Day-To-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Piaski, Masuria Lake District
Day 2: Bärenwinkel - Johannisburg (Pisz), 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 3: Rhein (Ryn) - Wolf's Lair, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 4: Lötzen (Gizycko) - Lake Goldapgar, 34 mi. (54 km)
Day 5: Rhein (Ryn) - Zondern - Nikolaiken, 26 mi. (42 km)
Day 6: Nikolaiken - Popiellnen - Piaski, 16 mi. (25 km)
Day 7: Eckertstorf - Kruttinnen - Piaski, 27 mi. (43 km)
Day 8: Individual departure or extension
All distances are approximate. Depending on water levels in the canals, for example, during extended periods of dry weather, the route can be subject to change. However, the characteristics of the tour remain unchanged. Depending on weather and conditions, daily routes may be altered.
Day 1: Masuria
Included group bus transfer will make a stop at the Warsaw airport or Warsaw Central train station and transfer the entir group to the boat. Travel time is approximately 4 1/2 hours from the central train station.Your accommodations for your adventure, the MS Classic Lady, awaits in Piaski, Mazuria in a camp-like setting in the woods. It is a lovely spot for swimming or exploring the lake by canoe. During this first day, you will receive personal tour information and if time permits, hand over of the rental bikes. If this does not occur on the first day, you will receive your bikes the morning of the second day.
Day 2: Bärenwinkel - Johannisburg (Pisz) by bike, Wejsuny - Nikolaiken, by boat, 28 mi. (45 km)
Your cycling adventure begins, leading eastward across Wejsuny, an old East Prussian village, Viewpoint on Lake Spirdingsee, providing a beautiful panorama of the passing sailboats and Devil Island. According to legend, evil spirits still live there. Frederick the Great once built a fortress on the island and today, a few ruins remain. As you cycle, you will pass through Pisz, located at the junction of Lake Roś and the Pisa River, with its gothic town hall and market place. Perhaps you would like to take the time to visit the museum in Pisz which houses a rich collection of fauna and flora from the surrounding area and archeological, ethnographic and historical souvenirs. You can also have an opportunity for swimming! Continuing on, the boat awaits in Wejsuny and will upon boarding, navigate to Nikolaiken.
Day 3: Nikolkaiken - Rhein (Ryn) - Wolfsschanze - Wilkasy, 31 mi. (50 km)
In the morning, the boat takes you to Rhein (Ryn). From here you bike to Wolf's Lair, where you can see the remains of Hitler's military headquarters during World War II. A side trip (adds about 17 km) to Rastenburg (Ketrzyn) with its castle and fortified church is recommended. Finally, you pass meadows, fields, and lonely hamlets until you reach Wilkasy where the MS CLASSIC LADY awaits you.
Day 4: Loop ride, Wilkasy - Lötzen (Gizycko) - Lake Goldapgar - Wilkasy, 34 mi. (54 km)
Lötzen is the water sports center of Masuria. The Boyen Fortress and the church, which was built using the plans of the court architect Schinkel, are worth a visit. The fortress successfully withstood Russian attacks during WWI. In WWII, it was a defensive outpost of Wolf’s Lair and was relinquished to the Red Army without a fight during the 1945 offensive. The biking itinerary leads via Lötzen to Lake Goldapgar and follows the shores via Possessern back to Wilkasy .
Day 5: Wilkasky - Rhein (Ryn) - Zondern - Nikolaiken, 26 mi. (42 km)
Today your day starts with a scenic cruise on the beautiful five-lakes-route to Szymonka. The first part of the bike tour goes to Rhein and its 14th-century castle. You continue to Zondern and along Lake Talty, where you have an amazing view across the Lakes District. Finally, you return to the MS CLASSIC LADY in Nikolaiken and will overnight here.
Day 6: Nikolaiken - Popiellnen - Piaski, 16 mi. (25 km)
Today you can take an extra trip to the swan habitat on Lake Lucknaier (adds about 10 km). Otherwise, you have time for a stroll through Nikolaiken before taking the ferry to Spirding (Wierzba), where you visit Popiellnen (breeding station for the primeval Tarpan horse). Afterward, you cycle through Weissuhnen, where you can visit the beautiful church and through Ruciane Nida back to Piaski. (Alternative you cycle to Lake Niedersee (Ruciane Nida), before returning to the idyllic bay of Piaski).
Day 7: Loop ride, Piaski - Eckertstorf - Kruttinnen - Piaski, 27 mi. (43 km)
Today you cycle to Kruttinen via Eckertstorf (Wojnow) with its Russian Orthodox Old Believer Philipponen convent. In Kruttinen a short boat trip on the Kruttina Stream is recommended! Via Galkowo you cycle back to Piaski and join the MS Classic Lady for the last night on board.
Day 8: Individual departure or extension
Transfer to Warsaw (included in package price) and individual departure or continued stay in the Masurian Lakes District. Group transfer leaves at 7 am.
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Tour Reviews
Patsy V. 4 days ago Verified Reviewer
Seeing Warsaw and the Poland Lake District, places that few Americans go, was on my list to see. Warsaw was a pleasant surprise with free walking tours in English of the old city restoration. The lakes are scenic and the forests around them lovely. Historically they have been a significant element of Poland's past. The biking was challenging for traditional road bikers but offered a new experience in off-road trails.
Boat: MS Classic Lady
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jean h. 4 months ago Verified Reviewer
The sandy and gravelly trails that we rode through the forests...I felt that the rating of easy to moderate was not quite accurate. I had such a good experience on my first bike trip from Bruges to Amsterdam on a regular bike. But I wouldn't have been able to do this one if I didn't have an e-bike. I even stayed on the boat the 4th and
6th days. Also, on the Bruges trip, coffee, tea, water, and even hot chocolate we're always available. But on this trip, you even had to buy your water at dinner. The breakfasts and dinners were both good everyday and the salads were especially delicious. If this was my first trip, there wouldn't have been a second. Maybe if I didn't have the Bruges trip to compare it to, I would have been more satisfied with this one.
Boat: MS Classic Lady
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Cynthia M. 4 months ago Verified Reviewer
The Classic Lady was a nice barge. It was clean, adequate cabin space, food delicious and staff very nice. This was all good if you just want to go on a barge tour of the Lake District in Poland.
If you want a tour that highlights bicycling, this is not the tour for you. We went to both Cycle and see the area. The routes we were taken on were unsafe and basically unrideable. The course is approximately 80% in the woods on deep sandy, moderately rolling hills. The sand was so deep (4 inches and more) everyone was off their bikes walking. When you did get some cycling going it was a slow go with hands tightly on the handlebars, praying that you didn't fall. Everyone, including our guide, fell at least one maybe 2-4 times. Many get road rash and some hurt shoulders, hips and knees. Several folks only road 2-3 days out of 6 because of the course conditions or because they were hurt.
This is an unfit tour for anyone.
Boat: MS Classic Lady
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