Trip Details at-a-Glance
We enjoyed the beautiful countryside and the castles. The guides really made the trip fabulous. They were great!B. Preston—Denver CO
By adding trips to your “Wish List” (above), you can easily make a side-by-side detailed comparison of as many trips as you like.
Indochine Photoshop Workshop with Ben Wilmore
This unique journey combines a Photoshop workshop featuring renowned Photoshop guru Ben Willmore with unforgettable cultural exploration and photography adventures in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, including magnificent Angkor Wat.
Czech Castles & Country Walks
Timeless Villages, Cesky Krumlov, and Enchanting Prague
A Significant Discount on 2009 Departures is Available, Due to the Rebound in the Dollar. See Details Below Tour Costs.*
Fairytale castles built by feudal lords reign over the lush countryside and traditional villages of the Czech Republic. There’s hardly a better place in Europe for a journey built around country walks, and many of our hikes begin and end at wondrous castles. The medieval heritage of this vibrant nation is enchanting and beautifully intact, especially in towns like Cesky Krumlov, a World Heritage Site little changed since medieval times, and in tiny Telc, one of the best preserved 16th century villages in all Europe, which we first glimpse as we enter its arched gates at the end of a memorable day’s hike. Our journey begins in magnificent Vienna and concludes in Prague, the jewel of Bohemia, one of the world’s most evocative cities.
Highlights
- Delightful country walks between fairytale castles
- Exquisite Renaissance village of Telc, perfectly preserved
- Cesky Krumlov, a breathtaking World Heritage Site with labyrinthine alleys and a baroque heritage
Details
- 10-day trip begins in Vienna, Austria, and ends in Prague, Czech Republic (2010 departures are 9 days)
- 9 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels and country inns
- All meals included except 1 lunch and 2 dinners
- Easy to moderate hikes, 2-5 hours a day, van support
Tour Costs
$3895 (13-15 guests)
$4095 (10-12 guests)
$4295 (6-9 guests)
Single supplement: $675
Prices are for 2009 dates
Departures & Leaders
Sep 19-28, 2009 Zuzana Rakova
Oct 7-16, 2009 Zuzana Sochorova
Jul 18-26, 2010
Sep 3-11, 2010
Oct 15-23, 2010
*Significant Savings Available on 2009 Departures!
The US Dollar has strengthened against the Euro, and Wilderness Travel would like to pass the savings along to you! Here's how it works: we will purchase the Euros for your trip when you sign up, which lets us lock in the current exchange rate, and guarantee your savings. To receive the discount, the first deposit on the trip ($500 per person) is non-refundable. If you prefer to have your deposit be fully refundable up to 90 days before departure, you can sign up at the regular published rate for the trip.
To find out the current discount available at today’s rate, please call us at 1-800-368-2794 or send us an email.
Suggested Reading
Reading list, click here.
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-3
Vienna, Austria / Moravia, Czech Republic / Palava
We begin our journey in Vienna, with its famous fin-de-siécle coffee houses, and the next day drive to the once-forbidden border between Austria and the Czech Republic to cross the border on foot, hiking into the Czech Republic’s Moravian wine country. Our first castle-to-castle hike brings us from the ruined tower of a 10th century castle on a limestone crag through the Palava Highlands Nature Reserve to another crag-top castle ruin.
Day 4
Castle Rostejn / Telc Castle
Rostejn is a Gothic apparition that seems to rise straight up from the rock outcrop on which it stands. Starting our hike at the castle, we head cross-country and end by walking through the arched town gates of Telc, one of the best-preserved Renaissance towns in all of Europe, now a World Heritage Site. The town’s wedge-shaped main square looks like a stage set, with Renaissance arcades and Gothic houses of subtle pastel colors.
Day 5
Telc / Slavonice
The highlands of southern Moravia, a rolling landscape of pastures and forests, became a forbidden zone between Austria and Czechoslovakia in the aftermath of WWII. Ironically, as a result, the region’s natural beauty has been well preserved and the local people once again explore these woods for wild mushrooms (we may meet some mushroom gatherers as we hike). We hike from Telc Castle through the forest highlands to Slavonice, a town with an intact medieval urban design just a hundred meters from the Austrian border.
Days 6-8
Cesky Krumlov
The stunning World Heritage town of Cesky Krumlov is like a miniature Prague, with its dreamy pink and green castle towering above 15th century Renaissance and Baroque mansions, and we enjoy three overnights here. On Day 7, we head into the countryside for a hike from Vyssi Brod, a serene 13th century Cistercian monastery, through the deep Sumava forest to the castle town of Rozmberk, built around the serpentine curves of the Vltava River.
Days 9-10
Prague
Ancient, golden Prague is a city full of charm. We enjoy a walk in the stunning Old Town, where 600 years of glorious architecture, from Renaissance to Cubist, is on display. Depart on Day 10, or extend your stay in Prague.