Poland's Masurian Lake Plateau

Masurian Lakeland

Tour Description: Guided

The Masurian lake plateau was and remains one of Poland's most popular destinations for tourists on two wheels. Not only natural beauty draws the tourist to this area with literally thousands of crystalline lakes, dreamy alleyways with trees that are centuries old and forested areas in their natural state.

The Masurian area is also of great historical interest. It formed the Prussian province of East Prussia for some centuries. This is where Teutonic Knights left their Gothic and Medieval castles and the Nazis their bunkers. In fact it was here, in the famous 'Wolfschanze' (Wolf's Lair), that the fateful attempt to assassinate Hitler took place in the year 1944. Masuria offers the cyclist predominantly flat land, side roads with few cars, a well developed tourist infrastructure and welcoming inhabitants - making it an appealing destination for individuals riding for pleasure.

Find an opportunity to take one of a number of fast trains or low-priced flights to Warsaw on a Saturday so that you can acquaint yourself with this fascinating area during a week of cycling before returning to Warsaw. It is a relaxing tour allowing you to experience the many attractions of the area. The overnight stays are at 5 different locations, there is a ship cruise and we also offer an optional canoe trip.

Learn more about self-guided tours.

Tour Description: Self-guided

The Masurian lake plateau was and remains one of Poland's most popular destinations for tourists on two wheels. Not only natural beauty draws the tourist to this area with literally thousands of crystalline lakes, dreamy alleyways with trees that are centuries old and forested areas in their natural state.

The Masurian area is also of great historical interest. It formed the Prussian province of East Prussia for some centuries. This is where Teutonic Knights left their Gothic and Medieval castles and the Nazis their bunkers. In fact it was here, in the famous 'Wolfschanze' (Wolf's Lair), that the fateful attempt to assassinate Hitler took place in the year 1944. Masuria offers the cyclist predominantly flat land, side roads with few cars, a well developed tourist infrastructure and welcoming inhabitants - making it an appealing destination for individuals riding for pleasure.

Find an opportunity to take one of a number of fast trains or low-priced flights to Warsaw on a Saturday so that you can acquaint yourself with this fascinating area during a week of cycling before returning to Warsaw. It is a relaxing tour allowing you to experience the many attractions of the area. The overnight stays are at 5 different locations, there is a ship cruise and we also offer an optional canoe trip.

Learn more about self-guided tours.

Highlights: Guided

• Warsaw
• Babieta, a village on the banks of the Krutynia River
• Reszel's Gothic bridge
• Ketrzyn's Old Castle
• Jezioro Sniardwy, Poland's largest lake
• Krutyn

Highlights: Self-guided

• Warsaw
• Babieta, a village on the banks of the Krutynia River
• Reszel's Gothic bridge
• Ketrzyn's Old Castle
• Jezioro Sniardwy, Poland's largest lake
• Krutyn

Daily Program: Guided

Daily Program: Self-guided

Day 1: Arrival in Warsaw

Day 2: Warsaw - Babieta - Mragowo (20 miles/31 km)
You arrive at Babieta, a village on the banks of the river Krutynia, after a three hour car or minibus journey. There will be a break for lunch and the bicycles will be handed out. The first leg is short and ends in Mragowo, a resort with a historical town centre and a lakeside promenade. 
Overnight in Mragowo.  

Day 3: Mragowo - Ketrzyn (34 miles/55 km)
You cycle through small villages and beautiful lakes to Reszel, in the historic region of Ermland. Reszel has a picturesque old town, a Gothic bridge and an impressive castle of brick that belonged to the Bishops of Ermland. You then go on to the pilgrimage church at Swieta Lipka, a jewel from Baroque times set in the middle of Masurian wildness.
Overnight in Ketrzyn.  

Day 4: Ketrzyn - Wegorzewo (28 miles/45 km)
Ketrzyn still has an old castle that had once belonged to the former German Teutonic Knights. We ride by witnesses to a recent dark past - 'Wolfschanze', the Fuehrer's headquarters - a bleak concrete ruin and then the still well kept headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces at 'Mauerwald'. Finally you cycle directly on the shores of Lake Mamry for a few kilometers until reaching the lodgings in the sleepy port town of Angerburg. 
Overnight in Wegorzewo.  

Day 5: Wegorzewo - Gizycko (19-38 miles/30-60 km)
Today have the choice of either extending the rest period and going by ship to Gizycko in the afternoon or choosing between a shorter and a longer route. The shorter route is about 30 km and goes via Harsz (the village with the most White Stork nests in the entire tour). However, we would recommend the longer loop through Borecka forest. This forested area has been left in its natural state and has a rich variety of plant life and is also home to the European bison and has a network of beautiful, car-free bicycle routes. It is nature at its pristine best. 
Overnight in Gizycko.  

Day 6: Gizycko - Krutyn (25 miles/40 km)
Following a 3-hour long ship journey (included in the price) you land in Mikolajki, the St. Tropez of Masuria with an idyllic and modern city centre, an attractive sailing port and old fishing houses. This area sees a great deal of seasonal tourism. An old fashioned rope ferry brings you to Popielno, a scientific breeding station for Tarpan horses. Popielno is one of the few villages on the shores of Jezioro Sniardwy, Poland's largest lake. Dark forest paths lead to the Russian Orthodox monastery in Wojnowo past the small but lively resort of Krutyn. 
Overnight in Krutyn.  

Day 7: Krutyn - Warsaw (6-12 miles/10-20 km; or 2-3 hours of canoeing)
You remain in Masuria the entire morning and can visit other tourist attractions in the area of Krutyn by bicycle (for example the Ernst Wiechert memorial) or you could take a highly recommended 3-hour long canoe ride on the most beautiful part of the river. The journey back to Warsaw is at 3:00 p.m. 
Overnight in Warsaw.  

Day 8: Departure from Warsaw 

Dates: Guided

Dates: Self-guided

Saturdays: May 18 - Sep 7, 2013. 

Packages and Prices: Guided

Packages and Prices: Self-guided

Tour package (self-guided)
Per person, double occupancy $665 Single room supplement (1 person/1 room) $135 Bike rentals Hybrid touring bike, 21-speed $55 Equipment provided free with all rentals $0 Extra nights, Warsaw Per person, double occupancy $58 Single room supplement (1 person/1 room) $31

Included Services: Guided

Included Services: Self-guided

• Transport Warsaw - Babieta and Krutyn - Warsaw
• 2 nights accommodation in 3-star hotel in Warsaw
• 5 nights accommodation in twin beddged rooms with shower/toilet, small pensions in Masurian Lakeland
• 5x breakfast and dinner in Masurian Lakeland, not Warsaw
• Transfer of luggage from hotel to hotel
• Tour description and set of 1:50.000 maps with marked route 
• Ship journey Gizycko - Mikolajki

Hotels: Guided

Accommodations include 3-star hotels and lodgings along the tour route.

Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotel page to learn more about lodging options.

Hotels: Self-guided

Accommodations include 3-star hotels and lodgings along the tour route.

Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotel page to learn more about lodging options.

Bike Rentals: Guided

The bikes available are 21-speed derailleur gear hybrid touring bikes with a light aluminum frame. The tires are high quality Schwalb Land Cruisers. Another feature is comfortable, suspended gel-saddles. The bikes are equipped with saddle bags. 

Bike Rentals: Self-guided

The bikes available are 21-speed derailleur gear hybrid touring bikes with a light aluminum frame. The tires are high quality Schwalb Land Cruisers. Another feature is comfortable, suspended gel-saddles. The bikes are equipped with saddle bags. 

Surface and Terrain: Guided

This is an easy tour, as the terrain is flat or gently undulating. About 70% of the tour is on asphalt and the rest on dirt roads. 

This tour is rated Leisurely and is for cyclists in average physical condition. 

Surface and Terrain: Self-guided

This is an easy tour, as the terrain is flat or gently undulating. About 70% of the tour is on asphalt and the rest on dirt roads. 

This tour is rated Leisurely and is for cyclists in average physical condition. 

How To Get There: Guided

Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Warsaw, Poland
Nearest train station: Warsaw, Poland  

Tips on getting to and from your tour

How To Get There: Self-guided

Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Warsaw, Poland
Nearest train station: Warsaw, Poland  

Tips on getting to and from your tour

Weather: Guided

Weather Underground offers information on average and record temperatures at many destinations throughout the globe. Type a destination in the search box and enter a travel date range to learn about seasonal weather patterns.

Get weather information.

Weather: Self-guided

Weather Underground offers information on average and record temperatures at many destinations throughout the globe. Type a destination in the search box and enter a travel date range to learn about seasonal weather patterns.

Get weather information.

Tour Company Background: Bird Service: Guided

This is your chance to enjoy some of the most picturesque and spectacular parts of Poland, nearby Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine and Belarus by bike. These are areas that are only now beginning to be discovered by tourists. And for those preferring to hike there are well-marked trails and charming mountain huts ready for visitors.

Allow us to introduce you to the best of our cycling tours. We have been organizing active tours for the last twenty years and look forward with our team of enthusiastic staff to making your holiday a memorable one.

Our company started as Polish "Bird Service" in 1990 in Bialystok (NE-Poland) and has gained good reputation as organizer of nature study tours. We still offer a range of tours for birdwatchers and nature lovers, published on the webpage www.birding.pl 

In 2000 we moved our office to the heart of historic Cracow and started to offer a range of cycle tours in southern Poland. As state borders are now easy to pass, we also organize cycling events in the nearby Slowakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. We offer ground arrangement for renowned tour companies. Each year clients from a number of countries around the world (mainly Germany, UK, Belgium, USA, even Japan) book our tours directly.

Tour Company Background: Bird Service: Self-guided

This is your chance to enjoy some of the most picturesque and spectacular parts of Poland, nearby Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine and Belarus by bike. These are areas that are only now beginning to be discovered by tourists. And for those preferring to hike there are well-marked trails and charming mountain huts ready for visitors.

Allow us to introduce you to the best of our cycling tours. We have been organizing active tours for the last twenty years and look forward with our team of enthusiastic staff to making your holiday a memorable one.

Our company started as Polish "Bird Service" in 1990 in Bialystok (NE-Poland) and has gained good reputation as organizer of nature study tours. We still offer a range of tours for birdwatchers and nature lovers, published on the webpage www.birding.pl 

In 2000 we moved our office to the heart of historic Cracow and started to offer a range of cycle tours in southern Poland. As state borders are now easy to pass, we also organize cycling events in the nearby Slowakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. We offer ground arrangement for renowned tour companies. Each year clients from a number of countries around the world (mainly Germany, UK, Belgium, USA, even Japan) book our tours directly.

Terms and Conditions: Bird Service: Guided

Information coming soon. 

Terms and Conditions: Bird Service: Self-guided

Information coming soon.