hiking – On The Road Abroad

The Polish Tatra Mountains: A 2 day snow hike

December 8, 2018February 6, 2021Fadi

First I think I have to mention that we were very, very lucky with the weather, we hiked right after a few days of snow in the mountains, and the sun accompanied on this hike for a while.
We had a long night on the road, and we didn’t have the chance to sleep so well! We arrived in Zakopane from Krakow at 7:30 in the morning, then walked to the center. Nothing was yet open for breakfast, except, (Opa!!) Mcdonalds, right in front of us. It was a good place to stop for a drink and to change clothes! Later on a restaurant opposite McDonalds opened and we went it, happy for a real breakfast. We had more coffee and after did a bit of shopping for the 2 day hike ahead of us.

Early morning in Zakopane!

On the way to Zazadnia

Then it was time to reach the starting point of the trail. We had a bit of a problem communicating with the minibus and taxi drivers and explaining to them where we wanted to go exactly. I still don’t get it. Anyway, one taxi driver said he knew the way and we got in.. After he dropped us off, I realized.. he made a mistake.. It wasn’t the right place! We saw a jeep of the park rangers, and finally got some useful advice to help us reach our starting point. We needed to walk more down the main street in the hope that a minibus would drive by and we would just hop off.. After 5 mins our angel came!
The minibus was full and I didn’t have a seat, but, anyway, it was fun and I made a kind of show for them. The driver was trying to chat with me in a few languages to figure out why the hell we wanted to reach Zazadnia. Even other passengers were in shock that we wanted to hike in the mountains and reach Roztoka, I said we were heros and we would make it.

Still on the way

Here we go.. Starts to hike

Zazadnia bus stop! Finally! – Blue trail –
We were so happy to start our hike on the snow! We saw some amazing views and the first half an hour was easy and a good warm up to start to get used to hiking. Some of us put crampons on. It make us feel more stable and less challenged, and our first destination was the beautiful panoramic view of Rusinowa Polana, here you can see as well the Slovakian Tatras.

To Roztoka Stara – Blue, Black, Red, Green –
From this point there is few trails, you can look on the map and choose what you would like to do.
It’s lovely trail with a mix of uphills and downhills. It wasn’t too hard, we walked in the forest and had a nice time enjoying nature. Keep on this forest trail until you reach the asphalt road (Red trail), this road leads to the famous Morskie Oko lake. When you reach the road take a right, and in about ten minutes you will see a waterfall. Close to it, on the left side will be the Green trail which takes you all the way down to the valley, after 15 minutes you will be in Stara Roztoka.

They working on the trail.. Soon you will pass a new wooden bridge 😊

the church on the way to Rusinowa polana

On the way to a nice view point 🥁🍾

In Rosinowa polana

More pics below on the way down to Roztoka

Finally resting after a four and half an hour hike in the refuge hostel Stara Roztoka, we showered, had dinner and drinks, most of my friends fell asleep early, just me and Joe could stay up longer, and we played some chess! One of the nice and cool things here is that they have board games!

The second day!
On the second day, the hike was longer, but it’s going to be for you easier after you get used to hiking on the snow. In total, the hike should take maximum six hours with breaks on the way. Are you ready?
Before you leave, i really recommend you follow our example. After a light breakfast, I told my friends it was time for a bit of a workout, some pushups, jumping, working on your balance and breathing. Choose whatever, and do it for 15 minutes, then dress well and start your hike.

For the first hour go back on the same trail, up on the green trail to the road, take a left, and walk down the road and again take the red one uphill! Did you see the forest? Our destination today is “Toprowa Cyrhla” most of the time stay on the red trail.
After a little more than one hour from the hostel you will reach the intersection with the Black trail, here you continue on the red trail to “Rowien Waksmundska”, then to “Psia Trawka” hiking in “Dolina Suchej Wody”. Here it’s beautiful and kind of flat, and finally continue on the red trail to the main road “Toprowa Cyrhla”. There you can catch a bus and return to the center of Zakopane or walk for around an hour.

Below you can see some pics, heading back to Zakopane

Here are the details in short:
Zakopane – from here to take the minibus to the starting point
Zazadnia – the starting point
Parking niestrzeżony płatny, Droga Oswalda Balzera, 34-530 Bukowina Tatrzańska
https://goo.gl/maps/sqceenvHfY32
Palenica Białczańska \ Morskie oko – parking area, it’s just the minibus destination
Rusinowa Polana – here’s the best panoramic view
https://goo.gl/maps/nwp5mTqtx3D2
Stara Roztoka the name of Hostel where we slept
https://goo.gl/maps/PjwnJj6DkXv
Toprowa Cyrhla – the end point of the second day
Punkt sprzedaży biletów do TPN
https://goo.gl/maps/fAD48ccLiB12

any thanks to few of my Friends that explored together with me this short Hike:)

Update: 13-3-17 > soon Baltic countries

March 13, 2017February 11, 2018Fadi

One way ticket.. Possible or not?

Part time jobs, acroyoga, new destinations, personal problems.. All of these still keep me away from my one way ticket but there is a chance for the spontaneous and adventure lover person..

Around a half year ago when I came back from my trip from Macedonia & Serbia I was so amazed by these wonderful countries that in my mind was only “how to get back soon??” but so far till now it didn’t happen. But what happened? New experience in front of me.. I just got the message to prepare because I succeeded to have a short trip to NEW destination > Riga in LATVIA! I just booked the flight while I was checking the flights in the whole world.. I was lucky!! Return ticket from Tel-Aviv to Latvia costs me just 50 euro!

I love these short term trips because they give me the chance to keep enjoying my passion for the travelling and as well exploring new countries. Here in my country I can’t guide the groups because my licence is just for guiding abroad. In my country I keep hobbies like dancing Salsa and Bachata, just started to practice acroyoga and would like to start as well to learn surfing – we have amazing beaches with high waves for it! 🙂

The last thing which I would like to share with you! I just booked another cheap flight which happens the next week for 2 wonderful weeks – flying to Riga – 60 euro return ticket! But this time I wanna explore more then just Riga!

When I’m travelling > The best combination for me while I’m travelling is to enjoy nature stuff over day.. including hiking, nature pools as well as I’m lover of night life, which is sometimes hard to find these spots – if you know some of these in Baltic countries > please share with me..

Will be so happy if you will follow me on facebook, instgram, twitter

Yours Fadi

My little experience in the tatras mountains in pics.

July 3, 2016Fadi

הרי הטטרה הפולנים, יומן מסע לפסגת Kasprowy Wierch

May 26, 2016February 7, 2021Fadi

אוויר נקי וירוק מסביב, מתנדב באחלה אכסנייה לאיזה חודש, בזקופנה, בטטרה הפולנים, שהם שליש מכלל הרי הטטרה, שמתי מטרה לעצמי והיא לטפס לפסגת ההר הגבוה 2499 מעל פני הים “רייסי”, לאחד שכמוני בלי כזה ניסיון, מטפס לפסגות אחרות אפשריות לאימון.

בעשר כבר הייתי מוכן לצאת למסע שלי, כמה שעות טבע לטפס לאיזשהו הר, השם יהיה בהמשך. מזג אוויר נוח, והשמש בשמיים ולפי התחזית אמור לקראת הערב להיות סוער, גשום ורעמים, ליתר בטחון שמתי בתרמיל מעיל גשם. באתי לצאת, תיירת באכסנייה רצתה להצטרף, חיכתי עוד חצי שעה.

עשר וחצי יצאנו לכיוון איפה המסלול מתחיל, “קושינציה”, איזה רבע שעה הליכה, על הדרך קצת קניות של אוכל. קושיניצה איזה 800 מטר מעל פני הים והנקודה הסופית לפסגת “קאספרווי ווירש” גובה 1987.
המסלול שלנו לפסגה מורכב מתת מסלולים בצבעים שונים.

הקטע הראשון, צבע צהוב מתחיל ממש קל ואז קל-בינוני ורק עלייה, על הדרך בעצירה קטנה פגשנו זוג מגרמניה התחלנו בשיחה ופשוט המשכנו כולנו ביחד, מסלול הצהוב הסתיים בגובה 1499 עם תצפית מהממת על העיר זקופנה.

קטע שני בצבע כחול, קל שסיימנו אותו באגם קטן, בשם “קארפ” אחלה מקום לשבת ולאכול, וכך עשינו.

באמצע הקטע הכחול היה פיצול צהוב אחר ולשם התחלנו ללכת חזרה להתחיל את הצהוב לפסגה. גשם ורעמים התחילו ואיזה כיף מעיל גשם איתי.

אני מנסה להסתכל למעלה, לראות איפה הפסגה איפה הסוף? לא רואה, עננים, גשם

אני מנסה להסתכל למעלה, לראות איפה הפסגה איפה הסוף? לא רואה, עננים, גשםאני מנסה להסתכל למעלה, לראות איפה הפסגה איפה הסוף? לא רואה, עננים, גשםאני מנסה להסתכל למעלה, לראות איפה הפסגה איפה הסוף? לא רואה, עננים, גשם וערפל מכסים ולא מצליח לראות, הקטע השלישי בצבע צהוב בנוני-קשה והוא יכול להיות רק בנוני תכף תקראו למה. העלייה היא על אבנים בינונים שעושים סוג של מדרגות. כמות השלגים יותר ויותר כל שעלינו, הגענו לנקודה…שרק שלג, אפשר לזהות את המסלול לפי אנשים שלפנינו עברו כאן, קצת פחד, התלבטות מה לעשות, שלג מסביב וללכת על שלג בלי הציוד המותאם לא רעיון טוב, נעליים נעליים טובות אבל לא הכי, של האחרים בכלל לא, הצעתי שנחזור, אבל המשכנו! עדיין הולכים על השלג בתוך הערפל, הבחור הגרמני ריינר, צעק, “כמעט הגענו!” חיוך גדול על הפנים שלי, רב תודות למקלות העץ שאספתי אותן לפני כמה ימים, ושיפרתי אותן. ברגע שהששאר זחלו על השלג!

ומה יהיה טוב מזה להמשיך לכוס בירה

עוד כמה ימים פסגה אחרת 🙂

Rysy / רייסי

Kuzince / קושינציה

קישור לאגם Karab / קארפ

קאספרווי ווירש / Kasprowy Wierch

מוזמנים להצטרף לקבוצת הפייסבוק תלחצו כאן

slovenian villages experience, roadtrip part 2

October 2, 2015October 17, 2015Fadi

here im writing you my travel diary, in the next post will be full 7 days what i think its would be great and suggestion

Hallstadt —> kranjsak gora

we already started being tired and we just started, maybe its just because we are driving on the high way its vey boring, always have to find something to be busy not fall asleep. while driving we always saw hundreds of motorbikes also driving by, and i just found the reason in the next morning.
Kranjska gora it’s a small village located in the north west very close to the austrian and the italian border, this village very popular during the ski season, we arrived here afternoon, our apartment were very close to the center,(it’s small village so it doesn’t really matter how far from the center 15 mins max). i been here few times there is a local bar i like called “Vopa bar” there we head to spend the night and we were lucky they had a live show, slovenian and a bit of songs were in english.

kranjska gora — > bovec

we woke up early, we done shopping & we started our way to bovec via the mountain pass vrcis, its an amaizing road lots of spots to stop the car, drop off, to look around 360 degresse and to breath the great fresh air. picnic we did but sadly hiking we didnt this time because we werent ready :(.
but sometimes we stopped along the soca river 🙂

we kept driving to the famous sport village bovec, we are after we just arrived and we went to some rafting agency wand we found out that we can still join the next rafting in an hour, so we did it.

after rafting around 2 hours, we need and have to feed ourself, not that much options we had dinner at “letni Vrt” imkind of no words to explain how much i had a great time there they talked a little also hebrew seems like lot of israelis also eat here, the staff very friendly the chef also came to the table to talk with my muslim friend to understand from him what to eat and not include pork.
exploring the nightlife wasn’t that difficult also in this village, is also small beginning of the week also, but i went to two bars, that wasnt bad, and for sure drinked the local drink “Rakija”

an amizing soup !!!

bovec —> koper
its raining out, with non stop, what we planned today doesn’t look that it work ou, we start driving to kobarid but it still raining, we had great and cheap breakfast at one of the local bars, we kept driving the rain doesn’t stop, we kept into the direction to koper were we will spend that night, my friend whos driving catch the sign to VENICE and he said “lets go over there” i wasn’t much wanted because it just wasting time during driving but we end up in venice, italy after 2 hours, the parking there was super expensive! we spend there few hours italian lunch then off to our apartment in koper, was also in the center, few beers then to bed.

koper —> ljubljana
the next morning we drove along the cost a bit to south, searching to the highest cliff in the coastline gets to 80 m a bit hard to find the place because its not touristy, and you have just to ask locals also you will not find it written in books! after the coffe and a bit hike to the cliff we off to the huge karst cave Skocjan, we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the cave thats bad, maybe make you the readers more excited to travel over there. seeing the third biggest underground canyon with the river inside it’s unbelievable what nature can do. in our way to our last night in ljubljana, we stopped in Bled to eat a cake.
ljubljana night is great, maybe i just hangout at one place but i was satisfied from the parliament bar (there is just other from the other side both of them to same owner i forgot te name).

Ljubljana —> back home to haifa, israel.

this day we had bunch of time, our flight to back home its a bit after midnight, i dont know from what reason my friends wake up early, this i also did 😦 its other reason why we had that much time, first we head to the top point in ljubljana to view point where is the Ljubljana castle. after coming back down we had a free time that each one what ever wants (my friends wanted shopping).

and i had the chance to make new ffriends 🙂

still we had lot of time to spend, we visited to more spots the first was kranj for lunch and the second was Skopja Loka for ice cream, then it’s over off to the airport.

Have you been in slovenia?

share you experience please or any tip for my next time traveling there 🙂