Zakopane Day Trip: Cable Car, Thermal Baths & Cheese Tasting

Three hours soaking in geothermal pools with mountain views, not standing in line at the entrance.

This day trip from Krakow takes you to Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains with hotel pickup and drop-off included. You ride the Gubałówka cable car, spend 3 hours at Chocholow Thermal Baths (one of Poland's largest geothermal facilities), taste highlander cheese and regional vodka in the village of Chocholow, and have spare time on Krupówki Street in Zakopane's historic center. The guide provides all funicular tickets in advance, saving time at the ticket office. The tour runs about 11 to 12 hours total, with transport, commentary and all major stops arranged.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Chocholow15m
2. Mount Gubalówka1h · entry included
3. Krupowki Street2h
4. Tatra Mountainspassing by
5. Zakopane2h

Krakow to Zakopane day trip

• Pick up from Krakow hotel
• Travel from Krakow to Zakopane
• Visit Chochołów village
• Taste highlander cheese and vodka
• Ride Gubałówka funicular up and down
• Explore Krupowki Street
• Relax at Chochołów Thermal Baths for 3 hours
• Enjoy mountain views
• Return from Zakopane to Krakow

The experience

Your driver picks you up from your Krakow hotel between 7:30 and 9:00 AM and handles the drive south toward the Tatra Mountains. On the way, you stop in Chocholow, a village where some of the oldest inhabited houses in the region still stand: locals live in them, and the architecture shows how highlanders have built for centuries. Here you taste traditional cheese and regional vodka, a quick cultural moment before moving on to Zakopane itself.

Once in Zakopane, your guide gives you the Gubałówka funicular tickets (up and down) so you walk straight to the cable car without queuing at the office. The ride takes you up Mount Gubałówka for views across the Tatra range and time to walk around at the top. Back down, you have spare time on Krupówki Street, the historic center where shops and cafés line the pedestrian area. Then comes the main event: 3 hours at Chocholow Thermal Baths, a modern geothermal complex with outdoor pools fed by hot springs, water slides, and pool bars where you can order a drink without leaving the water. The health properties of the geothermal water are known to benefit skin and overall wellness. Bring a towel, swimsuit and flip-flops. The mountain air is cooler than Krakow, so pack layers for the cable car and walking time.

The return drive to Krakow takes the afternoon. Your driver will contact you one day before the tour around 8 PM to confirm your exact pickup time and location. The city center has pedestrian zones and limited parking, so the spot may shift depending on where your hotel sits. The tour is led in English by a live guide. If you book a different language (Spanish, Italian, French, German, Russian, Norwegian or others), you'll receive detailed instruction booklets instead so nothing essential is missed.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Krakow.
• round-trip transport between Krakow and Zakopane.
• Gubałówka funicular ticket (up and down).
• 3-hour entry to Chocholow Thermal Baths.
• highlander cheese and regional vodka tasting.
• spare time on Krupówki Street in Zakopane's historic center.
• live English-speaking guide (or instruction booklets in other languages).

Before you book

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

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Senior (61 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 53

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 effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Thousand Miles

Is this one for you?The tour is led by a live English-speaking guide, so you follow along naturally without needing to read ahead or translate. If you book in another language, detailed instruction booklets replace the live commentary, which works well if you prefer to move at your own pace through each stop.

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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 (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3).

What is Chocholow Thermal Baths like, and how much time do I actually get to spend there?

Chocholow Thermal Baths is one of Poland's largest geothermal facilities with outdoor thermal pools, water slides, pool bars, and views of the mountains. You have 3 hours to swim, relax in the hot water, and use the slides and bars: enough time to move between pools and spend real time in the water rather than rushing through.

Do I need to bring anything special for the thermal baths?

Yes, bring a towel, swimsuit and flip-flops. The water is geothermally heated, but the mountain air is cooler than Krakow, so wear layers you can remove for the cable car ride and walking time on Krupówki Street.

What happens on Krupówki Street, and how long do I have there?

Krupówki is the historic center of Zakopane with shops, cafés and pedestrian areas. You have spare time to walk around, browse, eat, or simply sit and watch the street. The exact duration depends on the day's schedule, but it's built in as a break between the cable car and the thermal baths.

Will I have to wait in line to buy the cable car ticket?

No, your guide provides the Gubałówka funicular tickets (up and down) in advance, so you walk straight to the cable car without stopping at the ticket office.

How early will I be picked up, and can the pickup location change?

Your driver will pick you up between 7:30 and 9:00 AM from your Krakow hotel. The driver will contact you one day before around 8 PM to confirm the exact time and location. The pickup spot may shift depending on pedestrian zones and parking availability near your hotel, and the driver will arrange a convenient spot with you.