Auschwitz-Birkenau & Wieliczka Salt Mine tour from Krakow

Two UNESCO sites in one day: the camps and the salt cathedral underground

A full-day guided tour from Krakow combines Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum and Wieliczka Salt Mine, with round-trip transport, entry fees, and a licensed English-speaking guide. Groups stay under 30 people. You use headsets at the camps and walk a 3.5-kilometre route through the mine at 135 metres below the surface. Pickup is from one of three central Krakow meeting points, and the exact time is confirmed the day before departure.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine

• Transport from Krakow to Auschwitz-Birkenau
• Short break and meet local guide
• Tour Auschwitz I camp with guide
• Short break after Auschwitz I
• Tour Birkenau camp with guide
• Transport from Birkenau to Wieliczka
• Descend into Wieliczka Salt Mine
• Explore chambers, lakes, and monuments
• Return to surface by lift
• Break and rest in Wieliczka
• Transport back to Krakow

The experience

The tour starts with transport from your chosen meeting point in central Krakow to Auschwitz, a 65-kilometre drive taking about 75 minutes. An English-speaking group leader travels with you. At Oswiecim you have a short break before meeting your licensed local guide. Auschwitz I, the original concentration camp, takes roughly two hours to walk through. You wear a headset so the guide's voice carries over the group, and you see the wooden barracks, fortified walls, barbed wire, gas chambers and crematoria: the physical scale of what happened there. A 15-minute break follows, then you're driven three minutes to Birkenau, the larger camp built in 1941 to hold around 90,000 prisoners. The same guide continues through the grounds, covering the camp's construction, the conditions prisoners faced, and the liberation by Soviet forces on January 27, 1945.

After Birkenau, transport to Wieliczka takes about 90 minutes: time to rest before the second half. The salt mine begins with a descent of 64 metres by stairs. You're led through chambers with underground lakes, shrines carved from salt, and salt monuments, walking a total of 3.5 kilometres at depths down to 135 metres. The route takes two to three hours, and you return to the surface by lift. The mine stays around 14 degrees Celsius year-round, so bring a layer. After the mine closes, you have a few minutes to browse the bookstore or rest before transport back to your Krakow address.

Large bags and backpacks aren't allowed at Auschwitz (the limit is 30 by 20 by 10 centimetres), so you'll leave yours locked in the vehicle. You'll pass through a security check like airport screening. Bring your passport or ID. The museum requires it. The tour runs in all weather. About 70 percent of your time is outdoors, especially at Birkenau, so dress for the conditions and bring water. Photography is allowed at both sites except in certain Auschwitz buildings where flash is forbidden. In the mine, a 10 PLN fee lets you take photos.

What’s included

• Round-trip transport from central Krakow meeting points by air-conditioned van or mini-bus.
• entry fees to Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine.
• headsets at both camps so you hear the guide clearly.
• a licensed, English-speaking local guide for the full day.
• professional assistance if you need it.
• insurance and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:00, 07:00, 08:00 and 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (27 to 69 years) · Senior (70 and older) · Youth (18 to 26 years) · Child (4 to 17 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Hello Cracow

Is this one for you?This tour takes the full day (roughly 11 hours from pickup to drop-off), so it rules out other activities in Krakow but fits both sites into a single departure. Groups stay under 30 people, which keeps the camps accessible but means you move with the group and can't set your own pace through either site.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (18 to 26 years); Child (4 to 17 years); Infant (under 4).

How long is the full tour and what time does it start?

The tour runs approximately 11 hours total. Pickup times are tentative and confirmed the afternoon before your departure. Exact timing depends on traffic and the time of day you book.

What's included in the price?

Round-trip transport from Krakow by air-conditioned van or mini-bus, entry to Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II Birkenau, and Wieliczka Salt Mine, headsets at the camps, a licensed English-speaking guide, and insurance and taxes are all included. Food and drinks are not. You can bring snacks or add lunch as an optional extra when booking.

Do I need to bring anything specific to Auschwitz?

Bring your passport or ID. It's mandatory for entry. Wear smart casual clothing to respect the site. Eating, smoking and loud behaviour are forbidden. Bags larger than 30 by 20 by 10 centimetres aren't allowed, so leave yours in the locked vehicle. Expect a security check at the entrance.

What's the Wieliczka Salt Mine actually like to walk through?

Wieliczka is a 3.5-kilometre underground route through chambers at depths down to 135 metres below the surface. You'll see salt carvings, underground lakes and shrines, descend by stairs and return by lift. The temperature stays around 14 degrees Celsius, so bring a layer even in summer.