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Dunajec Rafting: Day Trips from Krakow and Zakopane
Dunajec rafting is a calm gorge float of about 2 hours, open daily from 1 April to 31 October. This page compares the routes and the two day tours from Krakow, which last 11-12 hours.
Quick answer Season, routes and the two day tours
Dunajec rafting is a calm gorge float of about 2 hours, open daily from 1 April to 31 October. The two day tours from Krakow cost $122.94 and $141.16 per person and last 11-12 hours.
Key takeaways
- Cheapest: the rafting tour with a mountain chairlift costs $122.94 per person for up to 22 guests.
- Want Zakopane on the same day? The full-day rafting and Zakopane tour costs $141.16 for 11 hours.
- Staying in Zakopane? The OtoTatry excursion takes about 9 hours, so compare options at zakopane tours.
- Calm current, WOPR lifeguard skippers and life jackets make it a family trip, see the tours above.
Dunajec Rafting Day Tours from Krakow
Both tours leave from a hotel in Krakow and take a full day. They differ in price, group size and in what else the day includes besides the raft.
from $122.94
Most reviewed
Krakow: Traditional Dunajec River Rafting with Mountain Chairlift
Dunajec rafting for 1.5 hours with Czorsztyn Castle and a Palenica chairlift, all tickets included, but it runs to Szczawnica and not Zakopane.
Check Availability
from $141.16
With Zakopane
Full-Day Dunajec Rafting and Zakopane Tour from Krakow
Dunajec raft and Gubałówka funicular in one day with all admissions included, and wheelchair accessible.
Check AvailabilityWhich Dunajec rafting tour should you book?
Book the $122.94 tour for the chairlift and the smaller group, and the $141.16 tour if you want Zakopane in the same day.
Prices are per person as listed on each card. Both offer free cancellation 24h before the start.
The two tours side by side
The table sets out the differences you can check before you book.
| Tour | Price | Length | Group | Pickup | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krakow: Traditional Dunajec River Rafting with Mountain Chairlift | $122.94 | 11-12 hours | Shared, up to 22 guests | Hotel pickup in Krakow | Rafting plus a chairlift ride |
| Full-Day Dunajec Rafting and Zakopane Tour from Krakow | $141.16 | 11 hours | Shared, up to 25 guests | Hotel in Krakow | Rafting and a Zakopane stop in one day |
How to choose
The chairlift tour is cheaper and has the longer day, 11-12 hours. The Zakopane tour is an hour shorter and rated 4.9 from 22 reviews. The chairlift tour is rated 5 from 201 reviews. Staying in Zakopane already?
Both tours start in Krakow, so look at the OtoTatry excursion below.
Source: Dunajec Rafting.
Rafting on the Dunajec River Gorge with a flisak in traditional dress. Photo: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Is it possible to go rafting on the Dunajec river?
Yes, the rafting season runs daily from 1 April to 31 October, except for the first day of Easter and Corpus Christi.
Wooden raft trips have been organised daily by Pieniny Gorals since the early 19th century.
What it is
Dunajec rafting is a float through the Dunajec River Gorge on the border of Poland and Slovakia. The river's current is generally calm, only occasionally picking up pace before slowing down again. Operators also run an inflatable raft and kayak option from a harbour in Sromowce Średnie.
Sources: Visit Małopolska, Dunajec Rafting.
What is the fatality rate for white water rafting?
No fatality figure is published for the Dunajec, and the gorge is a calm float, not white water.
Operators describe a calm current, trained skippers and life jackets.
Is there white water?
No. This is a gorge float with a generally calm current, so searches for class 5 rapids point to a different kind of river. OtoTatry says the rafts are built from five pontoons for safety. At Dunajec Rafting all skippers are Water Rescue Service (WOPR) lifeguards, and life jackets are provided.
Children
Dunajec Rafting offers discounted tickets for children aged 4-12, and children under 3 are free of charge.
Source: Dunajec Rafting.
What is the best month to go white water rafting?
On the Dunajec the choice is July or August for warmth, but the trips run daily from April to October.
The season is 1 April to 31 October, so winter is out.
Month by month
In Zakopane, July and August average a high of 20.4°C. September averages 15.8°C and June 18.8°C. May averages 15.4°C. April averages only 10.0°C and October 11.5°C, so bring a layer at both ends of the season. July is also the wettest month in Zakopane at about 152 mm over 18.5 days with rain or snow, so a rain jacket is worth packing. These figures are for Zakopane, the base for the Zakopane tour, and the gorge sits lower down the valley.
Sources: Visit Małopolska, Copernicus Climate Data Store.
Which Dunajec rafting route is best?
Pick the Polish wooden raft for the classic gorge, the inflatable raft for a longer trip, or the Slovak route for the shortest.
Sources give slightly different lengths for the Polish route, so the table names each operator.
Three routes compared
The three options below differ in length and in how they are rafted.
| Route | Length | Time on the water | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polish raft, Sromowce Wyżne to Szczawnica | 15 km | over 2 hours | OtoTatry |
| Polish gorge, Sromowce Wyżne-Kąty to Szczawnica | 18 km | 2-3 hours | Wikipedia |
| Inflatable raft and kayak harbour, Sromowce Średnie to Krościenko nad Dunajcem | 18 km | about 2 hours 15 minutes | Dunajec Rafting |
| Slovak raft, Majere to Leśnica | 11 km | about 2 hours | OtoTatry |
How to decide
All routes fit comfortably into a day trip, so choose by the end point that suits your onward plans.
Source: Dunajec Rafting.
What do you see on the Dunajec River Gorge?
The gorge makes 7 loops between limestone walls that reach 300 m, with Sokolica and Trzy Korony in view.
The Pieniny peaks are the reason people book the raft.
Highlights
From the raft the two most magnificent peaks of the Pieniny are visible, Sokolica and Trzy Korony. The Gorge consists of 7 loops, with limestone walls up to 300 m high. A photo of your raft costs about 10 PLN.
Order it at the rafting harbour before the start of the trip.
Source: Dunajec Rafting.
What does a Dunajec rafting day from Krakow look like?
You are collected from a hotel in Krakow, ride to the gorge, raft for about 2 hours and add a second stop before the long drive back.
Both tours last 11 to 12 hours, and the raft itself takes about 2 hours of that.
The shape of the day
The chairlift tour picks you up at your hotel in Krakow and runs 11-12 hours for up to 22 guests. The Zakopane tour runs 11 hours for up to 25 guests and adds Zakopane to the rafting. The raft is about 2 hours on the water on every route listed above, so most of the day is road and the second stop. If you get car sick or travel with a small child, factor that in.
What costs extra
The tour cards list free cancellation 24h before the start and no further extras. Bring cash for the raft photo, which costs about 10 PLN and is ordered at the rafting harbour before you start. Bring a rain layer and a warm one, since Zakopane is cold at both ends of the season.
Skip these tours if you want a short outing. For about 9 hours from Zakopane, see the OtoTatry excursion described below.
Source: Dunajec Rafting.
Why do people raft the Dunajec on wooden rafts?
Because Pieniny Gorals have run wooden raft trips daily since the early 19th century.
The tradition is part of the trip as much as the scenery.
A trip with a long history
Wooden raft trips have been organised daily by Pieniny Gorals since the early 19th century. The Wikipedia entry says the trip begins in the village of Sromowce Wyżne-Kąty and ends in the resort town of Szczawnica, 18 km downstream. OtoTatry notes that its Polish rafts are special rafts made up of five pontoons.
Wikipedia counts 7 loops in the gorge, which is why the trip rewards a seat with a view.
Can you go Dunajec rafting from Zakopane?
Yes, OtoTatry runs an excursion that includes Dunajec rafting and takes about 9 hours.
The two tours on this page start in Krakow, so Zakopane visitors compare them with the OtoTatry excursion.
Day trip timing
From Zakopane the day is about 9 hours, which is shorter than the 11-12 hours from Krakow. Zakopane guests save the long ride and still reach the same gorge. Browse the full list at zakopane tours before you choose between the two starting cities.
A flisak raft on the Dunajec in Szczawnica. Photo: Zalasem1, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dunajec Rafting FAQ
Are there class 5 rapids?
No, the Dunajec current is generally calm, so the rafting tours are float trips and not rapid runs.
How long does a Dunajec raft trip take?
About 2 hours on the water, or 2 hours 15 minutes on the inflatable route, and 11-12 hours for a full day tour from Krakow.
Is Dunajec rafting open in winter?
No, the season runs daily from 1 April to 31 October, so book a tour inside that window.
Is there a lifeguard on the raft?
At Dunajec Rafting all skippers are WOPR lifeguards and life jackets are provided, as with the day tours.
Can you do Dunajec rafting from Krakow in a day?
Yes, the full-day tour takes 11 hours and costs $141.16 per person.
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