DAY ONE
Assemble in Krakow, former capital of Poland, steeped in historical association with the development of Central Europe and conveniently connected by air with major European and US cities. We will all gather together for a welcome supper at the hotel.

DAY TWO
We tour Krakow, one thousand years old and for many of them Poland's capital city. It is the home of the Jagiellonian University, founded in 1364, where Copernicus studied astronomy. We shall also visit the famous medieval salt mine in Wieliczka, fifteen kilometres from Krakow, a natural as well as a cultural monument. The old city centre of Krakow and the Wieliczka salt mine were placed on the first list of twelve World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1978.

DAY THREE
After breakfast we leave Krakow to head south for the Carpathian Mountains. Our destination is the Pieniny National Park, protecting a strikingly picturesque and naturally rich limestone mountain range, cut by the several hundred metres deep gorge of the Dunajec river. We will sail through this gorge on specially prepared wooden rafts. From the Pieniny we make a further short journey to Zakopane, the city at the foot of the Tatra mountain range.

DAY FOUR
The Tatra form the highest part of the Carpathian range (Gerlach 2654 m), magnificent mountains which are Alpine in character, containing a great diversity of rock formations and abundant nature in a relatively small area. The whole Tatra is protected by National Parks on both sides of the border between Poland and Slovakia. Today will be devoted to a mountain walk in the Tatra. The precise route will respond to factors such as time of year, the weather, and participants' fitness and preferences, but on all occasions you will be accompanied by a qualified mountain guide. The night's lodging will be in the same hotel in Zakopane.

DAY FIVE
We move on to the southern part of the Tatra, to Smokovec in Slovakia. Those who have experience of mountain walks can make this transfer partially on foot, a splendid route over one of the high saddles. The remainder of the group will travel by coach, with short stops and rambles en route, for example to Bielanska Cave. Overnight stay at a hotel in Smokovec.

DAY SIX
A full-day walk in the Tatra. As on Day Four the route will be dictated by circumstances and the time.

DAY SEVEN
We travel south-west, following mountain roads through the beautiful scenery of the Carpathians. On the way we will have chance to visit some interesting places, including the natural monument of Jaskinie Demianowskie, the famous forest reserves near Banska Bystrica, or/and the historic castles of Zvolen and Bojnice. Our destination is Piestany, a well known health resort in the valley of the Wag river.

DAY EIGHT
In the morning we leave Piestany and drive to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. A fast road reduces the journey to one and a half hours, providing us with time to visit the old town of Bratislava, the castle and the cathedral. After lunch we leave Bratislava and continue towards Brno, historical centre of Moravia. Not far from Brno is Slawkow, otherwise known as Austerlitz where in 1805 one of the most tremendous battles in European history was fought. After visiting this historic site we will still have time for evening walk round the beautiful old city in Brno.