Polonina Borzhava
The Borzhava polonyna is one of the largest ridges in the Carpathians (quite long, though not too high). The word "polonyna" (mountain pasture) is in its name for good reason - the mountains here are covered with grass, not cold boulders. A trek across gentle Borzhava is easier than conquering Hoverla, and there are far fewer people here too, which matters especially for hikes on holidays and weekends.
RouteRoute 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. To Mount Plai
Meeting of the group in Lviv at the railway station in the morning. Don’t be late: the group then takes a train toward Mukachevo to the village of Volovets. If a morning meeting in Lviv is not convenient for you, you can join us in Volovets, also at the station, in the first half of the day. Many trains from Kyiv and other cities go through Volovets, so there is a choice. From Volovets we will begin our ascent to the polonyna. Understanding how difficult it is to walk on the first day, we specifically chose this path, leaving the “delicious” for later.
We will stop for the night near the ruins of a cheese factory.
2 Day 2. Velykyi Verkh, Mount Stiy, Polonyna Borzhava ridge
Our next goal is Velykyi Verkh. Mount Velykyi Verkh (height 1598 meters) is one of the peaks of the Polonyna Borzhava ridge (Western Carpathians). At the top of the mountain there is a geodetic point (traditional metal pyramid). We admire the Carpathian expanses, the soft contours of the Borzhava ridge, and the toy villages at the foot of the mountains. We don’t stay for long and go to the highest point of our hike - Mount Stiy. Its height is 1681 meters. Mount Stiy is located in the north of the Transcarpathian region, in the southwestern part of the Polonynian Range. The summit is an almost horizontal platform with a diameter of up to 100 meters. At the top there is a reinforced concrete five-meter memorial stele. Here is also the so-called “magic circle” - the remains of a stationary radar installation that operated during the Cold War. We have lunch at the top and hit the road again.
We have to return to the main ridge of Polonyna Borzhava. The route along Borzhava mainly passes through treeless polonynas covered with white grass, blueberry and lingonberry bushes. The ridge itself and its slopes are crossed by many trails and mountain roads. Along the way there are steep ascents and descents. From the tops of the mountain range, the settlements of Mizhhirya and the surroundings of Volovets, lying in the north-east direction, are perfectly visible. In the south-west there are lands of the Irshava and Svaliava areas. On both sides of the ridge, like a fan, streams of various sizes diverge, forming the Borzhava River on the southwestern side, and the rebellious Rika River on the northwestern side. Both rivers, winding in the intermountain and lower reaches, rush their waters south into the Tysa River.
For the night we go down to the sources of the Shypit waterfall.
3 Day 3. Return to Lviv.
After breakfast we will continue our descent to the Shypit waterfall. If you want to take a dip in its waters, we recommend that you change clothes in advance. Shypit waterfall is one of the most beautiful in Transcarpathia. It is located on the Pylypets River, 6 km from the village of Pylypets in Transcarpathia. The water in the waterfall cascades in numerous picturesque cascades with a total height of 14 meters.
After lunch, we return to Volovets to the railway station using rented transport. The end of the hike, we're leaving.
The instructor can make changes to the route!Prices
from 3600 UAH / person
Included
Not included
- ✕Transport to Lviv, Volovets
- ✕Rental of personal equipment
- ✕Transfers
- ✕Costs are not specified in the program
ReviewsTraveller reviews
Special thanks to the guide Nikita)) An interesting person and a very nice guy, which is also important on a hike))) And what food he provided for us!! Restaurant menu)) This hike dispelled my ideas about camp food. And we ate very well - a lot, and tasty, and even with chocolates)) So I advise everyone to go with him and rejoice when he is appointed as your guide)))
Despite everything, the impressions were only the most positive, I liked the hike, I recommend it to everyone! Go to the mountains, get a boost of energy, good mood and be happy!
I’ll tell you, go to the mountains, definitely! Go not only because it is magically beautiful there. Mountains change a person, make him kinder and brighter. There you discover a new, better you!
Real impressionsTrip reports
How can I tell you about my impressions so that you yourself feel at least a small fraction of what I felt? But this will not be enough - you need to experience it, feel it…
Thanks to our guide Max and the entire OutdoorUkraine team for organizing such an interesting hike as “Borzhava Polonina”. Incredibly beautiful places, great company, mountains,…
This 3-day hike went by quite quickly, although when I returned to Kyiv, it seemed like at least a week had passed)) And, it seems to me, it’s better to go for more days in order to…
The route started at the 7th mark in Volovtsi, our effort arrived early in the morning, and the group gathered later, so we were given a rest stop for 3 years. After dividing the…