We’ll discover unknown peaks in the famous tourist destinations around Lviv. Slavske is a well-known local ski resort, and Skole is a popular place for hikers and mountain bikers. And just next to those hot-spots there is little known Ilsa mountain - easily walkable yet visually rewarding trail for a pleasant one-day hike. On the way there, we’ll stop near the neo-baroque Groedel Palace, to find out about the rich industrial heritage of this region.

This route is full of iconic views and places, with Chornohora being the highest range of the Ukrainian Carpathians and a site fully affected by the Europe’s turbulent history. The word «Chornohora» in Ukrainian means «Black Mountains»; the mighty and rough character of these mountains justifies the name. Across the stunning summits of Sphytsi (which means Needles) and Rebra (Ribs), you will get to the glacial Lake Nesamovyte (Fierce), featured in the local legends and fairy tales.

It is an enjoyable walk for beginners and experienced hikers alike. Pikuy Mountain (1408 m asl) is the highest peak of the Lviv region, covered with scattered steep cliffs and virgin beech forests. The place was known for many centuries as an accessible and safe passage through the Carpathians; a famous medieval trade and transport route was running through the ridge. It also marks the beginning of the Great European Watershed, which divides the basins of Black and Baltic seas. Here, you can get a real mountaineering experience just a couple of hours away from Lviv.

Borzhava Range is regarded as the most picturesque destination in the Ukrainian Carpathians. It is also one of the easiest terrains for hill walking. During a two-day tour to Borzhava, you’ll also discover fascinating objects of historical heritage: the remains of the former Soviet military base and the radiolocation station at the Stiy Mountain are the attractions of this route. In the last decades of USSR, the radar station controlled the airspace over Eastern Europe. The final stop of the walk is by the beautiful Shypit Waterfall. Total route length is 30 km.

Polonyna Borzhava is one of the largest mountain ranges in the Ukrainian Carpathians. It stretches between the rivers Vicha, Borzhava and Rika in the Transcarpathian region. The landscapes here are very distinctive, being defined by their rhythmic structure and velvety terrain covered with grass and bilberry bushes. A one-day hike here is an easy and enjoyable walk. Borzhava has some of the most picturesques vistas in the Ukrainian Carpathians.

Gorgany is one of the wildest and most exotic parts of the Carpathians. There are no green meadows with the flocks of grazing sheep, like everywhere else. Instead, in this desolate corner, you will find stunning summits, covered with vast stone fields. Local people call these formations «gregoty», mimicking the sound of rolling stones; hence the name of the range. This type of terrain is not found anywhere else in the Carpathian mountain system. Gorgany is a challenge for a hill walker, yet it is your choice if you’re looking for dramatic landscapes and want to escape civilization!

Middle-height, easily accessible and open meadows of the Kukul Ridge are very attractive for many hillwalkers, as they offer impressive panoramas of Chornohora, the highest mountain range of the Ukrainian Carpathians. From Hryhorivka Meadow and on, to Serednya, Ozirna, and Kukul Meadows, hikers enjoy the views of Hoverla and Petros mountains, and of the most part of Chornohora Range.

Lopata Mountain is a beautiful peak in Skolivski Beskydy, one of the closest Carpathian ranges around Lviv. A walk to Lopata, with a relatively easy ascent and steep descent, is an enjoyable exercise for a day out. The peak used to be the epicenter of military clashes: one can still see the remains of WWI trenches there. Later, during the WWII, these fortifications were used by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) in their victorious battle against the Nazi troops. On the Lopata walk, we will also see two interesting hydrological sites of the Lviv region: Kamyanka waterfall and Zhuravlyne Lake, also known as Dead Lake due to the high levels of hydrogen sulfide in the water.

Been there, done that — you can’t say this about the Ukrainian Carpathians without having visited Hoverla, the highest peak of the country. In this 2-day walk you will experience two significant Carpathian ranges, the highest Ukrainian mountain range Chornohora («Black Mountains»), and wild and stony Gorgany. At the same time, the walk is relatively easy, as we spend the night in the hutsul lodge.

Parashka mountain is one of the highest and most picturesque peaks of the Skolivski Beskydy mountain range. The mountain went into history by dramatic events of the Kyiv Rus period, when descendants of Volodymyr the Great were fighting for the throne. According to the legend, Princess Paraska was killed just here, following the battle between two sons of Volodymyr the Great. This historical turmoil echoes in the name of the mountain. It was also the place of fierce battles during World War II. Today it is a favourite destination for many tourists due to amazing landscapes are seen from the ridge of the mountain. A picnic and a photoshoot near Hurkalo waterfall will make a spectacular ending of the tour.

Pip Ivan of Chornohora is the third highest peak in the Ukrainian Carpathians, and a walk to its summit offers the best overview of the mighty Chornohora Range. Another attraction of the location is a deserted astronomic observatory. The iconic Modernist building was built in the end of the 1930s and was later nicknamed the White Elephant. In our days, Pip Ivan is one of the most popular touristic destinations in the Ukrainian Carpathians. Its breathtaking Chornohora landscapes by day, and starry abyss by night, free from light pollution, attract photographers, stargazers, and nature lovers.

The ridge of Kliuch mountain is not as high as the other mountain ranges in Skolivski Beskydy, and for that reason it is sometimes considered as not a too attractive destination for the experienced hillwalkers. Which might be true if you don’t know what to look for: the place is full of exciting geological sites. The lengthy but easy walk will lead you to Polyanytske Lake, the picturesque tectonic canyon-like rift, and rocky groups nicknamed Stonehenge and Easter Island. The ridge is also known as a WWI battle place.

Our two most popular summer routes, to Pikuy and Borzhava, are combined in the one weekend adventure. Your efforts will be rewarded with the breathtaking scenery of the Carpathian Mountains.