The route is relatively easy but beautiful: panoramic views, green meadows, sharp rocks of Shpytsi mount, Rebra Mount (2,001 m), high mountain lake Nesamovyte (1,750 m). 

Short day hikes and breathtaking views are in our plan.

We will stay in places where you can see amazing sunrise and sunset in the mountains: at the Maryshevska meadow and top of the Turkul Mount near Nesamovyte Lake.

Last night we will spend at an altitude of 1,750 m near Nesamovyte Lake, the very name of which is intriguing: it literally means «insane» in Ukrainian. This is one of the highest mountain lakes of glacial origin in the Ukrainian Carpathians. Numerous legends and beliefs of mountain inhabitants are associated with it. They say this is where the weather in the Chornohora area is formed, and the stone thrown into the water can cause a storm. Do you want to check it out together?

In this hike we 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. 

DAY 1

 7 km  +525 m

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2,5 hours driving from Ivano-Frankivsk to the village of Bystrets (580 m) – 4 hours hiking – camping at the Maryshevskaya open field (1,567 m)

Our route starts in the village of Bystrets which is one of the most remote and oldest places of the famous historical region of Hutsulshchyna. It was in this area that inspired Stanislav Vincenz to write his work on the life of Hutsuls «On the High Uplands». Our guide will help you to immerse in this world 

After 4 hours of ascending we reach the place of the first camp (Maryshevska meadow) hiking along the valley of the mountain river Bystrets. This is just the perfect place for the first night in the mountains! It offers beautiful views of the Krynta and Chyvchyn mountain ranges.

In the evening we do some camp routine (setting up tents, organizing a campsite, collecting woods, cooking dinner, etc.) and then rest near the fire, getting acquainted and listening to the stories of the guide about the future plans.

Evening in the mountains is time for singing with a guitar near the fire, games or calm conversations and meditations with the sounds of the Hutsul harp. And if we are lucky with the weather, we will be watching the night sky through the telescope.

DAY 2

 6 km  +570 m

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Sunrise Meeting – taking pictures at Shpytsi Rocks (1,863 m) – hiking along the Chornohora ridge – camping at Nesamovyte Lake (1,750 m)

All mornings start at 7 o’clock (enthusiasts may wake up earlier and go to the place with fantastic sunrise). Then we have breakfast, clean our campsite and leave it at 9 o’clock.

Today’s plan is to climb Shpytsi Mount (1 863 m) which is one of the most interesting and recognizable places of Chornohora. The name (literally means «spokes», «needles») corresponds to its form: there are cliffs up to 50 m high which actually resemble spokes. Shpytsi Mount which is one of the most interesting and recognizable places of Chornohora. Its slopes consist of high sharp rocks formed due to ancient glaciation. We will climb some of them making amazing photos!

Going by the very top of Chornohora we are heading to Nesamovyte Lake (1 750 m). It lies in a deep circus under the Turkul Mount and definitely deserves more than several minutes stop, so we will camp there. This is one of the highest mountain lakes of glacial origin in the Ukrainian Carpathians.

However, we are only guests here, so we will behave accordingly: do not leave any garbage (including wet napkins or paper); do not swim in the lake; do not destroy vegetation and do not to interfere with local inhabitants, such as endangered tritons and frogs.

This evening there will be some changes in our schedule: we will cook dinner by using a camping gas stove because we do not want to harm this beautiful place. Trees for the fire are not growing at such height, and local alpine pine, being under protection by law, is an important component of the lake ecosystem.

From the campsite of this day, we have the opportunity to climb Turkul Mount which is the place where you can see the fantastic mountainous sunset and sunrise.

DAY 3

 6 km  +200 m

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Descending for 3 hours – driving back to Ivano-Frankivsk for 2,5 hours.

On the last day, we will hike 7 km along the north-eastern slope of Chornohora. Enjoying clean mountain air, we will reach the final point of the route in 3 hours.

START / FINISH

We meet at the railway station in Ivano-Frankivsk city in the morning. Then we go by private bus to Bystrets village, which is the starting point of a hike. The distance between Ivano-Frankivsk and mountain village is 125 km and 2,5 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.

THE DETAILED ROUTE:

1 day: Ivano-Frankivsk town – Bystrets village, 580 м – Bystrets river – Maryshevska meadow, 1567 м;

2 day: Maryshevska meadow – Shpytsi Mount, 1863 м – Nesamovyte lake, 1750 м;

3 day: Nesamovyte lake – Pozhyzhevska meadow – touristic base «Zarosliak» – Ivano-Frankivsk town.