Lviv. Today Halych is a small city and is located right next to the former capital of the Galicia Kingdom although it preserved its former name. Gradually, old Halych depopulated to the point that its only mid-14th century inhabitants were the Metropolitan of Halych and his staff. The present-day town is situated about 3 miles (5 km) away from the ancient capital of Halychyna, on the spot where the old town's riverport used to be located and where prince Lubart of Lithuania constructed his wooden castle in 1367. Its main historical monument is the church dedicated to the Nativity of Mary. Originally built at the turn of the 14th and 15th century, it was restored in 1825. This is the last night we stay at the hotel befor entering wilderness of Dnister Canyon. DAY 5: (Cycling or Rafting) Halych - Koropec (approx. 35 km/22 miles)Starting out from Halych, today's trip takes you to Koropec. It depends from you - will it be cycling along the banks of the Dnister river or the first day of your rafting trip. Gradually we step into the realm of Dnister Canyon. The Canyon, one of the largest (250 km) and most beautiful in Europe, is the list of Ukraine's natural wonders for good reasons. This wonder-canyon goes through the territories of the Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi and Khmelnytsky regions, draws tourists by its picturesque steep walls and numerous attractions. Camping and barbeque. DAY 6: (Rafting) Koropec - Monastyrok (approx. 20 km/12 miles)The magnificent landscapes and fantastic curves of the Dnister Canyon are strikingly picturesque throughout its entire path. Rafting between the high Dnister "walls" - from 150 to 300 metres high! - is exhilarating. The river's steep slopes are like the halls of a museum of Nature, silent greetings from the past of the Earth: here you can see rifts from the Jurassic era and the world's largest rifts from the Silurian era (over 400 million years old). Camping and barbeque. DAY 7: (Rafting) Monastyrok - Beremiany (approx. 20 km/12 miles)The Dnister Canyon, also known as Warm Podilia, is the warmest place on the Dnister: its climate is comparable to Crimea. This area is also a real paradise for ornithologists. Here, you can see white egrets and grey herons, storks, swans, seagulls... Between the Dnister steep slopes, the Rakovetskiy Castle, built almost four centuries ago, stretches its high tower into the sky. Camping and barbeque. DAY 8: (Rafting) Beremiany - Ustechko (approx. 20 km/12 miles)There are plenty of waterfalls on the Dnister. The most picturesque, Dzhurynsky waterfall is found some 3-4 kilometres from the river, near the Ustechko and Nahorianka villages in the Ternopil region. It is Ukraine's highest plain waterfall: 16 metres high. Camping and barbeque. DAY 9: (Rafting) Ustechko - Zalishchyky (approx. 20 km/12 miles) - (Transfer) Chernivtsi (approx. 48 km/29 miles)Together with the city of Lviv, Chernivtsi is viewed at present to be a cultural centre of western Ukraine. The city is also considered one of modern Ukraine's greatest cultural and educational centres. Historically, as a cultural and architectural center, Chernivtsi was even dubbed Little Vienna, Jerusalem upon the Prut, or the European Alexandria. The city is also a major point of railway and highway crossings in the region, and houses an international airport. Chernivtsi is located in the historic region of Bukovina, which is currently shared between Romania (south) and Ukraine (north). The city lies 248 meters above sea level, and is surrounded by forests and fields. The River Prut runs through the city's landscape. Finish the trip in Chernivtsi with accommodation in a comfortable hotel situated at center of the city. AlterationsWe reserve the right to make alterations to the planned route due to changing wind and weather conditions, and where required by organisational necessities. ServicesINCLUDED:• 3 nights accommodation, some in superb surroundings, in quiet areas, with unique atmosphere, rather high quality, and splendid wellness facilities OPTIONAL (not included):• Transfer to and stay in the nearest hotel instead of camping NOT INCLUDED:• Accommodation in Lviv and Chernivtsi |
Departure point of this journey is 
Camping during the rafting part of the tour allows us to stay in the heart of the most breathtaking natural scenery, away from the encroaching development. Our experienced tour leaders and top quality equipment will surely enhance your experience. All you need to bring is a warm sleeping bag and a sense of adventure and you'll be sure to enjoy the trip of a lifetime! On some occasions, we may stay in rustic, wilderness sites in order to fully appreciate the remote areas and their natural surroundings. Our leaders coordinate local shopping and assist the group in creating healthy, hearty breakfasts, picnic lunches and delicious dinners each day while camping. Meals consist of a variety of balanced dishes aimed at universal appeal, often enjoyed around a crackling campfire.