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Auschwitz Birkenau Self-Guided Tour from Krakow

4 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 4 reviews collected by City Boat Tours and TripAdvisor | Recommended by 100% of reviewers | Krakow, Poland

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7 to 8 hours (approx.)
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Overview

Take part in a self-guided visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, one of the most important historical sites in the world. This day trip from Krakow includes transportation, entry tickets, and the assistance of a tour leader, giving you the freedom to explore the memorial at your own pace.

Start your journey in Krakow, where you’ll meet your English-speaking tour leader and travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned minivan or bus to the museum. Upon arrival, your tour leader will help you enter the site smoothly and explain the layout of both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

You’ll receive entry tickets that allow you to walk through the camps independently. Visit the preserved barracks, original fences, watchtowers, and exhibitions in Auschwitz I, then continue to Birkenau, the larger extermination camp. With no official guide, you’ll have time to reflect and explore the memorial at your own pace.

After the visit, rejoin your group and return to Krakow.

What's Included

  • Free time to explore both camps independently
  • English-speaking tour leader assistance
  • Round-trip transportation from Krakow

    Meeting Location

    Meeting point

    Pawia
    31-154 Kraków, Poland

    Show on Google Maps

    Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    What To Expect

    Krakow

    Your journey begins with a comfortable ride from Krakow, with a lunchbox if desired. The drive to Auschwitz takes approximately 1.5 hours. Upon arrival in Oświęcim, you'll have a brief break, allowing you to grab a coffee or stretch your legs while taking in the surroundings. Soon after, you'll meet your local guide, a licensed expert from the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum, who will then lead you on an insightful and poignant guided tour.
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    2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

    Panstwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau

    Upon arrival at Auschwitz, your professional guide will meet you and lead you through the infamous gate at Auschwitz I, inscribed with the chilling words "Arbeit Macht Frei". The Auschwitz-Birkenau complex was established in 1940, repurposing old Polish army barracks, and was initially intended to hold Polish POWs and political prisoners. It operated until its liberation by Soviet forces in 1945. During this time, more than 1.5 million prisoners, including Jews, Poles, Italians, and French, were brought to Auschwitz, with 1.1 million tragically exterminated in what became the largest genocide in human history, leaving survivors deeply scarred.As you explore the Auschwitz I site, you'll encounter original buildings, roads, fences, watchtowers, railway ramps, and the haunting "Death Wall." Your tour includes visits to the barracks, now housing powerful exhibitions, documents, and items. These moving displays offer a glimpse into the harrowing reality faced by those imprisoned here.
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    1 hour 50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

    Brzezinka

    The second part of your tour takes you to Birkenau (Auschwitz II), the largest of over 40 camps and sub-camps within the Auschwitz complex. Originally conceived as a camp for Soviet POWs, Birkenau eventually became a concentration camp for prisoners of various nationalities and a central hub for the extermination of Jews. Construction began in October 1941, built by slave laborers on the site of the displaced and largely destroyed village of Brzezinka, just three kilometers from Auschwitz I. The camp was designed to hold up to 125,000 prisoners at a time, many of whom were condemned from the outset to die from cold, hunger, disease, and overwork. Prisoners were treated as expendable and easily replaced labor. As you walk through Birkenau, you’ll witness the horrific living conditions prisoners were forced to endure. This part of the tour gives a sobering glimpse into the brutal efficiency with which lives were extinguished during the Holocaust.
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    1 hour 10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

    Krakow

    After the tour, we don't hurry you. You'll have at least 15 minutes to stop at a bookstore or just take a break. Then, after another 1 hour and 30minutes on the road, we'll take you back to a set place in Krakow
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    2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

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    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Time may be changed due to schedule at the Auschwitz Museum
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

    Frequently Asked Questions

    (6)

    Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Auschwitz Birkenau Self-Guided Tour from Krakow?

    A: This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded. Read more Apr 2025

    Cancellation Policy

    This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

    Still have questions?

    We're here to help.
    Activity code: C-5752P140

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    Reviews

    5.00
    4 reviews

    Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 4 traveler reviews collected by City Boat Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

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    What's Included

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    • Free time to explore both camps independently
    • English-speaking tour leader assistance
    • Round-trip transportation from Krakow
    • Entry tickets to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau

    Additional Info

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
    • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Time may be changed due to schedule at the Auschwitz Museum
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

    Report Product Issue

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    Language

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    Non-refundable

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

    This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

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    American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

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