Region 1
A forest that has not known the axe for hundreds of years, and a village that grew out of a tsarist hunting lodge.
Stepping into the Forest is like stepping into a cathedral. The trunks of oaks and ashes rise forty metres, light falls from above in narrow shafts, and underfoot lie fallen giants from which the next generation of forest is growing. Nobody clears them away, because in this part of the Forest nature has long ruled itself. It is one of the last fragments of primeval lowland forest in Europe, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The largest herd of free-living European bison in the world lives here.
The gateway to the Forest is Hajnówka: a town of timbermen, railwaymen and Orthodox church choirs. From here a green cycle route leads to Białowieża, and a narrow-gauge forest railway runs to Topiło. Białowieża itself is the former hunting residence of the tsars. The palace is gone, but the park remains, and the old railway station now houses a restaurant.
The most precious part of the forest, the Strict Protection Area of Białowieża National Park, can be visited only with a licensed guide. It is worth it, because it is a completely different world from a managed forest. The rest of the Forest you can explore on your own, on foot and by bike, along marked trails.
In Poland you do not call it a “forest” here, you call it the “puszcza”. The difference is the one between a garden and the wild.
From Klejniki to Hajnówka it is approx. 22 km (approx. 20 min), to Białowieża approx. 45 km (approx. 45 min). Minibuses run between Hajnówka and Białowieża.
May and June, when the forest is at its greenest and the birds are singing. September and October bring mushrooms and the red deer rut. Winter is quieter, and bison are easier to spot.
At least one full day for Białowieża and a second for Hajnówka and its surroundings.
Opening hours of the European Bison Show Reserve, the BPN museum and guided entries change with the season. Check them at bpn.gov.pl. On trails in the National Park you must not leave the paths, and dogs must be on a lead.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Route lines are based on OSM data; on the ground, follow the trail markings.
★★★ worth a special trip · ★★ worth a detour · ★ worth a look
Large enclosures where you can see European bison, Polish konik horses, bison-cattle hybrids and other animals of the Forest. More certain than meeting one in the wild, and great with children.
It is calmest in the morning, before the coaches arrive. Check the hours at bpn.gov.pl.
A short wooden boardwalk among oaks several centuries old, named after Polish kings and Lithuanian princes. The trunks are so thick that it takes several people to put their arms around them.
It is under a kilometre, so combine it with the bison reserve. Entry may be ticketed; check current rules at bpn.gov.pl.
One of the most extraordinary Orthodox churches in Poland, built from the 1970s to the 1990s. Its form recalls a tent, and inside the eye is drawn to great stained-glass windows and icons. Every year it hosts a festival of Orthodox church music.
Step in during a service and listen to the choir. The acoustics are impressive.
The forest railway runs from Hajnówka to Topiło through 12 km of forest. It was built to haul timber and today carries tourists in open carriages.
It runs in season, roughly from May to September. Timetable and reservations from the Hajnówka Forest District.
A park around the vanished hunting palace of the tsars. Ponds, old avenues and buildings of the former residence. This is where most Białowieża outings begin.
For sunset over the ponds, bring a blanket.
The Nature Education Centre of Białowieża National Park. Dioramas, animals and the history of the Forest under one roof. Good preparation before you enter the woods.
Guided entries to the strict protection area start by the museum.
A boardwalk through a wet, boggy forest between Białowieża and the bison reserve. Wooden planks lead over the water, among alders and ferns.
After rain the boardwalk can be slippery. Wear shoes with good soles.
A restaurant in the former tsarist railway station of Białowieża Towarowa. Game, blini, regional cuisine and period interiors.
In season and at weekends, book a table.
The story of the Belarusians of Podlasie: costumes, textiles, tools, rites. It helps you understand why there are so many Orthodox churches in this area, and where this distinctive speech comes from.
A good option for a rainy afternoon.
A settlement in the heart of the forest, the railway’s terminus. Ponds, wooden houses and silence. The green cycle trail from Dubicze Cerkiewne to Białowieża passes through Topiło.
In the evening by the ponds you can hear beavers and frogs.
A clearing in the forest by the trail from Topiło to Białowieża, wrapped in a local legend of extraordinary energy. Legend aside, it is a lovely spot to rest.
It lies on the green Dubicze Cerkiewne–Topiło–Białowieża cycle trail, so it is a natural stop by bike.
A restaurant by the entrance to the Palace Park. Babka (potato bake), pierogi and other dishes of Podlasie cuisine.
A good place for lunch after a walk in the park.
A village on the Narewka River, on the northern edge of the Forest. A kayak landing, a tourist information point and the start of two Green Velo loops.
This is where you rent a kayak for the Narewka trip.
A Forest classic: 20 km along a forest trail from the station in Hajnówka to the European Bison Show Reserve.
20 km1.5–2 hrs one wayeasyA short wooden boardwalk, under a kilometre, among oaks that remember the Jagiellons.
0.6 km30–45 mineasyA boardwalk through a swamp forest from Białowieża towards the bison reserve. Wet, green and very wild.
2.7 km1–1.5 hrs one wayeasyA walk from the Palace Park to the former tsarist station, where a restaurant now stands.
3.1 km45–60 min one wayeasyHajnówka, the European bison, Białowieża and Narewka in one loop. The best route if you have only one day for the Forest.
96 kmfull day, approx. 2 hrs of drivingeasyFrom the Palace Park via Żebra Żubra to the reserve. Snow, silence and steaming bison.
5.8 km2–2.5 hrs one wayeasyOnly for the Strict Protection Area of Białowieża National Park. The Forest trails, the Żebra Żubra boardwalk, the Royal Oaks Trail and the European Bison Show Reserve are open without a guide.
Certainly in the European Bison Show Reserve near Białowieża. In the wild, most often early in the morning and in winter, in clearings and meadows at the edge of the forest.
One full day: the bison reserve and Żebra Żubra in the morning, the Palace Park and the museum around noon, and a guided entry into the strict protection area in the afternoon.
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Every route in this guide starts within an hour of our house. After a day out, a tiled stove, a kitchen with a wood-fired range and silence are waiting for you.