This will be a backpack experience using public buses/trains from town to town. In Stary Smokovec, Zakopane - Krakow and Krumlov - Vienna , we hire local vans. We stay in pensions and hostels in rooms with private bath ranging from 2 to 4 pax sharing room. Its quite important participants are able to manage their own luggage and we suggest backpacks . As usual, you pay for your own meals, cable car rides, entrance fees, within-the-town taxis/trams and other activities, unless stated otherwise..
Day 0 KLIA:: Assemble at KLIA by 11PM NIGHT 25 MAY 2012 FRIDAY.
Day 1 Bratislava: Fly Emirates Airlines EK343 to Dubai at 2AM arrivng 450AM. Transit 5hr, then connect to EK127 to Vienna departing 945AM arriving 1250noon. From Vienna Airport, we bus directly to Bratislava 110km 1:15 hr (1hr 15min). Expected time of arrival in Bratislava is 3pm after which we rest or have a quick look at nearby Bratislava Old Town. Stay triples or quads with private bath in hostel, breakfast not included.
Day 2 Stary Smokovec: We take the morning train to Poprad 344km 4hr and then transfer to the mountain train to the small village of Stary Smokovec 20 min away, located at the heart of the famous Tatry Mountains. Afternoon is free to wander about this pretty village. Stay doubles and triples with private bath in pension, breakfast not included, cooking facilities available.
Day 3 Trek Tatry Mountains & Poprad : We take the 9am train to Tatranska Lomnica 6km and cable car up to Skalnate Pleso. Members have the option of cabling higher to the second highest point in Tatry Mountains called Lomniky Stit 2634m. We then walk about 3hr to Hrebienok 1280m and descent using the funicular railway. At 6pm we travel to nearby town Poprad 30min.. Note that train to Tatanska Lomnica is covered. The cable car up and funicular down are not covered. Stay Poprad in doubles, breakfast included.
Day 4 Dobinska Ice Caves, Spis Castle and Levoca: We hire a minibus for a full day tour starting with Unesco listed Dobinska Ice Cave. Then we visit Unesco listed Spis Castle, one of the biggest castles in Central Europe. We finish the day in Levoca, a small but impressive town, full of fine Renaissance buildings, completely encircled by original walls and fortifications. We return to Poprad for a second night there..
Trekking and Tatry Mountains Slovakia
Day 5 Zakopane & Kasprowy Wierch Poland: A morning public bus will take us the border town of Tatranska Javorina 31km 54min where we cross in Lysa Polana Poland . We hire a minibus to take group from here to Zakopane 30min, the main town in the Polish Tatry Mountains . We proceed to Kuznice for a cable car ride (own cost Rm50) up to Kasprowy Wierch 1987m, a famous snow peak in Poland. After that, Group is free to wander about this beautiful mountain village Zakopane, which is filled with good-value restaurants and pubs. Stay doubles/triples with private bath in pension in Zakopane, breakfast included.
Day 6 Dolina Koscieliska : At 9am, a minibus takes group to Dolina Koscieliska for a beautiful valley alongside a pretty river/ up to a mountain hut for lunch. Group return to Zakopane for free rest of day. Second night in Zakopane. Minibus hire for this day is covered.
Day 7 Krakow & Auschwitz Prison Camp : At 9am we go by hired minibus to take group to Krakow 120km 2.5hr. After lunch we go on the 12 noon guided tour of Unesco listed Auschwitz Prison Camp, the famous WW2 Prison camp was responsible for the extermination of more than 1.5 million Jews and other Nationalities. After the 3.5hr tour, we return to Krakow. We have the rest of the day free to relax and walk about this Unesco listed town. Stay doubles with private bath in guesthouse in Krakow, breakfast included. Minibus hire is coverd.
Day 8 Wieliczka Salt Mine & Krakow Old Town: Early start by frequent local minbuses to Unesco listed Wieliczka Salt Mine, one of the oldest salt mines in Europe which takes 2hr to complete. We spend the rest of the day visiting Krakow's Wawel castle and the Old Town. Many of the impressive structures of Krakow are built from the salt money, which was worth its weight in gold at one time, much of which was use for food preservation. This town has the largest town square in Europe, measuring 200 meters by 200 meters. At night we take the overnight sleeper train to Prague Czek Republic 500km 8:41hr. Minibus fare to Salt Mine and train to Prague is covered.
Day 9 Karlovy Vary & Prague: We arrive in Prague at 7AM and take local trams to our nearby hotel. We then bus to Florenc Bus Station for a140km 2:15hr publci bus ride to Karlovy Vary, the the largest and oldest spa town, with 12 hot springs containing some 40 chemical elements used in treatment of various diseases. We return to Prague at 4PM. This is an optional trip and bus fares Rm60 not covered. Members have the opttion of visiting Prague. Stay budget hotel in doubles private bath and breakfast included.
Day 10 Prague: We have a half day guided tour of the Old Town after which Group is free for the rest of the day. Unesco listed Prague has amazing old architecture including the huge Prague Castle and and the famous Charles Bridge. Local trams/metro rides are not covered. Stay second night in Prague.
Auschwitz Birkenau Camps / Vlatava River Cesky Krumlov
Day 11 Kutna Hora & Dalecin: Start at 9am for a 2 days minibus road trip to rural Czek. First stop is Kutna Hora 1:30hr to visit this a macarbe bone church and Unesco listed Old City. The silver mined here in the 16th century made Kutna Hora rich and the medieval townscape is basically unchanged. After 3hr drive we arrive in Dalecin, a small village. Stay doubles/triples with shared bath in country cottage breakfast included. Trip cost is covered.
Day 12 On to Cesky Krumlov: We have a late morning and depart at 10am for one of the prettiest Medieval town in Europe. We arrive by early afternoon for the group to wander about the narrow streets of this beautiful small town with its labyrinth of lanes and squares. Listed on the Unesco World Heritage list, medieval Cesky Krumlov has not changed much and now is a haven for neighboring Austria and backpackers and a wonderful place to “lepak”. Stay in doubles/triples with private bath in pension, breakfast included.
Day 13 Rafting Canoeing in Cesky Krumlov: Morning time, we suggest a river trip by rubber rafts or canoes down the Vltava River that meanders through the middle of the town. Almost every Czek person would have done this at least once in their lifetime. We finish after lunch time with more time to explore Cesky Krumlov. Second night in Cesky Krumlov.
Day 14 Vienna: We take a shuttle bus from Cesky Krumlov to Vienna Austria 3.5hr. We have an afternoon to visit the Schonnbrunn Palace, the seat of power of the Habsburg Empire of Europe. After this, we go to the Old Town square and wander about the large area of grand buildings know as the Hoffburg. Stay in Pension in doubles/triples, breakfast included. Minibus cost included, in-town transport not included..
Day 15 Vienna Market & Fly Home: 7AM visit to the Saturday weekly flea market at Naschmarkt, Vienna's largest local market that starts at 6AM. We take the Airport Shutle at 12NOON for our flight EK128 at 330PM to Dubai, arrives at 11PM.
Day 16 Home:: Transit time is 4hr before flight EK346 to Kuala Lumpur arriving at 3PM JUN 10, 2012 on SUNDAY.
Small town Cesky Krumlov / Prague town square
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Cost cover airfares, accommodation and traveling to sites mentioned above.
- Accommodations will be in doubles, triples or quads with private bath as stated above, in pensions, hostels and budget hotels. Breakfast is provided with accommodation in the places mentioned above.
- Not covered are airport taxes & fuel surcharges approx Rm334, meals (Rm50 x 14 day = Rm700), entrance fees and optional activities like Karlovy Vary day trip, cable-cars and rafting/anoeing (about Rm500 in total). In-town trams metro are not covered except for transfers to and from train/bus stations to our place of stay. In some places, we have kitchen facilites for self catered meals to save cost.
- Cost is subject to change depending on fluctuations in exchange rates and/or airfares.
- A deposit of Rm1050 will be payable to confirm your place.
- We may quickly call in more deposits should we require to pay for lower fares flights either online or through ticketing agent.
Email: yongo@streamyx.com or rachelheng123@gmail.com
Phone: Lee Min 016-220 9033 or 603-4023 8210
Phone: Rachel 012 352 0868
Address: No 19 Lorong Air Bersih Tiga, Air Panas, 53200 Kuala Lumpur
