Carpathian Two-Thousanders:
Winter Pip Ivan of Chornohora
Why this tour?
Pip Ivan of Chornohora is the third highest peak in the Ukrainian Carpathians. It was here that an observatory, known as «Bilyi Slon» (in Ukrainian — «The White Elephant»), was built in the interwar period — the highest-located building in the contemporary Europe where people lived and worked. Nowadays, the peak featuring the observatory attracts huge numbers of tourists — its breathtaking Chornohora landscapes by day, and bottomless cosmic deeps by night, leave you truly astonished and with plenty of fabulous photos as mementos.
2 days
145 €
per person
all inclusive
on request
Pip Ivan of Chornohora
Chornohora range from Pip Ivan
Chornohora range from Pip Ivan
Romanian Carpathians from Pip Ivan
Vesnarka meadow
Tour description
day 1
On the first day, we ascend from the Pohorilets Landmark to Vesnarka Meadow. Weather permitting, we will reach Lake Maricheyka (6 km).
- departure from Lviv (7:00)
- transfer to Shybene village
- leaving Shybene village for the mountains
- walk to Vesnarka Meadow or Lake Maricheyka
- dinner
- night stay in tent
day 2
Ascent to the summit of Pip Ivan of Chornohora and return to Lviv
- breakfast
- ascent to the summit of Pip Ivan of Chornohora
- snack break
- descent to Shybene village
- return to Lviv (about 22:30)
Price includes:
- bus or minibus transfer
- meals during the hike
- guiding services
Price does not include:
- equipment rent
- extra drinks and meals
- travel insurance
Special terms
The program of the tour is designed for physically healthy people who are interested in outdoor activities. The average distance of the daily hike is 6-10 km with the necessity to pave the trail in deep snow. Some parts of the trek may as well be firned that requires the usage of crampons further complicating the hike. This tour is of higher than moderate complexity. During the tour, everybody carries his/her own backpack with personal equipment and a share of food supply for the group.
Higher in the mountains, the temperature may be significantly lower than that at the foothills, and strong winds may occur. Unpredictable weather changes are possible, too.
The guide reserves the right to make changes in the program depending on the weather or the condition of the participants.
Recommended equipment
- Passport (necessarily, descent of the route in the border area)
- Backpack for hiking (40-50L for women, 50-70L for men) with a rain cover
- Tent
- Sleeping pad
- Sleeping bag (comfort rating 0..+5 Cº)
- Light trekking shoes and a spare pair (sandals or sneakers)
- Socks (1 pair per day, 1 spare pair)
- Thermal underwear (top, for spring or autumn season also bottom)
- Light pants (long, not shorts!), for spring or autumn season wind stop pants
- Fleece jacket or sweater, two for spring or autumn season (1 light and 1 warm)
- Light hat (cap, buff or bucket hat); warm hat for spring or autumn season
- Light wind stop gloves (for spring/autumn)
- Waterproof and wind stop jacket
- Raincoat (poncho)
- Sitting mat with a fixing belt
- Plastic bottle of water (1,5 L or more); a thermos for spring or autumn season
- Individual dinner set (spoon or spork, mug, pot, knife)
- Headlamp
- Cellphone
- Trekking poles
- Personal portable first-aid kit and toiletry
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Set of clothes for transfers during the tour (shoes, socks, underwear, outerwear): please mind that the clothes after hiking may be wet or dirty
Highlights
Chornohora range is the highest mountain range of the Ukrainian Carpathians. The main range stretches approximately 40 km between the rivers Chorna Tysa (Black Tysa) in the west and Chorny Cheremosh (Black Cheremosh) in the east. Chornohora possesses all the highest mountains in Ukraine, so-called «two-thousanders» (the mountains above 2000 meters asl). The Ukrainian «two-thousanders» include 6 peaks, namely Hoverla (2061 m), Brebeneskul (2036 m), Pip Ivan (2028 m), Petros (2020 m), Hutyn Tomnatyk (2016), and Rebra (2002 m). In the mid-war period, Chornohora was a state border between Czechoslovakia and Poland, who gained independence after the disintegration of the Austrian-Hungarian empire. You can still find the trenches of WWI and the burial places of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, operating on these territories during and after WWII. Now Chornohora serves as an administrative boundary between Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattya regions of Ukraine.
Pip Ivan of Chornohora (2022 m asl) is the third highest mountain in the Ukrainian Carpathians, after Hoverla and Brebeneskul. The peak belongs to Chornohora Mountain Range. The legend says that the name (which could be translated as Monk John) came from the rock on the summit, which looked like a monk in a habit. Only a pile of stones is left of the rock now. There is another popular mountain under the same name, located in Transcarpathia, in Marmarosy Range and therefore called Pip Ivan of Marmarosy.
Astronomic and Meteorological Observatory was built in 1938-41 by Poland, which controlled this territory in the mid-war period. At the time, it was the highest place in the country, where people worked and lived on the regular basis, including scientific team, maintenance personnel, and a border detachment. The observatory, which started working just about a year before the beginning of WW2, was evacuated and later deserted, and never restored its scientific practice. Interesting example of Polish architectural functionalism, it was slowly deteriorating during the Soviet times. In the last decade, the building was being restored with the support of the Polish government. The volunteer-led Mountain Search and Rescue Station was based in the observatory recently.
Maricheyka is a high-altitude glacial lake on the north-east slope of the Shuryn Mountain, located at the height 1510 m asl; its maximum depth is 0.8 m. The lake feeds a small stream, which belongs to the Chorny Cheremosh basin. The legend says that the lake was named after the Hutsul maiden Maricheyka. In the Tatar attack, she led the enemies to the swampy wilderndess. When Tatars decided to kill Maricheyka, the earth opened wide and swallowed everyone, leaving the lake on the place of the tragic event.
Accommodation
Tents (rent available).
Meals
1 day: snacks for lunch, cooked campfire dinner
2 day: cooked campfire breakfast, snacks for lunch
2 day: cooked campfire breakfast, snacks for lunch
Rules
- No alcohol during the active walking part of the tour.
- Please stick to the tour schedule and do keep up with the group.
- Do not litter and take your waste with you.
- Children under 16 years should be accompanied by adults.
Language
English / German / Polish, and Ukrainian with consecutive interpretation to the aforementioned languages.
Additional information:
If you want to spend some time in Lviv and arrive before the tour, we are glad to offer the following services:
- transfer from the railway station or airport
- booking accommodation in hotels
- guided tours
- any advice regarding your stay and leisure time in Lviv — don’t hesitate to ask!
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