Dunajec Gorge

Introducing Dunajec Gorge

The Dunajec Gorge (Przełom Dunajca) is a spectacular stretch of the Dunajec (doo-nah-yets) River, which snakes from Lake Czorsztyn (Jezioro Czorsztyńskie) west for about 8km between steep cliffs, some of which are over 300m high. The river is narrow, in one instance funnelling through a 12m-wide bottleneck, and changes incessantly from majestically quiet, deep stretches to shallow mountain rapids. Be advised, however, that this is not a white-water experience but a leisurely pleasure trip.

The gorge has been a tourist attraction since the mid-19th century, when primitive rafts ferried guests of the Szczawnica spa on a day out. Today the raft trip through the gorge attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year, not counting do-it-yourselfers in their own kayaks. The raft itself is a set of five narrow, 6m-long, coffinlike canoes lashed together with rope. It holds 10 to 12 passengers and is steered by two raftsmen, each decked out in embroidered folk costume and armed with a long pole used to navigate.

The raft trip begins in the small village of Sromowce Wyżne-Kąty, at the Raft Landing Place (Przystań Flisacka; 018 62 9721; www.flisacy.com.pl; ul Kąty 14; 8.30am-5pm May-Aug, 9am-4pm Apr & Sep, 9am-3pm Oct, closed Nov-Mar). You’ll take an 18km-long trip and disembark in Szczawnica. The journey takes about 2¼ hours, depending on the level of the river. Some rafts go further downstream to Krościenko (23km, 2¾ hours), but there’s not very much to see on that stretch of the river.

The trip to Szczawnica costs 35/17.50zł adult/concession, while the one to Krościenko is 44/22zł. You can organise a trip at any travel agency in Zakopane from 71/52zł and in Kraków from 240/220zł, which includes transport, equipment and guides. The tour sponsored by the PTTK in Szczawnica is 48zł.

There are about 250 rafts in operation and they depart as soon as 10 passengers are ready to go. In general you won’t have to wait long to get on the raft. Rafts normally operate from April to October; the trips may be suspended occasionally for a day or two when the river level is high.

Just down from the ticket office is a branch office of the Pieniny National Park (018 262 5601; www.pieninypn.pl in Polish; ul Kąty 117b), which keeps the same hours as the ticket office.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009