Up-And-Coming East: The Baltic Countries
Lithuania | Latvia | Estonia | Poland | Germany
33 Days - 2,610 Miles
8
We are sorry :(
This tour is currently not scheduled. Please contact us if you are interested in this tour and we will keep you advised of future tour date announcements.
We head east through the Thuringian forest in Germany and marvel at the sandstone cliffs of “Saxon Switzerland” on the River Elbe and the baroque town of Dresden. Then we explore the sights and history in and around Krakow, one of Polands top destinations, and the capital city of Warszawa (Warsaw). Rural roads will lead us through the beautiful Masuria natural landscapes to the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. In these former Soviet States we will experience very distinct and fascinating cultures in terms of languages, religion and temperaments. We explore small towns, medieval gems, vast forests, towering sand dunes and the amazing capital cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn. Finally we cross the Baltic Sea on a comfortable ferry back to Germany.
Day 1
We meet you at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany and you get a transfer to your comfortable hotel. In the afternoon you meet your fellow caravanners at our first briefing. Then we have our delicious welcome dinnner.
Day 2
After a breakfast buffet, we pick up the rental motorhomes and stock up with groceries at a supermarket before we head into the former East Germany to our campsite in the beautiful Thuringian Forest.
Day 3
We drive to our RV park on the River Elbe and cruise the river down to Dresden passed the towering sandstone cliffs of the “Saxon Switzerland” national park. We have a walking tour with a local guide of the old town with its baroque Zwinger palace before we enjoy dinner in a traditional German restaurant and head back by charter bus to our campsite.
Day 4
Today we go up to marvel at the views from the Bastei, a rock formation towering almost 650 feet above the River Elbe. Then it is on to the Festung Königstein, which is one of the biggest hilltop fortresses on Europe. Here you can enjoy the view on a walk around the perimeter.
Days 5 & 6
We have an easy drive on the autobahn into Poland where we arrive at our campground near Krakow. The next day we explore the old town with our local guide. We see the Barbican fortification and wander the grounds of Wawel Castle with its cathedral. We host lunch with traditional Polish food. In the afternoon we learn about the German occupation of Poland including a visit to Schindler’s Factory and the Krakow Underground museums.
Day 7
A day for your own excursion in or around Krakow, for example you may want to visit the Royal castle or take a trip to Czestochowa to the Paulite Monastery of Jasna Góra with the famous Black Madonna.
Day 8
We board our charter bus for an all day tour staring with the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum for a guided tour of the former concentration camp. After our included lunch we head down deep under the earth into the fascinating Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Days 9 & 10
We continue on to Warszawa (Warsaw), the capital of Poland. You have some time to relax at our beautiful campsite before we head into town with our charter bus the next day. Our local guide will tell us about the cities tumultuous history. We wander the streets of the Old Town which has been meticulously restored. We host lunch in the New Town. In the afternoon you have time at your leisure, you may want to visit the Chopin Museum or the Warsaw Rising museum.
Day 11
We drive through the eastern part of the Masuria region to our campsite on the shores of campsite on Lake Necko. In the afternoon we enjoy a fun Viking style cruise on the lake and get to do some bird watching in the beautiful natural surroundings.
Day 12
In the morning, we enjoy a beautiful drive on local roads and cross the border into Lithuania to its capital city Vilnius. In the afternoon we take a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus through the city, which leaves directly from our campground. Enjoy the Cathedral Square with its landmark bell tower and see one of the country’s most important monuments, the Gate of Dawn. You may also be interested in the KGB Museum or a stroll through the artsy Uzupis District.
Days 13 & 14
After a day at leisure where you can explore more of Vilnius on your own, we take an all-day coach tour with our local guide. First we drive to Trakai, a famous gothic castle picturesquely located on an island surrounded by four connected lakes. After a hosted lunch we continue on to Kaunas, considered to be one of the most beautiful cities of the Baltics with its medieval flair.
Day 15
Today we drive north on local roads. We take some scenic detours passed lakes and through dense forests. Before we arrive at our campsite in Aglona we stop and visit the impressive Basilica of the Assumption.
Day 16
On our way north we cross the border into Estonia. On our way we stop in Tartu, Estonia’s premier University town, for a guided walking tour where we also learn about the thriving street-art culture. Then we head to our campsite on Lake Vortsjärv.
Days 17 & 18
Today we drive to Estonia’s magnificent capital city Tallinn on the Baltic Sea. We host lunch in a traditional restaurant before meeting our local guide for a walk through the old town, which feels like an open air museum of medieval times. The next day we visit Lunnusadam (Seaplane Harbour) in Tallinn’s wood-house district, which its fascinating exhibition of the country’s maritime and military history in the massive seaplane hangars dating from 1917.
Day 19
The day is at leisure for your own excursions. You may want to relax wandering through the beautiful grounds of Tallinn Zoo, take a one-day excursions Lahemaa National Park including a scenic walk along the coastline, or even take a day trip across the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki.
Day 20
We drive along some local roads south to Pärnu, a famous seaside resort. Then you have time to wander the streets of the old town with its many cafes, shops and traditional wooden buildings and for a stroll along the 3 km long beach.
Days 21 & 22
We drive along the coast back into Latvia to Riga. In the afternoon we have a bus and walking tour of the city where we see the splendid architecture in the Art Nouveau district and also the Old Town with its rebuild House of the Black Heads. In the evening, enjoy a delicious traditional dinner in town before heading back to the campsite with our bus. The next day is at leisure and you may want to visit the bustling Riga Central Market or take a day tour to the famous Hill of Crosses, a fascinating pilgrimage site.
Day 23
Another exciting day awaits us on our all-day coach tour to Cesis, considered to be the cutest medieval town in Latvia. We enjoy a walking tour of the historic city and also visit the 13th century Levonian Order castle ruins. A delicous lunch is included.
Day 24
We enjoy scenic driving along the coastal route through mushroom-filled woods to Ventspils, a seaside resort. In the afternoon, you can enjoy free time to explore the old Hanseatic League town.
Days 25 & 26
We drive back to Lithuania and also take a short ferry ride to our RV park in the Curonian Spit National Park. In the afternoon we take a cruise on a boat to marvel at the tallest sand dunes in Europe from the Baltic Sea. The next day you can walk up to the sand dunes and enjoy the little seaside town of Nida.
Day 27
Today we head back to the mainland and visit Klaipeda with a tour on a sightseeing bus. You may stroll through the old town including the beautiful theater square. In the evening we board our ferry back to Germany.
Days 28 & 29
We enjoy our overnight ferry ride back to Kiel, Germany, including a buffet style breakfast and lunch. We also host dinner after our arrival in Kiel. The next day we take the autobahn south to Kassel.
Day 30
On our coach and walking tour we explore the historic town of Kassel and also marvel at the view from the impressive Hercules monument and visit the magnificent Orangerie. Then we have a short drive to our campground in the Vogelsberg nature preserve.
Day 31
We take our charter bus into the old town of Fulda. We stroll around the beautiful old town and visit the Dom (cathedral) and the Fuldaer Stadtschloss, a magnificent castle-palace. In the afternoon you have time to pack.
Days 32 & 33
In the morning we return our rental RVs and transfer to our hotel in downtown Frankfurt. Here you can enjoy the afternoon with some more sightseeing before we meet for our a-la-carte farewell dinner. The next day, after a breakfast buffet, you get a transfer to the airport.
PRICES
We are sorry :(
This tour is currently not scheduled. Please contact us if you are interested in this tour and we will keep you advised of future tour date announcements.
The Tour Price includes:
Rental Motorhomes
- New or almost new 20-22 ft. (Upgrades up to 24 ft) class B+/C diesel motorhomes with stick shifts
- Fully equipped with bedding, camping chairs, dishes etc.
- Vehicle insurance with €1,500 deductible
- Unlimited mileage
- Full propane tank
Transfers
- Airport to hotel on arrival day
- Hotel to rental company
- Transfers to all activities included in our itineraries
- Rental company to hotel
- Hotel to airport on departure day
Meals
- Welcome dinner
- 2 breakfast buffets (Tour 4 - Greece: 3 breakfast buffets)
- Various other meals in fine restaurants as described in the itinerary
- Choice of one beverage (soft drink, beer or wine) with included meals
- Farewell dinner
Campground Fees
- Fees for the best available campgrounds
- Including electrical hook-up
Ferries and Toll Bridges
- Tour 2 - Scandinavia: Comfortable ferries, toll for the long suspension bridges
- Tour 3 - UK & Ireland: Comfortable ferries to and from France to England and to and from Ireland
- Tour 4 - Greece: Cruise the Adriatic Sea to and from Greece on comfortable ferris (overnight including inside cabin) and to and from Mykonos Island
Hotel
- 2 nights first class hotel (Tour 4 - Greece: 3 nights)
Experienced Wagonmaster & Tailgunner
- We are there for you at all times en route, during sightseeing and on the campgrounds
Daily Briefings
- Every afternoon we meet for a briefing at which we provide you with detailed information on the next day
Toll Roads (except cash tolls)
- All street tolls that we can pay in advance via vignette, online RV registration or transponders are included
- Cash tolls are not included (approx. €50-150 on some tours, mostly in Italy, Greece, France, Spain, Balkans)
Sightseeing Tours
- Selected sightseeing tours as listed in the itineraries
- Our sightseeing tours always include an experienced local guide
- Entrance fees to the sights
- Personal receiver and head-set to use on guided tour
- For big cities like Paris, Barcelona, Athens, Stockholm or London we have our own charter bus which picks us up at the campground
Navigation Aids
- Detailed trip-logs with itinerary and driving directions, personally prepared (except Tour 7 & 8 which are fully GPS guided)
- Road maps
- Pre-programmed GPS for use during the tour