POLAND PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR
WITH
WAYNE KAULBACH
Small-Group Tour
Discover amazing historical sites, castles, medieval towns, and much more on this inspiring tour through Poland led by award-winning photographer, Wayne Kaulbach.
There’s no better way to find creative inspiration than to explore somewhere new. This unique travel experience and photography workshop is ideal for everyone from travel enthusiasts to photographers of all levels.
During this Poland Photography Tour led by Wayne Kaulbach, you’ll explore amazing historical sites, unique neighbourhoods, castles, parks, medieval towns, and much more. Picturesque cities such as Kraków and Gdańsk vie with energetic Warsaw for your urban attention. Elsewhere, woods, rivers, lakes and hills beckon for some fresh-air fun.
Besides discovering famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, we’ll marvel at the most cherished treasures and discover some of Poland’s most interesting nooks and crannies. The most important for us are great photography locations, good light, and plenty of time to explore.
This tour is led by award-winning photographer Wayne Kaulbach, who has previously photography tours to Portugal, India, Cuba, and Morocco. His passion for travel and photography is infectious. All photography levels are welcome on this photography-focused tour.
Day 1: Arrival Krakow, Poland
Welcome to Krakow. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. This evening you will have time to stroll through the streets of the Old Town. Kraków is best recognized for its priceless historical monuments of culture and art.
Kraków is also Poland’s former royal capital and one of the most attractive spots on the tourist map of Europe. Besides history, art and an atmosphere all of its own, Kraków offers visitors entertainment and leisure: theatres, cabarets, clubs, cafes, bars, wine cellars and restaurants having something to offer for everyone.
- Overnight stay in Krakow.
Day 2: Krakow – The Old Town
After breakfast we explore the Krakow’s Old Town including some of its most important monuments such as: the Main Square with the Gothic St Mary’s Basilica, Wawel Hill with the Royal Castle and its Cathedral, the place of outstanding historical and cultural value. Kraków is considered one of the finest cultural capitals in the world and its street scene will not disappoint.
- In the morning and afternoon time for photography.
- Overnight stay in Krakow.
- Meals: B/-/D
Day 3: Auschwitz-Birkenau and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
We start with the sunrise on Krakus Mound with spectacular views of Krakow and after we return to the hotel for breakfast.
Afterwards we travel to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Auschwitz, once a symbol of death and genocide, operates today as a very important memorial of remembrance. Here we will have a guided tour of the biggest Nazi concentration camp during World War II, the place of extermination of about 1.5 million men, women and children from 28 countries including about 1 million Jews. It’s now a protected UNESCO Site, museum, and educational centre.
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, one of the most outstanding pilgrimage centres in Poland attracting over a million pilgrims per year (also a UNESCO Site). With its many chapels strewn across the hills, it makes fantastic scenery for photography.
Overnight stay in Krakow
- Meals: B/-/-
Day 4: Tyniec Abbey, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Kazimierz District
Rise early to capture the sunrise near Tyniec Abbey (optional). The Abbey is the oldest existing monastery in Poland, the history of which spans over one thousand years. We return to the hotel for breakfast.
Later we’ll have the chance to visit Wieliczka Salt Mine with its magnificent glittering chambers chiselled out in rock salt. It boasts 2000 chambers hollowed in solid rock, many of them beautifully ornamented. St Kinga’s Chapel is the most impressive of all. The walking route is about 3.5 km and it takes approximately 3 hours (also on the UNESCO list) through amazing underground saline lakes, majestic timber constructions and unique statues sculpted in salt.
This afternoon, enjoy a walking photo tour of Kazimierz Jewish District – one of the greatest tourist attractions, a place where Christian and Jewish cultures overlapped and coexisted peacefully for many years. A walk around the district will take you past the most famous synagogues (the Old Synagogue, The Remuh Synagogue, the Isaak’s Synagogue).
Overnight stay in Krakow
- Meals: B/-/-
Day 5: Krakow Free Day
Today is a free day to explore Krakow with your camera. Visit some of the lesser-known districts of this amazing city. Ask your tour leader for ideas.
Overnight stay in Krakow
- Meals: B/-/-
Day 6: Transfer to Warsaw, Krzysztopor Ruins, Kazimierz Dolny
During this route, we will make a photo-stop in Krzyztopor, the spectacular ruins of a castle. Krzyżtopór Castle was commissioned in the 1600s by eccentric governor Krzysztof Ossoliński and built according to his fantastic imagination, incorporating his love of magic and astrology, among other things. These days visitors are free to walk the grounds, climb the turrets, and marvel at what must have been one enormous manor.
From here we continue to Kazimierz – situated in the middle section of Vistula River, a very picturesque town that is especially popular among artists. Put simply, Kazimierz Dolny is one of the most picturesque towns in all of Poland. Yet, despite its sheer beauty, historic importance and countryside tranquillity, this quaint little Polish town receives very few tourists. Kazimierz Dolny was once a town with a 50% Jewish population. That all changed during the Second World War. At the time, the 1400 Jews living here were forced to perform hard labour tasks and make roads using tombstones from their very own Jewish cemetery.
- Free afternoon to explore and photograph.
- Overnight stay in Kazimierz
- Meals: B/-/D
Days 7,8 & 9: Warsaw
After breakfast, we check out and continue to Warsaw. A phoenix rising from the ashes, Poland’s capital impresses with its resilience, respect for history, contemporary style and sheer joie de vivre. Much of Warsaw has been rebuilt and the fragments that survived are now preserved in a superb selection of museums and cultural storehouses.
During our stay in Warsaw, we will take you to some of the popular sites as well as those that are lesser-known. Some of what we will see include the Old Town, the Royal Route Royal Castle, the Column of Zygmunt, the Presidential Palace, Warsaw University, Lazienki Park and finally the Palace of Culture and Science. Not to be missed is a stroll beside the Vistula River: on the west bank runs the Vistulan Boulevard, a contemporary promenade dotted with waterside bars and cafes, while on the eastern Praga side nature holds sway with meandering, wooded pathways leading to sandy beaches. Łazienki Park, pronounced wah-Zhen-kee, includes manicured gardens, an ornamental lake, wooded glades and strutting peacocks. Once a hunting ground, Łazienki was acquired by King Stanisław August Poniatowski in 1764 and transformed over the centuries to include a couple of palaces, an amphitheatre, museums and various follies.
Old Town is the historical part of Warsaw and it’s located at the heart of the capital. Founded in the thirteenth century, it was entirely rebuilt after World War II (as it was destroyed in 90% during the war). Palace of Culture and Science for many years has been considered to be the most controversial building in Warsaw. Built in 1955 as a gift from the Soviet Union to the Polish people, still remains the tallest building in the capital.
During our time in Warsaw, we will also seek out interesting neighbourhoods, cafes and great photography locations. Architecturally speaking, this city is a jumble of styles that reflects the city’s tumultuous past and makes for a fascinating collection of neighbourhoods and landmarks.
There’s also no shortage of cool cafes or bars for creative cocktails, craft beers and vodka shots. This is a city that knows how to have fun.
Your days will be planned by Wayne and the tour leader to best showcase what Warsaw has to offer. You will also have free time to visit museums, neighbourhoods, and other sites that you would like to see on your own.
- 3 nights in Warsaw
- Meals: 3B/-/1D
Day 10: Toruń
This morning after breakfast we continue to Toruń. This magnificent walled Gothic town on the banks of the Vistula has a great wealth of historic buildings and city defences, all of which WWII left mercifully untouched. The entire town is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site for being an unusually well-preserved example of a medieval European trading and administrative centre.
This historic medieval urban complex is one of the most beautiful and most valuable architectural sites in Europe. We will do a walking tour to see and photograph such monuments as the Old Town Hall, Memorial House of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Leaning Tower, Granary, St John’s Cathedral (which from hangs Poland’s largest medieval bell). At the end of the tour, you can buy some local gingerbread, for which Torun is famous.
- Overnight stay in Toruń.
- Meals: B/-/D
Day 11, 12, 13: Malbork & Gdańsk
This morning we travel to Malbork to visit the largest Gothic fortress in Europe. The Teutonic Knights began their construction in 1274, and in 1309 Grand Master Siegfried von Feuchtwangen decided to move the capital of the Teutonic Order from Venice to Malbork. Today Malbork Castle occupies over 20 hectares of land and three hours should be just right to explore most of it. The castle’s permanent exhibitions include objects made of amber, armour, medieval weapons, and many other archaeological findings.
After our visit, we continue to the city of Gdańsk which has a unique feel that sets it apart from other cities in Poland. Centuries of maritime ebb and flow as a major Baltic port have blessed Gdansk with a very different vibe.
During the next few days, we will explore Gdańsk, one of the most beautiful Polish cities. Wandering around the city, you will get to know its history which is etched in its monuments. Gdańsk is a pearl of bourgeois architecture, boasting beautiful houses, a unique market as well as charming streets and historical churches. It has many interesting sites to visit and photograph such as the Old Town, Green Gate, Golden Gate, Town Hall Crane, Neptune’s Fountain, Arthur’s Court, St Mary’s Church, then the gate of the Gdansk Shipyard and Three Crosses Square monument (where the Solidarity movement began).
You’ll have time to explore, photograph and experience the city with your tour leader and Wayne as well as have some free time.
- Overnight stay in Gdansk for 3 nights.
- Meals: 3B/-/1D
Day 10: Masai Mara – Nairobi & Departure
Airport transfer to Gdansk airport.
Meals: B/-/-
Wayne Kaulbach
Portrait of the Photographer Wayne Kaulbach.
Wayne Kaulbach MPA F/PPABC,
Wayne received his Masters Of Photographic Arts in 2004 and his Fellowship in 2006. Along with his wife Michelle Fleming, they have owned and operated Skylight Images, a multi-award-winning photographic service specializing in natural light portraiture, in Vancouver since 1995.
Along with teaching travel and street photography through Langara’s Continuing Studies program for seven years, Wayne is also an ongoing contributor to Photo Life Magazine and a passionate travel and street photographer.
THE MINDFUL TRAVELER: WAYNE’S TRAVEL PHILOSOPHY
Travel helps us appreciate the people and cultures of the world. In recent years I’ve combined my knowledge and passion for photography with my love of international travel to create some amazing Photography Trips to some of my favourite destinations.
There’s no better way to find creative inspiration than to explore someplace new. I’ve recognized that travellers want to see some well-known areas of a new country but more often, want the quieter hoods, where tourists do not go and where we are not herded from location to location.
I’ve scouted out these alternative neighbourhoods where the tourist buses are absent and I am thrilled to share these with my fellow travellers. My travel philosophy is that we are all ambassadors of kindness and respect and we treat everyone we meet — including each other — accordingly.
Having travelled extensively around the world, Wayne is eager to continue to share his knowledge along with his love of travel and street photography. Wayne has led Photography Tours to India, Morocco, Portugal, and Cuba.
Check out Wayne’s work on his website: www.wkaulbach.com/
Tour Exclusions
IMPORTANT NOTES
PLEASE NOTE: This itinerary is subject to change. Although we always do our best to stick to the itinerary, due to the ever-changing nature of Morocco, activities, hotels, and visits are subject to change due to forces beyond our control.
FLIGHTS: Please do not purchase your flights until this tour is confirmed.
PASSPORTS: Must be valid for at least 6 months upon return date to your home country. Proper documentation is the responsibility of each traveller.
VISAS: (responsibility of the traveller)
Travel Insurance
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Check with your local travel agent /insurance provider/health plan for advice about traveling overseas.
Waiver Form
All participants will be required to sign a Waiver Form prior to departure.
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WHY TRAVEL WITH US?
At Finisterra Travel we help you discover, push personal boundaries, and explore the unknown.
We are super passionate about sustainable, transformational, and adventure travel. Definitely not “armchair travellers”, we have firsthand experience of where you’ll be heading.No one wants to feel like a tourist which is why when we plan a custom travel experience for you, we strive to make your adventure as authentic as possible. We offer an array of Small Group Adventures & Custom Trips, and have something for every type of traveller.
Our unique itineraries are designed to best showcase some of our favourite destinations around Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, North America, and Europe. All itineraries are fully-customizable.Not your typical online travel agency, nor are we quite a tour operator, we are international travel designers with a flair for unique experiences. We’d love to hear from you!
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