Daleki Hory Cheese Dairy, Snidavka

Daleki Hory (“Distant Mountains”) is one of the highest craft cheese dairies in Ukraine. It stands in the mountain village of Snidavka in the Kosiv area, about 940 metres above sea level and some 25 km from Kosiv. The dairy was set up by an agricultural cooperative of almost thirty local families: they supply milk from cows grazing on Carpathian meadow herbs, and the cheesemakers turn it into European-style hard and semi-hard cheeses. They call their product “the white gold of the Carpathians”. If you are looking for a Carpathian cheese dairy with a tour and tasting, this is one of the most interesting places in the Hutsul region.

Why go: tour and tasting

The tour is short but packed. Visitors see the workshop and the cheese-making process and are then taken down to the ageing cellars, where wheels of Gouda and Maasdam lie in rows on the shelves. The visit ends with a tasting of six cheeses with accompaniments. It is a good chance to compare how flavour changes with the variety and length of ageing, and to ask the cheesemakers about the finer points of their craft.

• a look at production and the ageing cellars;
• a tasting of six cheeses;
• a workshop on shaping cheese horses – by prior booking;
• a petting zoo with Highland cattle and alpacas – a favourite with children;
• an old Hutsul house more than 140 years old;
• a shop where you can buy cheese to take away.

What to taste and buy

The dairy has been running since 2020 using Dutch and Swiss technology and checks quality at every stage. The cheeses are made from whole high-mountain cow’s milk. The range includes Gouda (also with fenugreek and with chilli), Maasdam, Cheddar, Emmental, Parmesan, ricotta, halloumi, the house hard cheese “Opryshkivskyi” and soft Hutsul bryndza. The secret of the taste, the cheesemakers say, lies in the milk: clean air, spring water and the mountain herbs the cows of Snidavka graze on make it special.

Mountain cheese from the Kosiv area makes a great gift from the Carpathians. Besides individual wheels and pieces, the dairy puts together gift sets – a tasting set, a festive set and a large set. If you cannot make the trip, the cheeses can be ordered from the online shop on the official website.

Cheese horses: a Hutsul tradition

A highlight of the visit is the cheese horse workshop. These are figurines of steamed sheep’s or cow’s cheese shaped like horses, deer or birds, which Hutsuls have long made for holidays and given to children. The instructor shows how to stretch the warm cheese curd and shape it, and you can take your figurine home. The workshop is by prior booking only, so arrange it when you call about the tour.

Practical information

• Address: Snidavka village, Kosiv community, Ivano-Frankivsk region.
• Opening hours: daily 10:00–17:00, all year round.
• Booking: groups of up to 10 are welcome without booking; larger groups must book by phone on +380961699494. There is also a booking form on the website.
• Price: ask by phone in advance for the cost of the tour with tasting.
• Contacts: +380961699494, +380673708685, [email protected].

According to the dairy, even a large coach can drive up to it, which makes it a convenient stop for school and group trips. For those who want to stay longer in the mountains, there is a cottage with a mountain view on site – ask separately about accommodation.

Getting there

Snidavka lies in the mountains south-west of Kosiv, about 25 km from the town. Driving is the easiest option: from Kosiv follow your navigation to Snidavka and on to the dairy – the last few kilometres are a winding mountain road, so in winter make sure you have suitable tyres. There is no public transport to the dairy itself; without a car it is best to arrange a taxi from Kosiv. Many travellers combine the visit with a bike ride or hike to the Ternoshora rocks.

Website and social media: daleki-gory.com · facebook.com · instagram.com

Photos: huculia.info; daleki-gory.com.