Krakow: Zakopane Snowmobile Tour & Thermal Baths

Snowmobiles in the Tatras, then hot springs: a winter day from Krakow

You're driven from Krakow to a UNESCO wooden village and a sculptor's workshop, trained on a two-seater snowmobile, then ride through Tatra mountain trails with photo stops. After grilled oscypek and mulled wine at a shepherd's hut, you soak in thermal baths for 2.5 hours before returning to the city. The whole day runs about nine hours including the drive.

Step-by-step itinerary

Zakopane snowmobile tour and thermal baths

• Drive 1.5h from Krakow to Chocholow
• Visit Chocholow wooden village and sculptor's house
• Drive to Zakopane area for snowmobile training
• Ride snowmobiles around Tatra mountains
• Taste traditional smoked cheese and mulled wine
• Relax at Chochołowskie Thermal Baths

The experience

The driver picks you up from Krakow and heads south for 1.5 hours toward the mountains. First stop is Chochołów, a UNESCO-listed wooden village where the houses are built the way they have been for centuries: narrow timber frames, steep roofs, hand-carved details on every door. You walk through with a guide, step into a sculptor's workshop, then into a traditional highlander's house where you see how people actually live up here. The village closes on Sundays, so if you're booking a weekend trip, that part shifts, but the rest of the day stays the same.

Then you drive deeper into the Zakopane area, where the Tatra mountains rise around you. Before you touch a snowmobile, there's a 20-minute training session: no license needed, and the machines are two-seaters, so you're not alone out there. The ride itself winds through off-road trails with the mountains framing everything. You stop for photos, and the guide knows where the views open up. If snow conditions aren't solid enough, the tour switches to quads and follows the same route, which actually works fine. You still get the mountain scenery and the same stops.

After the ride, you pull into a shepherd's hut called a "bacówka" where someone grills oscypek (the smoked cheese that tastes nothing like what you buy in a supermarket), over a fire pit while you sip mulled wine. It's the kind of thing that sounds like a tourist moment until you're actually standing there with the cheese melting and the mountains behind you.

The last part is the thermal baths in Chochołów. You get 2.5 hours to soak in the largest thermal complex in the region. The water is warm, mineral-rich, and there's a jacuzzi, sulphide pools, and a brine treatment zone if you want to try it. By the time you're back in Krakow, you've been in the mountains, on a snowmobile, eaten local food, and spent the afternoon in hot water.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or meeting-point pickup in Krakow, a 1.5-hour drive to Chochołów, a guided visit to the UNESCO wooden village and sculptor's hut, a 20-minute snowmobile training session, a two-seater snowmobile ride through Tatra mountain trails with photo breaks, grilled oscypek tasting with mulled wine at a shepherd's hut, a 2.5-hour entry ticket to Chochołowskie Thermal Baths, and return transport to Krakow. Bottled water and an air-conditioned vehicle are included throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (3 to 15 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 24

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 due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Fun Tours Cracow

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to ride snowmobiles in the Tatras and soak in thermal water on the same day without arranging transport, training, or entry tickets separately: the fixed itinerary and included stops handle all three, which is what makes a full mountain experience fit into one trip from the city.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 15 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Do I need a driving license for the snowmobile?

No. A 20-minute training session happens before the ride, and the machines are two-seaters.

What happens if there's not enough snow?

The tour switches to quads and follows the same route through the Zakopane area with the same stops.

Is the snowmobile rental included in the price?

No. Snowmobile rental is not included and does not accept card payments.

Can I visit the sculptor's hut on a Sunday?

No. The sculptor's hut and the traditional house are closed on Sundays and public holidays.

How long is the drive from Krakow?

1.5 hours to Chochołów, then another drive to Zakopane for the snowmobile portion.

What's included in the thermal baths time?

A 2.5-hour entry ticket to Chochołowskie Thermal Baths with access to pools, jacuzzi, and treatment zones.

Is oscypek tasting included?

Yes. You get grilled oscypek and a glass of mulled wine at a shepherd's hut after the snowmobile ride.

What should I bring?

Warm clothes for the snowmobile ride and a swimsuit for the thermal baths. Bottled water is provided.