In short: timber rafts set off from Sromowce Wyżne. The route to Szczawnica is about 18 km and takes about 2 hours 15 minutes, and to Krościenko about 23 km and 2 hours 45 minutes. The season runs from April to October. The most beautiful section is the Pieniny Gorge of the Dunajec, where the rocks rise about 300 metres above the river.
A raftsman in a hat with shells pushes the raft away from the bank with a long pole. For the first minutes you drift calmly, and then the river turns and enters between rocks so high you have to tilt your head back. The water murmurs, the raftsman tells Pieniny legends, and you forget you have a phone in your pocket.
The Pieniny Gorge of the Dunajec
The Dunajec cuts through the Pieniny in a deep, winding gorge. Its most picturesque stretch runs for about 8 km between Sromowce Niżne and Szczawnica. Limestone walls rise here as much as about 300 metres above the water, and the river meanders between them, forming one bend after another. The Polish-Slovak border runs through the middle of the river.
Which route to choose
- Sromowce Wyżne → Szczawnica: about 18 km, about 2 hours 15 minutes. The most popular choice, it covers the whole gorge.
- Sromowce Wyżne → Krościenko: about 23 km, about 2 hours 45 minutes. For those who want to enjoy the river for longer.
For a trip organised by the Polish Association of Pieniny Raftsmen, check current prices, departure times and rules for children. The season runs from April to October, but it also depends on the water level and the weather.
How to organise it from Białka
- Set off in the morning. You reach the landing stage in Sromowce Wyżne from Białka via the area around Lake Czorsztyn.
- Plan the return to your car. The trip ends in a different place from where it starts. Check beforehand how to get back to the car park, because carriers offering return transport usually wait at the finish.
- Combine it with another attraction. After the trip you have half a day left for the castle in Niedzica or a walk in Szczawnica.
What to take on the raft
- a hat and sun cream, because the sun is stronger on the water,
- a thin jacket, because it can be cool in the shade of the rocks,
- drinking water,
- a phone case or zip bag, in case of drops from the raftsman’s pole.
The Three Crowns massif towers over the gorge. If you like views from above, read our article about the trail to Trzy Korony. A ready-made plan for a summer weekend with rafting, a castle and a grill in the garden is on the Area page, and accommodation at Willa pod Smrekiem.
Sources of information and photos
We checked the facts, figures and opening hours in the sources below. Prices, timetables and admission rules can change, so please check the organisers’ websites before you travel.
- Pieniński Przełom Dunajca, Wikipedia
- Polish Association of Pieniny Raftsmen
- Pieniny, Wikipedia
- Pieniny National Park
Photos (main image and illustrations in the text), used under the licences specified by their authors:
- Timber rafts on the Dunajec in the Pieniny: Photo: Zalasem1, CC BY 4.0, source: Wikimedia Commons
- The Pieniny Gorge of the Dunajec: Photo: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0, source: Wikimedia Commons
- Trzy Korony in the Pieniny: Photo: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0, source: Wikimedia Commons
