Zakopane Snowmobiles, Bonfire and Hot Springs Tour from Krakow

About This Experience

This trip from Krakow strings together three things: a guided ride on a snowmobile or quad near Zakopane, a stop at a highlander bonfire, and a soak in the thermal pools at Chochołów. Krakowdirect runs it in vans and minibuses, with an English-speaking tour leader along for the day.

The ride lasts about an hour and is led by a certified instructor, who starts with a safety briefing and hands out a helmet, balaclava and gloves. The machine itself is not in the ticket price: you pay the local operator 400 PLN in cash per vehicle, and one snowmobile or quad carries up to two people, so a shared vehicle works out at 200 PLN each. Snowmobiles cannot legally run inside Tatra National Park, so rides like this take place on land outside it.

Snow is not guaranteed, and the listing sells dates from early October. When there is not enough snow on the trails, the ride switches to a quad (ATV) and you are told before the activity. Many of the most recent reviews describe the quad version.

After the ride comes the bonfire, with grilled sausage, smoked sheep's-milk cheese (sold as oscypek), snacks, hot drinks and local spirits, plus mulled wine in the colder months. The day ends with a three-hour fast-track ticket to Chochołowskie Termy, covering the indoor and outdoor pools and the healing zone, before the drive back to Krakow.

Prices start at $108 per person from the central meeting point and about $120 with hotel pickup. The trip holds a rating of 4.8 from 1,300 GetYourGuide reviews.

Highlights

• Ride a snowmobile for about an hour with an instructor, or a quad when the snow is thin.
• Get a safety briefing and the loan of a helmet, balaclava and gloves before you set off.
• Warm up at a highlander bonfire with grilled sausage, smoked cheese, hot drinks and local spirits.
• Drink mulled wine around the fire on the colder autumn and winter dates.
• Spend three hours in the indoor and outdoor thermal pools at Chochołowskie Termy after the ride.
• Travel both ways from Krakow by van, from a central meeting point or with hotel pickup.

What's Included

• ✓ Round-trip transport from Krakow: central meeting point, or hotel pickup on the pickup option
• ✓ Safety briefing and supervision by a certified instructor
• ✓ Helmet, balaclava and gloves for the ride
• ✓ Bonfire with regional snacks, smoked cheese (sold as oscypek), hot drinks and spirits
• ✓ Three-hour fast-track ticket to Chochołowskie Termy (indoor and outdoor pools plus healing zone)
• ✓ English-speaking tour leader for the day

Not Included

• Snowmobile or quad rental: 400 PLN per vehicle (up to two people, 200 PLN each when shared), paid in cash on site
• Towel for the baths (on the listing's bring-your-own list)
• Anything outside the three-hour pool ticket: extra time is charged at 0.50 PLN per minute, and food or drinks are added to your wristband and paid on exit
• Hotel pickup on the meeting-point option (about $12 more on the pickup option)

What to Bring

• Warm clothing
• Warm shoes
• Swimwear
• Towel
• Flip-flops
• Cash in PLN for the vehicle rental (EUR, GBP or USD also accepted)

Good to Know & Caveats

• The 400 PLN rental per snowmobile or quad (up to two riders) is paid in cash on site.
• With too little snow, the snowmobile ride is replaced by a quad (ATV) ride and you are told beforehand.
• Wear comfortable outdoor clothes and closed shoes; helmet, balaclava and gloves are provided.
• Pickup times are approximate and can shift by 30 to 45 minutes with traffic; the exact time is confirmed the day before.
• Total trip length varies with traffic, weather and the flow at the thermal pools.
• Chochołowskie Termy is closed for building work from 19 to 30 October 2026, and some operators send groups to Terma Bania in Białka Tatrzańska on those dates, so check which baths your date uses.

Meeting Point

The meeting point is the "Kiss & Ride" tourist bus stop at Wielopole 2 in Krakow; look for a van marked GetYourGuide or Krakowdirect. The pickup option collects you from your hotel instead, and the exact time and spot are confirmed the day before.