A visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau may be a shocking experience, but every person should see this concentration camp at least once in their lifetime and face the terrifying story of the Holocaust, as well as attempt to read human emotions inside the camp.

Auschwitz-Birkenau used to be the largest extermination camp during World War II. It is estimated that over a million people were murdered there. Entering the former camp area youwill get the impression that for several years hell was located in this very place. Hunger, medical experiments, terror, exhausting work, diseases, executions, gas chambers, Zyklon B – all these were experienced by the people who had been brought here. Visiting the camp brings back the memory of those events, the genocide and the Holocaust. The atrocity that took place here makes you shudder. It also gives a lot to think about.

Highlights

Auschwitz I

• Gate with “Arbeit macht frei” (Work makes you free) sign
• Brick camp barracks
• The life of prisoners from the moment they enter the gate until their death in the gas chamber and their cremation
• Wall of Death
• Gas chamber and crematorium

Auschwitz-II Birkenau

• The Guard-house
• The main gate
• Ruins of gas chambers and crematoria
• International Monument dedicated to the Victims of the Auschwitz- Birkenau Camp
• Wooden barracks

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

A v1sit to Auschwitz-Birkenau is a shocking experience, but people who visit it, want to see the camp at least once in their life and face the terrifying history of the Holocaust and try to read human emotions inside the camp.

Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour?

On this tour, we use transport owned by a Krakow resident. Your tour guide and driver will also be from Krakow. For these people, this is a regular full-time job which allows them to make a living. At the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, you are shown around by an official museum educator who lives nearby and belongs to the local community. All this provides residents with the benefits of your visit.

Departure & Return

Our main meeting points in Krakow:

• Kiss and Ride Park / Dajwór 65, 31-052 Krakow
• Kiss and Ride Park / Dietla 91, 31-031 Krakow
• Reception desk at Holiday Inn Hotel / Wielopole 4, 31-072 Krakow
• Reception desk at Vienna House Andel’s Cracow / Pawia 3, 31-154 Krakow
• Kiss and Ride Park / Garbarska 2, 31-131 Krakow
• Reception desk at Radisson Blu Hotel, Straszewskiego 17, 31-101 Krakow
• Reception desk at the Sheraton Grand Hotel Krakow, Powiśle 7, 31-101 Krakow

Tour Itinerary

1. Meeting point

   We will pick you up from one of our main meeting points located in the centre of Kraków or your hotel reception.
   

2. Transfer to Auschwitz by air-conditioned minibus (~ 1,5h)

   During the tour you will watch the documentary film titled "Chronicle of the liberation of the camp" - a tragedy picture of the liberated camp captured by a Soviet military film crew.
   

3. Visiting Auschwitz I (~ 1,5h)

   An official museum educator will share with you a heartbreaking story in the language of your choice. Admission tickets are prepaid. You will visit:
   • The gate with the "Arbeit macht frei" (Work makes
   you free) sign
   • Brick camp barracks which now house thematic
   exhibitions
   • The Wall of Death
   • Gas chamber and crematorium
   

4. A Break after visiting Auschwitz I (~ 15 min.)

   A Break for a short rest and eat the sandwich you brought.

5. Transfer to Auschwitz-II Birkenau (~ 10 min.)

   After visiting the Auschwitz I camp, you will be transported to Auschwitz-II Birkenau in the same minibus you used to drive to the camp.
   

6. Visiting Auschwitz-II Birkenau (~ 1.5h)

   Continuation of the tour at Birkenau with an official museum educator. You will visit, among the others:
   • The Guardhouse and the main gate of Auschwitz-
   II Birkenau
   • Ruins of gas chambers with crematoria
   • International Monument dedicated to the Victims
   of the Auschwitz Camp
   • Wooden barracks
   
   If you purchased the option of the tour – Skip the Line Ticket (no transport) - you will end your tour here without transport.
   

7. Return to Krakow of the Auschwitz-II Birkenau camp (~1.5h)

   You will be dropped off at the location from which you were picked up for the tour.
   

Additional information

Reservation, ID document

When booking, please provide the full names of all participants for whom you are booking the tour. For the tour please bring your ID with you. Without that you will not be admitted to the premises of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.

Luggage

You can bring luggage with a maximum size of 30 x 20 x 10 cm to the premises of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum. If you have larger luggage, please inform your tour guide.

Break during sightseeing

Please take a sandwich and drinking water as there is only a 15-minute break during the tour and you will not have time to buy something to eat.

Personal and baggage control

For safety reasons, before entering the premises of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, each participant of the tour is required to undergo a personal and luggage control.

How to dress

The Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum is located in an open space where the weather can change rapidly. For this reason, please bring warm, rain-proof clothing (e.g. sweaters, jackets, umbrellas) and clothing to protect against excessive exposure to the sun (e.g. a hat, cap, sunglasses).
You will travel on foot on terrain where the ground turns muddy when it rains. For this reason, please wear comfortable, waterproof footwear.
Due to the nature of the tour (visiting the area of the former extermination camp), you are asked to respect the memory of the deceased and to adjust your outfit and behavior to the situation.

Disabled

For people with disabilities, the tour should not be too much of an obstacle. Please remember, however, that due to the preservation of the authenticity of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, it may be difficult for people with disabilities to move around the historic grounds and facilities. Uneven floors and building entrances may be obstacles, and some areas are not wheelchair accessible. To make it easier for people with disabilities to visit the museum, a wheelchair can be borrowed free of charge in the Visitors Service building. Please report this fact before starting the tour.

Children

If you decide to visit the Museum with small children please note that for them the sightseeing may be difficult. Uneven floors and entrances to the buildings may present obstacles, and some areas are not accessible for prams. We also do not recommend this visit for children under the age of 14, due to the drastic nature of the exhibitions.

Toilets

Toilets located near the museum are payable.