Easy and beautiful hike in the Carpathians. In three days we’ll be in a thick Carpathian forest with many springs, and at high valleys with unforgettable mountain panoramas. Kostrych ridge is parallel to Chornohora ridge, so all the time we will observe the highest mountain range of the Ukrainian Carpathians.

We’ll spend the first night in the open field near the shepherds’ house.  And where are the shepherds, there is the food of the Gods – sheep cheese 😋

On the second night, we will set up the tents so that in the morning we can see the sunrise without excessive efforts.

We’ll take an amateur telescope with us: being far from the city light allows us to see craters on the Moon, the colours of stars, the rings of Saturn, the satellites of Jupiter, the Orion Nebula and the tired tourists on the next ridge.

1 DAY

 5 km  + 400 m

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2 hours driving from Ivano-Frankivsk to the Kryvopilsky Pass (970 m) – hiking through a forest – spending the night in the valley Vesnarka (1,378 m) – eating mountain cheese, watching the sunset

In two hours we plunge into the dense Carpathian forest with many streams. After the first climb, we will come to the place of our first night – Vesnarka open field.

For us, this is one of the most beautiful camping sites in the Carpathians. From here, all Chornohora ridge (the highest in the Ukrainian Carpathians) is visible: from Petros to Pip Ivan. With a cup of tea, we can observe the sunset. When it’s season there are shepherds in the meadow. So we can try the freshest cheese.

In the evening, we do camp routine (set up tents, collect firewood, cook dinner), have a rest near the fire, sing, play and meditate on the sounds of the Hutsul drymba.

2 DAY

 10 km  + 400 m

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Hiking along the ridge with beautiful landscapes around – staying for the night in the open field at an altitude of 1,367 m

Every morning starts at 7 o’clock (enthusiasts wake up earlier to see sunrise). Two hours for: physical exercises, breakfast, packing and cleaning up a camping spot.

From the camping site, we ascend to the Kostrych ridge, where we’ll hike almost all day.

The first peak will be Kostrycha Mount (1,585 m) – the highest point of the hike. We’ll stay on the top, looking at the panoramic views at Chornohora and beyond.

We go further along the ridge and after several ascents and descents we come to Pnivska valley and Kostrych Mount (1,544 m). Here we will take a lunch break. This area is created to spend an extra hour here enjoying the scenery.

Another peak with a similar name is Kostrytsya (1,512 m), from where the camping site is an hour away.

3 DAY

 4 km

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Watching a sunrise – 3 hours descending from the mountains

This morning, enthusiasts can (and we strongly recommend!) wake up earlier to meet the fantastic mountain dawn.

On the last day, it remains to hike 4 km, slowly enjoying the clean mountain air and the Carpathian forest. The finishing point is Krasnik village on the Black Cheremosh River.

START / FINISH

We meet at the railway station in Ivano-Frankivsk city in the morning. Then we go by bus to Kryvopilsky Pass, which is the starting point of a hike. The distance between Ivano-Frankivsk and mountain village is 140 km and 3 hours of road.

We return to the railway station in Ivano-Frankivsk near 6 p.m.

WHAT TO EXPECT

About the difficulty. It is suitable for beginners and accessible to any physically healthy person.

If you join us, then you go on a multi-day trek in which:

• Each person carries his own gear, clothes and a part of group products in his backpack.
• We stay in tents.
• We cook food on fire or using gas burners.

Note:

the guide can change the pre-agreed tour plan if the weather conditions become worse, someone feels bad or some other adventures happen. 

WHAT TO TAKE

You are packing for the hike by yourself, but with our advice. After booking a hike, we will send you a detailed list of recommended clothing and equipment. We will also tell you what is best to take (temperature of the sleeping bag, the comfort of the backpack, the endurance of the tent, etc.). 

The gear list is classical for a multi-day trek in the warm season. Read about it here.

WHAT DO YOU PAY FOR

You pay in cash when meeting with a guide in Ivano-Frankivsk; prepayment is not required. 

What’s included

• meals from lunch on the first day till lunch on the last day;
• transport (including a drive from Ivano-Frankivsk);
• guide’s job;
• national park fees;
• use of gas and group equipment (cooking gear, first-aid kit, etc.).

What’s NOT included

• personal equipment (tent, sleeping bag, backpack are yours, but you can rent).

RENTAL COST

• place in a tent: 105 UAH / 3 days;
• sleeping bag: 150 UAH /3 days;
• backpack: 150 UAH / 3 days;
• sleeping mat: 30 UAH / 3 days;
• trekking poles: 90 UAH / 3 days.

WITH WHOM

The size of the group is from 4 to 10 participants. Usually, we hike with small teams (up to 6 people): it’s easier to find a common language, more comfortable to go at one pace. And also it is a requirement of the ecological principle leave no trace in the wild.

WHAT ABOUT WEATHER

The weather in the Carpathians is changeable, so any forecast is unreliable. Before the particular date of the tour, we’ll try to tell you what weather to expect as accurate as possible.

On average, in the Carpathian Mountains during the warm period of the year (May-September) the temperature is + 15 … + 20 degrees in the daytime and + 3 … + 7 in the night. If the day is cloudy and rainy, then the temperature in the afternoon and at night is approximately the same: + 5 … + 15. The general principle of weather formation in the mountains is as follows: with every hundred meters of the climb the temperature decreases, and the number of precipitation increases.

The rains here fall three times more often than in the other part of Ukraine; and in May and September, frost is possible at night. The wettest month in the year is June, the driest and warmest is August.

There are a lot of rains, so you should not save on waterproof clothes and gear. Also, it’s often windy: a good jacket and a sturdy tent are obligatory.