Zakopane & Hot Springs: Gubałówka Cable Car & Thermal Baths from Krakow

Mountains, Cheese & Warm Water: A Zakopane Day from Krakow

You're picked up from your Krakow hotel and driven to the Tatra Mountains for a full day that includes a cable car ride to Gubałówka's summit views, a walk through Chochołów's wooden village with oscypek and vodka tasting, free time on Zakopane's main street, and three hours soaking in the thermal baths before returning to your hotel in the evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Chocholow20m
2. Mount Gubalówka30m · entry included
3. Krupowki Street2h · entry included

Zakopane tour with sightseeing and relaxation

• Hotel pickup in Krakow
• Visit Chochołów Wooden Village
• Taste local cheese and vodka
• Ride Gubałówka Cable Car
• Free time on Krupówki Street
• Relax at Chochołów Thermal Baths
• Hotel drop-off in Krakow

The experience

Most days in Krakow you're walking cobblestone streets. This one, you're in a cable car rising 1,126 meters above the Tatra Mountains. The Gubałówka cable car climbs fast, maybe ten minutes, and when you step out, the whole range spreads in front of you, sharp and close. It's the kind of view that makes you understand why people come back to Zakopane again and again. Your driver picks you up from your hotel in the morning, and from there the day unfolds in a rhythm that feels less like a checklist and more like someone actually planned how to spend a day in the mountains without you having to figure it out.

Before the cable car, you stop in Chochołów, a village where the houses look like they were built two centuries ago and never updated, because they were, and they weren't. Wooden walls, carved details, the kind of place that photographs well but also just feels different when you're standing in it. You get time to walk around, and then you're in a shepherd's hut tasting oscypek, the smoked cheese that tastes nothing like what you'd expect, and Polish vodka that goes down cleaner than you'd think. It's not a long stop, but it's real, not a photo op that rushes you along. After Gubałówka and the mountain views, you have two and a half hours on Krupówki Street, Zakopane's main drag, where you can eat lunch, buy things you don't need, or just sit and watch how the town moves. It's the kind of free time that actually feels free.

The thermal baths are the part that surprised me most. Chochołowskie is one of the largest thermal complexes in Poland, and you get three hours there: enough time to actually relax instead of rushing through. Indoor pools, outdoor pools, jacuzzis, water slides if you want them, and the whole thing is ringed by mountains. You bring your own towel and swimsuit, and honestly, soaking in warm water while looking at the Tatras is the kind of thing that makes a long day feel earned. The drive back to Krakow takes a couple of hours, and you're tired in the way that means you did something, not just saw something.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle, the Gubałówka cable car ticket, entry to Chochołów wooden village with a photo stop, oscypek cheese and Polish vodka tasting in a local hut, two and a half hours of free time on Krupówki Street, and a three-hour entry ticket to Chochołowskie Thermal Baths with access to indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzis, and water slides. A live tour guide accompanies the group throughout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Zakopane and Hot Springs TourGuide in English or Polish · 08:00, 08:30 and 09:00Lasts 11 hours. Includes pickup by van

Private VIP TourGuide in English or Polish · 09:30Private VIP Tour: a flexible private experience with a dedicated guide and private transportation. Pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (16 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Child (4 to 15 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 1000

Live guideEnglish and Polish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Is this one for you?Pick this tour if you want the Tatra Mountains, local culture, and thermal relaxation in one day without arranging transport, tickets, or timing. The fixed schedule is what makes all three fit into a single trip from Krakow.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Polish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 15 years); Infant (under 4).

How long is the tour?

It's a full day, typically 10–12 hours including hotel pickup and drop-off.

What time does the tour start?

Your exact pickup time is confirmed the day before via WhatsApp or SMS.

Is the cable car ticket included?

Yes, the Gubałówka cable car ticket is included in the tour price.

Do I need to bring anything for the thermal baths?

Bring a towel, flip-flops, and a swimsuit. The three-hour entry ticket is included.

Is there free time to explore Zakopane?

Yes, you have two and a half hours on Krupówki Street to shop, eat, and explore at your own pace.

What's included in the oscypek tasting?

Local smoked cheese and Polish vodka, tasted in an authentic shepherd's hut in Chochołów.

Do I need to be a strong swimmer for the thermal baths?

No. The baths include pools of varying depths, jacuzzis, and water slides. You choose what suits you.