10 Best Auschwitz Tours From Krakow in 2025
If you’re planning a trip to Krakow, there’s one day trip that stands out, a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau. It’s one of the most sobering places in Europe, and understanding what happened there adds real depth to your time in Poland.
Sure, Krakow’s Old Town, local food spots, and nightlife deserve your attention, but taking one of the Auschwitz tours from Krakow is something you won’t regret, despite how sad it is.
To help you find a tour that fits your travel style, we’ve put together this guide with 10 solid options, and you will find the best Auschwitz concentration camp tour from Krakow for your preference.
They’re all different, routes, durations, guides, so you won’t waste time scrolling through endless listings. Here’s what’s actually worth booking.
Why It’s Better to Join Auschwitz Tours from Krakow
Yes, you can visit Auschwitz on your own. But honestly, going with a guide makes a huge difference. Auschwitz is the one place that still defines what happened across all Nazi camps during World War II.
A guided tour helps you understand the full weight of it, and the full history of Auschwitz Birkenau. You’ll hear stories, learn about things you’d likely miss on your own, and get context that brings everything into focus, even the small, quiet parts of the site that look empty but aren’t.
If you’re really looking to understand what happened there, a tour is the way to go, and they’re very cheap.
Some tours also include a visit to the nearby Wieliczka Salt Mine after Auschwitz. It’s a totally different experience, but worth it if you’ve got the time and want to round out your day.
How Long Does a Tour of Auschwitz Take?
The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum is open to visitors year-round, and you’re free to walk through both sites while learning the history. How long you stay depends on which parts you visit and how deeply you want to take it all in. It’s a heavy experience, no doubt.
Most tours from Krakow last at least 7 hours, which covers both camps and round-trip transportation. If you’re booking a package that includes sightseeing in Krakow as well, some can stretch up to 12 to 16 hours, giving you a much fuller day.
Note that you can also book a day tour from Warsaw to Auschwitz, which is a great alternative, and those tours even stop for a tour in Krakow, in case you don’t plan to spend the night there.
How Long Does it Take to Visit Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial?
The time spent on-site at Auschwitz and Birkenau usually ranges from 2 to 4 hours. It’s a lot of walking and standing, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Some tours, or the museum itself, offer a virtual experience too. It has over 200 panoramic images and detailed visuals that help you understand the layout and what each area was used for. During your visit, you’ll see the barracks, ruins of gas chambers, crematoria, and the large monument dedicated to the victims.
10 Tours to Auschwitz From Krakow
Now that you’ve got a good idea of what to expect and getting to Auschwitz Birkenau, let’s look at your options. There are plenty of Auschwitz tours from Krakow, small group trips, private drivers, and cheap tours that still provide great value.
Each one includes different extras like hotel pickup, lunch, or a stop at the Salt Mine. We walk you through the best ones below.
1. Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour from Krakow
⭐ Rating: 4.6/5
✔️ Reviews: 25,000+
🕗 Duration: 7 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: GetYourGuide
One day deeply moving and educational trip from Krakow to the Auschwitz-Birkenau prison camps is this 8-hour tour. Led by a professional guide you will learn about the history of the Holocaust.
Spend 3.5 hours visiting both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau where millions suffered and died. Walk through the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” gate, see the preserved barracks, and learn about the history of the site.
Pickup options and multilingual guides for flexibility and a full experience of this somber piece of history. And if you’re on a budget or traveling in a big group you’ll love that prices are affordable, which is a bonus.
The catch? This is one of the most popular tours to Auschwitz from Krakow and it always sells out so book now.
2. From Krakow: Auschwitz-Birkenau Full-Day Tour
⭐ Rating: 4.5/5
✔️ Reviews: 15,000+
🕗 Duration: 3.5 to 7 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: GetYourGuide
Learn about the history of the biggest former Nazi concentration camps of World War II on this 7-hour best Krakow Auschwitz tour. You will be picked up from your accommodation in Krakow and then taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial where a guide will meet you.
If you’re in Krakow this is one of the best tours to Auschwitz to visit the camps.
You will walk from the unloading railway platforms to the gas chambers and barracks where the prisoners’ personal belongings are still kept.
Walking through Auschwitz II Birkenau you’ll see everything that will remind you that you’re in a place that was feared by people.
It’s not fiction but a real-life torture chamber in the open air. It’s scary but necessary to get into history. In the end, it’s an excellent Auschwitz tour from Krakow you can take.
4. Auschwitz-Birkenau & Salt Mine Guided Tour
⭐ Rating: 4.7/5
✔️ Reviews: 8,000+
🕗 Duration: 11 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: GetYourGuide
This is one of the most popular day trips from Krakow to Auschwitz-Birkenau, and for good reason. Over the course of 7 to 8 hours, you’ll be guided through both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau with a licensed expert who brings the history to life (and puts it into perspective).
You’ll walk through the gates marked “Arbeit Macht Frei”, step inside preserved prison blocks, and hear stories that stick with you long after you leave. The 3.5-hour guided portion on-site is enough to see both camps in detail without rushing around.
Hotel pickup is available, and multilingual guides are offered. It’s a flexible and accessible option. It’s also really affordable, ideal if you’re traveling on a budget or with a group.
Just a heads-up: this tour sells out constantly, especially in summer, so it’s smart to lock in your spot early.
5. From Krakow: Auschwitz Guided Tour
⭐ Rating: 4.3/5
✔️ Reviews: 6,000+
🕗 Duration: 8 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: GetYourGuide
Yes, you can go to Auschwitz from Krakow on your own, but this tour is the best option by far, and you just can’t beat going with a tour guide.
You’ll get picked up right from your hotel or meeting point, then head straight to Auschwitz-Birkenau for a guided visit. A professional guide will lead you through both camps, from the train unloading platform to the gas chambers, crematoria ruins, and remaining barracks.
The tour focuses heavily on personal stories and preserved artifacts, including belongings left behind by prisoners. This is to help you connect with the history on a more human level.
It’s not an easy tour emotionally, but it’s one of the most direct and well-organized options out there. The group size is usually manageable, and it’s great for people with tighter schedules.
6. Affordable & Shared Auschwitz Trip
⭐ Rating: 4.5/5
✔️ Reviews: 1,000+
🕗 Duration: 7 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: Viator
Want to make the most of your time near Krakow? This group tour covers two of the region’s most visited sites in one day: The Auschwitz-Birkenau UNESCO World Heritage Site and the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine.
You’ll start early with a visit to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. With a guide, you’ll visit the buildings, exhibitions, and grounds where millions were imprisoned and murdered, including the barracks and gas chambers. The guide explains everything in a way that’s clear and respectful.
After the camp visit, you’ll continue to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, where you’ll go underground to see vast chambers, tunnels, salt sculptures, and even chapels carved out of salt. It’s a complete shift in mood, but the contrast makes for a memorable day. If you’re short on time and want to see both important places without booking two separate tours, this one’s a no-brainer. Just keep in mind, it’s a full 11-hour day, so wear comfy shoes and stay hydrated.
7. Day Tour from Krakow to Auschwitz & Wieliczka
⭐ Rating: 4.7/5
✔️ Reviews: 1,000+
🕗 Duration: 11 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: GetYourGuide
If you want to pack two of Poland’s biggest sights into one day without the stress of figuring out buses and tickets, this tour’s a winner. This trip will give you a deeper understanding of what happened in Poland during the Second World War, and you’ll see the hidden corners of the concentration camps, exactly what you can expect inside Auschwitz.
A driver picks you up right in Krakow and whisks you to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau in a cosy, air-conditioned shuttle.
A licensed guide meets you at the gate and spends about two solid hours walking you through the camp blocks, the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” archway, guard towers, and personal artifacts that bring the stories home.
After a quick lunch break (grab a sandwich or snack that’s included in the price), you head to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Down 130 meters of carved stairways, you’ll find massive chambers, saline lakes, and the underground Chapel of St Kinga, all made of salt. The guided walk takes approximately 2.5 hours, so there’s time to take photos of the chandeliers and salt sculptures without feeling rushed.
Tickets, guides in English or other languages, and door-to-door hotel transfers are all baked in. It’s a long 11-hour day, but you’ll sleep well knowing you covered two bucket-list spots in one go. Book early, because seats disappear fast in high season.
8. Auschwitz & Salt Mine from Krakow With Lunch
⭐ Rating: 4.5/5
✔️ Reviews: 4,000+
🕗 Duration: 10 to 12 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: Viator
This combo trip is perfect if you’d rather keep the day a little shorter but still hit both Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mine. A driver picks you up right outside your hotel, and on the ride to Auschwitz a short documentary plays on the screen so you arrive with some context.
At the memorial, your guide explains each section, from the unloading ramp to the barracks and the stark ruins of the gas chambers. You get time for photos and a moment to walk on your own if you need to collect your thoughts.
Nex,t it’s off to Wieliczka. A guide leads you past salt-carved chapels, tunnels lined with briny crystals, and underground lakes that almost glow in the low light. Headsets mean you won’t miss a word, even if you lag behind for photos.
It’s one of Viator’s busiest Krakow tours, so locking in tickets a week or two ahead is the smart move.
9. Concentration Camps Tour from Krakow With Licensed Guide
⭐ Rating: 4.5/5
✔️ Reviews: 3,000+
🕗 Duration: 7 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: Viator
This seven-hour tour is a straight-to-the-point Auschwitz visit without any extra stop. A minibus picks you up in Krakow and heads straight to the memorial. Your licensed guide spends around three hours walking you through both Auschwitz I and Birkenau, pausing at the barracks, watchtowers, gas-chamber ruins, and the memorial stone row.
Along the way, you’ll hear prisoner testimonies, see personal items left behind, and get a clear timeline of how the camp system operated. Transport is round-trip, so once you’re back on the bus, you can decompress during the ride back to Krakow.
It’s efficient, respectful, and ideal if you’re short on time but still want a thorough look at one of history’s darkest chapters.
10. Auschwitz and Birkenau Fully Guided Tour
⭐ Rating: 5/5
✔️ Reviews: 6,000+
🕗 Duration: 7 Hours
🚐 Where to Book: Viator
This fully guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau offers a thoughtful and informative visit to one of the most significant historical sites in Europe. You’ll explore both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau with a professional guide who provides detailed explanations throughout the day.
The tour focuses on the history of the Holocaust, the conditions prisoners faced, and the role these camps played during World War II. You’ll learn about the medical experiments, forced labor, and the gas chambers where over a million people lost their lives.
The experience includes round-trip transportation from Krakow, entrance tickets, and headsets to ensure you can clearly hear the guide at all times.
It’s a serious and educational visit, designed to help you better understand the history and honor the memory of those who suffered here. Yes, it’s a very sad episode of human history, but Auschwitz Birkenau is worth visiting.
Conclusion – Auschwitz Tours from Krakow
From the sad stories to the countryside from the train, you will have a unique experience, despite the Auschwitz day tours being pretty sobering.
Of course, these tours from Krakow to Auschwitz are heavy to take in and you should be mentally prepared for it, but overall it’s one of the places you can’t miss when visiting Poland.
Thank you for reading until the end and feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions about these day trips.