Crossing the Giant Mountains

Self guided 7 days trekking in the highest mountains of Czechia with overnights in traditional mountain chalets

During this individual trekking tour you will be crossing the highest mountain range of Czechia. The Giant Mountains are protected as a National Park and lie on the border to Poland.

During the crossing you will be able to enjoy amazing views over the mountains and valleys. One of the highlights is climbing up the highest peak of Czechia Snežka (Snow mountain) with 1602 m. You can also visit the historical wooden church Wang on the Polish side of the Nationalpark in Karpacz.

Accommodation in mountain chalets is provided in private family or private more bedded rooms with their own facilities or shared bathrooms in the hallway. The starting point is easily accessible by car or by bus, there is also direct connection from Prague several times a day.

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What's included?

Itinerary

Day 1 Špindlerův Mlýn - arrival

Špindlerův Mlýn is located at an altitude of around 700 m. It is one of the most beautiful towns in the Giant Mountains. After your arrival you can take a short walk through the town, past the beautiful houses and the many hotels.

You can breathe in the atmosphere of the mountain village and relax a bit.

Overnight: Špindlerův Mlýn

Day 2 Špindlerův Mlýn to Dvoračky (1140 m)

Today the trek starts: on to the “Giants”. The first kilometers will be tough, because you have to climb considerably: you have to overcome a height difference of 700 meters. (Possible alternative: take the lift from Špindlerův Mlýn to Medvedin, so you can cover 500m difference in height in 15 minutes. You then partly walk a different route).

Once on the ridge you will soon be rewarded for climbing: the mountains offer you a beautiful view over the valley of the Elbe. When you reach the Vrbatova Bouda refuge, a legendary skier's cabin from the early 20th century, you will see Kotel Mountain and large stones Harrachovy Kameny on your right. You descend a little further along the Kotel mountain until you arrive at your first overnight stay.

Distance: 11 km
Climbing: 705 m
Descent: 286 m
Overnight: Dvoračky mountain hotel (1140 m)

Day 3 Dvoračky (1140 m) to Polish side of the Giant mountains - Szrenica mountain chalet (1362 m)

In the morning you can still enjoy the view of the town of Rokytnice, but soon the perspective changes and you look down on the winter sports resort of Harrachov. Ski jumping championships often take place here. You will also find a historic glass factory, a mini beer brewery and the waterfalls of the mountain river Mumlava, which you should not miss! After seeing the waterfalls you walk on to the ridge. Before you reach tonight's overnight stop, you will pass the unusual looking rock formations Tvaroznik and Trzi Swinki (Three piglets).

Distance: 7,6 km
Climbing: 409 m
Descent: 197 m
Overnight: Szrenica mountain hut (1362 m) in the Polish part of the Giant Mountains National Park

Day 4 Szrenica mountain chalet (1362 m) to Moravská bouda (1220 m)

On the fourth day you walk the path of Czech – Polish friendship on the Czech – Polish border for almost all day. In the morning you have to climb out of the valley to the ridge and there you keep walking all day at about the same height. Poland shows its deep troughs and on the Czech side you can see many horizons.

You keep following the ridge at approximately the same height. In addition to beautiful views, you can also see the source of the river Labe (Elbe) today. This European river originates here on the mountain plain in the Giant Mountains, and flows into the North Sea more than 1,000 km away at Hamburg. When you arrive at today's refuge, your luggage will already be here. So you can repack your backpack.

Distance: 11,5 km
Climbing: 424 m
Descent: 547 m
Overnight: Moravská bouda (1220m)

Day 5 To the Samotnia refuge (1200m) over the highest peak Sněžka (1602m)

From Moravská Bouda take the green route for 0.8 km to the crossing Pod Petrovkou II. From here you follow the red route over the ridge until you come across a junction with the blue route. You can take this blue route here towards Samotnia and descend to the mountain hut (10 km), or you can opt for an even more challenge: up and down Sněžka mountain.

In that case, keep following the red route to the top of Sněžka. Please note: the last part from Bývalá Obří Bouda is a very tough 1.5 km single climb. You return the same path on the red route for about 1,5 km to the signpost Karpacz and join narrow asphalt road leading to Karpacz. As soon as you reach Bialy Jar (1234 m), leave the asphalt road and follow the yellow marked path for about 1,2 km to mountain hut Samotnia.

Distance: 16,3 km
Climbing: 596 m
Descent: 635 m
Overnight: Samotnia mountain hut (1200m) on Polish side of the Giant mountains

Day 6 Samotnia refuge (1200m) to Lucní bouda chalet (1410 m) or Výrovka (1356 m)

In the Polish Giant Mountains lies the unique wooden church Wang, which you can visit today. Services are held regularly in this Evangelical Lutheran church. From your overnight stay you descend past the church Wang through the woods to the Polish tourist mountain resort Karpacz. Later it will climb up again, but there is an alternative to take the lift (Wyciąg krzesełkowy Na Kopę). Overall distance incl. visit of Karpacz is 17,4 km.
Today you spend a lot of time in the green coniferous forests, only at the end of the route you get back on the bare ridge and the mountains open up before you. Tonight's refuge is also on a large plain, which means that you can enjoy a beautiful view.

The route described above has overnight location in mountain hotel Luční Bouda. If you choose this, you choose the comfort upgrade. The hotel Luční Bouda is a *** / **** hotel with many facilities (including its own beer brewery, beer spa and sauna). If you choose the standard version of the route, you will spend the night at the Chata Výrovka refuge.

Distance: 17,4 km
Climbing: 832 m
Descent: 658 m
Overnight: Luční bouda hotel (comfort upgrade) or Výrovka chalet (standard)

Day 7 Return to Špindlerův Mlýn

Today you say goodbye to the panoramic views. If you stay in the hotel Luční bouda, you walk most of the route along the mountain stream Bílé Labe (White Elbe) and its waterfalls. The tourist route of this former glacial valley is one of the most romantic and oldest tourist routes in the Giant Mountains, opened in 1891. The silence you were used to from the mountain tops changes today into a pleasant murmur of the water. A few kilometers before Špindlerův Mlýn, the mountain river flows into the Elbe (Labe) and along the Elbe you descend all the way to Špindlerův Mlýn.

The way from Výrovka mountain chalet is somewhat shorter (you follow the green marked path till you reach Svaty Petr - the most steep ski slope in Špindlerův Mlýn - and from here you descend to the centre joining the red marking.

The hike has come to an end, the Giant Mountains have been crossed!