Svidovets
This trek is a chance to compare two poles, two separate worlds in the Carpathians. The route begins on Svydovets - the second-highest ridge of the Ukrainian Carpathians. Svydovets means soft grassy slopes, gentle lines and the round eyes of cold mountain lakes. And then a dash, a march across the valley past the sources of the Black Tisa, and we are already in a world of endless rocky scree and dense spruce forests. This is the wild Gorgany greeting us - participants of a demanding and eventful Carpathian trek.
RouteRoute map
Open the map →The GPS track is not digitised yet, the line is approximate (by key points).
Along the trailWhat you will see
Day by dayItinerary
1 Day 1. Ivano-Frankivsk, Kevelev, Gropa valley.
Meeting of the group in Ivano-Frankivsk at the railway station. Transfer to the village of Kevelev (about 130 km - this is at least 3 hours of driving). From here the walking part of the route begins - an ascent along the stormy Gropinets River. At first there will be a forest around, but after 2-3 hours the trail will lead us to the Gropa meadow (polonina - mountain pasture), where cattle graze freely all summer. We will spend the night in this pasture. If possible, we will buy fresh milk and cheese from the shepherds.
2 Day 2. Mount Bliznitsa, Dragobrat.
Early in the morning (this way there is less chance of encountering a cloud) we will begin our climb to the top of Mount Bliznitsa (1880m). The trail goes through a classic alpine valley - lush meadows surrounded by mountain spurs (the so-called circus). At some point we leave the bottom of the circus and continue along the ridge. Having conquered the double peak of Bliznitsa, we will continue to move along the Svidovets ridge, which looks very soft and picturesque thanks to its smooth shapes and fresh grass. Overnight in the area of Mount Stog (1704m) under which lies the famous ski resort Dragobrat.
3 Day 3. Svidovets ridge, Tataruka, sources of Tisza.
We continue moving along the Svidovets ridge. For now it’s more like a walk - the road is flat and wide, without climbing. It goes easily and freely. Peaks and lakes fly past one after another: Kotel, Dovgyaska, Tataruka (1707m). Now it’s time to go down from Svidovets. We go to the Okole pass, which is the border between Gorgany and Svidovets. The largest tributary of the Danube, the Tisza River, begins here. We will spend the night at this pass.
4 Day 4. Gorgany, Bratkovskaya (1788m), Old Border.
Through a dense coniferous forest, smoothly turning into thickets of elfin wood, we climb Mount Bratkovskaya (1788m), which already belongs to the Gorgany massif. Unlike the grassy Svydovets, the peaks here are dominated by stone placers. The old Polish-Czechoslovak border runs along the ridge, marked by mighty stone border posts. We have to cross Mount Gropa and traverse the peak of Durnya, which is overgrown with impassable zherep (elfin conifer). By evening we will descend from the ridge on the other side of the mountains.
5 Day 5. Polonina Pantyr, Legion Pass
We go down to the Pantyr meadow. The road passes through a humid, almost tropical coniferous forest (a strange combination). We jump over bumps and cross puddles for about an hour :) From the Pantyr meadow a normal road begins, along which we will head to the Legions Pass. There is a huge cross here in memory of the fallen Polish soldiers. The surrounding forests are dotted with crumbling trenches and dilapidated dugouts - a legacy of several wars that swept through the peaceful Carpathians in the last century. We spend the night at the Legion Pass.
6 Day 6. Bystritsa, Ivano-Frankivsk
Our hike around Svidovets has come to an end - in the morning we begin to “get out to the people.” Our goal, the village of Bystritsa, is not so far away, but local roads often look like rivers, which somewhat reduces the speed of movement. We walk along the Rafailovets River. In Bystritsa we take a local bus (or order a direct minibus) - we go towards Ivano-Frankivsk. We will be at the railway station no earlier than 18:00. If possible, take tickets for the latest trains.
ReviewsTraveller reviews
Skinned knees and bitten hands will heal, white sneakers will be washed and torn pants will be thrown away, but the impressions of the kilometers traveled and the mountains climbed will remain for a long time.
I was pleased with the hike, I saw and walked a lot, new friends appeared, a lot of positive emotions. I want more. I recommend it to everyone))
Just returned from a hike to Lake Synevyr, Carpathians. I really liked it. Everything was on the level. I've been hiking since I was 5 years old, so I know what I'm talking about.
I was again convinced that the most important advantage of the hike is the people. This is the sincerity and sincerity that arises between the participants during their time together and overcoming difficulties. I would like only one thing - to thank the guys and girls for a good vacation. I hope this was not our last trip together...
This year, when going to the mountains, I chose a difficult trip abroad. But at the last moment I had to give up and change the route to “Svidovets and Gorgany”, a hike in the Carpathians. Which I didn’t regret for a minute later.
The Carpathians are one of the corners of our beautiful country, which truly opens up only to those who have visited it... Good luck on your hike and don’t look for “shortcuts”...,)
