Our recent skiing holiday in Poland was the first time we used a company to book our trip. Our previous two skiing holidays to Poland, we planned and booked ourselves and in most cases, this saves a lot of money.
It was by chance we came across Addventure Tours who specialize in Poland ski packages. This company offers a completely personal ski package suited to the needs of you and your family.
It’s not often you’ll hear me say it but their packages are cheap and great value… does such a thing exist??
Yes! If you want to take your family on an amazing, affordable skiing holiday to Poland, then you should take a look at Addventure Tours packages.
In this post, we share our experience of booking through Addventure Tours and why we recommend them for your perfect family skiing holiday in Poland.
Your perfect skiing holiday in Poland with Addventure Tours
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Choosing Addventure Tours for our perfect skiing holiday in Poland
This is one of the very few posts where I actually recommend a package holiday company over planning and booking a trip independently. But I had to share the amazing service and affordable Poland ski packages that Addventure Tours offers!
We never planned to use a company to book our winter holiday to Poland. As always, I intended on researching, planning and booking our trip independently. In most cases, this is without a doubt the cheapest way to travel.
Stumbling across Addventure Tours
It was by chance we stumbled across Addventure Tours on social media and I was intrigued by the ski packages they offered. I spoke to Greg, the owner of Addventure Tours over the phone. He was really friendly and we discussed what our perfect winter holiday in Poland would look like. I was excited about what I’d heard but doubtful that they could come back with a price that wasn’t hundreds, if not thousands more than what we would pay if organising it independently.
Before long an email landed in my inbox with a very exciting winter holiday package and the price… well, I was pleasantly surprised!
Addventure Tours packages are completely bespoke and can include as little or as much as you want, which means there’s something for every budget. All you need to do is book your flights.
Booking flights for your skiing holiday in Poland
Another reason why we love Poland is because flight prices are often super cheap. If you know how to play around with dates on Skyscanner, you can really bag a bargain.
We paid £248.84 for return flights from the UK to Kraków . That was for all four of us and included baggage.
Find out more…
Click here to read our step-by-step guide to using Skyscanner to help book the cheapest flights – even during school holidays.
What was included in our Poland ski package with Addventure Tours?
- Private transfers to and from Kraków Airport
- 5 nights accommodation in a 3* hotel (Polish accommodation standards are much higher than the UK but more on that later) on a bed and breakfast basis
- Transfers to and from the ski slopes each day
- Ski equipment rental
- 4 days ski lift passes
- 4 days of ski lessons for all of us (including Florence – aged 3)
How much is a skiing holiday to Poland with Addventure Tours?
Our previous family skiing holiday in Poland cost less than £1500 for all four of us, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that Addventure Tours packages start from £399 per person for 7 nights (March 2020).
We upgraded our hotel room but only stayed for 5 nights so overall paid a little less. Children 3 years and under are free, which meant that we didn’t pay for Florence.
Therefore, our total Poland ski package cost less than £1200 plus flights.
How do their prices compare to booking independently?
Of course, I costed the package up to book it independently myself but found there wasn’t much in it.
In most cases, booking travel independently saves A LOT of money (which means more holidays) and I also enjoy learning about the destination, finding our way around and travelling like the locals.
However, given the extremely reasonable price, I was warming to the idea that all the work would be done for me and our whole trip would be completely hassle-free.
It wasn’t a hard decision to say yes to Addventure Tours!
To find out more about your perfect skiing holiday in Poland, visit Addventure Tours website or call 0208 123 8563 and quote ‘Families Can Travel’ for a free 1-hour skiing lesson included in your package.
What’s so great about skiing holidays in Poland?
If you’ve read any of my other posts, you might have gathered that we love Poland for our family ski holidays. It’s so much cheaper for everything… accommodation, ski passes and ski hire, food and of course we mustn’t forget the après ski.
We normally visit a ski resort called Zieleniec, which is located closer to Wrocław Airport. We love Zieleniec and have written a couple of posts on our previous skiing holidays there.
Find out more…
Click on the links below to find out more about Zieleniec, how to plan a ski holiday there and how much it costs:
On this occasion, we wanted to try somewhere different and Zakopane seemed to be a popular choice for a skiing holiday in Poland.
Zakopane is located less than a couple of hours south of Kraków at the foot of the stunning Tatra Mountains which form a natural border between Poland and Slovakia.
Find out more…
Click here to read more about hiking holidays to the Tatra Mountains in summer.
Why choose Zakopane for your skiing holiday in Poland?
Zakopane in winter has so much to offer and makes the perfect destination for a skiing holiday in Poland. Not only does the area have breath-taking mountains and ski slopes to suit all abilities, but Zakopane itself is also a traditional charming town full of restaurants, bars and shops.
In addition to skiing and snowboarding, there are plenty of popular winter activities in Zakopane including torchlight horse and sleigh rides, husky dog sledding, snowmobile rides, ice skating, snow labyrinths, thermal pools and more! You’ll certainly find plenty to keep you busy.
Addventure Tours customer service
One thing that Addventure Tours gets top marks for is their customer service.
Greg the owner likes to have the primary contact with all of his guests, making sure you really do get a holiday that’s right for you and that all of your questions are answered. By the time we met Greg at the airport, we already felt like we knew him.
After we’d confirmed our booking, Greg sent us a really useful welcome pack containing information on Zakopane and the surrounding area, a typical daily routine for hitting the ski slopes and other activities you can do in Zakopane in winter.
Any questions we had before and during our trip, Greg responded often instantly but if not, within half an hour. It felt like we had our own personal tour guide on hand for any questions we had.
This personal service is what makes Addventure Tours so customer focussed and the reason why so many people book again.
To find out more about your perfect skiing holiday in Poland, visit Addventure Tours website or call 0208 123 8563 and quote ‘Families Can Travel’ for a free 1-hour skiing lesson included in your package.
Airport transfer to and from our hotel
As we walked through arrivals at Kraków Airport, straight away we saw the Addventure Tours sign and Greg introduced himself.
It was a novelty having a private transfer and different from our normal mode of travel. Without the transfer, we’d have caught the bus into Kraków city centre and then taken a further bus or train to Zakopane which would have taken a lot longer.
The journey from Kraków Airport to Zakopane takes just under two hours but the time passed quickly as Greg shared information about Zakopane and its winter activities.
We even brushed up on our Polish phrases – although Greg is originally from England, he’s lived in Zakopane for about 10 years and is almost fluent in the language.
Arriving at our hotel in Zakopane
Addventure Tours offer a range of accommodation either in Zakopane or closer to the popular ski slopes in Białka Tatrzańska. Whatever your budget, taste and requirements, there will be something to suit all.
Staying in Zakopane vs. Białka Tatrzańska
We chose to stay at Hotel Foluszowy in Zakopane so that we could go out and explore the lively town in the evenings. Białka Tatrzańska is a larger ski resort for beginners to intermediates but is much quieter than Zakopane. There are a few hotels, guesthouses and restaurants so if you want to focus completely on skiing/snowboarding all day and into the evening, then Białka may be a good option.
Hotel Bania in Białka seems to dominate the resort and is located right at the foot of the ski lifts. It does appear to be very popular though so I’d recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
If like us you are happy to ski in the day and then go out in the evening for something to eat, maybe some shopping or to do other activities then we would recommend basing yourself in Zakopane.
Staying at Hotel Foluszowy in Zakopane
Hotel Foluszowy was perfect for us being a modern hotel and just a 10-minute walk from Krupówki, the main high street in Zakopane.
Our room was clean and plenty big enough with a double bed for us and double sofa bed for the girls – we all slept so well.
We also had a balcony which we didn’t use much given that it was winter but it was nice to let some fresh air into our room in the morning and very magical when it started snowing.
Hotel Foluszowy also serves an amazing breakfast that really set us up for a day of skiing. If you stay, you have to try the sweet cheese pancakes – they are so delicious and I’m not ashamed to admit that I had one every morning!
More accommodation choices with Addventure Tours
Accommodation is one part of your holiday where booking through Addventure Tours really has an advantage. I’ve learned through booking accommodation in Zieleniec ski resort in Poland that many properties are not available to book through English booking sites.
Addventure Tours has the visibility and relationships with hotels, guesthouses and apartments in Zakpane that often wouldn’t come up when using search engines.
To find out more about your perfect skiing holiday in Poland, visit Addventure Tours website or call 0208 123 8563 and quote ‘Families Can Travel’ for a free 1-hour skiing lesson included in your package.
Transfer to and from the ski slopes in Białka Tatrzańska
When people talk about skiing in Zakopane, it’s important to note that the ski slopes and resorts are scattered in around Zakopane. Unlike our previous ski trips to Zieleniec, where there is only really one area to ski and all the pistes are connected, Zakopane is very different.
Skiing in and around Zakopane ranges from single slopes with one drag lift to larger ski areas such as Białka Tatrzańska (perfect for beginners to intermediates) and Kasprowy Wierch (for advanced skiers and snowboarders).
Białka is most commonly used by Addventure Tours guests and was challenging enough for us, with plenty of blue and red slopes allowing us to zig-zag up and down the mountain.
Every morning Addventure Tours collected us from our hotel around 9am and transferred us to Białka via a minibus, along with other guests staying in different accommodation. The girls grew fond of the minibus drivers dog Lucy, who also came along for the ride.
The journey from Zakopane to Białka takes approximately 30 minutes. We found it really good to use this time to talk to the instructors about hints and tips.
After day one, the girls were sitting at the opposite end of the bus to us, having fun with the instructors, playing games and listening to music so we got half an hour of peace and quiet. This also really helped Florence being so young, to get to know her instructor and put her at ease before her lesson.
The minibus left Białka at 4 pm to return to Zakopane which gave us about six hours at the slopes but back at a reasonable time to go out in the evening.
Renting our ski equipment
On arrival at Białka on our first day we were all fully kitted out with ski boots, skis, poles and helmets from Bo-Ski rental shop. This was also our base, drop off and pick up point. They allow you to leave your shoes and belongings upstairs whilst you’re out skiing and at the end of the day, you store your equipment here too.
We left our belongings here and just took our phones and card/cash with us but there are also lockers at the bottom of the slopes if you have valuables you don’t want to take with you or leave at Bo-Ski.
Top Tip
When getting your ski boots and skis fitted, make sure you know your weight in kilograms and height in centimetres. This is important for them to set your ski bindings correctly so that your boots can release safely should you fall.
Find out more…
Need help on what to pack for your skiing holiday in Poland, click here.
You can also download our free ‘Family Ski Trip – Packing List’ by clicking the ‘DOWNLOAD NOW’ button below.
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Our daily ski lessons
Two years ago when we went skiing for the first time, we paid for Freya to have a lesson.
Although the lesson was extremely cheap, the Polish instructor couldn’t speak English and by the end of it, we were left with a frustrated 5-year old who couldn’t understand why someone had been repeating the word ‘pizza’ to her for the last half an hour.
Needless to say, she didn’t want any more lessons after that.
English speaking instructors
Addventure Tours instructors are English speaking and typically from the UK or Ireland so there are no language barriers. You also get to spend time getting to know them before your lessons which make kids feel more at ease.
As soon as you arrive at Białka, the instructors hand out your ski passes for the day and confirm your lesson time, which will depend on the size and needs of the group. They are really flexible and will provide either private or group lessons depending on your preference.
As Freya (aged 7 years) was of a similar level to us, one instructor took us for 2 hours on the blue and red slopes, whilst another took Florence for 1-2 hours on the nursery slope. This was perfect because we didn’t have to think about childcare for Florence whilst we had our lessons. If she’d had enough of skiing and we weren’t finished they even took her for a hot chocolate until we were done.
Working to suit your needs as much as possible
It was a little quieter as our half-term usually falls different to everyone else’s so we understood that had it been busier, we may not have been able to work it quite so well. However, they will work to accommodate your needs as much as possible.
They were so friendly and made it fun for the girls which is so important to ensure they enjoy it. By the end of the holiday, we realised how important it is to improve your technique when it comes to skiing.
We all improved so much and Freya came on leaps and bounds or should I say ‘bendy banana’!!
To find out more about your perfect skiing holiday in Poland, visit Addventure Tours website or call 0208 123 8563 and quote ‘Families Can Travel’ for a free 1-hour skiing lesson included in your package.
Childcare whilst we were skiing
One of my concerns, having a three-year-old who is not yet able to ski on her own is what would we do with her whilst we ski? The great thing about skiing is being able to explore the slopes and enjoy it together. But without childcare, it would mean us taking it in turns to go off on our own or just with Freya.
Some hotels and guesthouses provide childcare but because we weren’t staying next to the slopes, this was not an option. However, Addventure Tours arranged a nanny who came to Białka to look after Florence for three hours in the afternoon.
This was perfect because it meant we could have our lessons in the morning, have lunch together and then we got three hours to go off and enjoy the slopes, knowing that she was in good hands. The cost was also extremely reasonable at just £20 for the three hours.
Due to the personal contact and trust we had built up with Greg, we felt confident that Florence would be in safe hands. I was still slightly nervous when I left her for the first time but when we met them after the three hours, she had been spoilt rotten with hot chocolate, Polish cakes and games in the play area (we provided her with a small amount of cash each day).
Our daily routine
I’m not going to lie, our daily routine was full on and we certainly slept like logs every night but that’s because we wanted to fit so much into our 5-night stay. We skied every day but had we of stayed for one week, we would have taken a day off, which Addventure Tours recommend.
We got up each morning between 7 and 7:30 am, (leaving the girls to sleep as long as possible) and went for breakfast at 8 am.
The minibus picked us up around 9 am and took us to Białka where we had our lessons in the morning, followed by lunch and free time skiing in the afternoon.
The minibus returned us to Zakopane at 4 pm and we would have a quick change and shower.
Then we would head out for dinner and do some other activity Zakopane has to offer in winter like the thermal baths, the snow labyrinth etc.
I would recommend staying for a week so that you can take a day off and don’t have to cram as much into a short space of time, although there is so much to do you could stay for longer.
Final thoughts…
If you want to try skiing but don’t want to pay extortionate prices then we can’t recommend enough a skiing holiday in Poland.
Zakopane in winter is a great choice not only offering plenty of options for skiing and snowboarding but also lots of other magical winter activities and a lively town to explore in the evenings.
Addventure Tours really made our winter holiday in Poland stress-free and easy, freeing up time I would normally spend researching so that we could do more whilst we were there.
Their Poland ski packages are really good value and much more affordable than you’d expect if you’ve ever looked at packages in more popular ski destinations like Austria, France and Switzerland.
The best things about booking with Addventure Tours is the customer service and completely bespoke package that ensures you really get your perfect skiing holiday in Poland within your budget.
We had such a great time in Zakopane and will definitely be looking to book again with Addventure Tours.
To find out more about your perfect skiing holiday in Poland, visit Addventure Tours website or call 0208 123 8563 and quote ‘Families Can Travel’ for a free 1-hour skiing lesson included in your package.
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