I just wanted to say thank you again for running such a great trip. Both Max and I had an absolutely great holiday in Poland, and it was in no small part down to the work everyone at Wild Poland put into running a fantastic trip. Hope to be back again in the future.
– Tim, UK, Aug 2018
Go canoeing, camping, have a sauna and a wild swim in the wildest part of Europe
Spend 3-4 days in the undiscovered Augustów Forest with a local guide, an experienced naturalist and bushcraft instructor. Canoe through the forest near the border of Poland and Lithuania, put up a tent and pop into sauna to finish with a wild swim. Relax in the wild and recharge. Completely.
The tour takes place in the rural north-eastern Poland, along the most beautiful Polish lowland rivers: Czarna Hańcza and Marycha that straddle the Poland-Lithuania border quietly flowing through the reed bed and forest. We will spend two or three nights (you choose) camping at a riverside and cooking our own food over fire. Don’t worry about your skills, camping gear or supplies – our guide is experienced and will have all the gear as well as the food necessary. All you need is a sleeping bag, mattress, and a pot/dixie with cutlery.
The rivers are slow and shallow so we will also have plenty of opportunities for a wild swim and relaxing in the fire-heated sauna. Wildlife is plentiful and although it’s not the main goal of this tour, you may see birds like Swans, Kingfisher or a White-tailed Eagle. Seeing the tracks of Wolves or signs of Beavers is also quite common in this area.
Our experienced local guide, naturalist and bushcraft specialist knows these rivers as the back of his hand and will accompany you throughout this tour and keep you informed and point out everything that can’t be missed. He will also help you out with camping gear, if needed, and do all the fire-making and cooking (hopefully with your help 🙂
Just pick your travel dates, decide on a 3 or 4-day itinerary and let us know how many of you will come. We don’t join travellers on this tour so you will get a totally personal experience – just your group/family and our guide. It’s an unforgettable adventure in the true wilderness that will stay in your memory for long!
Activities
Relax and recharge in the wild. Completely.
Day by day itinerary
click ⊕ to expand
Day 1: Meeting in Maćkowa Ruda, Wigry NP & canoeing the Czarna Hańcza River
We will meet early afternoon at a small village of Maćkowa Ruda at the edge of the Wigry National Park. After a brief introduction to the river, techniques and safety we will start slowly with 12 km (ca. 3 hrs) of the Czarna Hańcza River and finish at a quiet camping ground. We will put up our tents, start the fire and enjoy a freshly cooked dinner. Your guide will heat up the sauna and invite you for a few sessions including swimming under the stars in the calm river – a deeply reenergising experience.
Camping in the tents provided by Wild Poland
Meals included: dinner cooked over fire
Day 2: Canoeing the Czarna Hańcza River
You can enjoy a wild swim (as every other morning) while we chop some wood for a campfire and brew the usual fresh coffee. After a hearty breakfast we will make some sandwiches for lunch, pack our gear and head on further down the river for a full day canoeing adventure (21 km and ca. 6 hrs on the water). The river here gets narrower and a lot more fun to paddle with its meanders, fallen trees and unscathed nature around.
We will stop for lunch at a riverside and there will be a chance for a wild swim or a short walk in the forest picking berries, mushrooms or just enjoying the silence. Tonight we will again camp at a riverside and enjoy a yet another dinner cooked over fire and of course – the sauna.
Camping in the tents provided by Wild Poland
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3: Canoeing the Czarna Hańcza River & Augustów Canal
After another substantial breakfast, freshly brewed coffee and the usual wild swim we will pack our gear and continue canoeing the Czarna Hańcza River along its most beautiful, varied and fun stretch full of sharp bends and obstacles (16 km/5 hrs). Here, the river flows through the pristine boreal forest and often in a deep, narrow valley with steep banks – an unbelievable scenery just a few hours away from civilisation!
We will finish this day of canoeing with a short but wild stretch of the famous Augustów Canal built in 1828. We will paddle through its two huge sluice locks, now nearly 200 years old – quite an adventure and fun not only for the young!
3-day itinerary
If you opt for a 3-day itinerary, we will be picked up by a minibus that will take us back to the starting point and our cars in the afternoon. You can head on your own way from there or decide to stay at a bed & breakfast in the area to explore the Wigry National Park on your own.
Overnight: not included
Meals included in the 3-day option: breakfast, lunch
4-day itinerary
If you choose the 4-day itinerary (highly recommended!) the minibus will take us (and our boats) deeper into the forest, to a tiny village near the border with Lithuania. This evening we will camp on the banks of the even smaller and completely undiscovered Marycha River – a real gem for wilderness lovers. As usual, after dinner cooked over fire you can jump into sauna and the river itself.
Camping in the tents provided by Wild Poland
Meals included in the 4-day option: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4: Canoeing the Marycha River
Today, we will paddle down a completely forested stretch of our favourite Marycha River along the border with Lithuania. The river is shallow and calm but canoeing may be even more adventurous than previous days as there are many natural obstacles in the form of fallen trees. It may require a lot of manoeuvring and you may even have to carry your canoe over a log at times! The natural landscapes here are breathtaking and the silence and nature calls deeply de-stressing.
We will paddle down about 21 km and spend 6-7 hrs on the water today. The minibus will pick us up at a small village on the border with Lithuania and take us back where we started, late afternoon.
Overnight: not included
Meals included: breakfast, packed lunch
Key information
Fitness level - is this tour for me?
You should bring the following necessary items:
- waterproof dry bags for all your stuff (ca. 30-40 l should suffice),
- sleeping bag for the right season,
- mat or mattress,
- mess tin/pot/dixie with cup and cutlery,
- towel and toiletry,
- torch/headlamp,
- insect repellent and sunhat (May to Sep),
- raincoat,
- warm clothes for the right season.
You may consider bringing the following useful items:
- trekking sandals (to use in water, canoe),
- additional towel for sauna,
- swim suit,
- pocket knife,
- binoculars/camera
- thermo flask/cup – very usefull
- power bank for your electronic devices.
Vegetarians & vegans
All of the food will be prepared by the guide, over a campfire, therefore it is not possible to cater for various diets at the same time. If everyone in your party is vegetarian or vegan, let us know when booking and we will see how we can make this work.
Travel & medical insurance
We (Wild Poland) are fully insured tour operator as required by Polish and European law. However, all participants must additionally be covered by personal travel and medical insurance, preferably from the time of booking. This should cover you fully against the cost of cancellation by you, lost baggage, medical care and repatriation as well as include canoeing and wild swimming activities.
We do not provide or check personal travel insurance policies. See our booking conditions › for more details.
How is my money protected?
First of all, we are a registered tour operator in Poland. All holidays by Wild Poland are protected by the Mazovian Province and our AXA tour operator insurance. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the Province executives guarantee to refund any money you have paid to us for any future booking.
Secondly – you get 100% money back guarantee with Wild Poland. By booking, you will be asked to pay a small deposit to confirm your place. It allows us to book the hotels etc. in your name. In a rare case that we have to cancel the departure because of insufficient number of participants, you will be refunded the full deposit amount. Small differences in the refunded amount may occur because of varying exchange rates.
Finally, we use Poland’s leading online payments gateway called PayU ›. Any critical credit card details are only entered at their secure pages and we have no access to, nor do we withhold any credit card details.
Dates, prices & booking
100% Money Back Guarantee with Wild Poland
Remember, we take all the logistics off your shoulders – from the first until the last day everything is included:
– canoe rental
– local transfers
– camping grounds & tents
– sauna, food & professional guiding
June 2023
3-4 days on request
SPACES
available
PRICE
from 2150 PLN
SINGLE
+200 PLN
July 2023
3-4 days on request
SPACES
available
PRICE
from 2150 PLN
SINGLE
+200 PLN
August 2023
3-4 days on request
SPACES
available
PRICE
from 2150 PLN
SINGLE
+200 PLN
September 2023
3-4 days on request
SPACES
available
PRICE
from 2150 PLN
SINGLE
+200 PLN
October 2023
3-4 days on request
SPACES
available
PRICE
from 2150 PLN
SINGLE
+200 PLN
April 2024
3-4 days on request
SPACES
available
PRICE
from 2150 PLN
SINGLE
+200 PLN
May 2024
3-4 days on request
SPACES
available
PRICE
from 2150 PLN
SINGLE
+200 PLN
June 2024
3-4 days on request
SPACES
available
PRICE
from 2150 PLN
SINGLE
+200 PLN
Write us an e-mail to ask for availability and book
Just write us an email at info@wildpoland.com asking for availability at your preferred dates and your group size and I will get back to you quickly with a detailed offer.
I personally love this tour and can’t wait to take you to my favourite, wild rivers! It’s so much more than just a tour. It’s a deep, joyful and transforming experience that will stay with you for long.
– Łukasz
