Poland | Krakow and Auschwitz

From your centrally located hotel located inside Krakow's historic walls you will be able to easily explore this beautiful renaissance city. Countless attractions, including Wawel Castle and the beautiful old town square are all within easy walking distance of your home away from home. If you would like to participate in structured tours, a tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mines will be available from your on site tour manager. A visit to Auschwitz, one of the most unsettling locations in the world, and a stop-n-shop at the pottery factories in Boleslowiac on the way to Krakow will complete your visit to Poland.

Army Outdoor Recreation makes it easy for you to travel Europe. Our private charter bus will pick you up at your choice of Pulaski or Smith Barracks and take you directly Poland. Both locations have plenty of free, on-post parking, eliminating expensive parking fees and multiple stops at off-post park-and-rides to pick up additional passengers. 

Spaces on this popular trip to Poland are limited, reserve yours today! Whether you board the bus in Baumholder or Kaiserslautern, you will enjoy your weekend when you travel with Army Outdoor Recreation! 

Estimated Itinerary

Thursday: Departure to Poland

Settle into your seat, lean back and relax while your comfortable coach whisks you from your starting point at either Pulaski or Smith Barracks to Krakow. Don’t forget the essentials for your overnight ride! Blankets, pillows, power banks, snacks and drinks will all make your journey to Poland more enjoyable.

Friday: Pottery Shopping in Boleslowiac | Continue to Krakow

Hand-made ceramics with a distinctive blue glaze have been a local specialty in Boleslowiac since the middle ages. An en-route Stop-N-Shop will allow you to buy directly from the factories, keeping your purchasing prices low. Whether you are just starting to outfit your kitchen, or just need that one last piece to complete your collection, this is your chance to do so. After you check into your hotel inside Krakow’s medieval walls, you will have the evening free to explore the city. 

Friday: Krakow and optional Salt Mines Excursion**/***/****

This morning offers you a tour of the medieval center of Krakow, where you can see Wawel Castle and Saint Mary’s Basilica. After lunch, you will have the opportunity to take an optional excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mine**. Get ready for some cardio; the salt mines reach a depth of 327 meters through over 287 kilometers of tunnels, the 3 kilometer tourist route including over 380 stairs will take you to four underground chapels, past countless statues carved from the living rock salt, and an underground lake***.

Sunday: Auschwitz*/****

After breakfast, you will visit one of the most historically significant and somber sites in the world, Auschwitz Concentration Camp. While your visit to both Auschwitz and Birkenau will be deeply impactful, it is an important experience to have while serving in Europe. Auschwitz is not just a historical/tourist site but a solemn memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is a place for reflection, a reminder of the consequences of hatred and intolerance. Visiting Auschwitz is an emotional and sobering experience, one that leaves an indelible mark on the heart and mind. It is a trip that implores us to remember, to mourn, and to ensure that such horrors shall never  be repeated. 

Monday: Return to Germany

After breakfast you will start your return to Germany, where you will arrive at your starting point in the evening. 

* Auschwitz reserves the right to deny entry to the camp to children under 14
** Not Included
*** Optional excursion at additional fee paid directly to tour manager
****Extensive walking on uneven surfaces required

Price on or prior to Sunday, August 24:

• Double Occupancy: $599 per person
• Single Occupancy: $769

Price on or after Monday, August 25:

• Double Occupancy: $679 per person
• Single Occupancy: $849
   
• Hotel rebooking fees and other price supplements may apply to all registrations made on or after Wednesday, September 24
   
• Up to 2 children under 12 with 2 paid adults in triple room or unconnected double rooms: $549 per child
• Infants under 3 in existing bedding with adult: $229
   
• Children under 12 will be accommodated in either a triple room for two adults and one child or in multiple double rooms for larger families.
• Infant price does not apply in triple rooms.

Trip Includes:

• Round trip tour bus transportation to Krakow starting from your choice of Pulaski or Smith Barracks
• Free on-post parking
• 3 nights lodging at Campanile Krakow*** or equivalent
• Daily breakfast
• Polish Pottery Shop-N-Stop
• Guided tour of Krakow
• Guided tour of Auschwitz
   
• Auschwitz reserves the right to refuse entry to children under 14

Optional Excursion (Paid cash directly to tour manager):

• Wieliczka Salt Mines:  €39 per person

Physical Fitness: 

• Both Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mines involve extensive walking on uneven surfaces.
• The Wieliczka Salt Mines tour involves at least 3 km of underground walking, including  a total descent of 135 meters and over 380 stairs.

Departure: 

• Bus departs Wagon Wheel Theater, Smith Barracks at 8:00 pm to KL ODR.
• Bus departs Kaiserslautern Outdoor Recreation, Pulaski Barracks, bldg. 2905 at 9:30 p.m. 

Return: Late Monday evening