Day Trip from Prague to Bohemian & Saxon Switzerland National Parks
Northern Hikes: Best Rated & Original
If you are a nature lover, hiker or adventure seeker being on a visit to Prague, consider leaving the hustle and bustle of the city for one day. Instead, explore the beauties of National Parks Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland - the biggest area of sandstones in the whole Europe!
Sandstones have been formed for millions of years by activity of water, wind and erosion and that is why their shapes are very bizarre. Rocky environment builds perfect refuges for many rare animals - lynx, peregrine falcons, eagle owls, kingfishers etc. Flora is rich and diverse as well - lichens, fern and moss prosper in deep humid canyons and gorges, while thermophilic plants thrive on the top of sunny rocks. Variety of well-managed hiking trails directly calls for exploration of this amazing land of majestic rock towers, ravines and rock walls.
The best way to discover the most spectacular sights is with an accompaniment of a guide from a local tour company - Northern Hikes.
Why should you choose Northern Hikes? Maybe because of the fact that we have the longest tradition. Maybe because we were the first ones to start day trips to Bohemian Switzerland from Prague. Or will you go on a tour with us because of the 1000+ five star reviews earned through travel portals such as TripAdvisor? Enjoy an all-inclusive day with locals who are enthusiastic professionals. You won’t be just a client, but a hiking fellow, friend.
The TOP 3 Highlights of Bohemian & Saxon Switzerland Tour
Let us introduce our most popular and best-selling tour: The TOP 3 Highlights of Bohemian & Saxon Switzerland. This day trip offers the ultimate experience as you visit all the 3 main highlights of both Czech and German sides of the national parks.
Visit the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe, the Pravcicka Gate or stroll down to Gorges of the river Kamenice with a boat ride in the middle. Not enough? Then add the Bastei Bridge with Neurathen castle ruins with it’s jaw-dropping view to the 150 metres deep river Elbe canyon. There is no better itinerary for a one day visit!
In the morning (around 7:45 am) you will be picked up by our tour guide from your hotel or any accommodation in Prague or Dresden (yes, we do pick ups from Dresden as well!).
After less than a two hours ride through Czech countryside, you will start your day by ascent to Pravcicka Gate. It’s the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe (and second largest in the world!). Did you know that it’s also the place where the Chronicles of Narnia have been filmed? You will feel like in a fairy tale, amazed by the views, surrounded by rock pillars and the arch itself.
Your next steps will lead to the lush green Gorge of the river Kamenice. Thanks to the unique microclimate, its vegetation is very diverse with vivid colors. You will walk along the little river surrounded by sandstones until a place where the trail ends. As there are just steep rocks on the both sides of the river, you can’t continue on foot any further. Then it’s time for a boat! Enjoy a relaxing boat ride with a ferryman who navigates the boat with a long wooden pole as centuries ago. He will drop you off where the trail continues and after half an hour, you’ll reach a restaurant for lunch.
As we realize you need to charge your batteries when having such a challenging day, we offer a la carte lunch, so you can choose anything from the menu that fits you best. Any drink is inclusive, too. We recommend trying a local beer as it is really delicious and refreshing. The chef prepares meals fresh and from local ingredients, vegetarian and vegan dishes are available.
Strengthened after a rich lunch, we will cross the borders with Germany and drive to Bastei Bridge – the most famous sightseeing on the German side of the national park and probably the most beautiful nature site in all Germany!
You will stay breathless while looking down to the canyon of the river Elbe – the deepest sandstone river canyon in the whole Europe. You will cross the famous sandstone Bastei Bridge, which connects rocks with ruins of medieval castle, at high altitude. Hundreds of sheer rock towers will line your path and maybe you’ll spot some falcon, patrolling the area from above. The bridge will lead you to Neurathen castle ruins, dated to 13. – 15. century. It’s hard to believe that people could live in the small houses connected by bridges and military corridors. As a cherry on the cake, you can spot some original sandstone balls there, used for bombarding ships from the catapult!
Make sure your phone is fully charged for the day as you may want to take hundreds of pictures! We guarantee that already on the way back you’ll be missing this sandstone paradise. A trip that is a must for anybody visiting the Czech Republic and wanting a complex, local experience.
Tour details:
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For more day trips, please check our website: www.northernhikes.com/tours
About Northern Hikes
Let me introduce our family-like company a bit: my name is Vitek, the owner & founder of Northern Hikes. In 2014 I decided to quit my well-paid corporate job in order to do something different: bring joy to people through time spent in nature and let them see that the Czech Republic is not just Prague and old buildings.
As I was born and raised in the area of Bohemian Switzerland national park, it was natural for me to reveal the highlights of my home region to visitors of Prague. Since our start, I emphasized the top quality of service and every single detail of the tour must have been thought-out. I succeeded to build a team of tour guides, who followed my values. For all of us, this is not just a job, but a lifestyle and passion. Over the years, we’ve collected the largest amount of 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor from all the subjects providing tours in this area. Because we love what we do. No cliché!
What makes us unique? We work as a small team with love for nature, in a sustainable way. We guide small groups only (up to 8 people) and all the guides know our national park really well. Guides are trained in first aid and are excellent drivers with Safe driving certificates. We cooperate with local authorities and contribute to the development and protection of the area as we are members of the Destination Fund Bohemian Switzerland.
High standards are axiomatic for us: We drive top class minivans (VW Caravelle T6) with A/C and free WI-FI onboard, provide door-to-door service so you don’t need to bother with getting to some meeting point, provide water and snacks for a day (in winter also hot drinks), rent hiking gear (raincoats, backpacks, hiking poles, in winter also ice spikes and free socks/gloves and hand warmers are available), amenities such as blankets and child seats are available as well, everything without any surcharge.
We just provide the very same service as we would treat ourselves to when going on a hike of ours.
For dining we have chosen the best restaurant in the area and you will be treated not just with a “standard food” but with á la carte lunch inclusive of any drink (yes, beer too:).
We have also adopted a strict Anti-COVID policy: we offer free face masks, hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes. The van and equipment are cleaned before each tour and we give special care to all high-touch surfaces by disinfectants. Hiking with us is therefore not just fun, worry-free and comfortable, but also safe.
We are here to help with any inquiry or question – please feel free to contact us via email: info@northernhikes.com, phone: +420 730 962 221 or Facebook!
Interested in great pictures of Bohemian Switzerland? Follow Northern Hikes on Instagram!
Thank you and see you on the hike in the national park soon!
Vitek and the NH team
