Top 5 Pollino National Park Half-Day Tours: An Expert Take

So, if you are thinking about checking out southern Italy, Pollino National Park is almost definitely something you should put on your list. It’s Italy’s biggest national park, and it’s brimming with insane landscapes, really peculiar wildlife, plus just this incredibly fascinating history. Now, squeezing that full magnificence into a half-day can seem, well, a bit much, but actually, there are certain experiences which definitely pack a mighty punch. We’ve looked closely, testing a bunch of ’em out, plus have nailed down a rundown of five tours, really the ones that just give a pretty good introduction to this incredibly unique park. We’re gonna walk you through it.

1. The Pollino’s Heart: A Hike Among the Lord Trees

First off, there is a tour which takes you into the heart of the park, with a certain focus on those ancient “Lord Trees,” really the Bosnian pine trees so characteristic of the area. Often these gnarled old giants can stand so toughly on really rough ridges, really clinging on for centuries. Walking among them truly just does make you think about time plus persistence. Guides will typically explain a lot about their botany plus about the singular geology around that just helps ’em endure so. Read our full review: Pollino’s Heart Hike Among the Lord Trees Full Review and Details

The experience, well, that sometimes includes: guided hikes, usually very of about 3-4 hours. It is just the right amount for, even if your fitness is pretty much standard, getting your pulse up though still leaving enough time to take it all in. It does involve a little climb up a mild slope, usually. Remember to put on walking boots, for real. If, on the off chance, there happens to have been quite some rain prior to this tour, some spots get very muddy and slick.

Keep an eye out for birds. It tends to be a very very hotspot too! Expect seeing peregrine falcons soar overhead plus the occasional golden eagle, that just circle searching for food. Too it’s almost as if the air around seems crisper way up that hill; that smell is the aroma, very uniquely alpine, coming straight off from the pine needles crushed underneath your hiking boot.

Consider that too it’s almost about costs: Usually €30 to €50 for each person is really common, actually that often will vary depending upon group size. Tours tend to be available all through spring up until fall, that the schedule just gets thinner out of summertime due to snowfall. It can get cool at quite a high altitude that; bring quite a few layers. We suggest this so you are able to peel of something if things start going a little too hot though.

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Hiking the Lord Trees)

2. River Adventures: Rafting or Kayaking on the Lao River

Do you really need an adrenaline rush? Then think about something a little bit more active along that Lao River which cuts right through the park. Kayaking and rafting expeditions usually give various ways of just experiencing that landscape. It runs that typically this is calm that you are able to admire something like rock formations, forests plus the cool critters that usually come near the banks, even just getting something active could really add an adrenaline rush for all this that enjoy.

The trips do generally include an introduction, safety that, very clearly, just helps in covering safety rules, usually. They cover how to work your paddle, which means what? Even those not very very confident will probably take a few minutes to find out just how intuitive each of the rafts or kayaks are too. All basic gear just comes included – think about life vests, safety helmet plus paddles of course. Now that can start costing somewhere about €40-€70, usually it will depend upon, as I was saying, whether to do with rafting, usually which tends to be much more suited just to people who wish to join as, or if kayaking is right up on anyone who thinks that being much more one-on-one in the kayak, or both.

Read our full review: Rafting Kayaking Lao River Full Review and Details

Actually some companies tend to be flexible when organizing some departures from some popular close towns usually, but if it happens not to suit just call around different organizations around the region and tell them so that they might have some possibilities or could probably lead to what you have to find it anyway. In the river always look for birds plus specifically so, just keep an eye fixed down, for things like otters along its banks!

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Lao River Rafting)

3. A Glimpse into History: Exploring the Caves of Romito

Would you rather discover just the history? Then this will tend to tick a few boxes for everyone reading at this stage. Just that Cave of Romito keeps among really old human art works and this proves people happened to settle through Pollino long long time back ago. Usually just a guide on location can bring that very old art to reality, explaining each of symbols, as a matter of fact often what kind lifestyle it means to them. Actually this is much more of place to take note to consider how old such settlements can be through that region so too.

Often that tour might just give quite the option just to take in different little things from archaeological or historic viewpoint anyway. This means not too much hiking – very friendly on those people with low mobility or tiny feet. If only there existed small coffee stops very nearby I might have remained a lot longer there actually.

Read our full review: Exploring Caves of Romito Full Review and Details

Cave visits will most likely to always be well organized; expect to have timed- entry that is going at hourly times. Most local manuals may know of smaller history and, usually, archaeological treasures off such common traveller paths; do enquire!

Plan just a budget around 10-20 Euros that it might differ just a little subject to just what additional tour inclusions or discounts anyone will qualify to use and/or can grab if accessible somewhere through that park’s info desks.

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Romito Caves Tickets)

4. Local Flavors: A Gastronomic Tour of Pollino’s Villages

For just a different form exploration, you might like going to small villages within Pollino, usually with something such a gastronomic bend. These villages could be where a true real cultural identity stays put at usually the park – through something like cuisine through just traditions to do with artisans’ skills too. Often that journey gets one through little, typically overlooked stores including local restaurants giving samplings consisting such a things for something similar: cheeses, handcrafted pasta through too regional red wines probably. That definitely feels like an extremely genuine peek right to how community still stays thriving so.

The most enjoyable a section happens when owners tend explain very kindly about a number of manufacturing techniques including maybe just what heritage they have personally. Remember such regional distinctions always, because they all just carry a different kind background of impact so across flavorings which will vary quite definitely around area too anyway!

Read our full review: Gastronomic Tour of Pollino’s Villages Full Review and Details

Gastronomy tourism, well, that does tend just to be fairly popular across these villages as, it’s very likely such organizations operating through larger villages would be running trips of half- day around usually smaller or even quite hard- reach locations. In the springtime, a lot could well get organised along usually traditional village celebrations always; ask around as quickly as something possible after turning up so there. Or quite early prior trip around that community center.

Half – day gastronomy tour might just run you around anything through to say from approximately €35 at probably up to €65 as it depends mainly for the thing’s total inclusiveness factor always anyway including also, a little about duration that someone spends tasting, just about any alcohol or whatever. That truly may sound expensive though one cannot, realistically, actually simply match insights gained alongside sampling quite small regional producers for things from cheese to do with olive so, without quite paying the big rates associated to visiting lots of stores otherwise elsewhere. Besides the best things with regards such is getting to know and being able so too chat directly just beside someone responsible of producing such ingredients at any way, always!

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Taste of Pollino)

5. Pollino’s Peaks: A Scenic Drive to Santuario del Pollino

Don’t feel ready with a mountain trip as I’m saying? Perhaps rather that, then think taking scenic way on which way will guide up on the location around which is known with, or since, the Sanctuary associated within the Pollino usually. Santuario Della Madonna Del Pollino quite presents gorgeous look around at the area that too is the amazing landmark around religion significance. Now that driving round that place permits for those people on whom perhaps something active might be less to be desired, or it could seem something hard right now – to take it easy too along certain really quite amazing points across that way without working super hard or probably sweating at everything really at most really.

Read our full review: Scenic Drive to Santuario del Pollino Full Review and Details

Quite possibly this will take something in somewhere around which happens around to be nearly quite the drive and just get ready because I am saying, across for turning round the corners! On certain sharp parts; take heed in regards probably wide car driving just around somewhere because a couple roads might are able show challenging spots; mostly during summertime particularly when lots from larger traffic shows way around across this park usually. Think about such way taking roughly close hour but give something some spare; at probably more attractive scenic breaks points.

Look round about to do with stops round little the coffee- houses which usually serve, the espresso together certain view in mountain back is like what that dreams might came created on earth very truly for someone!

Tours are able sometimes to cover driving services, if driving isn’t something your wish just so. Think approximately price approximately anything roughly at almost €40 across possibly closer round approximately almost €75 dependent very clearly; relating on everything and every point across distance of destination just beside tour’ length of duration though!

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Santuario del Pollino by Car)