Carpathian Mountains are considered to be the Green Pearl of Ukraine. It is one of the most popular resorts and tourist centers of the country. A beautiful mix of natural areas, forests, meadows, shepherds and humans living in harmony with nature is what makes the mountains so sttractive to tourists! An original nature of territory, beauty of its Alpine meadows and woods, rough rivers and mountain lakes, soft climate, curative mineral sources, the historical and architectural monuments can attract everyone to themselves. Thousands of tourists and people who like travels and adventures come here. The Ukrainian Carpathians are relatively gentle peaks that rise as high as 2061 m (Mt. Hoverla). The largest resorts are located in Slavsko, Bukovel, Tysovets, and Dragobrat. Some of the smaller resorts are in Krasiya, Dolyna, Beskid, Polyana, Synevir, Yaremche, Verkhovnya, Kosiv, and Yavoriv. Detailed information on the above mentioned resorts can be found by CLICKING HERE.

 

Mountain weather

If you visit the Carpathians, you will not find yourself in an extreme blizzards or dying from severe hypothermia. The Carpathians benefit from having a relatively mild temperature in winter time. Lowest winter temperatures are around -10 C to -15 C (5 F to 14 F). In summer time the weather is agreeably warm. Throughout the year, the Carpathians do get quite a bit of rainfall 800- 1500 mm (hence it’s rich and verdant plant life). However, this is spread out evenly through the year.

Hiking

The Carpathian mountains dominate the region with their forests, rivers, lakes, alpine meadows, towns and villages. The region is rich in culture, activity and history. It is ideal for summer holidays walking, riding, mountain climbing, exploring. Equipped campsites, hikers' refuges, groomed hiking trails or signs are very rare. Topographical maps with hiking routes can be obtained at the resorts or from the local inhabitants who provide accommodation to tourists. It is highly advisable to bring rain gear. Drinking water is widely available from the mountain brooks and streams.

Getting to the Carpathians

Getting to the Carpathians is not difficult at all if one has a car and a map. "Marshrutka" (taxi vans) are also available for very inexpensive prices. Ukrainian railway runs a number of routs/trains that can get tourists to the Carpathians from pretty much any large city in the country. There are overnight trains from Kyiv to Uzhhorod that can get you to the northern part of Ukraine's Carpathians, including Slavsko (one of Ukraine's prominent ski resorts). This is the only regular-speed railway route through the Carpathians. You can also catch a Kyiv-Lviv speed train which leaves Kyiv every night at around 9pm. Once you are in Lviv, you can get to the mountains in 2-3 hours by a "marshrutka" for $3-$10.

Cycling and Riding

The Carpathians are great for cycling. There is an abundance of automobile roads – both paved and unpaved – which are suitable for cycling, and it is possible to get to any region of the mountains on your bike some way or another.

Moreover, the nature of the Ukrainian Carpathians and riverbanks is suitable for riding. Traveling by developed routes tourists become acquainted with different districts, way of life and culture of local people that didn’t change much over the last three hundred years.

Whenever you decide to travel by the underground labyrinths created by nature itself, you would discover the possession of mysterious and unknowable. There are dozens of caves in the region, but only some of them are famous and available for tourists without special outfit. Others are only open for experienced speleologists.

The Prut River and Rafting

It is slightly more difficult to access the more rugged central and southern Carpathians. Trains run to Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomyia, and Chernivtsi from cities in central and eastern Ukraine. From there you can take "marshrutka" to different destinations in the mountains. There is also a slow narrow-gauge diesel train that runs from Ivano-Frankivsk to Rakhiv and back several times a day. Buses and "marshrutkas" usually leave from train or bus stations.

The Kyiv-Yaremcha overnight bus that passes through Kolomyia is also available to get to the Carpathians. Another bus, Kyiv-Tyachiv, passes through Yaremcha, Yasinya, and Rakhiv on its way to Tyachiv. The above mentioned buses leave every day from the Dachna long-distance bus station in Kyiv ( the address is: Prospekt Peremohy 142, tel. (044) 424-15-03).