Iltsi village — to Voronenko village, via Mount Kukul

At a glance

A multi-day route of 45.8 km with 2,345 m of ascent from Iltsi village to Voronenko village. Estimated time: 2 days of 7–8 h of walking (about 15.5 h in total, not counting stops). Difficulty: hard. Waymarking is missing or partial.

Route stages

1. 0–4 kmGentle ups and downs at 640–680 m
2. 4–10 kmClimb of 750 m (up to 1,421 m)
3. 10–19 kmGentle ups and downs at 1,410–1,580 m, past Mount Kostrych
4. 19–25 kmDescent of 640 m (down to 933 m)
5. 25–31 kmClimb of 600 m to Mount Kukul (1,539 m)
6. 31–46 kmDescent of 700 m to Voronenko village

Steepest kilometre: km 6–7, a climb of 260 m (≈22%).

Water and overnight stays

Springs near the trail: at km 3, 7, 13, 19, 20, 23, 29, 32, 35 and 37 etc.. Some springs run low or dry up in late summer.

Huts and shelters near the trail: Hut on Polonyna Vesnarka (5) (km 8), Hut on Polonyna Bolota (2) (km 13), Hut on Polonyna Vesnarka (3) (km 21), Hut on Polonyna Zakukul (km 30), Hut on Polonyna Serednia (km 34), Hut on Polonyna Hryhorivka (km 37), Hut (Voronenko, 3) (km 40), Hut (Voronenko) (km 40) etc.. Places to stay near the start: Verkhovyna; near the finish: Vorokhta.

A possible split into days:

1. Day 1: km 0–21, ≈7.5 h — overnight: Hut on Polonyna Vesnarka (3) (hut)
2. Day 2: km 21–46, ≈7.5 h — finish

When to go

Best time: May to October. In winter deep snow is possible, so experience and winter gear are needed. About 4 km of the route runs above 1,500 m, where the weather changes quickly — check the forecast.

Getting there

Start: Iltsi village. Most places to stay near the start are in Verkhovyna. This is a one-way route: the finish is 24 km from the start in a straight line, so plan your way back in advance.

Directions to the start in Google Maps

FAQ

How long does the route take?

Estimated time: 2 days of 7–8 h of walking (about 15.5 h in total, not counting stops).

Is there water on the route?

Springs near the trail: at km 3, 7, 13, 19, 20, 23, 29, 32, 35 and 37 etc.. Some springs run low or dry up in late summer.

Where can I stay overnight?

Huts and shelters near the trail: Hut on Polonyna Vesnarka (5) (km 8), Hut on Polonyna Bolota (2) (km 13), Hut on Polonyna Vesnarka (3) (km 21), Hut on Polonyna Zakukul (km 30), Hut on Polonyna Serednia (km 34), Hut on Polonyna Hryhorivka (km 37), Hut (Voronenko, 3) (km 40), Hut (Voronenko) (km 40) etc.. Places to stay near the start: Verkhovyna; near the finish: Vorokhta. Possible overnight stops: Hut on Polonyna Vesnarka (3) (km 21).