The Auschwitz-Birkenau camp is a rather large area, covering perhaps one or two square miles. The main camp originated as a Polish army garrison and is comprised largely of brick buildings. These still stand, barbed wire and all. Birkenau, some distance away, was largely wooden barracks and underground crematoria. Few remain. The Russians dynamited what the Nazis did not destroy.

It is about 25 miles from Krakow to the camp. I would suggest you book a tour while in Krakow (any hotel or their visitors bureau would be glad to assist) because it certainly was not easy to get there otherwise when we went, the camp is quite complex and needs some explanation, and you will get a lot more out of the experience with a guide who can explain things as you go along.

I agree with USNR. We arranged for the tour at a travel office in the center of Krakow. The tour guide was excellent. We had first thought of going by public transportation but it would have not worked nearly as smoothly as the tour.

I'm looking for a tour too and there are lots of choices online - with really variable rates. From the Krakow tourist pages the rates seem the most reasonable BUT don't fit my schedule....

If you find a tour which seems great, please post. I'll be there in August and will post what I end up taking.

We took the bus on our own and it was really easy. We took the 3 hours tour of the two camps and it was extremely moving. We ended up spending over 7 hours there (tour plus the time on our own), I think I would have been rushed with a bus tour.

We also went on our own by public bus (not difficult at all & much cheaper).At the Auschwitz ticket booth, we requested a private guide. She was excellent,very informative & took us to Birkenau(must see) as well.

Is it possible to arrange a private tour from Krakow?

We just booked a driver through our hotel. It was really quite inexpensive.

It's very simple (and inexpensive) to get there by bus (or train) if you are thinking of doing that. It is no quicker to get a guide from Krakow since the buses make so few stops between Krakow and Auschwitz.

You can then choose to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau on your own (which personally I would recommend) or to get one of the guides in the language you require when you get there.

Auschwitz is something to see at your own pace and not to be herded round in a group. There are plenty of exhibits and information as you go round and the need for a guide must be relatively small. I found it totally bizarre to walk into one of the gas chambers there to be confronted by a group of about 50 people on a tour with the guide speaking loudly so the whole group could hear. The guide was in French so I understood very little but quite what people needed to be told in a gas chamber I do not know given all the relevant information was clearly explained elsewhere.

Make sure you visit Auschwitz and Birkenau - they are about 3km apart (an easy walk or short taxi ride).

Actually, the guides can be very helpful and provide information not displayed on site. For example, the guide we had in March does a lot of volunteer work with concentration camp survivors and he told us things that we hadn't seen at the site or in the guidebook we bought.
Our guide also was very good at explaining various things at Birkenau that we didn't find in the guidebook.
A few people on our group came with a tour for an overview and then made plans to come back the following day on their own.
Our guide was excellent and we discussed with him whether he thought Auschwitz was becoming too much of a "tourist attraction" rather than a memorial/testimony. He also told us of having guided a few people through that turned out to be neo-Nazis/skinheads and the impact A-B had on opening their minds.

Thats why its good to get a driver - he will arrange your guide and drive you between camps (included in hire price).
I liked having the guide.It was very small groups and everyone was so quiet. I was so choked up with emotion- my vocal chords have never been so rested.

We booked a tour through our hotel. Although it was cheap and easily done, we had to go on the tour's schedule. We felt rushed through Auschwitz and Birkenau. We had no time to roam through and reflect. If we went again, we would probably go without a guide.

carylspall-
where did you book your driver?

We were staying at the Hotel Pollera in the old town and read the notice on the reception desk about private tours.

The Pollera is a 2* hotel with the weirdest old furniture in the bedrooms. Very comfortable and great location if anyone is interested.
Would suit all the people who dont like modern chain hotels.

Since I was going alone I preferred a group tour and I chose Malopolska tours: http://www.malopolskapks.com/ since they offered the longest time actually on site.

They saved time by having a central pick-up location and not driving around for 1-2 hours picking people up at hotels.

We left Matejko Square at 1.30 pm and returned there at 7.45 pm. I highly recommend them.

Our tour guide, Marek, was wonderful. He provided insightful comments and fielded insensitive questions in a very professional manner. It was good for me to go to see the size of the camps, although I knew they were big, seeing it really brought it into perspective: acres upon acres of chimney stacks.

It was a difficult visit but worthwhile; expecially sombering was seeing prayers being said by traditionally dressed Jewish men in the thunder storm on the side of the railroad tracks.

We did the Auschwitz & Salt Mine tour in one day through: http://www.krakowtours.co.uk/auschwitz.html#combined

wasn't a "tour" per se, as you're basically paying for someone to drive you to these places, but well worth the time and money.

He picked up us from our hotel, drove us to Auschwitz I & II (2 hours at I, 1 hr at II) then drove us to the Salt Mine then back to our hotel. Very long day but very iteresting. I think we paid equivalent of $80 per person (incl lunch, admission fee to Salt Mine).

If you google Krakow Tours, you can find a bunch of diff companies and compare their prices.

whoops. very old post! haha.