Poland Steppes & Marshes

According to many of those who take this short tour through the Ponidzie region - it is the best extension of the classic Dunajec-weekly tour. It offers a wonderful contrast to the mountain landscapes: authentic, rural Poland with quiet, flat country roads ideal for cycling.

How can "Ponidzie" best be described? A sparsely inhabited part of the Nida River valley about 70 km northeast of Krakow. This name (spoken "Ponidshyeah") is similar to the Romanian Dobruja - the Danube delta - but not only the names are similar. The Nida also forms a small and marshy inland delta here. The hallmark of Ponidzie is a natural wonder of a different calling - there are about 50 to 100 m high gypsum hills here that are overgrown with unusual steppe vegetation. These include delicate wild blue flax flowers and graceful feather grasses dancing in the wind that are favourite motives of photographers. At Ponidzie you can enjoy natural beauty at its best with no industry in sight and the picturesque villages are connected to one another by a net of small asphalt roads making Ponidzie an attractive area for leisure cyclists. There are also small karst lakes and old gypsum depressions to swim in. Two small spa towns, Busko and Solec have good accommodation facilities and are famous for their mineral water and therapeutic mud.

This cycle tour has been planned so that one can start on the Saturday following the return from either the Dunajec or Sudeten tours as the case may be. This trip is offered only as an individual cycling trip (without a guide). We provide detailed maps and description so that you will have no problem finding the route.