Snow and pools
Snowmobile and baths
Our pick for winter
- Length10 hours
- Ride feeCash only
- PoolsChocholowskie
Size up your group price
Zakopane snowmobile tour, or a quad when the snow is gone
From Krakow: Snowmobile, Zakopane & Chochołowskie Baths
★ 4.9 · 670 written reviews
The short version
A Zakopane snowmobile tour runs in the snowy months in the open country around town, usually with a cash ride fee on top of the tour price; without snow, operators switch to quads.
Ride essentials
Weigh up 4 options
What a snowmobile or quad day costs your group
Pick the number of riders and compare starting fares, before cash fees.
- Snowmobile and baths10 hours · each person, from €42
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View - Snowmobile, pools10 hours · each person, from €38
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View - Quads and bonfire10 hours · each person, from €42
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View - Ride from Zakopane3 to 4 hours · each person, from €19
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View
Starting prices from GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. You will see the exact price when booking.
Snowmobile days from Krakow and Zakopane, quad and ATV rides in the warmer months: what you pay at booking, what you pay in cash, who may drive and how to dress.
Editorial team, zakopane-tour.com · Updated November 9, 2026 · 7 mins to read
Quick look
- From KrakowSnowmobile days with thermal pools start from €43.
- Cash on the dayRide fees run 350 to PLN 400 per vehicle, in cash.
- No snow?Rides switch to quads, announced the day before.
- LicenceSome quad and ATV rides require a valid driving license.
- GearHelmet, gloves and balaclava are supplied on the snowmobile days.
Snowmobiles in the Tatra foothills
Snowmobile tours are one of the most prominent winter attractions in Zakopane, according to the Polish Tourism Organisation.1 It lists tourist, sport and mountain snowmobiles, and longer trips for those who want more than a quick loop.2 A Zakopane snowmobile tour is a short burst of speed and snow in a day that usually also includes food and a warm pool.
The rides on these listings take place in the open country around Zakopane rather than on the high Tatra ridges. One ride from Zakopane goes to Witow, 20 minutes away by van, for a safety briefing and a ride of 1.5 hours. The views across snowy meadows toward the mountains are the reward, more than any summit.
Snow is the condition for everything. The operators are honest about it: one day from Krakow says that with too little snow the ride becomes a quad ride, and you hear about it the day before. Another uses quads whenever there is no snow. Book with that in mind, and treat a snowmobile in early or late winter as a hope rather than a promise.
Side by side
Snowmobile and quad rides compared
| Ride | From | Cash fee | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowmobile and baths | €47 | Cash only | 10 hours |
| Snowmobile, pools | €43 | PLN 400 per vehicle | 10 hours |
| Quads and bonfire | €47 | PLN 350 per vehicle | 10 hours |
| Ride from Zakopane | €21 | PLN 400 per vehicle | 3 to 4 hours |
| Guided ATV tour | €54 | None listed | 1 to 2 hours |
From-prices on GetYourGuide; cash fees as each listing states them, paid on the day.
Snowmobile days from Krakow
From Krakow, the snowmobile day with Zakopane and the Chocholowskie baths starts from €47 and lasts 10 hours, with 670 reviews averaging 4.9. Its snowmobile rental does not accept cards, so bring cash. It is the listing this page books for its snowmobile focus. The day pairs the ride with Zakopane and a long soak, which suits winter visitors who want both thrill and rest.
A close alternative starts from €43. It drives 2 hours each way by van, gives a briefing and a snowmobile or quad ride of 1.5 hours near Zakopane, then a barbecue and cheese tasting in Chocholow and 3 hours at the thermal pools. The ride costs extra: PLN 400 in cash for a two-seat snowmobile or quad, settled before you set off.
A premium version starts from €131, with a private group option, Chocholow, an optional snowmobile ride of 1 hour for an extra fee and 3 hours at the pools. Its 310 reviews average 4.9. Compare the total cost, fee included, before you pick the cheaper headline fare. A higher fare that already includes more can work out cheaper than a low fare with a big cash fee added.
Traveler track record
Reviews for the snowmobile and quad days
- Quads and bonfire1,286
- Snowmobile and baths670
- Snowmobile, pools404
- Snowmobile adventure310
- Ride from Zakopane236
- Guided ATV tour68
Numbers of reviews per GetYourGuide listing; a longer record shows how a ride holds up across seasons.
Zakopane quad tour and ATV rides
When the snow melts, the engines keep running on quads. Quad bike tours rank among the most popular spring activities around Zakopane, alongside Nordic walking, cycling and rafting, by the Polish Tourism Organisation’s account.5 A Zakopane quad tour can be a short ride from town or part of a full day from Krakow.
From Krakow, the quads and bonfire day starts from €47 and lasts 10 hours, with 1,286 reviews averaging 4.7. On site you hand over PLN 350 in cash for each machine, which seats up to 2 riders. It is not wheelchair accessible. On a snowy day the same listing puts you on a snowmobile instead, which makes it a sensible booking when you cannot predict the weather weeks ahead.
In Zakopane itself, a 1-hour quad ride costs from €54, in groups capped at 10. Children under 6 cannot join, and drivers must hold a valid driving license. The record also warns that anyone under 18 takes a full seat and is booked as an adult. An optional meal can be added, as the listing title says, and the short length fits easily around a hike or a visit to the pools.
Pick your ride
Which engine day suits you
Pick the ride you have in mind and find the listing that delivers it.
If Snow, speed and a warm pool after
Snowmobile and baths day
From €47, with the snowmobile rental paid in cash.
If The lowest fare to get on a machine
The ride from Zakopane
From €21, plus PLN 400 per two-person vehicle.
If I visit outside the snow season
The quads and bonfire day
Quads run when there is no snow, so the day works in any season.
If A small group with a guide
The guided ATV tour
Limited to 4 participants, with a driving license required.
If Something gentle with children
A sleigh ride instead
Sleigh rides come with barbecue, highlander music and a bonfire.3
Three ways to ride
Snow from Krakow, quads or a small ATV group
Quads, snow or not
Quads and bonfire
Any season
- Length10 hours
- FeePLN 350 per vehicle
- GearHelmet supplied
Small group
Guided ATV ride
In Zakopane
- Length1 to 2 hours
- GroupUp to 4
- NeedsDriving license
Zakopane ATV tour with a guide
A Zakopane ATV tour with a guide keeps the group very small: one listing caps it at 4 participants, for 1 to 2 hours, from €54. Its 68 reviews average 4.6. A valid driving license is required to drive. A small group means more time on the machine and less waiting, and a guide who can adjust the route to the riders. Expect forest tracks and open meadows with mountain views on a clear day.
The same record asks for warm clothes in autumn and winter, and clothes and shoes you do not mind getting dusty or muddy. Take that seriously. Tatra foothill tracks turn to mud after rain, and on an open machine you will wear some of it home. Bring spare clothes for the ride home, and a bag for muddy shoes. Gloves with a good grip help on rough ground.
Safety comes before speed. The Polish Tourism Organisation says quad riding must be safe and reminds riders to wear a helmet and protective clothing.4 Listen to the briefing, keep to the guide’s line and ride at your own pace, not the pace of the fastest machine. A good ride is one you finish with everyone laughing at the mud, not counting bruises.
A snowmobile day
From Krakow to the snow and back
Morning
Van to Zakopane
About 2 hours by van from your pickup in Krakow.
Before the ride
Safety briefing
Helmet, gloves and balaclava are handed out.
Late morning
On the snowmobile
A ride of 1.5 hours, or quads if snow is thin.
Midday
Chocholow
Barbecue and cheese tasting for 1 hour.
Afternoon
Thermal pools
3 hours at the Chocholowska baths.
Evening
Back to Krakow
About 2 hours by van to your drop-off point in Krakow.
What the ride fees really cost
The cash fee is the line that changes the budget. On the snowmobile and pools day it is PLN 400 per two-person machine, and on the quads day PLN 350 per vehicle for up to 2 people. Single and two-person snowmobiles are both offered on the snowmobile and pools day. Sharing a machine halves the fee per person; riding solo does not.
The ride from Zakopane works the same way: it too charges PLN 400 for each two-seater, cash only, on top of a tour price from €21. It lasts 3 to 4 hours with transfers and includes a barbecue and cheese tasting in Chocholow. Bring the exact amount: cards are not taken. Pickup is in Zakopane, so it suits travelers already staying in town.
Count these fees into the comparison with a quiet day. The classic Zakopane day trip with the funicular and thermal pools starts from €23, with no ride fee at all. A snowmobile day buys a different kind of experience, and the bill on the evening includes the cash you handed over in the snow. Plan for it from the start and there are no surprises.
Video
A snowmobile ride in Zakopane from Krakow
KRK-KrakowTours.com on YouTube · The video stays unloaded until you press play.
Riding a quad must be safe, and it’s important to remember a few rules (including wearing a helmet and protective clothing).
Before you ride
What to bring and know for a snowmobile or quad day
Bring3
- Cash for the ride fee
- Very warm clothing and footwear
- Your driving license for quads and ATVs
Supplied3
- Helmet, gloves and balaclava
- A safety briefing before the ride
- A barbecue stop on some days
Know3
- No snow means quads instead
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
When to go, and what to wear
Snowmobiles need a real winter. Poprad-Tatry, the Slovak weather station 33 km from Zakopane over the mountains, logs January highs of 0.5 °C and lows of -8.1 °C on average.6 February highs average 2.7 °C at the same station.6 Those are the months to aim for, and even then a mild spell can turn a ride into a quad outing.
Dress for cold and speed. One snowmobile day advises very warm clothing and footwear and supplies a helmet, gloves and balaclava. The quads day asks for outdoor clothing and closed shoes, and supplies helmets, balaclavas and gloves too. Ski trousers, a warm jacket and thick socks make the difference on an open machine.
In the warmer months the quads take over. Spring rides can be wet and muddy, summer rides dusty and warm. Winter in Zakopane also offers sleigh rides, usually paired with a barbecue, highlander music and a bonfire, according to the Polish Tourism Organisation.3 For a gentler outing with children, that may suit better than an engine.
Who should book, and who should skip
Book a snowmobile or quad day if you want a burst of adrenaline in a long Tatra day, and if you are happy with an outing that depends on the weather. Couples sharing a machine get more out of the fees. For teenagers it can be the highlight of the trip, but check age rules: one quad ride in Zakopane does not take children under 6.
Skip it if you have back trouble, dislike cold or speed, or need wheelchair access; the quads day is not wheelchair accessible. Skip it too if you cannot carry cash, since the fees on several days are cash only. A classic baths day gives you the mountains without the engine, with the funicular up Gubalowka and 3 hours in thermal pools instead.
If you are unsure, book the day early and keep the free cancellation in reserve. Each listing here hands your money back on any cancellation made a day ahead. Check the snow report a couple of days ahead, and switch to the baths day if winter has not arrived. The mountains will still be there, and the pools are warm in any weather.
FAQ
Straight answers to common questions.
How much is a snowmobile tour from Krakow?
From €43, plus a ride fee.
One snowmobile and pools day starts from €43 and charges PLN 400 in cash per two-person machine.
Is the snowmobile ride fee included?
Often not.
Several days charge the ride separately in cash: PLN 350 or PLN 400 per vehicle.
What happens if there is no snow?
You ride a quad instead.
Operators switch to quads when the snow is too thin, announced the day before.
Do I need a licence for a quad in Zakopane?
For some rides, yes.
One quad ride and one ATV tour both require a valid driving license.
Can children ride quads in Zakopane?
Not under 6 on one ride.
That quad ride does not take children under 6, and anyone under 18 is booked as an adult.
Is protective gear provided?
Yes, on the snowmobile days.
Helmet, gloves and balaclava are supplied; bring very warm clothing.
Can I cancel a snowmobile tour?
Yes, up to 24 hours before.
Cancel 24 hours ahead or earlier and these listings refund you fully.
Sources
- Polish Tourism Organisation (poland.travel) · Zakopane: The magic of winter ↩
- Polish Tourism Organisation (poland.travel) · Zakopane: The magic of winter ↩
- Polish Tourism Organisation (poland.travel) · Zakopane: The magic of winter ↩
- Polish Tourism Organisation (poland.travel) · Zakopane: The magic of winter ↩
- Polish Tourism Organisation (poland.travel) · Zakopane: The magic of winter ↩
- NOAA · Global Summary of the Month, Station Poprad-Tatry, Slovakia (NOAA GHCN LO000011934), 1991 to 2020 ↩