Active energetic days out

Aerial assault course at Gubalowka ridge The aerial assault course is found up on Gubalowka ridge, about 15 minutes walk west of the funicular railway station. You can travel to Zakopane either by bus (6zl each way) or train (10zl return) or our driver can take you either one way (50zl between 2-6 people), or collect you later as well (100zl return trip between 2-6 people). The funicular railway station is situated at the north end of the market ‘pod Gubalowka’ which is about a 20 minute walk from the train and bus stations through Zakopane’s main tourist district, including a walk down Krupowki pedestrian street. Our driver will drop you off and collect you from the car park at the entrance to the market, about 5 minutes walk from the funicular railway. It costs 14zl for the return journey, but you can buy a single ticket and walk down. Out of the station, climb the steps to the track along the top, and turn left. After the children’s climbing wall, you will find the assault course strung through the trees. You will have a safety talk, and instructions on how to use the safety harness, then you swing off through the tree tops. It costs about 20zl which, if you complete the course in 15 minutes (no way!) is refunded to you.
	„Pod Gubalowka” market, Zakopane: bungee jumping The market is situated on the north side of Zakopane, most of it under the flyover coming in from Szymoszkowa. You can travel to Zakopane either by bus (6zl each way) or train (10zl return) or our driver can take you either one way (50zl between 2-6 people), or collect you later as well (100zl return trip between 2-6 people). The market, or jarmark, is about a 20 minute walk from the train and bus stations, through Zakopane’s main tourist district, including a walk down Krupowki pedestrian street. Our driver will drop you off and collect you from the car park at the entrance to the market. http://www.krupowki.biz/krupowki.html . The market is well worth a visit with all sorts of local produce on sale and tourist souvenirs. The hand knitted woollen sweaters are a must. Also, look out for the puppies on sale on the bridge just north of the underpass, and the hot corn on the cob and sesame buns stands. There are probably some 20 stands selling oscypek, the local cheese made from sheep’s milk. A smoked cheese, the darker it is, the saltier it is. You will be invited to taste the cheese at each stand. To the west side of the market you will notice a tall crane: here you can Bungee Jump, or just watch. 120zl per jump of 240zl for a pair. 30zl for a photo of you falling. http://www.jumping.pl/zakopane.html . Fantastic views from the top of the crane.
Babia Gora We’ll drive you out through Spytkowice and Jablonka (on Wednesdays, you can combine this walk with a visit to Jablonka market), to the beginning of the marked trails at the edge of the forest above Lipnica Gorna, and armed with maps, you can either go west across the border into Slovakia, then climb north east up the steep side of Babia Gora to the summit, or you can take the track that ascends directly north through the forest up to the summit ridge. Continue along the marked track across the summit ridge heading east, and descend to the picnic area and car park above Zubrzyca Gorna where we will be waiting for you. Or, after your climb, you can walk down to the Ethnological Museum at Zubrzyca Gorna, and we will collect you from there. We charge 200zl for this full day trip which can also include Spytkowice Church, Garden Centre and Carpentry Shop. http://www.babia.pl/
	Climb Rysy from Morskie Oko lake Our driver will take you past Nowy Targ, then on up into the Tatra Mountains through Lysa Polana Pass at the border with Slovakia, continuing on the Polish side of the border to the car park at the base of the National Park road up to Morskie Oko. Here, you pay a small entrance fee to the National Park (between 2 and 5zl depending on time of year), then climb on board a horse drawn cart (summer) or sledge (winter) for a 2 hour journey (25zl each way, either single or return) up the Tatra Mountains. About a 30 minute walk below the lake, the cart will wait while you walk up and around the lake. It’s worth checking what time your cart descends of you have bought return tickets. There is a lake-side restaurant which serves wonderful apple cake. A glacier feeds the lake, so expect it to be noticeably colder than home – sometimes 10 to 15 degrees lower than at Raba Wyzna. Don’t wear sandals, and make sure children have something warm to put on and a pair of gloves for May/June snowball fights beside the glacier. The more energetic can climb above Morskie Oko on the slopes, or to the peak of Rysy, the highest of the Polish Tatra Mountains. We lend you maps, and will advise against this is the weather is not right. Coming down, you can either take the cart again for a 1 hour descent, or walk down at your own pace. Our driver can wait for you in the car park, and return you to Raba Wyzna via Nowy Targ town centre square (300zl day trip for 2-6 people, up to 8 hour day trip). Otherwise, he can drop you off, and when you come down in the afternoon, there are tourist buses waiting in the car park to take you into Zakopane town centre, via the National Forest road along the base of the Tatras. The train back to Raba Wyzna leaves Zakopane at 17.33, or if you want to stay later and eat out at one of the many lovely restaurants in Zakopane, our driver can fetch up to 6 of you, either from the car park by the market, or outside the bus station (which ever suits you), for 50zl, or 80zl after 21.00. Or a taxi for up to 4 people from Zakopane to Raba Wyzna will cost about 200zl. http://www.gory-szlaki.pl/rysy.htm

Drive a team of Huskies up Chocholow valley A little expensive but very popular with guests: 250zl for 2 people for 1 hour gets you in charge of a small cart (summer) or sledge (winter) pulled by a team of Husky dogs. This is an energetic and very enjoyable hour. The owner, Pan Jan is a real Goral character! http://www.fundog.pl/ . We arrange the time and date for you, and our driver will drive you down to Bialy Potok at the base of Chocholow Valley, (50zl 2-6 people each way) In winter, there is a lovely, not expensive ski slope here with both beginner and intermediate slopes, which you can include in your day out, our driver fetching you at the end of the day. Or if you want to travel on to Zakopane without our driver, there are regular buses to Zakopane from a stop some 100m along the main road.
	Climb Giewont in the Tatra Mountains We have a wide range of maps showing the various tracks and trails people follow to climb the Tatra Mountains. Giewont, the sleeping knight, has a cross on the summit so something to head for. You travel to Zakopane (10zl return by train, or 50zl each way, between 2 – 6 people with our driver) then take a bus, taxi or horse drawn cart up to Kuznice in the National Park, entrance fee between 2 and 5zl depending on the time of year. From here, it takes 3 to 4 hours, following tracks of varying steepness, to ascend to the cross on the summit. There’s some rock climbing involved so you’ll need good footwear, but you don’t need to be a mountain climber to follow the path. Set off early, take suitable clothing (it can easily be 15 degrees colder than Raba Wyzna on the summit of Giewont) and footwear, water and a snack. Fantastic views! Don’t forget your camera. If our driver is collecting you from Zakopane, make sure you arrange a pick-up time and place, and take a mobile phone with you in case you are delayed, or in difficulties. http://www.gory-szlaki.pl/giewont.htm
Climb up above Kiry to the Frozen Caves You can either get the bus to Kiry from Raba Wyzna centre – about 10zl each - we supply you with maps so you’ll know where you are - or our driver can take you, 2-6 people, for 50zl. Our driver, or the bus, will drive south from Raba Wyzna over the ridge and across the plain where in summer you will see storks and their babies in the nests perched on roof tops and telephone posts. Ask Staszek to stop for photos anytime. Chocholow, a 400 year old wooden village, is on the way to Kiry: you’ll want to stop there for photos too. There is a general store in Chocholow if you have forgotten to bring water and snacks for your climb up to the caves. At Kiry, the trail up to the caves is well-marked and well trodden: you’ll see people aged 2 years to 90 years trekking up the hill. This is a full day out so take sandwiches and water. After your climb, you can either catch a tourist bus into Zakopane, and then get the train home from there, or you can pre-arrange with our driver to collect you at Kiry or Zakopane. http://www.gory-szlaki.pl/jaskinia_mylna.htm
	Quad biking Quad bikes are available for hire in Rabka, Koscielisko, and Bialka Tatrzanska. The cost is usually 100zl per person per hour and a guide will lead a group of you off up into the hills and forests. Fiercely good fun! If you need our driver to take you to the start, we’ll quote you when you arrive but as a general rule, Rabka is free, Koscielisko and Bialka 40zl each way. http://www.zajazdbialczanski.pl/index.php?m=ArticleOrganizer&id=5&id_page=2
Chocholow to Zakopane centre walk You can either get the bus to Chocholow from Raba Wyzna centre – about 8zl each - we supply you with maps so you’ll know where you are - or our driver can take you, 2-6 people, for 50zl. Our driver, or the bus, will drive south from Raba Wyzna over the ridge and across the plain where in summer you will see storks and their babies in the nests perched on roof tops and telephone posts. Ask Staszek to stop for photos anytime. Chocholow, a 400 year old wooden village, is the start of your walk: can set off across the field track towards the eastern end Gubalowka Ridge. On the main street across from the church car park where our driver will leave you, is Chocholow Museum, a wooden house that has been maintained in the style in which it was first lived in, where central heating is a little wooden panel in the kitchen ceiling to let smoke out if the room gets too hot, and contraception is a bed for the husband in the barn. The track takes you south between fields in which, in summer, there will no doubt be local people raking hay. Your greeting is “Szczęść Boże!” to which they will reply “Daj Boże!” The track becomes a lane through the forest and up to a stunning view across Zakopane in the valley, to the Tatra Mountains. Walking east along the ridge will bring you to the top of the Szymoszkowa chair lift, on which you can take a ride down into the valley, where the horse drawn carts wait to take visitors into Zakopane centre for shopping and market. The train home to Raba Wyzna leaves Zakopane at 17.33 from the Main Station, or you can pre-arrange with our driver to collect you from the market pick-up point: 50zl between 2-6 people.
	Sledging around Raba Wyzna We have a good size frame and wood sledge, and about 6 apple sledges so the children can go off down the lane, sledging with the local children. For adults, when there’s a lot of snow on the back roads, we can tie you to the back of the Land Rover and tow you up to the top of the ridge towards Harkabuz, then let you sledge back down the road. Hilarious, and no, we don’t charge you for the car! We accept no liability for injuries incurred when you fly off into the ditch. (No-one injured so far).
Snow scooters at Bialka Tatrzanska Snow scooters are available for hire at Bialy Potok near Witow and Bialka Tatrzanska. The cost is 200zl per machine per hour so if two of you ride on the machine, the cost is 100zl per person per hour. A guide will lead a group of you off up into the hills and forests, and will stop half way so drivers and passengers can swap places. Fiercely good fun! and yes, someone will fall off but the snow is soft. Wear your ski salopettes. Our driver will look after your ski gear while you drive, then drop you at the ski slope for the rest of the day. Our driver: 40zl each way between 2 – 6 people, Land Rover 50zl each way between 2 – 8 people. http://www.zajazdbialczanski.pl/index.php?m=ArticleOrganizer&id=4&id_page=2
	Ice skating In the winter, at Rabka Zdroj, an out-door ice skating rink and cafe are open from 09.00 to 19.30 in the evening. Skates are available to hire and with an hour and a half session, will cost under 20zl per person. We take you free of charge, or you can catch a bus, with the bus station just across the road from the rink. Ice-skating rinks are also found at Harenda ski slope in Zakopane, and in Zakopane itself. We'll mark where they are on your Zakopane map.
Go wood cutting in the forest with the local men Krystyna’s husband Josef, and their sons Rysiek and Krzysiek will be happy to take you off up into the forest for some wood cutting. It’s amazing to see how they read the grain of enormous tree trunks before inserting axe blades at relevant points then with one crash of the hammer, the whole trunk falls apart into manageable logs. We do not charge for transport but get the lads a bottle of vodka on the way down, AFTER your lumberjacking: alcohol and axes do not mix well.
	Horse riding safari from Raba Nizna If you can ride a horse through walk to gallop, and would enjoy a really free-range ride up hill and down Podhalan dale, ask us to book you in at Raba Nizna and the owner will take you off up over the hills for a 2 hour+ trek. It’s about 100zl each, and 50zl between 2-6 of you for our driver to take you, wait and return, but well worth it. Please don't ask to book this excursion unless you really can ride a horse.
Haymaking An ideal end to a day at home at Raba 500, summer evenings often find us wandering up the lane to the fields on the way to the forest, where neighbours energetically mow, rake, turn or harvest the hay. This is the real Podhale, with wooden home-made rakes, grass either scythed by hand, or by horse drawn mower, and the horse drawn cart to take the dried hay down to the farm. You will be welcome to join in at the lower fields: it’s best to take a couple of beers with you as the fumes keep the hay flies away as you sweat your way round the haystacks. Children can roll in the hay in the lower fields but will not be invited to the upper fields as vipers can often make an appearance there in the untended strips of land. Carts drawn either by antiquated tractors or horses are filled and the children love to pile on top and ride down to the farm, geese, dogs and chickens running alongside in the lane. Some days, we spend all day in the fields and a picnic lunch is enjoyed sitting in the shade of the haystacks. A real day out.
	Potato planting around Raba 500 If you come to stay with us either at the end of April/beginning of May, or at the end of August/beginning of September, depending on the weather, we will be either planting or harvesting potatoes in our garden and in the fields. It’s hard work but fun, and all our friends and neighbours join in. The horse ploughs the furrows and we jab the seed potatoes into the soil quickly before she comes round again. Halfway, we all stop for a beer or two, and then get back down to it. Harvesting includes all ages, with the children having fun collecting the smallest potatoes for seeding next year. Again, the horse does the heavy work, dragging a spidery contraption which throws the potatoes out of the soil, some 6 foot into the air. A real Podhalan experience and it all takes place in our back yard. Oh, and our potatoes are talked about on the Internet, they are SO good.
Cable car ride up to Kasprowy Wierch Recommended if you are visiting us out of season, i.e. spring or autumn, as at other times of the year, you can expect to queue up to 3 hours before getting onto the cable car. You can travel down to Zakopane, take a bus or taxi out to Kuznice, and then travel by cable car up to the summit of the Tatras. It can be spring sunshine and 25 degrees in Raba Wyzna, but there may be a snow storm on the summit while you are there. You can take a trek along the ridge, or follow one of the trails back down the mountain to Zakopane, but if you intend to descend by cable car, be careful to note the time of your return ticket: they get very stroppy up there if you miss your booked cable car. It costs 34zl autumn, 42zl rest of the year for a return ticket to the top and back down again. http://www.pkl.pl/en/zima/zimowa-oferta/kasprowy-wierch/kolej-linowakasprowy-wierch.html
	Parachuting, paragliding and Tatra flyovers at Nowy Targ airport The aero club at Nowy Targ offers a variety of airborne pursuits for your enjoyment. You can tandem parachute, go paragliding or para ascending (towed across the airfield) or book a plane to take you for a flight over the Tatra Mountains and Podhale. It's not cheap, but it's probably a lot cheaper than the UK. We haven't been so can't offer to much information but the website below has plenty of information although it is in Polish so it is easier to go to the airport and discuss your requirements once you are here staying with us. http://www.aeroklub.nowytarg.pl/
Ride the flumes at Zakopane Aqua Park You can travel to Zakopane either by train at 09.58, return 17.33, cost 10zl return, or our driver can take you, 50zl each way between 2-6 people. The Aqua Park is about 5 minutes walk up the hill from the station. Indoor and outdoor, slides, flumes, waves all sorts, the Aqua Park is a great day out even if it’s raining. The flumes (slide tubes) are amazing! For age 7 and up only, although a tall 6 year old can lie. Don't try them if you get vertigo! Not for the faint hearted. We supply you with extra towels. http://www.aquapark.zakopane.pl/ Adult all day ticket is 50zl, 4-13 30zl, 0-3 free entry although the area for small non swimmers is small and you'd be better taking toddlers to Bukowina Tatrzanska or Szaflary thermal baths.
	A night out at the Dragon discotheque Our drivers will be happy to take you to the Dragon Premium Klub situated just outside Czarny Dunajec, behind the pizza bar. We'd recommend a Saturday night: the drivers will either wait in the car park, or return for you at a pre-arranged hour. They will charge 300zl per car for the night. Otherwise, we can pre-arrange taxis for you, or supply you with taxi numbers to ring yourselves. Taxis will also cost about 300zl each. http://www.klubdragon.pl/home.html